The origin of the word ‘Shahid’ is Arabic. Its basic meaning is ‘witness’ or ‘martyr’. As Sikhism is a unique religion in itself so, the word ‘Shahid’ when entering Sikhism, also becomes unique. Sikhism adopted Sahid as a person having a clear chance of survival but for the safeguard of religion, morality, humanity, or goodness that person chooses the path which leads him to death knowingly. So if there are two paths to choose, if we go on the first path we can save our lives as well as we might gain a lot in worldly material but we will lose our or other’s faith, morality, and humanity. The second path leads to death but will keep our or others’ faith, morality, and humanity. If a person chooses a second path while knowing the consequences and lay down his or her life, is known as Shahid in Sikhism.
First Shahid in Sikhism
Bhai Taru (Bhai is the title which means brother) is the first Shahid in Sikhism. In 1522 Guru Nanak was in the village Chaburji, which is now about 10 km away from Lahore. There Guru Nanak met with a 13-year-old boy named Taru. He was very spiritual. He asked Guru Nanak two questions. The first question was, ‘How to get (spiritual) knowledge? The second question was, ‘How to overcome the fear of death? Guru Nanak asked him, how he got these questions in his mind. Taru told Guru Nanak that after playing outside when he comes back home in the evening, he daily see his mother cooking food at the fireplace. He daily observes that the bigger firewood takes some time to get burned, but the smaller one gets burned quickly. So he fears that he might go from this world without knowledge like that firewood. Guru Nanak told him that he can get knowledge by serving humanity and while serving humanity if you ever lost your life, you will be happy to go because you will be beyond the fear of death.
This was how he attached with Guru Nanak and become a Sikh. Time passed and that boy turns 18 years now. It was 1527 when Babar invaded Punjab. He conquered Lahore and then he appointed a Faujdar (Post of Administration General) and he went to meet Daulat Khan Lodhi. In Lahore, his army started looting and lighting up fire to the houses of the residents of Lahore. When Bhai Taru came to know about this, he decided to help the victims of the tyranny. He took his leather bag (Mashak) with him and went to Lahore. There he started extinguishing the fire and giving water to the victims with his Mashak. This was the lesson of humanity he learned from his Guru Nanak. Soldiers caught him and took him to the Faujdar. Faujdar asked him, why you are extinguishing the fire. Bhai Taru asked him a question in return that why he is lightning fire to the houses. Faujdar told him that his Shah (Babar) told him to do so. Then Bhahi Taru replied that he is extinguishing the fire and saving lives because his Patshah (Guru Nanak) told him to do so. Then Faujdaar ask him not to do so, but Bhai Taru said that he has to help victims and save lives. Due to this Bhai Taru was killed by being dragged behind a horse. His flesh was torn apart from his bones but he did not show back to humanity. He could have saved his life by not trying to save lives but he chooses to save humans and humanity which leads him to be the first Saheed of Sikhism.