The term martyr (Greek A language is a system for encoding information. In its most common use, the term refers to so-called "natural languages" — the forms of communication considered peculiar to humankind. In linguistics the term is extended to refer to the human cognitive facility of creating and using language. Essential to both meanings is the μάρτυς martys "witness") is most commonly used today to describe an individual who sacrifices their life (or their personal freedom) in order to further a cause or belief for others. In the past, it initially signified a witness A witness has firsthand knowledge about a crime or dramatic event through their senses , and can help certify important considerations to the crime or event. A witness who has seen the event firsthand is known as an "eye-witness". Witnesses are often called before a court of law to testify in trials in the forensic Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action. Besides its relevance to a legal system, more generally forensics encompasses the accepted scholarly or scientific methodology and norms under which the facts regarding an sense, a person called to bear witness in legal proceedings.

Contents

Origins

In its original meaning, the word martyr was used in the secular sphere as well as in both the Old Testament In Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. These works correspond to the Hebrew Bible , with some variations and additions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the comparable texts are known as the Septuagint, from the original Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures. In the and the New Testament The New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament. The New Testament is sometimes called the Greek New Testament or Greek Scriptures, or the New Covenant of the Bible Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew or Jewish Bible. It comprises three parts: the Torah , the Prophets, and the Writings. It was primarily written in Hebrew with some small portions in Aramaic.[citation needed] In Christian religions, the Tanakh is known as the Old Testament.[1] The process of bearing witness was not intended to lead to the death of the witness, although it is known from ancient writers (e.g. Josephus Josephus , also known as Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph, son of Matthias) and, after he became a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus, was a first-century Jewish historian and apologist of priestly and royal ancestry who survived and recorded the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. His works give an important insight into first-century Judaism) that witnesses, especially of the lower classes, were tortured routinely before being interrogated as a means of forcing them to disclose the truth.

Christianity

See also: Persecution of Christians The persecution of Christians is the religious persecution that Christians have endured as a consequence of professing their faith, both historically and in the current era. In the two thousand years of the Christian faith, about 70 million believers, of whom 45.5 million or 65% lived in the twentieth century, have been killed for their faith

During the early Christian centuries, the term acquired the extended meaning of a believer who is called to witness for their religious belief, and on account of this witness, endures suffering and/or death. In the English language, the term is a loanword By contrast, a calque or loan translation is a related concept, whereby it is the meaning or idiom that is borrowed rather than the lexical item itself, and is often used with the extended meaning of someone who has been killed for his religious belief. The death of a martyr or the value attributed to it is called martyrdom.

In the context of church history, from the time of the persecution of early Christians Early Christianity is commonly defined as the Christianity of the three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus and the First Council of Nicaea (325). The major primary source for first century Christianity (the Apostolic Age) is the Acts of the Apostles. At first, the church was centered in Jerusalem, and one of the leaders was James the Just, in the Roman Empire The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor, Augustus. The nearly 500-year-old Roman Republic,, being a martyr indicates a person who is killed for maintaining a religious A religion is an organized approach to human spirituality which usually encompasses a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices, often with a supernatural or transcendent quality, that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power, God or gods, or ultimate truth. It may be expressed through belief, knowing that this will almost certainly result in imminent death (though without intentionally seeking death Death is the state of terminated life. The term "death" refers to both to the event of life's termination and to the state of lack of life. The true nature of the latter has for millennia been a central concern of the world's religious traditions and of philosophical enquiry. Many religions maintain faith in either some kind of afterlife). Christian martyrs A Christian martyr is one who is killed for following Christianity, through stoning, crucifixion, burning at the stake or other forms of torture and capital punishment. The word "martyr" comes from the Greek word which means "witness." sometimes declined to defend themselves at all, in what they see as a reflection of Jesus Jesus of Nazareth , also known as Jesus Christ, is the central figure of Christianity, and within most Christian denominations he is venerated as the Son of God and as God incarnate. Christians also view him as the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament; however, Judaism rejects this claim. Islam considers Jesus a prophet, while several other' willing sacrifice. However, the definition of martyrdom is not specifically restricted to the Christian faith.

Some Christians view death in sectarian persecution as martyrdom. This view is typified by the accounts in Foxe's Book of Martyrs The Book of Martyrs, by John Foxe, is an apocalyptically-oriented, English Protestant account of the persecutions of Protestants, mainly in England, many of whom had died for their beliefs within the decade immediately preceding its first publication. It was first published by John Day, in 1563. Lavishly produced and illustrated with many woodcuts,.

Usage of "martyr" is also common among Arab Christians Arab Christians are ethnic Arabs that follow Christianity as their religion. Many are descendants of the ancient Arab Christians who predated the appearance of Islam (i.e. anyone killed in relation to Christianity or a Christian community), indicating that the English word "martyr" may not actually be a proper equivalent of its commonly ascribed Arabic translation.

