Christian Martyrs vs. Islamist Martyrs

Sons of Islam everywhere, the jihad is a duty - to establish the rule of Allah on earth and to liberate your countries and yourselves from America's domination and its Zionist allies, it is your battle - either victory or martyrdom.

-Sheikh A. Yassin

The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.

You can judge the quality of their faith from the way they behave.

Discipline is an index to doctrine.

-Tertullian

In Christian context, a martyr is an innocent who, without seeking death (suicide being seen as sinful), is murdered or put to death for his or her religious faith or convictions.

In Islam it can include this but also includes Jihad, christian theology has no injuction that states if one kills for ones religion he will go to heaven, infact just the opposite killing any one for any reason is a sin. This is a huge differnce in how Christians and Muslims view the word martyr.

Martyrdom is a form of religious persecution. The word 'martyr' comes from the Greek word translated "witness". A Christian martyr is one who chooses to die, usually by means of a cruel or tortured means like stoning, crucifixion, beheading, etc., instead of renouncing a core principle or belief about their Christian faith.

The first Christian martyr was Saint Stephen as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (6:8-8:3) who was stoned to death for his faith. Stephen was killed (i.e., martyred) for his support, belief and faith in Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. There were probably many other early Christian martyrs besides Stephen since Saul, later-known as the Apostle Paul of Tarsus, is mentioned as bringing many murderous threats against the disciples or followers of Jesus (Acts 9:1ff.).

The first Christian Martyr in England was Saint Alban, a roman citizen, who lived in Verulamium and, when sheltering a Christian priest, converted to Christianity. When he refused to worship the Roman gods, he was executed. It is believed that the executioner's eyeballs fell out. Since then, Verulamium grew and changed its name to Saint Albans.
In subsequent centuries, especially during periods of widespread inquisition and Protestant Reformation, many Christians were martyred on charges of heresy.

There are many incredible stories, ancient and contemporary, of Christian martyrdom.

Early Christian martyrs
Saint Stephen was stoned and some 2,000 other Christians suffered at the time of Stephen's persecution.
James the Great (Son of Zebedee) was beheaded in 44 A.D.
Philip was crucified in 54 A.D.
Matthew killed by a halberd in 60 A.D.
James the Just, beaten to death by a club after being crucified and stoned.
Matthias was stoned and beheaded.
Saint Andrew, St. Peter's brother, was crucified.
Mark was beaten to death.
Peter, Saint Peter, crucified upside-down.
Paul, Apostle Paul, beheaded in Rome.
Jude was crucified.
Bartholomew was crucified.
Thomas, was killed by a spear.
Luke was hanged.
Simon was crucified in 74 A.D.
John the Evangelist was cooked in boiling hot oil but survived and died of old age circa 110 A.D
2nd and 3rd century A.D.
Polycarp of Smyrna, probably around 160 A.D.
Ignatius of Antioch in 107 A.D.
Justin Martyr of Palestine in 168 A.D.
The Martyrs of Scili (in North Africa, about 180 A.D.) The Passio Sanctorum Scilitanorum is regarded as the oldest Christian text in the Latin language.
Perpetua and Felicity of Carthage in 202 A.D.
Origen of Alexandria, about 250 A.D.
Saint Januarius of Naples, Italy in 305 A.D
Saint Philomena of Corfu, Greece (died in Rome) about 305 A.D

One of the worlds first martyrs was the person we get the word martyr from, Islamic groups fail to mention that the word Martyr is from the early Christian apologist and intellectual defender of the faith Justin Martyr. Ironicaly Justin was born in modern day Palestine, he was excuted by the Romans for not denying his faith.

In Islam, martyrs are thought to comprise two groups of the faithful: those killed in jihad and those killed unjustly.

The first martyr in Islam was the old woman Sumayyah bint Khabbab[3], the first Muslim to die at the hands of the polytheists of Mecca (specifically, Abu Jahl).