13 Great Pioneers in Islamic History

And those foremost [(in Islamic Faith of Monotheism and in performing righteous deeds) in the life of this world on the very first call to embrace Islam,] will be foremost (in Paradise). — Qur’an 56[Al-Waqia] :10

Actions are usually influenced by impulse or response to stimulus. Many of the first generation of Muslims accepted Islam owing to the Prophet’s impeccable character. Even those who rejected his message testified to his highly infectious traits. The earliest generation of Muslims were trailblazers in all facets on matters related to this deen. So, they were honored by Allah to lead a path towards goodness and create a lifelong legacy. Someone was the first man or the first woman to do or to say something. And this singular action paved way for him or her to be a pioneer. Here is a list of some of the Muslim firsts. Their actions made them pioneers on the path of goodness. This list of course is not by any means exhaustive.

1. Khadija bint Khuwayled: She was the beloved wife of the noble messenger Muhammad ﷺ. She was the first to testify to faith by accepting Islam. When the Prophet ﷺ received the first revelation in the cave of Hira, he ran back home to Khadija in search of comfort. He found peace and tranquility with her. She gave him all the support he needed to propel the message. She was indeed the pioneer follower of the Muslim faith.
2. Ali ibn Abi Talib: He was the first youth to witness that God is One and Muhammad ﷺ is His Messenger. He took the shahadah right after Khadija. He was the cousin of the prophet ﷺ and a beloved one to him. This was a young man whom Allah loved and the messenger equally loved as well.
3. Abubakr ibn Abi Quhafa: This was the first man of age to accept the testimony of faith. He was a sole companion of Muhammad ﷺ. A man of noble birth and character testified to by the Qurayshi people. Abubakr never belied the Rasul ﷺ. He was a strong pillar of support and through him, many other interesting events occurred in the history of Islam.
4. Baytul Arqam: This was the first meeting place in Islam. It was well known as the house of Arqam bin Abil-Arqam in Makkah. The first set of Muslims used to go there to meet the Messenger ﷺ and listen to revealed verses of the Qur’an. At this stage, Islam was like a youth movement with a few Muslims. The message wasn’t proclaimed to the people until Allah revealed to the messenger ﷺ to call the people to the unity of God.
5. The Yasir Family: This was the first family as a whole to accept Islam (outside the family of the Prophet himself). Yasir, his wife Sumayya and their son, Ammar all accepted Islam as soon as they heard the Call of the Messenger of Allah.
6. Receivers of Glad Tidings: After accepting Islam, the pagans of Makkah tortured Yasir, Sumayya, and Ammar daily for accepting Islam. All three of them were the first Muslims whom the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave the glad tidings of patience and goodwill of jannah.

7. The Taste of Martyrdom: The first believer to be martyred in Islam was Sumayya the wife of Yasir. Soon after, her husband Yasir also joined her as a martyr in cold blood of faith. Both of them were tortured to death by the pagans. Their son, Ammar ibn Yasir was equally destined to be a martyr. Although, he died in the battle of Siffin. They became a family of all Martyrs in Islam. This was a distinction which no one else ever shared with them.

8. The First Man to Read the Qur’an: It was reported that Abdullah ibn Masood (Radiallahu Anhu) was the first to read the Qur’an aloud in the Ka’aba. He was a companion and friend of the noble Messenger ﷺ. “Yahya b. Urwa b. Zubayr told me as from his father that the first man to read Qur’an loudly in Makkah after the Apostle was Abdullah ibn Masood.” (Ibn Is’haq)

9. The First Man to be Killed in the Precincts of the Ka’aba: He was Al-Harith ibn Abi Hala, the nephew and adopted son of Khadija. When the Prophet ﷺ proclaimed the unity of God in the Kaaba before an assembly of the idolaters, they subjected him to physical violence. Al-Harith ibn Abi Hala entered the fray to defend him. They stabbed him repeatedly and he fell dead on the ground. This was the harsh torture and massacre the early Muslims felt. He thus became the third Martyr in Islam.

10. The First to Build a Mosque: Ammar ibn Yasir was the first man in Islam to build a Mosque. He built this mosque in Makkah by himself. Ibn Ishaq relates: “Sufyan ibn Uyayna mentioned on the authority of Zakariya from al-Shabi that the first man to build a mosque was Ammar ibn Yasir.”

11. The Muslim Emissary: Mus’ab ibn Umayr was the first ambassador sent as a representative of Islam. In 621, a group of the citizens of Yathrib -Madinah- came to Makkah. They met the Prophet ﷺ at Aqaba and they accepted Islam. They requested him to send with them to Yathrib a teacher of Islam and Qur’an. The Prophet ﷺ sent Mus’ab ibn Umayr with them. Mus’ab was the first representative of the Messenger of God ﷺ in any capacity.

12. The Muazzin and Treasurer: Bilal ibn Rabah was the first muazzin of Islam. His voice rang out in Madinah with the sounds of Allah-u-Akbar (God is Great). When Madinah developed all the characteristics of a state, it also acquired a treasury and the Messenger ﷺ appointed Bilal as its officer-in-charge. He was the custodian of the Bayt-ul-Mal. This made him as well the First Treasurer of Islam. He made allocation of all funds and was also responsible for distribution. He supplies the widows, orphans, wayfarers and other poor people who had no means of supporting themselves.

13. The Commandant of Expedition: Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib, an uncle of the Prophet ﷺ was the first military commander in Islam. Allah’s Apostle ﷺ had sent him at the head of 30 Muhajireen to intercept a caravan of the Quraysh led by Abu Suffyan. However, there was no action and the expedition returned to Medina.

As mentioned earlier, this list is not exhaustive. You may include more Muslim firsts that you recall in the response section.

Call To Action:

Tomorrow, 10th Muharam 1439 AH (09.30.2017) in sha Allah will be the day of ASHURA. It is recommended in the sunnah to fast.

Ibn Qayyim said: "Regarding the fast of `Ashura, the best method of observing it is to fast three days: the 9th, 10th, and 11th. The next best is to fast the 9th and 10th. And the next is to fast only on the 10th"

The most authentic blessing reported for this fast is that it forgives the sins of the previous year.

May Allah accept, from me and you. Ameen.

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