Sumayyah bint Khayyat

Sumayyah bint Khayyat (d. 615 CE) holds the distinction of being the first martyr in Islam. She was an elderly woman from a humble background, originally a slave who was freed and married Yasir ibn Amir. Together with her husband and son Ammar ibn Yasir, she was among the earliest converts to Islam in Mecca, embracing the faith at great personal risk.

The family of Yasir suffered some of the most severe persecution in the early days of Islam. Abu Jahl and other Qurayshi leaders would take them out to the scorching desert at the hottest part of the day and torture them to force them to renounce their faith. The Prophet Muhammad would pass by them during their suffering and say, 'Be patient, O family of Yasir, for your appointment is Paradise.' Despite the unbearable torment, Sumayyah refused to recant her belief in the Oneness of Allah.

Sumayyah was ultimately killed by Abu Jahl, who stabbed her with a spear when she refused to abandon Islam. Her steadfastness unto death established her as the first person, male or female, to give their life for the sake of Islam. Her husband Yasir also died under torture shortly after. Their son Ammar survived to become one of the most honored companions, and the Prophet said of the family's sacrifice that they were guaranteed Paradise. Sumayyah's martyrdom remains one of the most powerful examples of courage and conviction in Islamic history.