Martyrdom in Sikhism

Martyrdom in Sikhism represents an important element of the faith. The concept of martyrdom was made explicitly part of Sikh teaching by Guru Nanak Dev Ji. One of the terms referring to a Sikh martyr is "Shahid" or "shaheed," an Arabic word that means "one who is present as a witness."[1] A male martyr is "shaheed singh", and one who has attained martyrdom is "shaheedi".[2]

Sikh festivals are largely focused on the lives of the Gurus and Sikh martyrs. Their martyrdoms are regarded as instructional ideals for Sikhs, and have greatly influenced Sikh culture and practices. The Fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, is generally regarded as the first Sikh martyr.

Martyrdom in Sikh Belief

Martyrdom is a fundamental institution of the Sikh faith. When one calls an individual a Shahid, this connotes more than its definition in Arabic vocabulary or Islamic faith, which is death in battle with the infidels. For the Sikh, the perfect martyr or Shahid is that one who died not just in battle but also one who suffered death by refusing to renounce his faith, tenet and principle.[3] The Sikh experience through the years gave rise to this type of ideal martyrdom.

Bhai Taru Popat was the first Sikh at the time of Guru Nanak Dev Ji(1469-1539). Bhai sahib spoke against Babur and he was set on fire by soldiers of Babur, the Mughal emperor.[4] The martyrdom of Guru Arjan in the 17th century is regarded as a key moment in Sikh tradition which has influenced Sikh practices and beliefs,[5] helping define a deliberately-separate and militant Sikh community.[6] The later martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, who refused to convert to Islam in an effort to protect Hindu religious practice, is credited with making respect for freedom of conscience a key part of Sikh identity. The emperor tried to convert Bahadur to Islam hoping that it would be easier to convert his followers if he relented. The guru was executed because he refused. Experts stated that these events galvanized the concept of Sikh martyrdom in the sense that Guru Arjan's death brought the Sikh Panth together while Bahadur's execution finally gave the Sikh martydom its identity.[7] Also, Bahadur's death provided the impetus for his son, the tenth Guru Gobind Singh, to impose an outward form of Sikh identity as well as pride in his father's martyrdom.[8] To avoid fear and demoralization, he instituted a new Sikh order called Kalsa founded on discipline and loyalty and martyrdom became one of its foundations. Succeeding Gurus built on this new orientation, establishing a strong, self-governing warrior group.

Prominent Sikh Martyrs

Reference

  1. ↑ Kohli, Surinder (1993). The Sikh and Sikhism. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. p. 54.
  2. ↑ Khalsa, Sukhmandir (18 June 2015), "Shaheed Defined: Concept of Martyrdom in Sikhism", About.com, retrieved 14 December 2016
  3. ↑ Kohli, p. 54.
  4. ↑ Singh, Kharak (1997). "Martyrdom in Sikhism". Sikhism, Its Philosophy & History. Chandigarh: Institute of Sikh Studies: 18.
  5. ↑ Fenech, Louis E. (2001). "Martyrdom and the Execution of Guru Arjan in Early Sikh Sources". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 121 (1): 20–31. doi:10.2307/606726.
  6. ↑ Singh, Pashuara; Fenech, Louis E. "The Miri-Piri Doctrine and the Khalasa". The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 236. ISBN 9780199699308.
  7. ↑ Singh, Pasaura; Fenech, Louis (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 237. ISBN 9780199699308.
  8. ↑ Singh & Fenech, p. 237.
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