Dought & clear, - Is his father regarded as a martyr if he died onthe job?

My father died when he was working. He worked as a taxi driver and his
income varied and was modest, and he suffered many illnesses. Is
working regarded as jihad for the sake of Allah? There are some people
who say that he is a martyr. What is the ruling?
Praise be to Allah.
Undoubtedly the efforts of fathers to earn a living in order to spend
on their children and make them independent of means so that they will
not have to ask of people is something for which they will be rewarded
if they seek reward with Allah for that. Al-Bukhaari (56) narrated
from Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Verily, you will never spend anything, seeking thereby the
Countenance of Allah, but you will be rewarded for it, even (the food)
that you put in your wife's mouth."
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:"A dinar that you
spend for the sake of Allaah, a dinar that you spend to free a slave,
a dinar that you give in charity to a needy person and a dinar that
you spend on your family – the greatest of them in reward is the one
that you spend on your family."
Narrated by Muslim (995).
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: In the hadeeth
of Abu Qilaabah from Abu Asma', from Thawbaan, who attributed it to
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), it says: "The
best dinar that a man spends is a dinar that he spends on his
dependents, a dinar that he spends on his mount (for jihad) for the
sake of Allah, and a dinar that he spends on his companions (in jihad)
for the sake of Allah." Abu Qilaabah said: He started with dependents,
and what man will earn a greater reward than a man who spends on his
dependents, to preserve their dignity, and Allah benefits them through
him?
At-Tabari said: It starts with spending on dependents, which includes
one's own self, because a man's own self is among his dependents;
indeed, it has a greater right over him than the rest of his
dependents, because no one can keep others alive by neglecting and
destroying himself. Then comes spending on dependents.
End quote fromFath al-Baari, 9/499
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 69960
Based on that, your father died doing a good deed, for which we hope
that he had a good end and acceptance with Allah, may He be exalted.
But that does not necessarily mean that he was engaged in jihad in the
specific sense of fighting the mushrikeen for the sake of Allah.
With regard to jihad in a general sense (which means striving), which
includes every act of obedience to Allah, there is no reason not to
say that in general terms. But this does not mean that he died as a
martyr either, because not everyone who dies doing a righteous deed
dies as a martyr.
And Allah knows best.