shahid

In Arabic, the word shahid means "witness". Its development closely parallels that of the Greek word martys ({{langx|el|μάρτυς|label=none}}, {{Literal translation|witness}}; also "martyr" in the New Testament), the origin of the term martyr.

A shahid is considered one whose place in Paradise is promised according to these verses in the Quran:

{{Blockquote|Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord; They rejoice in the bounty provided by Allah. And with regard to those left behind, who have not yet joined them (in their bliss), the (Martyrs) glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have they (cause to) grieve.|Quran 3:169–170Abdullah Yusuf Ali}}

{{Blockquote|Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur’an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme.|Quran 9:111}}

The Quranic passage that follows is the source of the concept of Muslim martyrs being promised Paradise:

{{Blockquote|Those who leave their homes in the cause of Allah, and are then slain or die,- On them will Allah bestow verily a goodly Provision: Truly Allah is He Who bestows the best provision. Verily He will admit them to a place with which they shall be well pleased: for Allah is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing.|Quran 22:58–59}}

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The importance of faith is highlighted in the following hadith:

{{Blockquote|It has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Who seeks martyrdom with sincerity shall get its reward, though he may not achieve it.|Collected by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj|"Sahih Muslim"{{Hadith-usc|muslim|usc=yes|020|4694}}}}

It is thus not the outcome that determines the placement in Heaven but rather the intention.

Nonetheless, Paradise for a shahid is a popular concept in the Islamic tradition according to Hadith, and the attainment of this title is honorific.

Muhammad is reported to have said these words about martyrdom:

{{Blockquote|By Him in Whose Hands my life is! I would love to be martyred in Allah's Cause and then get resurrected and then get martyred, and then get resurrected again and then get martyred and then get resurrected again and then get martyred.|Collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari|Sahih al-Bukhari{{Hadith-usc|bukhari|usc=yes|4|52|54}}}}

{{Blockquote|The Prophet said, "Nobody who enters Paradise likes to go back to the world even if he got everything on the Earth, except a Mujahid who wishes to return to the world so that he may be martyred ten times because of the dignity he receives (from Allah).|Collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari|Sahih al-Bukhari{{Hadith-usc|bukhari|usc=yes|4|52|72}}}}

Several hadith also indicate the nature of a shahid's life in Paradise. Shahids attain the highest level of Paradise, the Paradise of al-Firdous.

{{Blockquote|Haritha was martyred on the day (of the battle) of Badr, and he was a young boy then. His mother came to the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Apostle! You know how dear Haritha is to me. If he is in Paradise, I shall remain patient, and hope for reward from Allah, but if it is not so, then you shall see what I do?" He said, "May Allah be merciful to you! Have you lost your senses? Do you think there is only one Paradise? There are many Paradises and your son is in the (most superior) Paradise of Al-Firdaus.|Collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari|Sahih al-Bukhari{{Hadith-usc|bukhari|usc=yes|5|59|318}}}}

Furthermore, Samura narrated:

{{Blockquote|The Prophet said, "Last night two men came to me (in a dream) and made me ascend a tree and then admitted me into a better and superior house, better of which I have never seen. One of them said, 'this house is the house of martyrs.'|Collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari|Sahih al-Bukhari{{Hadith-usc|bukhari|usc=yes|4|52|49}}}}

There are at least five different kinds of martyrs according to hadith.

{{Blockquote|Allah's Apostle said, "Five are regarded as martyrs: They are those who die because of plague, abdominal disease, drowning or a falling building etc., and the martyrs in Allah's cause.|Collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari|Sahih al-Bukhari{{Hadith-usc|bukhari|usc=yes|4|52|82}}}}

One who dies protecting his property is also considered a martyr according to Hadith:

{{Blockquote|I heard the Prophet saying, "Whoever is killed while protecting his property then he is a martyr.|Collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari|Sahih al-Bukhari{{Hadith-usc|bukhari|usc=yes|3|43|660}}}}

While the Qur'an does not indicate much about martyrs' death and funeral, the hadith provides some information on this topic. For example, martyrs are to be buried two in one grave in their blood, without being washed or having a funeral prayer held for them. The following Hadith highlight this:

{{Blockquote|The Prophet collected every two martyrs of Uhud in one piece of cloth, then he would ask, "Which of them had (known) more of the Quran?" When one of them was pointed out for him, he would put that one first in the grave and say, "I will be a witness on these on the Day of Resurrection." He ordered them to be buried with their blood on their bodies and they were neither washed nor was a funeral prayer offered for them.|Collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari|Sahih al-Bukhari{{Hadith-usc|bukhari|usc=yes|2|23|427}}}}

