Shaheeda
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Shaheeda is the Arabic language word for a female martyr. In the context of martyrdom in Islam, a woman is considered a shaheeda if she died during fulfillment of a religious commandment, but there is an argument among the Muslim sages as to whether a woman can participate in a war for religion. It is also a female name.
In Islam
Raashid ibn Hubaysh narrated that Muhammad entered upon ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit when he was sick and said, “Do you know who is a shaheed (martyr) in my ummah?” The people remained silent, then ‘Ubaadah said, “Help me to sit up.” They helped him to sit up, then he said, “O Messenger of Allah, (is it) the patient one who seeks reward from Allah for his patience?” Muhammad said, “Then the martyrs among my ummah would be very few. Being killed for the sake of Allah is martyrdom, the plague is martyrdom, drowning is martyrdom, stomach disease is martyrdom, and if a woman dies during the post-partum period, her child will drag her to Paradise by his umbilical cord.” The umbilical cord is that which is cut by the midwife when the child is born. The hadeeth was narrated by Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad with a saheeh isnaad.[1] There is a corroborating report narrated by Maalik [2] and Abu Dawood.[3]
‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit also narrated that Muhammad said, “Who is counted as a shaheed among you?” They said, “The one who fights and is killed for the sake of Allah.” Muhammad said: “Then the shaheeds among my ummah would be few. The one who is killed for the sake of Allah is a shaheed; the one who dies of plague is a shaheed; the one who dies of a stomach disease is a shaheed; the woman who dies with a child in her womb is a shaheed.” This was narrated by Imaam Ahmad.[4]