Shahida
- Gender
- Girl
- Origin
- 🇹🇿 Tanzania
- Religion
- Islam
- First Seen
- —
- Trait
- Faithful
Meaning & Etymology
Witness or martyr
Witness or martyr
Etymology
Derived from the Arabic word shahid (شَهيد), meaning ‘witness’ or ‘martyr’.
Linguistic family: Niger-Congo > Atlantic-Congo > Volta-Congo > Benue-Congo > Bantu > Northeast Coast Bantu > Sabaki > Swahili
Cultural context
In Tanzanian culture, particularly among the Swahili people, the name Shahida reflects the Islamic influence and the importance of faith and testimony in the community.
Symbolism
The name Shahida symbolises faithfulness and the willingness to bear witness to one’s beliefs, often with connotations of martyrdom in the Islamic context.
Naming ceremony
In Swahili tradition, a child is typically named on the seventh day after birth. The ceremony involves recitation of the adhan (call to prayer) in the baby’s ear and the shaving of the baby’s head.
Religious reference
Quranic reference to shahid (witness, martyr)