MARTYRDOM IN CHRISTIAN AND ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Cover page – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – i
Title page – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ii
Certification – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – – – – – – – v
Abstracts – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – vi
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – – – – – – vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – – – – – –
1.2 Statement of the Problem – – – – – – – – – –
1.3 Purpose of the Study – – – – – – – – – – –
1.4 Significance of the Study – – – – – – – – – –
1.5 Research Methodology – – – – – – – – – – –
1.6 Scope of the Study – – – – – – – – – – – –
1.7 Limitations of the Study – – – – – – – – – – –
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction – – – – – – – – – – – – –
2.1 Christian Perspective on Martyrdom- – – – – – – –
2.2 Islamic Perspective on Martyrdom – – – – – – – –
2.3 Early Concept of Martyrdom – – – – – – – – –
2.3.1 Martyrdom in Judaism – – – – – – – – – –
2.3.2 Martyrdom in the Intertestamental period – – – – – –
2.3.3 Martyrdom in the Septuagint (LXX) – – – – – – –
2.4 Martyrdom in the New Testament – – – – – – – –
2.5 Ethical teachings on the Sanctity of Life – – – – – –
2.6 The Concept of Conflict and Peace – – – – – – –
Conclusion

CHAPTER THREE: RELIGIOUS ETHICAL APPRAISAL ON MARTYRDOM
3.0 Introduction – – – – – – – – – – – – –
3.1 Religious Ethics – – – – – – – – – – – –
3.2 Islamic and Christian Teachings on the Sanctity of Life – – –
3.2.1 Islamic Teachings on the Sanctity of Life – – – – – –
3.2.2 Christian Teachings on the Sanctity of Life – – – – – –
3.3 Islamic and Christian Teachings on Peace – – – – – –
3.3.1 Islamic Teachings on Peace – – – – – – – – –
3.3.2 Christian Teachings on Peace – – – – – – – – –
Conclusion
CHAPTER FOUR: MARTYRDOM IN CHRISTIANITY ISLAM
4.0 Introduction – – – – – – – – – – – – –
4.1 Selected Cases of Martyrdom in Christianity – – – – –
4.2 Effects of Martyrdom in Christianity and Islam and their attitude
towards martyrdom – – – – – – – – – – –
4.2.1 Effects of Martyrdom in Christianity – – – – – – –
4.2.2 Attitude of Christian Martyrs – – – – – – – – –
4.3 Selected Cases of Martyrdom in Islam – – – – – – –
4.4 Effects of Martyrdom in Islam and Muslims attitude or responses –
4.4.1 Effects of Martyrdom in Islam – – – – – – – – –
4.4.2 Attitude of Muslim Martyrs – – – – – – – – –
Conclusion
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Introduction – – – – – — – – – – – –
5.1 Summary – – – – – – – – – – – – –
5.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – – – – – –
5.3 Recommendations – – – – – – – – – – –
Bibliography


ABSTRACT
Martyrdom has been a controversial issue in both Christianity and Isla, within the two religions, the term has separate meaning, yet there is little scholarly attention paid to investigate the controversial issues of the concept. Therefore, this research examined the lack of uniform meaning between Christianity and Islam views of martyrdom as it negates the very essence of religion especially on the sanctity of life and peace, by examining the true meaning of martyrdom, and compares it with Christian and Muslims, understanding and practice of concept to know whether which promote sanctity of human life and peace. This study relied on secondary sources, internet, Bible and Quran for data. Findings revealed that; the Greek word martyr is (Martus) and Arabic word for martyr is (Shahadah) meaning witness to faith, which involves one losing life for belief sake. It reveals that Christian martyrs do not retaliate by violence whereas during persecution, Muslim faithful will. It revealed that a true martyr should not breach peace in the society, also both religions scripture influence the martyrdom approach which shape their sense of identity. Since, there is no uniform meaning of martyrdom between Christians and Muslims on whether martyrdom in both religions are the same. This study asserts that either Islam or Christianity is practicing martyrdom. Therefore effort should be made by the government to checkmate liturgical and theological positions that contradict the sanctity of human life and peaceful co-existence. Also, more studies should be carried out in the quest to give a uniform meaning of martyrdom.

