Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev ji- Sikh 5th Guru Saheb

The Shaheedi Diwas of GURU ARJAN DEV JI is on 30^th May this year (2025). He was the fifth guru of the ten Sikh gurus. It is also known as the Chabeel diwas, where every sikh family prepares meetha prashad which is prepared in the form of rose liquid water along with milk, and distributes it among everyone in the public by putting stalls in neighborhood areas. Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s shaheedi day holds significant importance in sikh tradition as it symbolises his unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and equality even in the face of persecution and adversity. 

In 1606, Guru Arjan Dev Ji was martyred under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir due to his refusal to compromise his principles and alter the sacred teachings of Sikhism. On this day, we gather at Gurudwaras to listen to Sukhmani saheb paath, followed by Anand Saheb Path, kirtan and ardaas, and kada prashad, which is distributed by the sewadars to everyone. After that, we go to the langar hall to eat the langar in the Gurudwara saheb, which is prepared by people with their hands, not by any servants. The day encourages sikhs to imitate the qualities of compassion and fortitude in the face of hardship by serving as a reminder of the sacrifices made by Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

The sikh community observes it as a somber day deserving of great regard and introspection.

To reveal the past, I would like to shed some light on the shaheedi. There was a person named Chandu who handed over Guru Arjan Dev Ji to Jahangir by saying that Arjan did not accept my condition of marrying my daughter. So now I am ready to hand it over to you.

Chandu took Guru Arjun Dev Ji in his custody and brought him to the royal fort of Lahore. In this way, Sheikh Ahmed Sirhandi, staying under the veil, got the Shahi Qazi to issue a fatwa (accusation) in the name of Guru Arjan Dev. It was written in the fatwa that Guru Arjan could not pay the amount of punishment. So, he should accept Islam, or else he should be ready for death. Guru Ji then replied that this body is mortal. He is not in love with his body. The law of nature is immutable; whatever is born must be destroyed. To die and live is in the hands of God, so the question of accepting Islam does not arise. Do whatever you want; you can do it.

On this, the Qazi gave the death penalty under the law of ‘Yasa’ according to Islamic rules and said that just like other rebels have been put to death by being locked in a leather shell, in the same way, this rebel (Guruji) also to finish by covering it in cow’s leather.

This was the shaheedi of Guru Arjan Dev Ji and how he sacrificed himself for all the sikhs.