Death as a Result of Witchcraft
Question

                I have a colleague whose grandmother died as the result of witchcraft, after three years of being bewitched. They tried to treat her but to no avail. My colleague is asking me whether her death is normal or whether there is any virtue or anything that distinguishes a person who dies as a result of witchcraft?
Praise be to Allah.
    After researching the matter, 
    we could not find any evidence or report which indicates that there is any 
    special virtue for one who dies as a result of witchcraft, except that if 
    the victim of witchcraft bears this calamity with patience, he will have the 
    reward of those who are patient, and what a great reward that is. Allah says 
    (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “Only those who are patient 
    shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning.”
    [39:10] 

    “And certainly, We shall test 
    you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but 
    give glad tidings to As‑ Sabirun (the patient). 
Who, when afflicted with 
    calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall 
    return.’

    They are those on whom are 
    the Salawat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and 
    (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided 
    ones.”

    [2:155-157] 

    The Prophet (peace and 
    blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The greater reward comes with the 
    greater trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them; whoever accepts that 
    will earn divine pleasure and whoever is discontent with that will earn 
    divine wrath.” [al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah]

    And he (peace and blessings 
    of Allah be upon him) said: “Calamities will continue to befall the 
    believing man and woman in regard to themselves, their children and their 
    wealth, until they meet Allah with no sins on them.” [al-Tirmidhi]

    Al-Bukhari and Muslim 
    narrated that ‘Ata ibn Abi Rabah said: Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with 
    him) said to me: Shall I show you a woman from among the people of 
    Paradise?” I said, “Yes.” He said: “This black woman came to the Prophet 
    (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, ‘I suffer from epilepsy 
    and I become uncovered. Pray to Allah for me.’ He said, ‘If you wish, you 
    may bear it with patience and Paradise will be yours, or if you wish I will 
    pray to Allah to heal you.’ She said, ‘I will be patient.’ Then she said, 
    ‘But I become uncovered; pray to Allah for me that I will not become 
    uncovered.’ So he prayed for her.” 

    It should be noted that 
    witchcraft is something real, and it may lead to the victim becoming sick, 
    and may even kill him. 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may 
    Allah have mercy on him) said: In sharee’ah (Islamic law), witchcraft is 
    divided into two kinds: 

    1 – Spells and incantations, 
    i.e., recitations and unclear words by means of which the practitioner of 
    witchcraft is able to use the devils to do what he wants of harming his 
    victim. But Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “… but they could not thus 
    harm anyone except by Allah’s Leave.” [2:102] 

    2 – Medicines and potions that affect the body, mind, will 
    and inclinations of the victim, so that he turns away from a person or 
    inclines towards him or her.   

    So they make a man incline 
    towards his wife or towards another woman, so that he becomes like a dumb 
    beast that she can lead wherever she wants. Or they make the opposite 
    happen. 

    They affect the victim 
    physically by weakening him little by little, until he dies. 

    Or they make him imagine 
    things to be other than they really are. 

    Their effect on his mind may 
    go so far as to make him insane – Allah forbid. 

    End quote from Sharh Kitab 
    al-Tawheed, 2/5. 

    The victim may attain the 
    reward of the martyr, if the witchcraft leads to him suffering a stomach 
    disease, the plague or pleurisy, or it leads to a woman dying in pregnancy. 
    Ahmad, Abu Dawood  and al-Nasa’i  narrated that the Prophet (peace and 
    blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “What do you think martyrdom is?” They 
    said: “Being killed for the sake of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah (peace 
    and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Martyrdom is seven things besides 
    being killed for the sake of Allah: the one who dies of the plague is a 
    martyr; the one who dies by drowning is a martyr; the one who dies of 
    pleurisy is a martyr; the one who dies of a stomach disease is a martyr; the 
    one who dies by burning is a martyr; the one who dies beneath a collapsed 
    wall or building is a martyr; and the woman who dies in pregnancy is a 
    martyr.” 

    It says in ‘Awn al-M’abood: 

    “… the one who dies by 
    drowning …” – if his journey was for a permissible purpose. “The one who 
    dies of pleurisy” – this refers to ulcers or abscesses which a person gets 
    in his side, then they open and the pain ceases at the time of death; its 
    signs include pain beneath the ribs and difficulty in breathing accompanied 
    by fever and coughing. “The one who dies of a stomach disease” – this refers 
    to diarrhea or dropsy, or pain in the stomach. … “the woman who dies in 
    pregnancy” – al-Khattabi said: this means, if she dies with a child in her 
    womb. End quote. 

    And Allah knows best.