There are 160 instances of shahida and its derived forms classified into 9 different groups based on grammatical forms as shown in the table below, while 56 instances of shaheed in the nominal form found in 50 verses are described below:
Note: The above table is populated with data obtained from the corpus.quran.com.
Details of instances of shaheed
Out of 56 instances of shaheed in the nominal form, there are 40 instances in the nominal noun and 16 instances in the nominal adjective form meaning “witness/witnesses” including martyr(s) in the Quran, which are detailed out below:
Nominal noun
[2:23] And if you have been in doubt of what we have revealed through our servant (Muhammad), then you shall produce a chapter as like of it, and shall call your witnesses other than God (wa-id’`uu shuhadaa-akum min duuni allahi), if you have been truthful ones.
[2:133] Or had you been witnesses (am kuntum shuhadaa-a), when the death had come to Yaqub; he said to his children, “What will you worship after me?” They said, “We will worship your god, and god of your forefathers – Abraham, and Ismail, and Isaac – one god, and to Him we are submitters.”
[2:143] And thus that we have made you a moderate community that you would be witnesses over the people (li’takuunuu shuhadaa-a `alaa al-nnaasi) and the messenger would be a witness over you. And we have not made the direction of prayer, which you had been on it except that we make evident whoever follows the messenger than whoever turns back on their heels. And indeed, it has been a great test for those whom God has guided. And God has not been to let go waste of your faith. Indeed, God is surely is Kind, Merciful with the people.
[2:282] O you who have believed when you have contracted with one another of a debt for a fixed term, then you shall write it. And let a scribe write between you with the justice. And a scribe shall not refuse to write as God has taught him. So let him write and let the one on him is the right dictate and let him fear God, his Lord, and do not diminish anything from it. Then if the one on him is the right has been limited knowledge, or weak or he is not able to dictate, then let dictate his guardian with the justice. And you shall call to witness two witnesses from your men (wa-is’tash’hiduu shaheedayni min rijaalikum). And if there are not two men, then a man and two women from whoever you have agreed of the witnesses (wa-im’raatayni mimman tardawna mina al-shuhadaa-i) that one of the two errs, then the other of the two will remind, and cannot refuge the witnesses (wa-laa-yaba al-shuhadaa-u) when as they have been called. And do not tire as you write it for its term whether small or large. That is more just with God and is more uprightness for the testimony and is better that you do not doubt, except that a transaction you carry out among you will be on the spot, then there is no sin on you that do not write it. And you shall make to witness when you have made business transaction. And neither a scribe nor a witness will be harmed (wa-laa-udaarra katibun wa-laa-shaheedun), and if you do, then indeed, it is an evil conduct for you, while you shall fear God. And God teaches you and God is Knower of everything.
[3:98] Say, “O people of the scripture, why do you disbelieve in God’s revelations, while God is a witness over what you do (wa-allahu shaheedan `alaa maa ta’maluuna)?”
[3:99] Say, “O people of the scripture, why do you prevent from a God’s path whoever has believed seeking to make it crooked, while you are witnesses (wa-antum shuhadaau)?” And God is not unaware of what you do.
[3:140] If a wound touches you, then certainly, a wound like it has touched the people. And that is of the days we alternate it among the people and that God makes evident those who have believed, and takes martyrs from you (wa-yattakhidha min’kum shuhadaa-a). And God does not love the wrongdoers.
[4:33] And for each, we have made heirs of what has left the parents and the relatives. And those whom has pledged your right hands, then you shall give them their share. Indeed, God has been a Witnesses over everything (inna allaha kaana `alaa kulli shayin shaheedan).
[4:41] So how would it be when we have brought from every community with a witness (ji’naa min kulli ummatan bi-shaheedin), and we have brought a witness with you upon these people (wa-ji’naa bi’ka `alaa haaulaai shaheedan).
[4:69] And whoever obeys God and the messenger, then those will be with those whom God has bestowed favor upon them of the prophets, and the truthful, and the martyrs, and the righteous (mina nabiyeena wal-siddeeqeena wal-shuhadaai wal-saaliheena); and of those has been excellent companion.
[4:72] And indeed, whoever among you lags behind, then a disaster has befallen you, he said, “God has bestowed favor upon me that I was not a martyr with them (idh lam akun ma`akum shaheedan).”
[4:79] Whatever of good has befallen you (Muhammad) is from God, and whatever of evil has befallen you is from yourself. And we have sent you (Muhammad) a messenger for mankind; and it has sufficed with God being a Witness (wa-kafaa billahi shaheedan).
[4:159] And if there is from a people of the scripture except surely, he would believe in him (Jesus) before his death. And on a Day of the Resurrection, he would be a witness against them (wa-yawma al-qiyaamati yakuunuu `alayhim shaheedan).
[4:166] But God bears witness of what He has revealed to you (Muhammad); He has revealed it with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness. And it has sufficed with God being a Witness (wa-kafaa billahi shaheedan).
