{ It is not for any individual to die, except by permission of Allah as ordained at some appointed time. Whoever desires the reward of this world, We will bring of it to him; and whoever desires the reward of the hereafter, We will bring of it to him; We will reward the grateful. And how many prophets have there been, with whom many pious, learned men fought who did not lose heart at what came upon them in the cause of Allah, nor grew weak, nor succumbed; and Allah loves those who are steadfast } Al ‘Imran 145-146

This verse [145] encourages cowards and rouses in them the desire to fight, since indeed neither courage nor reluctance lessens one’s life. … It is said: How many prophets had pious, learned men from among their companions get killed in front of them? However, what Ibn Ishaq said in his biography [sirah] implies a different view; for indeed it says: How many prophets were killed, while pious and learned men were with them, that is, bands of men, but they did not lose heart after what happened to their prophet, or grow weak in the face of their enemy; and they did not succumb to what came upon them in jihad for Allah and for their religion [deen]. This is what it means to be steadfast, { And Allah loves those who are steadfast } .