47in that way again; at the same time, he announced that he himself had
become a Muslim and that he would now personally take on his nephew's
protection.^24 As a result, Abu Jah! stopped abusing Ivluhammad: instead,
he started to mistreat the Prophet's poorest and most vulnerable Compan-
ions. Ammar, a young man of Yemeni origin, had adhered to Islam's mes-
sage vcry early and received training from the Prophet in al-Arqam's
home. His father, Yassir, and then his mother, Sumayyah, became
Muslims shortly after he did, and assiduously learned the new religion.
Abu Jahl cho~e them as the object of his vengeful harred: he took to beat-
ing them, tying them up in the sun, and tormring them. The P rophet
could not do anything because of the still complex nature of clan alliances;
he \iimessed this debasing treannent without being able to intervene. One
day, as he passed by Yassir and his wife, who were being ill-treated, the
Prophet called Out to them: ''Be strong, Yassir's family, our meeting point is
in paradise." Despite those tortures, whieh went on for weeks, Sumayyah
and Yassir refused to abjure their faith. Sumayyah even shouted at Abu Jahl
what she thought of him and his cO\vardly behavior. Infuriated, he stabbed
her to death, then, in the same raging anger, he turned to her husband and
beat him to death as well. Sumayyah and Yassir were the first martyrs (shuha-
do) of lslam: persecuted, tormred, then killed for refusing to deny G od, His
Oneness, and the truth of the last Revelation.^25
The situation was getting increasingly difficult for Muslims, patticular-
Iy for the most vulnerable among them as far as social status and clan affil-
iation wcre concerned. The Prophet's protection was ensured by his
uncles Abu Talib and Han1%ah, but this protection by no means extended
to the first spiritual community of Muslims. Insults, rejection, and ill-
treatment became the r ule, and Muhammad began looking for a solution
to alleviate the trials and suffering endured by the first Muslims. H e
thought of approaching \·Valid, thc chief of the Makhzum clan, to which
Abu Jahl belonged; \'(Ialid wielded considerable powet over the whole of
Meccan society. If the P rophet could convince him of the truth of his
message, or at least bring him to intercede and Stop the persecutions, this
would be an important achievement for himself and his Companions. But
while he was setting forth his arguments and trying to win \"'(1alid's sup~
pOrt, the P rophet was interrupted by a blind man, poor and old, who had
already converted to I slam and was asking him to recite some surahs from
the Quran for him. i'v[uhammad first turned aside calmly, but he soon