{{Sikhism sidebar}}{{See also|Martyrdom in Sikhism}}

File:Detail of Taru Singh being scalped alive from a 19th century Sikh drawing depicting his martyrdom.jpg being scalped alive from a 19th century Sikh drawing depicting his martyrdom]]

The word shahid ({{langx|pa|ਸ਼ਹੀਦ}}) is also found in Sikhism, a religion founded by Guru Nanak in the northwest part of the Indian subcontinent (now Pakistan and India). It means a martyr.{{cite book |author=W. H. McLeod |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vgixwfeCyDAC&pg=PA185 |title=The A to Z of Sikhism |publisher=Scarecrow |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-8108-6344-6 |page=185}}{{cite book |author=H. S. Singha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gqIbJz7vMn0C&pg=PA183 |title=The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (over 1000 Entries) |publisher=Hemkunt Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-81-7010-301-1 |page=182}}{{cite book |author=Eleanor Nesbitt |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4ysRDAAAQBAJ |title=Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2016 |isbn=978-0-19-106276-6 |pages=55–58}}

The term was borrowed from the Islamic culture in Punjab when Sikhism was founded, and before the start of the British Raj it referred to the Sikh people who met death at the hands of oppressors. Another related term is shahid-ganj, which means a "place of martyrdom".{{cite book |author=H. S. Singha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gqIbJz7vMn0C&pg=PA183 |title=The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (over 1000 Entries) |publisher=Hemkunt Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-81-7010-301-1 |page=183}}

The most discussed shahid in Sikhism have been two of their Gurus, namely Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur for defying Islamic rulers and refusing to convert to Islam. Guru Arjan was arrested under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and asked to convert to Islam.Pashaura Singh (2005), [http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal_12_1/3_singh.pdf Understanding the Martyrdom of Guru Arjan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175032/http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/journal_12_1/3_singh.pdf |date=2016-03-03 }}, Journal of Philosophical Society, 12(1), pages 29–62{{cite book |last=Kulathungam |first=Lyman |title=Quest : Christ amidst the quest |publisher=Wipf |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-61097-515-5 |pages=175–177}} He refused, was tortured and executed in 1606 CE.{{cite book |last=Jahangir, Emperor of Hindustan |title=The Jahangirnama: Memoirs of Jahangir, Emperor of India |date=1999 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-512718-8 |page=59 |translator-last=Thackston |translator-first=Wheeler M. |translator-link=Wheeler Thackston}} Historical records and the Sikh tradition are unclear whether Guru Arjan was executed by drowning or died during torture.Louis E. Fenech, Martyrdom in the Sikh Tradition, Oxford University Press, pp. 118–121 His martyrdom, that is becoming a shahid, is considered a watershed event in the history of Sikhism.{{cite book |author=WH McLeod |url=https://archive.org/details/sikhshistoryreli00mcle |title=The Sikhs: History, Religion, and Society |date=1989 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0231068154 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/sikhshistoryreli00mcle/page/26 26–51] |url-access=registration}}

Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom resulted from refusing to convert and for resisting the forced conversions of Hindus in Kashmir to Islam because he believed in freedom of conscience and human rights.{{cite book |author=Pashaura Singh and Louis Fenech |title=The Oxford Handbook of Sikh studies |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-19-969930-8 |location=Oxford, UK |pages=236–445 |quote=This second martyrdom helped to make 'human rights and freedom of conscience' central to its identity." and "This is the reputed place where several Kashmiri pandits came seeking protection from Auranzeb's army.}} He was publicly beheaded in 1675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi.{{cite book |last=Seiple |first=Chris |title=The Routledge handbooks of religion and security |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-415-66744-9 |location=New York |page=96}}{{cite web |title=Religions - Sikhism: Guru Tegh Bahadur |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/people/teghbahadur.shtml |publisher=BBC |access-date=2016-12-03 |archive-date=2017-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414075330/http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/people/teghbahadur.shtml |url-status=live }} Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Delhi marks the shahid-ganj, or place of execution of the Guru.{{cite book |author=H. S. Singha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gqIbJz7vMn0C |title=The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (over 1000 Entries) |publisher=Hemkunt Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-81-7010-301-1 |page=169 |access-date=2016-12-03 |archive-date=2023-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811005235/https://books.google.com/books?id=gqIbJz7vMn0C |url-status=live }}

The Sikh have other major pilgrimage sites, such as the shahid-ganj in Sirhind, where two sons of Guru Gobind Singh were bricked alive{{cite web | url=http://www.indiandefencereview.com/the-story-of-sahibzada-zorawar-singh-and-sahibzada-fateh-singh/ | title=The story of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh | date=31 December 2018 | access-date=16 November 2022 | archive-date=16 November 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116160854/http://www.indiandefencereview.com/the-story-of-sahibzada-zorawar-singh-and-sahibzada-fateh-singh/ | url-status=live }} by the Mughal Army in retaliation of their father's resistance. In Muktsar, near a lake is a shahid-ganj dedicated to forty men who died defending Guru Gobind Singh.

