Let us understand the phenomena of radicalization which is nurturing terrorists in Muslim society. Present-day Muslim militancy derives neither from the Quran nor from the Sunnah. It is basically a product of the Muslim media that has formed the mindset of present-day Muslims. Muslim militancy and suicide bombing are mainly the consequence of Muslim media. The Muslim press has developed into a kind of protesting type of journalism. Now the electronic media is being used by Muslims towards the same end. Muslim militancy is entirely the upshot of the Muslim community’s anger, disillusionment and negative thinking as portrayed and promoted by Muslim media.
No Companion of the Prophet was ever a fidayeen. I have read what Arabs have written. No one gives an example from the life of any of the Companions. Fidayeen is a beautiful name for committing suicide. A fidayee straps a bomb on his body to blow himself up. There is no proof for it in the Quran or the Hadith. No Companion ever did so.
Yusuf Qaradawi has given the example of a Companion in a long article. He has cited only one incident, but this is an entirely wrong reference. Qaradawi is a top scholar in the Arab world. There was a battle in the time of Abu Bakr's caliphate. This was fought against Musaylima Kazzab. Musaylima's army retreated in a garden surrounded by walls on four sides. It was a fort. They entered the fort and shut themselves up in it. There was a boundary wall on all four sides. There were no helicopters in those days to land at a place from above. The Companions of the Prophet were outside and Musaylima was inside the fort with his army. A Companion said that I would sit on a platform, you all lift me up so that I can reach up to the wall to cross it. He was then carried all the way to the wall. He climbed up the wall and then jumped onto the other side. (Tarikh at-Tabari, v. 3, p. 290)
Why did he jump? He jumped to open the fort's door from inside. When he opened the door, all the Companions entered in. This was a dangerous act which involved taking risk. The person who jumped off could have been killed inside by the enemies. One has to take risks in war. Taking risks in war is different from killing oneself. Fidayeen strap bombs on their bodies. Then they go among crowds. They know in advance that they would die. This is suicide. The Prophet's Companion only took a risk, he later lived for another 13 years and died a natural death. The fidayeen these days die as a result of their act, since they have bombs strapped on their bodies. They kill themselves to kill others. This is a false fatwa. Both fidayeen and others who commit suicide die a wrong death. There is no proof for it in the Quran or the Hadith. No Companion ever did so. The only incident is the one cited above. But that was a matter of taking risk in a dangerous situation. Risks have to be taken in every kind of war. This cannot be called suicide.
