سُمَيَّةُ بِنْتُ خَيَّاط
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا
Sumayyah bint Khayyat
The first to be killed for this religion · Enslaved in Makkah · Early Muslim
may Allah be pleased with her
Originally of Yemen; enslaved, and a client of Banu Makhzum in Makkah before Islam · Makkah, in the early years of persecution, before the Hijrah
She, her husband Yasir and their son Ammar were enslaved in Makkah with no clan to protect them when they accepted Islam. She was tortured for it and killed under that torture — remembered as the first person killed for accepting this religion. What was done to her is not described here.
Known for
She is remembered as the first person killed for accepting this religion
The classical biographical works name her first among those killed for their Islam, in the early years of persecution in Makkah.
She, her husband Yasir and their son Ammar accepted Islam together
All three are counted among the earliest Muslims in Makkah.
She had no clan in Makkah to stop what was done to her
She and Yasir were clients rather than members of a protecting tribe, which under Makkah's customs left them exposed in a way most of the early Muslims were not.
She was killed under that persecution
This record states that she died under torture and does not go further into how.
Story
Her story in moments
Short episodes from her life, in order. Read one at a time.
In full
Life & legacy
Makkah
Sumayyah bint Khayyat was, with her husband Yasir ibn Amir, a client rather than a member of a protecting clan in Makkah — the reports place them with Banu Makhzum by alliance rather than by birth. Their son was Ammar.
The family accepted Islam together, early enough that the Muslims in Makkah were still very few. Being clients rather than tribesmen meant there was no one obliged to intervene on their behalf, which is not true of most of the Companions whose Makkan years are better documented.
The persecution
Quraysh's persecution of the Muslims fell hardest on those with no clan to answer for them, and Sumayyah's family was among the small number in that position. The reports describe the three of them being made to suffer for refusing to give up what they had accepted, and the Prophet ﷺ is reported to have passed them during it and told them to hold on — that what had been promised them was Paradise.
Sumayyah was killed under that persecution. This record states that plainly and does not go further into how; classical sources carry considerably more physical detail than is repeated here, and the review dossier explains that decision. Yasir is also reported to have died in the same period. Ammar survived it and went on to become one of the senior Companions.
How the sources describe her
She did not recant, to the end
She had nothing standing between her and what Quraysh chose to do
Connect
People around her
Family
- Ammar ibn YasirChild
Her son; he was persecuted alongside her and survived to become one of the senior Companions.
- Yasir ibn AmirSpouse
Her husband; both were clients in Makkah without a protecting clan, and both were tortured for their Islam.
Full timeline
- The early Makkan years
Accepts Islam with Yasir and Ammar, among the earliest Muslims
- The Makkan years, before the Hijrah
Persecuted with her husband and son, having no clan to protect them
- The Makkan years, before the Hijrah
Killed under the persecution — the first to be killed for this religion
Part of
Sources & review
Draft content — undergoing reviewThis content was written for SahabaMate and has not yet been checked by a reviewer against the works below. Treat it as a starting point, not a citation.
As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyahالسيرة النبوية
Classical biography · Ibn Hisham, from the recension of Ibn Ishaq
Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabirالطبقات الكبرى
Classical biography · Ibn Sa'd
Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz as-Sahabahالإصابة في تمييز الصحابة
Classical biography · Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
Siyar A'lam an-Nubalaسير أعلام النبلاء
Classical biography · Shams ad-Din adh-Dhahabi
SahabaMate editorial summary
Editorial summary
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