Thread by @sirnucy

Know your heroes series 5

سُمَيَّة بِنت خيَّاط: أول شهيدة في الإسلام

1. Sumayyah bint Khayyāt: The first female martyr of Islām

Sumayyah bint Khayyāt was not only one of the earliest reverts to Islām, but was also among the first people who declared their Islām openly.

2. Ibn Majah narrated a report on the authority of Ibn Mas’ūd who said, “The first people to declare their Islām publicly were 7: The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, Abūbakr, ‘Ammār & his mother Sumayyah, Suhaib, Bilāl & Miqdād.” She embraced Islām together with her husband & son, ‘Ammār.

3. Sumayyah was a slave to Abu Hudhayfah ibn al-Mughirah. Later, he gave her in marriage to Yāsir bn ‘Āmir, a Yemeni who resides in Makkah. She bore him a son, Ammār. When in 615 AD the Prophet ﷺ commenced his public Da’wah following the revelation of

4. Suuratul Muddath-thir “يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ. قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ”, the Quraysh stepped up their persecution and torture of fringe and soft targets among the Muslims who do not have tribal protection. Among this group were Sumayyah and her family.

5. They were arrested, shackled & tortured under the scorching sun of the desert. Writes Ibn Hishaam in his Asseerah an-Nabawiyyah:

وكانت بنو مخزوم يخرجون بعمار بن ياسر، وبأبيه وأمه ـ وكانوا أهل بيت إسلام ـ إذا حميت الظهيرة، يعذبونهم برمضاء مكة ( الرمل الحار من شدة حرارة الشمس )

6. The Banū Makhzūm would take out Ammār bn Yāsir, his father & mother - & they were part of the Muslim family- to the scorching sun of Makkah & torture them on the extremely hot sand.”

The Quraysh had sworn never to let go of them unless they recant their faith.

7. Sadly for them, Sumayyah & her family remained firm & resolute, enduring the excruciating pains of physical and mental torture. The Prophet ﷺ was heartbroken by the pains and sufferings of the Yāsirs, but there was absolutely nothing that he could do to secure their release.

8. He himself only escaped persecution by virtue of the support and protection of his uncles who, though were not believers in his mission but shielded him from enemy’s attacks.

It is recorded that whenever he ﷺ passed by the Yāsirs, he would say to

9. them, “صبراً يا آل ياسر فإن موعدكم الجنة” “Keep patient, Yāsir’s family. Verily, your meeting place will be in Paradise”.

He also used to say, “O fire! Be cool and harmless for ‘Ammār in the same manner in which you became cool and harmless for Ibrāhīm.”

10. Allāhu Akbar!!! What a soothing expression...they secured an automatic ticket to Jannah while still alive....

Day by day, the Quraysh increased the torture of the Yāsirs who remained stubbornly resolute and committed to keeping their faith.

11. As the torture grew, Yāsir could no longer bear the pains & he died, leaving behind his wife & kid. Saddened by the death of her husband, Sumayyah raised her voice against Abū Jahl, a prominent chief of Makkah & staunch enemy of Islām. In response, he stabbed her to death.😢

12. As for their son, ‘Ammār, he was not spared until he agreed to denounce Islām by insulting the Prophet. He did that to protect his life lest it is taken like that of his parents. When the Prophet ﷺ saw him, he saw sorrow and distraught in his countenance so he asked him

13.
, ما وراءك يا غلام؟ “What’s wrong with you, o boy?” He replied, “ شرّ يا رسول الله” “Bad news o Allāh’s Apostle”.

ما تُرِكْتُ حتى نِلْتُ منك وذكرت آلهتهم بخير، قال: كيف تجد قلبك؟، قال: أَجِدُ قَلْبِي مطمئناً بالإيمان، قال: فإن عادوا فعد، فأنزل الله تعالى:

14.
{ مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللّه مِنْ بَعْدِ إِيمَانِهِ إِلّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَكِنْ مَنْ شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِنَ اللّه وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ }( النحل الآية: 106 ) رواه الحاكم .

“I was not release until I was made

15. to insult you and praise their deities.” ‘How do you find your heart, asked the Prophet. “It was firm with faith”, he replied. The Prophet ﷺ said, “If they come for you again, repeat those things again.” So Allāh revealed, “Whoever disbelieves in Allāh after his belief -

16. except one who was forced while his heart is at peace with the faith - but whoever opens their breasts to disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a terrible torment.”

At the battle of Badr, the Muslims captured Abū Jahl and killed him mercilessly.

17. The Prophet ﷺ called ‘Ammār and said to him,  "قتل الله قاتل أمك ياعمار" “Allāh has killed your mother’s killer.”

ʻAmmār was martyred in the battle by the forces of Muʿāwiya ibn Abī Sufyān in 657. All three family members of Yāsir sacrificed their lives in defense of Islām.

18. O Allāh! Accept their return and admit them into Jannah.

رضي الله عنكِ يا أمَّ عَمّار! رضي الله عنكَ يا ياسر!! رضي الله عنكَ يا عمّار!!!

You’re the true heroes!!!