Judaism

Main article: Martyrdom in Judaism

Martyrdom in Judaism Judaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts. Judaism presents itself as the covenantal relationship between the Children of Israel (later, the Jewish nation) and God. It is considered either the first or one of the first monotheistic is one of the main examples of Kiddush Hashem Kiddush hashem is a precept of Judaism as expressed in the Torah for any Jew: “To sanctify His Name” Leviticus 22:32, and conversely not to bring dishonor or shame to God’s name which is known as Chillul Hashem: “Not to profane His Name” Lev. 22:32, meaning "sanctification of God's name" through public dedication to Jewish practice.

Islam

Main article: Martyr (shahid)

In Arabic, a martyr is termed "shaheed Shahid is an Arabic word meaning "witness". It is a religious term in Islam, meaning "witness", as stated, but most often "martyr." Alternative spelling is shaheed. It is used as a title for Muslims who have died fulfilling a religious commandment, or waging war for Islam. The term has also been used in this narrower" (literally, "witness," as in the Greek root of the English word). The word shaheed appears in the Quran in a variety of contexts, including witnessing to righteousness (Quran 2:143), witnessing a financial transaction (Quran 2:282) and dying in a religiously sanctioned battle (Quran 3:140). The word also appears with these various meanings in the Hadith Hadith are oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Hadith collections are regarded by all traditional schools of jurisprudence as important tools for determining the Muslim way of life, the sunnah, the sayings of Muhammad Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh (Arabic: محمّد; Transliteration: Muḥammad; pronounced [mʊħɑmmæd̪] ; also spelled Mohammed or Muhammed) (ca. 570 Mecca[مَكَةَ ]/[ مَكَهْ ] – June 8, 632 Medina), is the founder of the religion of Islam [ إِسْلامْ ] however is contrarily regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of God.

Bahá'í Faith

Main article: Martyrdom in the Bahá'í Faith

In the Bahá'í Faith, a martyr is one who sacrifices their life serving humanity in the name of God.[2] However, Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, discouraged the literal meaning of sacrificing one's life, and instead explained that martyrdom is devoting oneself to service to humanity.[2]

Sikhism

Main article: Martyrdom in Sikhism

Martyrdom, in Sikhism Sikhism, founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and ten successive Sikh Gurus in fifteenth century Punjab, is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat or the Sikh Dharma. Sikhism originated from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the, is a fundamental concept, and represents an important institution of the faith.

Notes

A communist 'martyrs column' in Alappuzha Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. A town with picturesque canals, backwaters, beaches, and lagoons, it was described as the List of places known as Venice of the East by Lord Curzon. It is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha District. Alleppey has a wonderful past, India India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east, India has a coastline of 7,517
  1. ^ See e.g. Alison A. Trites, The New Testament Concept of Witness, ISBN 0-521-60934-8 and ISBN 9780521609340.
  2. ^ a b Winters, Jonah (1997-09-19). "Conclusion". Dying for God: Martyrdom in the Shii and Babi Religions. M.A. Thesis. http://bahai-library.com/theses/dying/dying8.conclusion.html. Retrieved on 2007-01-23.

