Martyrdom or Shahāda is one of the sacred concepts in Islam, which according to hadiths means to be killed on the path of God and someone who is killed on the path of God is called martyr or Shahīd[1]. The term “martyrdom” is commonly used as a posthumous title for those who are considered to have accepted or even consciously sought out their own death in order to bear witness to their beliefs[2].
In Islam, martyrdom is considered is referred to as the greatest good and the most honored death Qur’anic verses and hadiths attribute effects to martyrdom such as staying alive, having the right to intercession, and forgiveness of sins.
The word is used frequently in the Qur’an in the generic sense of “witness” but only once in the sense of “martyr” (i.e. one who dies for his faith); the latter sense acquires wider usage in the hadith.
The Sanctity of the Word ‘Martyr’
In the linguistic traditions of all the people of the world, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, there exist some words which carry a sense of dignity, and sometimes, sanctity. The words like scholar, philosopher, inventor, hero, reformer, teacher, student in general usage; and the words like Nabi, Imam, Mujtahid, Mujahid, worshipper, believer, ascetic, truthful, saint, Muhajir, preacher and advisor in Islamic usage are some of those words which are associated with dignity, respect and sanctity.
In Islam also there is a word which is engulfed in a peculiar sanctity. Anyone who is familiar with Islamic thoughts and comprehends that word in Islamic usage will certainly feel that it is engulfed in divine light – and that word is Shahid, martyr. In all its usage, by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, this word is surrounded by sanctity; the only difference exists in the values and standards of different societies that use it. Presently we are not concerned with the use of this word in non-Islamic circles.
According to Islam, anyone who achieves the honour of martyrdom has reached one of the most high positions that a man can possibly attain in his ascend towards perfection. Of course, his martyrdom must be according to the standards fixed by Islam – to be killed for the high causes of Islam with the aim of defending true human values. The reason behind the sanctity of the word martyr can be understood from the Qur’an and the ahadith.
The Martyr’s Proximity to Allah
A shahid’s proximity to Allah is explained in the Qur’an as follows: “Do not think of those who are slain in the way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive with their Lord and are provided sustenance (by Him)[3]“.
When Islam wants to elevate the position of a person or a deed, it compares that person or deed with the position of a shahid. For example, to show the importance of seeking knowledge, a hadith says that if someone becomes a student to find the truth and serve his Lord (and not for material gains) and then dies while studying, he is considered a shahid. This expression manifests the sanctity and excellence of a student. Likewise, a hadith, praising a person who strives hard to provide sustenance for his family, says: The one who strives hard for his family is like a fighter in the way of Allah.
The Right of a Martyr
All those who have served human society, in one way or another, have a right to human society. This service to humanity does not make any difference whether it is by way of knowledge, philosophy, technology, invention, ethics, etc. But no one has so much right in human society like that of the martyrs, and this is the reason underlying the extraordinary sentimental appreciation which people show regarding the martyrs.
Why and for what the right of the martyrs is more than the other servants of humanity? All the other servants of humanity are indebted to the martyrs but the martyrs are not indebted to others. And if they are indebted to others, it is to a lesser degree. The scholar in his study, the philosopher in his philosophy, the inventor in his invention and the teacher of ethics in his teaching, need a peaceful and free atmosphere so that they can do their work. And it is the martyr who provides such an atmosphere for others by self-denial, sacrifice and death. The parable of a shahid is like that of a candle whose function is to burn out and shed light so that others can easily do their work at the expense of its extinction. The martyrs also are the candles of human society, they sacrificed themselves but enlightened the world. If the world would have remained dark, no one could have possibly served the human society.
The Body of the Martyr
Islam is a wise religion, it has no law which might be without any social wisdom or purpose. One of the Islamic laws is that when a Muslim dies, it is obligatory for others to wash his body in a prescribed manner, clothe him in a shroud, pray on him and bury him. All these laws have reasons and purposes which cannot be explained here. But this law has one exception, and that exception is concerning the martyr’s body. It is only obligatory to pray on him and bury him, but there is no need to purify him by washing his body in the prescribed manner or to take out his clothes and dress him in a shroud.
This exception itself has a reason behind it. It shows that the soul and personality of a martyr are so pure and exalted that it has affected his body, his blood, and even his clothes. The body of a martyr is a “body with soul’’, it is not to be treated as a maytah, and thus there is no need to purify it. Even his clothes are affected by the rules regarding his body. The body and clothes of a martyr have achieved sanctity from his soul, his thoughts and his inclination to the truth. A martyr who has been killed on the battlefield can be buried in the same clothes without washing him or changing his clothes.
The Source of Martyrdom’s Sanctity
From where does martyrdom derive its sanctity? Obviously, martyrdom is not sacred just because it means being killed. Many ways of death are regarded “waste of life,’’ sometimes, it is even a disgrace.
Martyrdom (sahadat): Martyrdom means that a person, fully aware of the certain or the probable danger, approaches it just for a sacred cause which is expressed in the Qur’an as “in the way of Allah”. Martyrdom has two basic elements: Firstly, it must be “in the way of Allah,” the cause must be sacred and the person must wish to sacrifice his life for it. Secondly, it must take place knowingly and with awareness.
Usually in martyrdom, the criminal aspect is also present. On the part of the victim, it is martyrdom and sacred; on the part of the murderer, it is crime and wickedness. Martyrdom is a pride, honour and a heroic deed because it is done knowingly and voluntarily, for a sacred cause and it is free from any shadow of selfishness. Among all the types of deaths, only martyrdom is a death which is more sacred, greater and holier than life itself.
It must be mentioned here, with much regret, that although most of the preachers of the commemorative gatherings for Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) speak of him as a “martyr” and “the leader of the martyrs,” they do not have an analytical grasp of this concept and thus they consider the death of Imam Husayn only as murder and homicide, a category of death which is a waste of life. Many of our people mourn just the innocence of, and the unjust treatment meted out to, Imam Husayn. They are sorry that Imam Husayn, just like a small child, became a victim of an ambitious ruler. If it is so, then Imam Husayn would be considered an innocent victim of terror just like the people who are killed by others in homicide. But then, the Imam would not be a martyr, let alone “the leader of the martyrs.”
Imam Husayn was not only a victim of an ambitious ruler. There is no doubt that this tragedy, when ascribed to the killers, is a crime, a selfish and ambitious act; but, when ascribed to the Imam himself, it is a martyrdom which means a conscious confrontation and a courageous resistance for a sacred cause. Yazid wanted a pledge of allegiance from him, and he, fully aware of all the consequences, did not accept. Moreover, he was very critical of them; silence in that situation was regarded as a great sin by him. The biography and the sayings of Imam Husayn are clear proof of this.
In conclusion, we can say that martyrdom derives its sacredness from the conscious sacrifice of oneself for a sacred cause.
Extracted from the book titled “Imam Husayn, The Saviour of Islam” by Murtadha Mutahhari (Translated By Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi)
References:
[1] . Maḥmūd ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, Muʿjam al-muṣṭalaḥāt wa al-alfāẓ al-faqīh, vol. 2, p. 346.
[2] . Gölz “Martyrdom and the Struggle for Power: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Martyrdom in the Modern Middle East. [Editorial]” Behemoth 12, no. 1 (2019): 2–13.
[3] . Qur’an 3:169.
