shahid

Shahid, also spelled shaheed, is an Islamic term of Arabic-origin meaning "martyr", used by Muslims for mujahideen who die while fighting in the way of Allah. The word is used frequently in the Quran in the generic sense of "witness" but only once in the sense of "martyr" ; the latter sense acquires wider usage in the hadith. The term is also used in some non-Muslim communities whose cultures were influenced by Islamic persianate empires, such as amongst Hindus and Sikhs in India.