The Family of Yasir
Ammar and his parents, Yasir and Sumayya, were among the first to make their Islam public, and so among the first to be tortured for it on the burning sands of Makkah. As they suffered, the Prophet ﷺ passed by and gave them glad tidings: “Patience, O family of Yasir — your promised abode is Paradise.” His father died under the torment, and his mother Sumayya was killed by Abu Jahl — the first martyr of Islam. 1 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 1 · pp. 301–302 — Kandhlawi — the torture of the family of Yasir; the Prophet's glad tidings of Paradise; the martyrdom of Yasir and of Sumayya, the first martyr. Ammar himself was tortured so cruelly that he was forced to utter words of disbelief while his heart held firm; the Prophet ﷺ reassured him that if they repeated the torment, he might repeat the words. 2 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 1 · pp. 302–304 — Kandhlawi — Ammar forced under torture to utter words of kufr while his heart stayed firm; the Prophet's reassurance.
The Transgressing Party
The Prophet ﷺ had foretold that Ammar would not die by the torture of the disbelievers but would be slain by a transgressing party. At Siffin, fighting on the side of Ali, the aged Ammar called for milk and drank it, recalling that the Prophet ﷺ had told him milk would be his last drink in this world — then went forward and was martyred, the prophecy fulfilled. 3 Stories of the Sahabah · pp. 17 — Zakariyya Kandhlawi — Ammar at Siffin drinks the milk foretold as his last drink and is martyred, fulfilling the Prophet's word.
Virtues in the Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said of him, while the Muslims built the mosque and Ammar carried double loads of brick:
وَيْحَ عَمَّارٍ تَقْتُلُهُ الْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ، يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَيَدْعُونَهُ إِلَى النَّارِ
”Alas for Ammar! The transgressing party will kill him; he will be calling them to Paradise and they will be calling him to the Fire.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 447 · Book 8 (Prayers), Hadith 96 · USC-MSA: Vol. 1, Book 8, Hadith 438 · narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri
Life Timeline
Born in Makkah
Son of Yasir and Sumayya, allies of Banu Makhzum.
Among the first to make Islam public — and to be tortured
His parents martyred under torture.
Fights at Badr
Martyred at Siffin
Fighting beside Ali; the Prophet's ﷺ word fulfilled.
References
- Hayatus Sahaba — Kandhlawi — the torture of Ammar's family; the martyrdom of Sumayya and Yasir; Ammar forced to utter words of disbelief Vol 1 · pp. 301–304
- Stories of the Sahabah — Zakariyya Kandhlawi — 'Patience, O family of Yasir, your abode is Paradise'; Ammar's death at Siffin and the milk pp. 16–17
- Sahih al-Bukhari — 'Ammar — the transgressing party will kill him' pp. 447 (Book 8, Hadith 96)