References

See also

External links

Look up martyr in Wiktionary Wiktionary is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 151 languages. Unlike standard dictionaries, it is written collaboratively by volunteers, dubbed "Wiktionarians", using wiki software, allowing articles to be changed by almost anyone with access to the website, the free dictionary.
Death Death is the state of terminated life. The term "death" refers to both to the event of life's termination and to the state of lack of life. The true nature of the latter has for millennia been a central concern of the world's religious traditions and of philosophical enquiry. Many religions maintain faith in either some kind of afterlife and related topics
In medicine Autopsy An autopsy, also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction, is a medical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present. It is usually performed by a specialized medical doctor called a · Brain death Brain death is a legal definition of death that refers to the irreversible end of all brain activity due to total necrosis of the cerebral neurons following loss of blood flow and oxygenation. It should not be confused with a persistent vegetative state. The concept of brain death emerged in the 1960s, as the ability to resuscitate individuals and · Clinical death Clinical death is the popular term for cessation of blood circulation and breathing. It occurs when the heart stops beating in a regular rhythm, a condition called cardiac arrest. The term is also sometimes used in resuscitation research · Euthanasia Euthanasia (from the Greek ευθανασία meaning "good death": ευ-, eu- + θάνατος, thanatos (death)) refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Many different forms of euthanasia can be distinguished, including animal euthanasia and human euthanasia, and within the latter, voluntary and involuntary · Lazarus Syndrome Occurrences of the syndrome are rare and the causes are not well understood. One theory for the phenomenon is that a chief factor is the buildup of pressure in the chest as a result of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The relaxation of pressure after resuscitation efforts have ended is thought to allow the heart to expand, triggering the heart' · Persistent vegetative state A persistent vegetative state is a condition of patients with severe brain damage who were in a coma, but then progressed to a state of wakefulness without detectable awareness. It is a diagnosis of some uncertainty in that it deals with a syndrome. It is classified as a Permanent Vegetative State after approximately 1 year of being in a · Terminal illness Terminal illness is a medical term popularized in the 20th century to describe an active and malignant disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and that is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as cancer or advanced heart disease than for trauma. In
Lists Causes of death by rate The following is a list of the causes of human deaths worldwide for the year 2002, arranged by their associated mortality rates. There were 57,029,000 deaths tabulated for that year. Some causes listed include deaths also included in more specific subordinate causes , and some causes are omitted, so the percentages do not sum to 100. According to · Preventable causes of death The World Health Organization traditionally classified death by either disease or injury. It however may also be classified in terms of preventable risk factors which then lead to the traditional classification of disease states · People by cause of death Categories: Lists of people by cause of death | Death-related lists | Lists of lists · List of expressions related to death · Notable deaths in 2007 For earlier deaths, see Deaths in 2006, Deaths in 2005, Deaths in 2004, Deaths in 2003, Deaths in 2002, Deaths in 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, .. · Notable deaths in 2008 For earlier deaths, see Deaths in 2007, Deaths in 2006, Deaths in 2005, Deaths in 2004, Deaths in 2003, Deaths in 2002, Deaths in 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, ..
Mortality Immortality As immortality is the negation of mortality—not dying or not being subject to death—it has been a subject of fascination to humanity since at least the beginning of history. The Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the first literary works, dating back at least to the 22nd century BC, is primarily a quest of a hero seeking to become immortal. What form · Perinatal mortality Perinatal mortality , also perinatal death, refers to the death of a fetus or neonate and is the basis to calculate the perinatal mortality rate. Variations in the precise definition of the perinatal mortality exist specifically concerning the issue of inclusion or exclusion of early fetal and late neonatal fatalities. Thus the WHO ‘s definition · Infant mortality Infant mortality is defined as the number of deaths of infants per 1000 live births. The most common cause of infant mortality worldwide has traditionally been dehydration from diarrhea. Because of the success of spreading information about Oral Rehydration Solution (a mixture of salts, sugar, and water) to mothers around the world, the rate of · Child mortality Child mortality, also known as under-5 mortality, refers to the death of infants and children under the age of five. About 25,000 young children die every day, mainly from preventable causes. In 2007, 9.2 million children under five died, down from 9.7 million in 2006, and 12.7 million in 1990. About half of child deaths occur in Africa · Legal death Legal death is a legal pronouncement by a qualified person that further medical care is not appropriate and that a patient should be considered dead under the law. The specific criteria used to pronounce legal death are variable and often depend on certain circumstances in order to pronounce a person legally dead. Controversy is often encountered · Maternal death Maternal death, or maternal mortality, also "obstetrical death" is the death of a woman during or shortly after a pregnancy. In 2000, the United Nations estimated global maternal mortality at 529,000, of which less than 1% occurred in the developed world. However, most of these deaths have been medically preventable for decades, because · Mortality rate Mortality rate is a measure of the number of deaths in some population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit time. Mortality rate is typically expressed in units of deaths per 1000 individuals per year; thus, a mortality rate of 9.5 in a population of 100,000 would mean 950 deaths per year in that entire population. It is distinct from
After death Body: Burial · Cremation · Cryonics · Promession · Resomation · Mummification · Decomposition · Death certificate · Funeral · Grief · Mourning · Category:Customs · Afterlife · Intermediate state
Paranormal Out-of-body experience · Near-death experience · Near-death studies · Reincarnation research · Séance
Other Murder · Genocide · Suicide · Assisted suicide · Fascination with death · Martyrdom · Sacrifices (Human · Animal) · War · Personification of Death · Death and culture · Category:Death by country
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Categories: Martyrs | Christian philosophy | Jewish philosophy | Islamic philosophy | Greek loanwords

 

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If a male Muslim is martyred for his faith and gets 72 virgins in paradise, what does a female martyr get?
Q. does the Koran say anything about that?
Asked by oblivion* - Thu Dec 18 13:27:11 2008 - - 33 Answers - 0 Comments

A. there is a need to read TAFSIRS (detailed explanation regarding every verse of the Quran...don't just read the direct translations as every language is UNIQUE. The original language of the Quran is Arabic...which is a total different language to English/ Malay/ Chinese etc...) u need credible answers from qualified Islamic scholars...try visiting or and post your queries
Answered by Teja - Thu Dec 18 20:12:24 2008

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