Christian Martyrdom vs. Islamic Martyrdom

When I examined the scriptures of Islam and Christianity, I found that despite the similarities that existed on the surface, when you went into the core of the faiths, they are as different as night and day.  Everything that is taught about the nature of God, what he wants of us, how he views us, and how he wants us to treat each other, are so profoundly different, that they cannot be reconciled.  Even simple things such as prayer are viewed very differently between the two faiths.  However, no difference is more profound than the concept of martyrdom.  

The word Martyr was originally a Greek term meaning “Witness.”  The term of martyrdom in Christianity evolved because the Disciples of Christ gave their lives being "Witnesses for Christ."  They professed to have witnessed his message and they gave their lives to testify to the entire known world what they had witnessed.  This trend of martyrdom has continued every since.  In the Christian concept, martyrdom means persecution for being “Witnesses to Christ.”  Christians do not love death. They love Christ. If he bids them come and die, they count it an honor to suffer and die for the sake of the name (Acts 5:41). 
In their own sufferings, they extend Christ’s sufferings to those for whom he died (Colossians 1:24). 
The other difference is that they call death gain not because of the secondary benefits of paradise, but because “to depart and be with Christ . . . is far better” (Philippians 1:23).  


However, for Islam being a Martyr means losing your life in the field of battle for the sake of fighting unbelievers for the cause of Islam.  Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, stated: “We are going to win, because they love life and we love death.”  He has also said: “Each of us lives his days and nights hoping more than anything to be killed for the sake of Allah.”

One must ask: Why this Love of Death?  The answer?  It is professed in Islamic Scripture that dying in the cause of engaging Jihad (Holy War) on the infidel (Non-Muslim), is the greatest glory that a Muslim can hope to achieve.  This is reiterated throughout the Qur'an and the Hadith.

Sahih Bukhari: Book 2 Hadith 25-"Allah's Apostle was asked, "What is the best deed?" He replied, "To believe in Allah and His Apostle (Muhammad). The questioner then asked, "What is the next (in goodness)? He replied, "To participate in Jihad (religious fighting) in Allah's Cause." 

Surah 4:74: “Let those of you who are willing to trade the life of this world for the life to come, fight in God’s way. To anyone who fights in God’s way, whether killed or victorious, We shall give a great reward”

Sahih Bukhari-Volume 4, Book 52, Number 54: "I would love to be martyred in Allah's Cause and then get resurrected and then get martyred, and then get resurrected again and then get martyred and then get resurrected again and then get martyred."

The key difference: Christian martyrs join Jesus in dying to save, not dying to kill.


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