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SahabaMateCompanions of the Prophet ﷺ
Sumayyah bint Khayyat

The first to be killed for this religion

Makkah, in the early years of persecution, before the Hijrah — among those with no clan to shield them.

Moment 1 of 1MakkahThe Makkan years, before the Hijrah2 min read

Sumayyah bint Khayyat, her husband Yasir and their son Ammar had no tribe in Makkah standing behind them. They were clients, not members of a protecting clan, and when they accepted Islam there was nobody obliged by Makkah's own customs to stop what came next.

The reports describe the family being taken out and made to suffer for refusing to renounce what they had accepted. The Prophet ﷺ is reported to have passed by them during it and told them to be patient — that what had been promised them was Paradise.

Sumayyah did not recant. She was killed under that persecution.

This record stops there. What the classical sources say about how she died is reported in more physical detail than is repeated here; the choice to leave it out is deliberate and is explained in the review dossier attached to this record, not a gap in what is known.

She is remembered as the first person killed for accepting this religion. Yasir died in the same period. Ammar, their son, survived what was done to him and went on to become one of the most senior of the Companions — though his own life belongs to his own record, not to hers.

In this moment: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Yasir ibn Amir, Ammar ibn Yasir

Quick recall

Who is remembered as the first person killed for accepting Islam?

Sources & review

In review

Based on the listed sources. See something to correct? Tell us.

  • 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

References follow the citation detail available in the source material.

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