Sumayya Bint Khabbat: first woman martyr in Islam

Sumayya Bint Khabbat was a slave.

Hazrat Sumayya Bint Khabbat رضي الله عنها is one of the first ladies to have accepted Islam and the first woman martyr in Islam. She was a slave in Makkah who got freed when she was married to her master’s friend. Her husband, named Yasir bin Ammar رضي الله عنه, was a Yemeni who settled down in Makkah.

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Soon, the happily married couple was blessed with a baby boy named Ammar. Life wasn’t good for them. The people of Makkah looked down upon and bullied the couple, which consisted of a foreigner man and once a slave. They worked hard to meet their ends.

Sumayya and Yasir embraced Islam.

Soon, the religion of Islam started to spread in the city of Makkah. The powerful tribe known as the Quraish did not welcome the new religion and tortured its followers. The Quraish became monsters in their hate. They would physically abuse the Muslims, roast them on burning sand, and would starve them.

When the religion reached Hazrat Sumayya رضي الله عنها and Yasir رضي الله عنه, they readily accepted it. It was a beautiful religion that taught that master and slave, rich and poor, black and white, were all equal. They knew that only a creator could be so just with mankind. Yet their conversion to Islam was not acceptable for the Quraish.

Abu Jahal killed her husband.

Abu Jahal tortured the three newly converted Muslims and made their lives miserable. He would treat them inhumanly, would hurt them, and would humiliate them. He would wrap them up in iron and let them burn in the merciless sun in the desert.

When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed by them, he told them to remain patient as they made their way to the heavens. Soon Yasir رضي الله عنه died, leaving his son and wife even more miserable. His death did not affect the Quraish, for they were heartless.

Abu Jahal accused Hazrat Sumayya

One day, while he was torturing her, he got so frustrated that he said that the only reason she resists is that she had fallen in love with Muhammad. Otherwise, the ordinary slave and a widow shall have no strength.

On this, Hazrat Sumayya رضي الله عنها lost her temper. She was in grief at her husband’s death; she converted to Islam because it was a true religion and her faith was strong as she truly believed in Allah and His last Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Who was he (Abu Jahal) to accuse her, to point fingers at her and her faith?

She said what she had in her heart and cursed the already cursed man. This was unacceptable for Abu Jahal, and in his anger, he took out his spear and let it cross Hazrat Sumayya رضي الله عنها heart.

Abu Jahal stood on her body.

In disgust, Abu Jahal stood upon her body and set it aside with his feet. He was not ashamed of his act. He was not ashamed of killing an innocent. What bad was there for him if a family had converted to Islam, yet he killed the pious couple?

Hazrat Sumayya رضي الله عنها died on that day and became the first martyr woman in Islam.

Sumayya رضي الله عنه has marked herself in history. She is the first Muslim to have died for the sake of Islam and among the first 7 people who embraced Islam.