[5:8] O you who have believed, you shall be steadfast for God being witnesses in the justice (kuunuu qawwaameena lillahi shuhadaa-a bilqisti), and let not prevent you hatred of a people upon (you) that you do not do justice. You shall be just, it is nearer for the righteousness. You shall fear God; indeed, God is Cognizant of what you do.
[5:44] Indeed, we have revealed the Torah, in it there is guidance and light to judge with it, the prophets those who had submitted (to God) for those who have turned Jews, and the rabbis and the priests with what they have been entrusted with God’s scripture, and they have been witnesses upon it (wa-kaanuu `alayhi shuhadaa-a). So you do not fear the people, while you shall fear Me, and you do not sell of My revelations for a small price. And whoever does not judge with what God has revealed, then those – they are the disbelievers.
[5:117] I (Jesus) have not said to them except what You have commanded me with it that you shall worship God, my Lord and your Lord, and I have been a witness over them so long as I have been with them (wa-kuntu `alayhim shaheedan maa dumtu feehim); then when You have raised me, You have been – You are the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness over everything (wa-anta `alaa kulli shayin shaheedun).
[6:19] Say, “Which thing is greatest in testimony?” Say, “God is a Witness between me and you (allahu shaheedun bayni-i wa-baynakum); and has been revealed to me this – the Quran that I may warn you with it and whoever it reaches. Do you indeed, surely testify that with God there are other gods?” Say, “I do not testify.” Say, “He is only One god, and indeed, I am innocent of what you associate.”
[6:144] And of the camels two, and of the cattle two. Say, “Are the two males He has prohibited, or the two females, or what has carried the two females’ wombs? Or had you been witnesses when God had enjoined you of this (am kuntum shuhadaa-a idh wassaakumu allahu bi-haadhaa)? So who is more wicked than whoever has invented a lie about God to mislead the people without knowledge? Indeed, God does not guide the wicked people.”
[6:150] Say: “You shall bring forth your witnesses (halumma shuhadaa-akumu) – those who bear witness that God has forbidden this.” Then if they have borne witness, then you do not bear witness with them, nor do you follow desires of those who have denied in our revelations, and those who do not believe in the Hereafter; while they make equals with their Lord!
[16:89] And a day we have raised from every community a witness over them from themselves, and we have brought you (Muhammad) as a witness over these people (wa-ji’naa bika shaheedan `alaa haaulaai). And we have revealed the scripture through you, is a clarification for everything, and a guidance, and mercy, and good news for the submitters.
[22:78] And you shall strive in God of His true striving. He has chosen you and has made no difficulty upon you in the religion – a religion of your father Abraham. He has named you the Submitters before and in this, that the messenger may be as a witness over you, and you may be witnesses over the people (wa-takuunuu shuhadaa-a `alaa al-nnaasi). So you shall establish the salat prayer and shall give the zakat, and shall hold fast to God. He is your Protector that He has been the excellent Protector and has been the excellent Supporter.
[24:4] Those who accuse the chaste women, then they cannot bring four witnesses (thumma lam yatuu bi-ar’ba`ati shuhadaa-a), then you shall whip them eighty-lash, and you should not ever accept testimony from them, and those – they are the disobedient.
[24:6] And those who accuse their spouses, and do not have witnesses for them except themselves (wa-lam yakun lahum shuhadaau illaa anfusuhum), then testimony one of them is four testimonies by God that he is surely, of the truthful ones.
[24:13] Why have not they brought of four as witnesses upon it? Then when they cannot bring of the witnesses (fa-idh lam-yatuu bil-shuhadaai), then those – they are the liars with God.
[29:52] Say, “It has sufficed with God as a Witness between me (Muhammad) and you (kafaa billahi bayni-i wa-baynakum shaheedan). He knows what is in the heavens and the earth. But those who have believed in the falsehood and have disbelieved in God, those – they are the losers.”
[39:69] And the earth has shone with its Lord’s light, and has been placed the record, and has been brought with the prophets and the witnesses (wa-jeea bil-nabiyeena wal-shuhadaai), and has been judged between them with the truth; and they are not wronged.
[41:47] To Him is referred knowledge of the Hour. No fruits emerge from their sheaths, nor does any female conceive or give birth without of His knowledge. A day He will call them: “Where are My partners?” They have said, “We proclaim to You – there is no witness among us (aadhannaaka maa minnaa min shaheedin).”
[46:8] Or they say, “He has fabricated it.” Say, “If I have fabricated it, then you do not have power in anything for me against God. He is a Knower of what you say about it. It has sufficed with Him as a Witness between me and you (kafaa bihi shaheedan bayni-i wa-baynakum), and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
[50:21] And every soul has come with it a driver and a witness (wa-jaa-at kullu nafsin ma`ahaa saaiqun wa-shaheedun).
[50:37] Indeed, in that surely, there is a reminder for whoever has been a heart for him, or has given the hearing, while he is a witness (wa-huwa shaheedun).
