Let’s be real – while today’s teens stress over Instagram likes and exam results, these young Muslims were busy changing the course of history before they even hit twenty. This is what is needed to help young Muslims thrive: looking up to other young Muslim role models in the history of our Ummah who had very strong faith and made their mark when they were at a very young age. If the Muslim Gen Z/Gen Alpha don’t have the will to become great Muslims and change society for the better, then who will? These stories aren’t just inspiring, they’re a wake-up call for every Muslim youth today particularly those living in the west.
It’s important to note that these role models for young Muslims are not listed in any particular order!
Young Muslim Role Model #1 Ghulam Al-Rahib: The Teen Who Shut Down a Tyrant
Ghulam Al-Rahib, the teenage scholar who stood fearlessly before a tyrannical king. When ordered to abandon Islam, this boy didn’t back down. He dismantled the king’s arguments with brilliant logic, choosing martyrdom over compromise. His final words still echo: “Kill me – my death will be your regret!”. The full story shows how the young boy (from Surah Al-Burooj) made his mark in history:
Prophet Muhammad said: “There lived a king before you and he had a court magician. As he (the magician) grew old, he said to the king:
‘I have grown old, so send me a ghulam (young boy) in order to teach him magic.’ The king sent him a young boy to serve the purpose. And on his way (to the magician) the young boy met a monk to whom he listened to and liked it. It became his habit that on his way to the magician, he would meet the monk and sit there and would come to the magician (late). The magician used to beat him because of this delay. He complained about this to the monk who said to him: ‘When you feel afraid of the magician, say: Members of my family detained me. And when you fear your family, say: The magician detained me.’ It so happened that there came a huge beast and it blocked the way of the people, and the young boy said: ‘I will know today whether the magician or the monk is better.’ He picked up a stone and said: ‘O Allah, if the way of the monk is dearer to You than the way of the magician, bring about death to the animal so that the people be able to move about freely.’ He threw that stone at it and killed it and the people began to move about freely. He then came to the monk and told him the story. The monk said: ‘Son, today you are superior to me. You have come to a stage where I feel that you would be soon put to a trial, and in case you are put to a trial, do not reveal me.’ That young boy began to heal those born blind and the lepers and he, in fact, began to cure people from all kinds of illnesses. When a courtier of the king who had gone blind heard about him, he came to him with numerous gifts and said, ‘If you cure me, all these things will be yours.’ He said, ‘I myself do not cure anyone. It is Allah, the Exalted, Alone Who cures; and if you affirm faith in Allah, I shall also supplicate to Allah to cure you.’ This courtier affirmed his faith in Allah and Allah cured him. He came to the king and sat by his side as he used to sit before. The king said to him, ‘Who restored your eyesight?’ He said, ‘My Rubb.’ Thereupon he said, ‘Do you have another lord besides me?’ He said, ‘My Rubb and your Rubb is Allah.’ So the king kept torturing him untill he revealed the young boy. The young boy was thus summoned and the king said to him, ‘O boy, it has been conveyed to me that you have become so much proficient in your magic that you cure the blind and the lepers and you do such and such.’ Thereupon he said, ‘I do not cure anyone; it is Allah Alone Who cures,’ and the king took hold of him and began to torture him until he revealed of the monk. The monk was summoned and it was said to him: ‘You should turn back from your religion.’ But he refused. The king sent for a saw, placed it in the middle of his head and cut him into two parts that fell down. Then the courtier of the king was brought forward and it was said to him: ‘Turn back from your religion.’ He, too, refused, and the saw was placed in the midst of his head and he was torn into two parts. Then the boy was sent for and it was said to him: ‘Turn back from your religion.’ He refused. The king then handed him over to a group of his courtiers, and said to them: ‘Take him to such and such mountain; make him climb up that mountain and when you reach its peak ask him to renounce his Faith. If he refuses to do so, push him to his death.’ So they took him and made him climb up the mountain and he said: ‘O Allah, save me from them in any way you like,’ and the mountain began to shake and they all fell down (dead) and that young boy came walking to the king. The king said to him, ‘What happened to your companions?’ He said, ‘Allah has saved me from them.’ He again handed him to some of his courtiers and said: ‘Take him and carry him in a boat and when you reach the middle of the sea, ask him to renounce his religion. If he does not renounce his religion throw him (into the water).’ So they took him and he said: ‘O Allah, save me from them.’ The boat turned upside down and they all drowned except the young boy who came walking to the king. The king said to him, ‘What happened to your companions?’ He said, ‘Allah has saved me from them,’ and he said to the king: ‘You cannot kill me until you do what I command you to do.’ The king asked, ‘What is that?’ He said, ‘Gather all people in one place and tie me up to the trunk of a tree, then take an arrow from my quiver and say: With the Name of Allah, the Rubb of the boy; then shoot me. If you do that you will be able to kill me.’ ‘The king called the people in an open field and tied the young boy to the trunk of a tree. He took out an arrow from his quiver, fixed in the bow and said, ‘With the Name of Allah, the Rubb of the young boy,’ he then shot the arrow and it hit the boy’s temple. The young boy placed his hand upon the temple where the arrow had hit him and died. The people then said: ‘We believe in the Rubb of this young boy.’ The king was told: ‘Do you see what you were afraid of, by Allah it has taken place; all people have believed.’ The king then commanded that trenches be dug and fire lit in them, and said: ‘He who would not turn back from his (the young boy’s) religion, throw him in the fire’ or ‘he would be ordered to jump into it.’ They did so till a woman came with her child. She felt hesitant in jumping into the fire. The child said to her: ‘O mother! Endure (this ordeal) for you are on the Right Path”.
