Shaheed - Etymology of The Word "Shahid"

Etymology of The Word "Shahid"

The word "shahid" originates from the Qur'anic Arabic word meaning "witness", which is used in the context of "those who bear witness." Its application to Muslim martyrs originates from the context of the martyr having died in the way of Islam and, therefore, having become a "witness" to the "Shahada", i.e. "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

The word 'shahid' in the Qur'an is used to denote "witness", not martyr. An example is verse 16:89 of the Qur'an:

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ ۚ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

Translation: "And on the day when We will raise up in every nation a witness against them from among themselves, and We will bring you (Muhammad) as a witness against these (your people or the other witnesses); for We have revealed (sent down) to you a Book (Scripture) expounding all things clearly, and a guidance, and a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have Surrendered unto Allah (Muslims)." (Al-Qur'an 16:89)

In the Qur'an (verse 3:98), God calls Himself a 'Shahid':

قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ شَهِيدٌ عَلَىٰ مَا تَعْمَلُونَ

Translation: "Say: "O People of the Book, why do you reject the word of God when God is a witness to all that you do?" " (Al-Qur'an 3:98)

The etymology of the word "shahid" suggests that it primarily means "witness" and the same word began to be used by Muslims as an honorific title for Muslim martyrs who died fighting in the way of Islam. Subsequently, and over a period of time, the same word was adopted by non-Muslims in the Middle East and South Asia such as Arab Christians and South Asian Hindus and Sikhs to denote their martyrs.

Interestingly, the English word "martyr" originates from the Greek word "martur", which also means "witness" in the Greek language. Therefore, in both the Arabic and Greek languages, the origin for the word "martyr" is "witness."