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Martyrdom is a fundamental institution of Sikhism. Sikh festivals are largely focused on the lives of the Sikh gurus and Sikh martyrs. Their martyrdoms are regarded as instructional ideals for Sikhs, and have greatly influenced Sikh culture and practices.
The term shahidi has been used by Sikhs since the 19th century to describe the act of martyrdom. A martyr is sometimes called a shahid (Punjabi: ਸ਼ਹੀਦ).[1]
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 one who died not just in battle but also one who suffered death by refusing to renounce his faith, tenets and principles.[2] The Sikh experience through the years gave rise to this type of ideal martyrdom.
Qazi Rukunudin (alternatively spelt as Qazi Ruknuddin)[3] was the first Sikh martyr [4] at the time of Guru Nanak. Qazi Rukunudin [5] became a Sikh,[6] when Guru Nanak visited Arabia during his fourth Udasi. Later, Amir-e-Makkah asked him to leave Sikhism but Qazi refused to disown his faith, then 7 orders [7] were issued against him mentioning different types of tortures and method of killing him. Qazi Rukunudin was martyred around 1510-11.
Bhai Taru Popat was the second Sikh martyr at the time of Guru Nanak Dev (1469-1539). Bhai spoke against Babur, the Mughal emperor and he was set on fire by soldiers of Babur.[8] Bhai Taru Popat was Martyred in the year 1526. 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,[9] helping define a deliberately-separate and militant Sikh community.[10]
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 Guru Teg 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 Guru Teg Bahadur's execution finally gave Sikh martyrdom its identity.[11] Guru Teg 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.[12] To avoid fear and demoralization, he instituted a new Sikh order called Khalsa, 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.
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