Young Muslim Role Model #2 Ali ibn Abi Talib: The First Child Muslim
The first boy to ever accept Islam. Some say at the age of 9, others say at the age of 10. He accepted Islam even before Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, Prophet Muhammad’s best friend and life companion. Not just that, but he was also the first to pray with Prophet Muhammad. He kept his Islam a secret, afraid of his father, until he asked him one day: “Did you become Muslim?” Ali ibn Abi Talib reluctantly said yes (and did not lie despite his fear of the potential consequences). His father said: “Be with your cousin and make him victorious!”. Allah blessed his courage and readiness to accept Islam with support from his father. May Allah unite us with him in Jannah, inshaAllah.
Young Muslim Role Model #3 Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Quran Prodigy
Since the age of 10, he was obsessed with knowledge. He prepared wudu’ for Prophet Muhammad, so he made dua for him: Allahumma faqihu fid-deen (O Allah, grant him understanding of the religion). With this dua, he grew attached to the Quran and became the greatest mufassir of the Quran there has ever been. He prayed Qiyam with Prophet Muhammad when he was only 10. This is a reminder for us parents to not forget our youngsters when praying Qiyam. Wake them up a few times if they have gone to bed early. They aren’t too young to pray Qiyam. In fact, this is how their hearts will be attached to Salah and Qiyam, inshaAllah. This little (great) boy of 10 would ask his aunt Maymouna to wake him up when Prophet Muhammad starts Qiyam.
Young Muslim Role Model #4 Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas: The Unbreakable Son
Quran came down for Saad ibn Abi Waqas. When he accepted Islam, his mother told him: “O’ Saad, what is this religion that you follow? Leave that religion now, or I will not eat or drink until I die. People will say you killed your mum!” Saad ibn Abi Waqas said: “Do not do that, Mum. I will never leave my religion for anything.” So she stayed for a day not eating or drinking. When she saw his determination in Saad’s eyes, she ate. The unshakable Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas faced perhaps the ultimate family test when his mother declared a hunger strike. His mum’s hunger strike lasted just one day against his ironclad faith.
Young Muslim Role Model #5 Ali Zayn Al-Abidin
No one is like Ali (Zayn Al-Aabedeen) in his sabr. He witnessed the death of 72 of his family in battle. He witnessed his dad dying and being brutally stumbled upon by horses. When Yazeed ibn Muawiya met him, he said: “O’ Ali, your father ignored my right and fought for my throne, so Allah made him as you saw.” Ali said with hikma: “مَا أَصَابَ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَا ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ” (Surah Al-Hadid, Ayah 22). What sabr and strength did that boy have?
Young Muslim Role Model #6 Imam Al-Shafi’i
Imam Al-Shafi’i was known for his ability to memorise hadith, articles, and sayings just by hearing them once. He met Malik ibn Anas when he was 13. Malik was impressed with his ability to memorise ahadith. Every time he asked him about hadith, he would answer from memory. Malik ibn Anas said: “Allah has blessed your heart with light, do not dim the light with sin.”
Young Muslim Role Model #7 Imam Bukhari
He lost his eyes when he was little. His mum then saw Prophet Ibrahim in her dream. He told her: “Your son has had his sight back for all your crying (or all your dua).” So when she woke up, his eyesight was back. He was only 10 when he memorized a great deal of hadith of Prophet Muhammad. By the age of 18, he was able to differentiate between hadith, Sahaba, Tabi’een, and their sayings.
Young Muslim Role Model #8 Prophet Yahya ibn Zakariya
Allah (ﷻ) honoured Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) by giving him the glad tidings of a son named Yahya. A name uniquely chosen by Allah Himself, signifying a great privilege (قَالَ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَامٍ اسْمُهُ يَحْيَىٰ وَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُ مِن قَبْلُ سَمِيًّا [مريم: 7]). Despite Zakariya’s old age and weakening body, he prayed earnestly for a righteous heir (قَالَ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ [مريم: 5]), and Allah blessed him with Yahya, who was granted wisdom (hikmah), judgment (hukm), and leadership at a very young age (وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا [مريم: 12]). This shows us that youth should never be underestimated or excluded from responsibility; rather, they should be immersed early in decision-making and leadership roles. Yahya was strong, righteous, and commanded to hold firmly to the Scripture with determination (يَا يَحْيَىٰ خُذِ الْكِتَابَ بِقُوَّةٍ [مريم: 12]), embodying strength of character and faith. This story teaches us about Allah’s mercy in answering sincere prayers, the importance of divine guidance, and the value of empowering young people to lead with wisdom and conviction.
These young Muslims including many others like Umayr ibn Abi Waqas, Abdullah ibn Al-Zubair, Abdullah ibn Jaafar Al-Tayyar, Omar ibn Abdulaziz and many many more have demonstrated leadership, excellence and great wisdom at a very young age.
The Challenge for Today’s Muslim Youth
Here’s the hard truth: these young Muslim role models changed the world without smartphones, YouTube tutorials, or motivational podcasts. They just had three things: Quran, Sunnah, and determination.