In the course of the eighteenth century, there were several wars of independence within the colonial territories of the Muslim World. Many of the soldiers who died during these conflicts were given the title shahid upon their burial.[https://web.archive.org/web/20210428053525/http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t243/e209 "Martyrdom". In The Islamic World: Past and Present. Ed. John L. Esposito. Oxford Islamic Studies Online. 5 December 2012.]

A Muslim who is killed defending his or her property is considered a martyr.

Bosnians who died during the Bosnian War and the Bosnian genocide are considered martyrs by many due to them being killed for being Muslim.

The Muslim General Ma Fuxiang stated on how Chinese Muslims were willing to die to accomplish tasks assigned to them.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DpQa22PJutwC&q=They+have+not+enjoyed+the+educational+and+political+privileges+of+the+Han+chinese%2C+and+they+are+in+many+respects+primitive|title=In the Land of the Laughing Buddha – The Adventures of an American Barbarian in China|author=Upton Close|year=2007|publisher=READ BOOKS|page=271|isbn=978-1-4067-1675-7|access-date=2010-06-28}} Imams sponsored by the Kuomintang called for Muslims to go on Jihad to become martyrs in battle, where Muslims believe they will go automatically to heaven. Becoming a shaheed in the Jihad for the country was encouraged by the Kuomintang, which was called "glorious death for the state" and a hadith promoting nationalism was spread.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJzB6wrz6Q4C&q=anti+japanese|title=Intellectuals in the modern Islamic world: transmission, transformation, communication|author1=Stéphane A. Dudoignon |author2=Hisao Komatsu |author3=Yasushi Kosugi |year=2006|publisher=Taylor & Francis|page=135|isbn=978-0-415-36835-3|access-date=2010-06-28}} A song written by Xue Wenbo at the Muslim Chengda school, which was controlled by the Kuomintang, called for martyrdom in battle for China against Japan.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJzB6wrz6Q4C&q=china+jihad+japan+xue+chengda&pg=PA135|title=Intellectuals in the modern Islamic world: transmission, transformation, communication|author1=Stéphane A. Dudoignon |author2=Hisao Komatsu |author3=Yasushi Kosugi |year=2006|publisher=Taylor & Francis|page=135|isbn=978-0-415-36835-3|access-date=2010-06-28}} The Muslim General Bai Chongxi himself was a member of a Dare to Die corps in the Xinhai revolution.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r3AJFusMHJwC&pg=PA51 |title=Biographical dictionary of Republican China, Volume 3|author1=Howard L. Boorman |author2=Richard C. Howard |author3=Joseph K.H. Cheng |year=1979|publisher=Columbia University Press|location=New York City|isbn=0-231-08957-0|pages=51–56}}

Some Uyghur activists have referred to victims of the Persecution of Uyghurs in China that died, martyrs.

{{See also|Martyrdom in Palestinian society}}

{{POV-section|date=December 2023}}

In modern political usage, various Palestinian groups consider all Palestinians killed in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict to be martyrs for the cause, whether they be civilians or fighters.{{cite news |last1=Abdulrahim |first1=Raja |last2=Yazbek |first2=Hiba |title=For Palestinians, a Rush to Claim 'Martyrs' Killed by Israel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/31/world/middleeast/palestinian-martyrs-israel.html |work=The New York Times |date=31 December 2022 |access-date=13 November 2023 |archive-date=28 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231028034838/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/31/world/middleeast/palestinian-martyrs-israel.html |url-status=live }} Groups such as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad consider martyrdom as the highest form of sacrifice for the Palestinian cause.Hatina, M. (2005). Theology and power in the Middle East: Palestinian martyrdom in a comparative perspective. Journal of Political Ideologies, 10(3), 241–267. doi:10.1080/13569310500244289Meir Litvak (2010) “Martyrdom is Life”: Jihad and Martyrdom in the Ideology of Hamas, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 33:8, 716-734, DOI: 10.1080/1057610X.2010.494170 This ethos is widespread in educational materials, visual media, community events and ceremonies.

