Answer
✅Answer: Many religious terms have two meanings: a specific meaning and a general meaning. The term 'shahid' (martyr) specifically refers to someone who is killed with certain conditions in the field of a righteous jihad, which, of course, has many rulings and conditions that are mentioned in their place, and not paying attention to their position and conditions can lead to destruction. This person also has a high status and a great reward with Allah. However, in its general meaning, this term has other instances besides being killed in jihad, which, of course, differ greatly in their rulings from the specific meaning of a martyr.
✅Pay attention to a few hadiths that explain the general meaning of a martyr:
عن زیدِ بنِ أرقم: قال الحسینُ بنُ علیٍّ علیه السلام: ما مِن شِیعَتِنا إلاّ صِدِّیقٌ شَهیدٌ قلتُ: أنّی یکونُ ذلکَ و هُم یَمُوتُونَ علی فُرُشِهِم؟! فقالَ: أ ما تَتلُو کتابَ اللّهِ: «الذینَ آمَنُوا بِاللّهِ و رُسُلِهِ أُولئکَ هُمُ الصِّدِّیقُونَ و الشُّهَداءُ عِندَ رَبِّهِم» ؟! ثُمّ قالَ علیه السلام: لَو لَم تَکُنِ الشهادَةُ إلاّ لِمَن قُتِلَ بِالسَّیفِ لأَقَلَّ اللّهُ الشُّهَداءَ.
📚 Bihar, Vol. 79, p. 173
Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) said: There is not one of our followers except that he is a siddiq (truthful) and a shahid (martyr). I said: How is that possible, while they die in their beds? He said: Have you not read the book of Allah: 'Those who have believed in Allah and His messengers - they are the siddiqoon (truthful) and the shuhada' (martyrs) with their Lord'? Then he said: If martyrdom were only for those who are killed by the sword, then Allah would have reduced the number of martyrs.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The believer, in whatever state he dies, and at whatever moment he is taken, he is a shahid.
📚 Bihar, Vol. 68, p. 140
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: The believer, in whatever state he dies and at whatever moment his soul is taken, is a martyr.
عَنِ الْحُسَیْنِ بْنِ أَبِی الْعَلَاءِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ یُقَاتِلُ دُونَ مَالِهِ فَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ مَالِهِ فَهُوَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الشَّهِیدِ فَقُلْتُ أَ یُقَاتِلُ أَفْضَلُ أَوْ لَا یُقَاتِلُ فَقَالَ أَمَّا أَنَا فَلَوْ کُنْتُ لَمْ أُقَاتِلْ وَ تَرَکْتُهُ
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 5, p. 52
Translation: Hussein said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about a person who fights in defense of his property; the Imam said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: He who is killed in defense of his property is like a martyr. I said to the Imam: Is it better to fight or not to? He said: But if I were him, I would leave it and not fight.
الْبَجَلِیِّ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ عِیَالِهِ فَهُوَ شَهِیدٌ
📚 Al-Tahdheeb, Vol. 6, p. 157
Translation: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: He who is killed in defense of his family is a martyr.
عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ لِی یَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ إِنَّ الْمَیِّتَ مِنْکُمْ عَلَی هَذَا الْأَمْرِ شَهِیدٌ قُلْتُ وَ إِنْ مَاتَ عَلَی فِرَاشِهِ قَالَ وَ إِنْ مَاتَ عَلَی فِرَاشِهِ حَیٌّ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ یُرْزَقُ
📚 Mahasin, Vol. 1, p. 164
Translation: Abu Basir said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said to me: O Abu Muhammad, whoever from among you dies upon this matter (Wilayah and Shiism) is a martyr. I said: Even if he dies in his bed?! He said: (Yes) even if he dies in his bed, he is alive and provided for by his Lord.
✅ Other cases have also been mentioned in Shia narrations as 'shahid', most of which revolve around 'dying in the way of Allah' and passing away with 'faith' and the 'love and Wilayah of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them)'.
✅ We pray that Allah grants all of us martyrdom in the company of our Master, Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him).