Martyr
| One of many articles on |
| The main players |
| Critics |
| Supporting actors |
“”MARTYR, n. One who moves along the line of least reluctance to a desired death.
|
| —Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary (1911) |
A martyr is one who dies in order to promote a belief or, especially, a religion. Many nations celebrate a version of Martyrs' Day.
Contents |
[edit] Christian martyrs
The following are identified as martyrs by Christian tradition:
- Saint Stephen
- James the Great
- Philip the Apostle
- Matthew the Evangelist
- James the Just
- Matthias
- Saint Andrew
- Saint Mark
- Saint Peter
- Apostle Paul
- Saint Jude
- Saint Bartholomew
- Thomas the Apostle
- Luke the Evangelist
- Simon the Zealot
- Joan of Arc
- Joseph Smith, Jr.
[edit] Islamic martyr
The term "martyr" is quite similar to the Arabic term shaheed, شهيد. One difference is that many Islamic suicide bombers along with their families and supporters consider (or title) themselves shaheed. However, the general understanding of the term martyr is one who dies due to persecution by others for his or her beliefs, not someone who dies while trying to kill others for their beliefs.
Most Islamic clerics have issued fatwas against the killing of non-combatants and other innocents, and reject the term shaheed for those who have killed themselves and others in the name of Allah.
Islam generally considers any woman who dies during childbirth to be shaheeda.
[edit] Examples of Muslim martyrs and non-violent shaheed(a)
- Sumayyah bint Khayyat first female martyr who was executed when she converted to Islam in 615.
- Zayd ibn Ali - killed in 740 trying to protect his people from the rule of the corrupt and cruel Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik.
- The Five Martyrs of Shi'i - all 5 executed by Sunni regimes for holding to Shi'i beliefs.
[edit] Buddhist monks in Vietnam
Thich Quang Đức (d. 1963) is often considered a martyr for killing himself in order to bring awareness of the persecution of Buddhists by the Roman Catholic Church. Unlike the Islamic suicide bombers, Đức harmed no one but himself, and killed himself because he felt no one in the "West" was aware of the people's struggles and such a dramatic act would bring some media attention and internal pressure.