A woman is considered "shahida" ({{lang|ar|شَهِيدَة}} {{transliteration|ar|DIN|šahīdah}}) if she dies during the fulfillment of a religious commandment. A woman can also be considered a martyr if she dies during childbirth.Lumbard, Joseph E.B. (2004) Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition. World Wisdom Publishing, {{ISBN|0941532607}} (30) There are examples of women fighting in war such as Nusaybah bint Ka'ab. The first martyr (male or female) in Islam was Sumayyah bint Khayyat, who was executed for her conversion to Islam. She died after Abu Jahl, an anti-Muslim leader of the Quraysh, stabbed her in the abdomen.Cook, David (2007). Martyrdom in Islam. Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|0521615518}}. Though her name is not common in the modern Muslim dialogue, ancient Islamic literature makes note of the events at the end of her life.Cook, David (2007). Martyrdom in Islam. Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|0521615518}}. p. 14.

{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}

Over a period of time, the word "shahid" began to be used by non-Muslims such as Arab Christians to denote their own martyrs. So the word is still used by Christians in Arab-speaking countries, including the names of churches. Examples are the Forty Martyrs Cathedral ({{langx|ar|كنيسة الأربعين شهيد}}) in Aleppo, Syria and the Saint George the Martyr Cathedral ({{langx|ar|كنيسة القدّيس الشهيد مار جرجس}}){{langx|ar|متري هاجي اثناسيو, 2005، اديرة وكنائس دمشق وريفها : (بحث ميداني توثيقي تاريخي اثري)}}, pp. 57–58. in Damascus.

In South Asia, Hindus adopted the word "shahid" as a synonym to the Sanskrit word "hutātmā" (हुतात्मा in Devanagari and হুতাত্মা in Bengali; हुत् and হুত্ hut = sacrificing, आत्मा and আত্মা ātmā = soul, thus hutātmā = sacrificing soul / martyr), to denote Hindu martyrs.

In Islam, if someone other than those mentioned as Shahid in the Quran and Hadith fulfills the conditions for being a Shahid, then according to the prohibition of Umar as narrated in Sahih Muslim, he cannot be called a martyr directly,{{cite journal |last1=At-tahreek |first1=Monthly |title=প্রশ্ন (১৭/১৭) : কোন ব্যক্তির নামের আগে শহীদ যুক্ত করে ডাকা যায় কি? - |journal=মাসিক আত-তাহরীক । ধর্ম, সমাজ ও সাহিত্য বিষয়ক গবেষণা পত্রিকা |date=October 2013 |url=https://at-tahreek.com/article_details/6344 |access-date= 9 May 2025 |lang=en|quote=Home > October 2013 > Q&A Question (17/17): Can a person be called by adding the word "Shahid" before his name? Answer read 1327 times: No. Because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "Allaah is most knowing of those who are wounded in the way of Allaah." (Bukhari, Muslim; Mishkat Ha/3802). Umar Farooq (may Allaah be pleased with him) once said in a sermon, "You say that such and such a person is a Shahid, such and such a person is a martyr. Do not say that. Rather, say what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say. And that is, whoever dies or is killed in the way of Allaah is a Shahid." (Ahmad Ha/285, isnaad Hasan; Fathul Bari 'Jihad' chapter 6/90). The word "martyr" mentioned in this hadeeth does not mean the title of Shahid. Rather, it means attaining the status of a Shahid. No companion who was killed in the path of Allah was called by adding the title 'Shahid' to his name. Therefore, it is not in accordance with the Shariah to call someone by adding the title 'Shahid' to his name.}} Because this means that he is certain to be in Paradise after death, which is impossible to know without Allah's knowledge, many scholars including Assim al-Hakeem advise that it is better to say "We hope and pray that Allah will accept him as a martyr" rather than saying "Shahid".{{cite web |title=Can we say someone is a Shaheed or Martyr? {{!}} Sheikh Assim Al Hakeem |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=b6qzMYIrzAw5jtUg&v=1reFwLpwbEs&feature=youtu.be |publisher=Assim al-Hakeem Official Youtube Page |access-date=9 May 2025 |date=8 September 2020}}{{cite news |title=Calling Someone a Shaheed or a Martyr? {{!}} Sheikh Assim Al Hakeem |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=dOcceKsVR6wqURi7&v=z5qkLdD46pQ&feature=youtu.be |access-date=9 May 2025 |work=Assim al-Hakeem Official Youtube Page |date=12 November 2018}}

• Istishhad, in Islam, the act of martyrdom or the seeking of martyrdom
• Jihad, an Islamic religious duty, meaning "struggle"
• Martyrdom in Christianity
• Martyrdom in Judaism
• Martyrdom in Sikhism
• Martyrdom video, a video recording the acts of Islamic martyrs
• Persecution of Muslims
• Shahada, the Islamic creed
• Shahid (name)
• Shahidka, a term for Islamist Chechen female suicide bombers

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• {{Wikiquote-inline|Martyrdom in Islam}}

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Category:Arabic words and phrases

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