Who was Lady Sumaiyah?

Who was Lady Sumaiyah?

 It is very easy for a young person to accept new ideas and alter his thinking and beliefs with the advent of new experiences and requirements of life. With time, he adopts his own principles, religious beliefs and manners, which may or may not be in sync with society. As he approaches old age, whatever views he has acquired in these years become rigid and inflexible and any chance of his mindset changing or any external attempt to do so is almost always impossible.

  However… we know of a person whose direction in life was changed in this very old age. All aspects of this person’s life became diverted towards the pursuit of a particular goal and such was this diversion that no power proved strong enough to avert this change. What is all the more enchanting is that this person was a frail old lady who was neither wealthy nor did she belong to a family of distinction; who, on the contrary, belonged to a slave family and she was herself a slave!

  It is quite obvious that the obstacles she must have faced while changing her religion, her culture and her lifestyle would have been enormous. Moreover, we observe that her change of direction was obstructed and challenged by the heavy-weights of her society.

But the fact remains that she stood fort in such a decisive manner that the biggest powers proved futile in shaking her determination. On face value she was a weak old slave lady but in reality she was immensely strong at will. This lady, the subject of our discussion, was none other than Hazrat Sumaiyah d/o Khabbat… may Allah be pleased with her.

  When the Holy Prophet Muhammad… may peace and blessings be upon him and his family… proclaimed the message of Islam in the streets of Makkah and invited people towards the worship of one God, Hazrat Sumaiyah was amongst the first to accept his call. Amongst the ‘vanguard’ (saabiqoon awwaloon) of Islam, Hazrat Sumaiyah assumes a special position in that her entire family surrendered to the call of the Prophet. She, along with her husband, Hazrat Yasir s/o Aamir and her son Hazrat Ammar s/o Yasir were amongst the very first ones to accept Islam.

Ø      Hazrat Sumaiyah was an old woman when she accepted Islam. In old age, a person turns very cautious. They always avoid treading a dangerous and unknown path, especially when its outcome is not within the confines of comfort.

Ø      Moreover, when she accepted Islam, it was a time when anyone mentioning Islam was brutally tortured and persecuted. On committing the ‘crime’ of accepting Islam, the authorities of Makkah used to punish the Muslims in such a way that its mere thought is sufficient to send shivers down one’s spine.

  But Hazrat Sumaiyah, despite knowing and seeing all this, bore witness to the Prophethood of Muhammad.

  She never wavered at the thought of her husband’s resulting fate or the troubles her son would have to bear. Nay, she never even entertained the thought that she would have to undergo life threatening trials. She rejected all financial and personal considerations and this little ‘rock’ was determined to clash with the mountains of Makkah!

  Hazrat Sumaiyah was the slave of Rayees s/o Rayees who was well known for his abundance of wealth and children. Walid s/o Mugirah was a man of authority in Makkah, who was also blessed with wealth and children. Walid’s elder brother, Abu Umaiya (Abu Huzaifah s/o Mugirah) was an influential person. All these were from the elite Bani Makhzoom clan of the Quraish tribe. Khalid s/o Walid and Abu Jahl also belonged to the same clan. When this slave lady from this clan accepted Islam, the Mugirah family openly declared in Makkah that everyone was free treat the family of Yasir in the worst possible manner. This declaration opened the floodgates of atrocities against the family of Yasir.

  They used to cover Hazrat Sumaiyah with coats of metal and make her stand in the burning sands of the Makkan desert under the blazing sun. They used to relentlessly dip her son’s head in water. On lifting him out of the water they used to order him to speak ill of the Holy Prophet. In reply, he used to utter praise for the Prophet, upon which he was again submerged in water. Hazrat Sumaiyah’s husband Yasir was also being tortured in the same way. They used to place a heavy rock on him; mischievous boys were ‘released’ after him who used to trouble him as if he were a mad man.

  Hazrat Sumaiyah was a mute spectator to all these atrocities inflicted upon her family and she herself was subject to various afflictions. But did she ever waver from Islam? Even a tyrant like Abu Jahl could not make her compromise with her faith. She exhibited exemplary courage, forbearance and determination in the face of these challenges.

  Abu Jahl was so frustrated with his failure that one day, after being made to stand the entire day in the hot sun, when she was taken home, he began abusing her. When even this failed to pacify him, he took a dagger and flung it at Hazrat Sumaiyah who received fatal wounds in her lower abdomen. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajioon (To Allah we belong and to Him is our return).

  When Hazrat Ammar reported her death to the Prophet, he advised him to observe patience and supplicated for the salvation of Yasir’s family.

Some years down the line, when in the battle of Badr, Abu Jahl was killed; the Prophet sent for Hazrat Ammar and told him that Allah had avenged the murder of his mother.

  Hazrat Sumaiyah (may Allah be pleased with her) has the unique distinction of being the very first lady to have been martyred in the cause of Islam.

“Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, “We believe”

And they will not be tested?

We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those

Who are true from those who are false.

Do those who practice evil think they will get the better of Us?

Evil is their judgment!

For those whose hopes are in the meeting with Allah (in the hereafter, let them strive)

For the term (appointed) by Allah is surely coming, and He hears and knows all things.

And if any strive, they do so for their own souls.

For Allah is free of all needs from all creation.

Those who believe and work righteous deeds-

For them shall We blot out all evil (that may be in them)

And We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds.”

**Al Qur’an… surah 29 ayaat 2-7**

  It takes an enormous amount of faith and extraordinary conviction in a Cause to be the first to give up one’s life for it and the lives of one’s family. All she was asked to do was to revert back to polytheism and denounce Islam, but she had already submitted to the call of a messenger, the Prophet of God, who even happened to be younger to her. To sacrifice everything on the mere call of a mortal is a sublime example of unwavering faith and devotion, piety and courage, patience and forbearance. Indeed, it is by no means an easy task.

  The personality and sacrifice of Hazrat Sumaiyah is a source of inspiration for generations to come. May Allah bless my daughter with the fragrant traits of Hazrat Sumaiyah, whose name she shares!

Alhamdulillahi rabbil aalameen

(To Allah is due all praise and gratitude, Who is the Lord of the worlds).