Sumayyah: First Muslim Martyr in Islam, Dr Emdad Khan
She was a Black woman from Abyssinia (Ethiopia), and a freed slave and who married Yasir ibn Amir.
When the Prophet Muhammad began calling people to Islam, she was one of the first seven people to accept that call, among other well-known ie. Abu Bakr (RA) and Ali (RA) and Khadija (RA), the Prophet’s wife. She saw the truth and logic behind the call to Islam and strove to pledge her faith to Allah and her life for Islam.
Unfortunately for Sumayyah and her family, who also accepted Islam soon after her, the Quraysh were looking for any way to put a hold on the Prophet Muhammad’s mission. They couldn’t directly hurt the Prophet because of his status as Abu Talib’s nephew, but they could hurt the general persons who were following him. And so, Sumayyah, her husband Yasir, and her sons became the target of the Quraysh.
Ammar, wept to the Prophet Muhammad, asking him why they had to suffer so much. The Prophet Muhammad replied by saying, “Be patient, O family of Yasir! For your destination is Paradise.”
Abu Jahl decided to punish Sumayyah himself, disregarding her old age and status as a mother. He tortured her, threatened her, bribed her, and did everything he could to force her to renounce her faith in Allah.
Sumayyah was a mother, and she valued the respect her sons had for her, and her love for Allah was so steadfast, she never stopped saying, “There is no God but Allah.” And that angered Abu Jahl to the point that he killed her.
Sumayyah became the first ever shaheed, the first martyr in Islam. Her husband Yasir was soon killed as well, and he became the second shaheed.
She was a role model, not only for her sons, but for all the Muslims after her who heard of her perseverance when faced with torture, and her unshaken faith in Allah SWT.
In the Quran, Allah says,
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ ٢١٤
“Do you expect to enter Jannah without being tested like those before you? They were tested with hardship and adversity, and were shaken up” (Surah Al-Baqarah:214)
In a world where we face oppression constantly, and suffer through daily hardships, it is important for us to remember that women like Sumayyah suffered as well. They were tested with hardships and adversity and were obviously shaken up, but not once did their belief in Allah was shaken. And perhaps we can borrow some of their strength, courage and determination to never forget that Allah SWT is always going to be with us, both in this world and in the Akhirah.
(Adapted from multiple sources)