CHAPTER ONE:

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Martyrdom has been a controversial issue in both Christianity and Islam. Within the two religions, the term has separate meaning and it meaning antagonizes each other (Donald 2002). To the Christian faith, David Barrett (2001:665) describes a martyr “to be a believer in Christ who loses his or her life permanently in situation of witness as a result of human hostility”. His definition of Christian martyrdom captures three important aspects which includes fatal aspect-indicating that a martyr actually dies; confessional aspect which indicates that martyrs dies for the Christian faith and the voluntary aspect which shows that the martyr does not necessarily provoke the incident or die in arm resistances.
Azzati (1976:55) claims that the concept of martyrdom shahada in Islam can only be understood in the light of the Islamic concept of holy struggle jihad. He went on to explain that one can only understand martyrdom, if the independent divine source of righteousness, truth, and goodness and how the message of the divine source of righteousness, truth has been honestly and properly conveyed to humanity through prophet Mohammed (SAW) is appreciated. Sahih (1476:77) added that Shahada refers to the Islamic theological doctrine that posits that ‘believers who give their lives on the battlefield in a military Jihad do not die but rather immediately enter paradise where they are rewarded for their sacrifice’. Such a shahid (martyrdom) is given a special funeral and members of the martyr’s family are entitled to receive charity and compensation benefits from the community and Islamic state, the participant in the military jihad often makes arrangement for such benefits in advance in anticipation of possibility of martyrdom, a notion parallel to the Christian meaning of martyrdom. The Greek word for martyrdom ‘martus’ and Arabic word for Martyrdom ‘shahada’ both means witness to one’s faith etymologically, signalling their doctrinal theological positions in interpreting and application of the concept differs as claimed by Azzati and Donald above.
Although the term is a controversial issue in both Christianity and Islam, in the two religions, “martyr” refers to a witness for the faith. The Greek word Martus signifies ‘a witness who testifies to a fact of which he has knowledge from personal observation’. Martin Luther’s quote in Westminster (n.d) said, “A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.” Millions of lives are forgotten today because of religious differences and often after such religious motivated human wastage, the perpetrators still find justification in their conscience thus validating the claims of Blasise (1923) that ‘Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction’. Both religions teach explicitly that they are worth dying for, and they both have martyrdom as core values which shape their practices and sense of identity. (Westminister, n.d:1)

Kittel, Bromiley, and Friedrich (1964) reported that, in tracing the historical meaning of Martyrdom in both religions the words used for martyr originally meant ‘witness’ or ‘testify to’ as in a court of law, and the words quickly became extended to ecclesiastical usage to denote those who by their deaths testified to, or witnessed to, their belief in their respective faiths. The Christian view starts with Jesus Christ Himself. Who is the prototype for all martyrs in Christianity? He could have fled or avoided death, even perhaps led a mass movement against the Romans, but He allowed Himself to be arrested, tried illegally, and killed by them by crucifixion. Why voluntarily surrender? The testimony of the Gospels and the rest of the Bible were so that, as the Messiah and unique Servant of God, He could die to pay for the sins of mankind (Matthew 26:53-54 cf. Donald: 2002).

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Many scholarly works on the concept of martyrdom exist. Teachings from Imams and Pastors as enshrined in both the Quran and the Bible on the concept of martyrdom is common among the two religions.
Moreover, the projection by both religions charging their followers to follow after the heroic death of past Martyrs is a daily appealing task placed on their adherents. Yet there is little scholarly attention paid to investigating the true meaning of martyrdom and it understanding and practice among Christians and Muslims. It is on this note that this work takes advantage of the gap to address the disparity on the concept of martyrdom in order to inform a predominantly multi-religious state like Nigeria thereby curbing religious intolerance.
The lack of uniform meaning between Christianity and Islam concept of martyrdom negates the very essence of religion especially on the sanctity of life and peace.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The primary purpose of this work is to investigate the true meaning of martyrdom and compare it with the Christian and Islamic understanding and practice of the concept.
The study also examines the ethical teachings in Christianity and Islam on the sanctity of life and peace with a view to understanding the extent the concept of martyrdom promotes or violates them.
The research study defines in clear terms the distinction between extremist fundamentalism and martyrdom in each of the religion.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
A proper understanding of martyrdom will be a veritable tool for curtailing fundamentalist and fanatical tendencies among Christians and Muslims. This is where this research becomes relevant.
This work will provide a balanced understanding and interpretation of the concept of martyrdom thus, serve as a good resource material that could enrich Christian and Islamic theology; contribute to the already existing body of knowledge among teachers and scholars in Christian and Islamic studies.
The findings of this work when applied, could promote religious tolerance, peace building thus deepen societal peace especially in religious plural society as Nigeria.

1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research relied basically on secondary sources as well as internet materials. The faith symbols (Bible and Quran) of both Christianity and Islam respectively were relied upon to x-ray the concept of martyrdom as demonstrated in the two religions.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study is limited to the comparison of Martyrdom in Christian and Islamic religion, with a view to ascertain whether martyrdom in Islam and martyrdom in Christianity are the same.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
There are little or no published materials on this topic and some materials available are written in languages other than English. This research is also limited by such factors as coming in a time where there is so much religious sentiment, intolerance, collapse of churches, fraction and breakout within churches, churches settling cases in the secular court and Boko Haran insurgent in North Eastern Nigeria. These are enough to pollute the minds of those that could have supplied vital information for this research.