[57:19] And those who have believed in God and His messengers; those – they are the truthful and the martyrs (ulaaika humu al-siddeequuna wal-shuhadaau), with their Lord for them is their reward and their light, while those who have disbelieved and have denied in our revelations, those are companions of the Hellfire.
[85:9] The One to Him is a dominion of the heavens and the earth, and God is a Witness over everything (wa-allahu `alaa kulli shayin shaheedun).
[100:7] Indeed, he is on that surely is a witness (innahu `alaa dhaalika la’shaheedun).
Nominal adjective
[4:135] O you who have believed, you shall be custodians of the justice as witnesses of God (kuunuu qawwaameena bil’qis’ti shuhadaa-a lillahi), even if against yourselves, or the parents and the relatives. If he be rich or poor as God is nearer to both of them. So, you do not follow the desire that you deviate. And if you distort or refrain, then indeed, God has been Cognizant of what you do.
[10:29] So it has sufficed with God as a Witness between us and you (fa-kafaa billahi shaheedan baynanaa wa-baynakum) that we have been surely unaware of your worship.
[10:46] And whether we show you (Muhammad) some of that which we promise them, or we cause you to die that to us is their return. Then God is over what they do as a Witness (thumma allahu shaheedun `alaa maa yaf’`aluuna).
[13:43] Those who have disbelieved say, “You have not been a sent one.” Say, “It has sufficed with God as a Witness between me and you (kafaa billahi shaheedan baynanaa wa-baynakum), and whoever with him is a knowledge of the scripture.”
[16:84] And a day we will raise from every community as a witness (wa-yawma nab’`athu min kulli ummatin shaheedan), then will not be permitted for those who had disbelieved, nor will they be asked to amend.
[17:96] Say: “It has sufficed with God as a Witness between me and you (kafaa billahi shaheedan baynanaa wa-baynakum) . Indeed, He has been Cognizant, Seer of His servants.”
[22:17] Indeed, those who have believed, and those who have been Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians, and the Magians, and those who have associated partners; indeed, God will judge between themselves on a day of the Resurrection. Indeed, God is over everything as a Witness (inna allaha `alaa kulli shayin shaheedun).
[22:78] And you shall strive in God of His true striving. He has chosen you and has made no difficulty upon you in the religion – a religion of your father Abraham. He has named you the Submitters before and in this, that the messenger may be as a witness over you (li-yakuuna al-rasuulu shaheedan `alaykum), and you may be witnesses over the people. So you shall establish the salat prayer and shall give the zakat, and shall hold fast to God. He is your Protector that He has been the excellent Protector and has been the excellent Supporter.
[24:13] Why have not they brought of four as witnesses upon it (lawlaa jaa-uu `alayhi bi-ar’ba`ati shuhadaa-a)? Then when they cannot bring of the witnesses, then those – they are the liars with God.
[28:75] And we have picked out from every community as a witness (wa-naza`naa min kulli ummatan shaheedan), then we said, “Bring your proof, then they have known that the truth belongs to God and have lost from them what they had done to invent.”
[33:55] There is no sin upon them (women) around their fathers nor their sons, nor their brothers, nor sons of their brothers, nor sons of their sisters, nor their women, nor what they rightfully possess (their male servants). And you (women) shall fear God. Indeed, God has been over everything as a Witness (inna allaha kaana `alaa kulli shayin shaheedun).
[34:47] Say, “I have not asked you for any reward that it is for you. My reward is not except from God, and He is over everything as a Witness (wa-huwa `alaa kulli shayin shaheedun).”
[41:53] We will show them our signs in the horizons and within themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth. Does it not suffice with your Lord that He is over everything as a Witness (a-wa-lam yak’fi bi-rabbika annahu `alaa kulli shayin shaheedun)?
[48:28] He is the One who has sent His messenger with the guidance and a religion of the truth, that He would make it prevail over the religion of any of it, and it has sufficed with God as a Witness (wa-kafaa billahi shaheedan).
[58:6] A day God will resurrect them all, then He will inform them of what they had done. God has recorded it, but they have forgotten it, while God is over everything as a Witness (wa-allahu kulli shayin shaheedan).
In brief, the review of 56 instances in the Quran may help us to understand: to worship of One god, He has made no difficulty to practice it being Abraham a father of His religion, God is a Witness that He has sent His messenger with the guidance and a religion of the truth, to establish justice being witnesses of God even against our parents and the near relatives including being witnesses of any financial transaction, those who cannot bring four witnesses for accusation of adultery against their spouses, they are liars, He has not given any dress code for the women around their family members except that they shall fear God, He has established share for every heir, He is a Witness that He has revealed the Quran to Muhammad is a reminder for whoever has a heart and has given ear to the hearing of what God has revealed, He will show all signs of what He has revealed being the truth, every soul has returned to His Lord with a driver and a witness, on a day He will resurrect all and will inform them what they had done as He has recorded it, while He is a Witness over everything and there is no way for any of us that we can hide any of our evil deeds from Him when we will meet Him.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless. Tafazzal (12/09/2022).