Hazrate Sumayya bint Khayyat (R.A)

Three brothers called Yassir, Harith and Malik set out from Yemen to go to Makkah. They heard about this city and wanted to experience its culture and to partake in its various social activities.

Harith and Malik returned home to Yemen after some time, but Yassir liked living there so much that he decided to stay on permanently. According to the custom of the time he got the sponsorship and support of Abu Hudhayfa ibn al-Mughira. Abu Hudhayfa got Yassir married to his servant called Sumayya. 

They had a happy marriage and soon Sumayya gave birth to a son, who was named Ammar. When Hazrat Ammar (R.A) grew up, he embraced Islam after a long period of meditation. He went home to clarify what he heard from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) to his parents. At once, both his father Yassir and mother Sumayya embraced Islam. Hazrate Sumayya (R.A) was the seventh person to enter into Islam.

Here started the climax of Hazrate Sumayya's (R.A) story. Hazrat Ammar (R.A) and the members of his family did not keep their belief secret. Banu Makhzum knew that they had adopted the new faith (Islam). Thereby, they put them into severe torture to convert them. They took Hazrat Yassir, Hazrate Sumayya and Hazrat Ammar (R.A) , to the burning desert of Makkah, where they would put them through severe torture. However, Hazrate Sumayya (R.A) maintained a firm stance.

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) used to go where they were tortured, commending their courage and heroism by saying "Keep patient, Yassir's family. Verily, your meeting place will be in Paradise".

Upon hearing the Holy Prophet's (S.A.W) saying, Hazrate Sumayya (R.A) proudly recited, "I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah and that your promise is truthful." She was not afraid of death so long as it was in the cause of Allah (S.W.T). She tasted the joys of belief and witnessed Allah's (S.W.T) reward by the eyes of her heart that belittle all what she met.

Although her husband, Hazrat Yassir (R.A) was made Shaheed before her eyes, the tyrant atheists failed to convert her. After a lot of torture inflicted on her, Abu Jahl stabbed Hazrate Sumayya (R.A) with his spear, causing her to attain Martyrdom. She (R.A) became the first female Martyr in Islam. May Allah (S.W.T) have mercy on Hazrate Sumayya (R.A), the symbol of sacrifice and courage.