Which Sikh Guru is recognized as the first Sikh martyr?

Guru Arjan is recognized as the first Sikh martyr.

The fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan, was arrested and executed in Lahore in 1606 during the reign of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. Sikh tradition remembers his death as a martyrdom because he refused to abandon his faith or alter the Sikh scripture under pressure.

Guru Arjan played a major role in developing Sikh institutions. He oversaw the construction of the Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar and compiled the Adi Granth, the predecessor of the Guru Granth Sahib. His martyrdom deeply influenced the Sikh community and contributed to its later emphasis on defending religious freedom.

Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru, was also martyred, but he was not the first Sikh martyr. Guru Arjan’s son, Guru Hargobind, responded to the changing political situation by emphasizing both spiritual and temporal responsibility.