Mahya and the Handmaids
Mahya's story is one of courage and unwavering faith amidst persecution in Najran. She served as a maidservant in the household of Arethas.
When Mahya and other female servants were summoned by Dhu Nuwas and ordered to renounce their faith, they steadfastly refused:
"We shall die with [our masters and relatives] for the sake of Christ."
Dhu Nuwas, realizing their resolve, ordered them taken to a valley for execution. Mahya, known for her social infractions and previous conflicts with society, took to the streets and called out to fellow Christians, urging them to stand firm in their faith and face martyrdom bravely:
“Christian men and women! This is the moment for you to render to Christ what you owe to Him. Go out and die for the sake of Christ, just as He died for your sake … I know that you hate me. But by Christ, from this day onward, I shall not be your adversary … I shall no longer utter insolent words against you. Look at me and see that there is no evil proceeding from me. Follow me, lest I should go alone and lest they should flee before me … and not kill me.”
Confronting Dhu Nuwas directly, Mahya identified herself as Arethas' handmaid and boldly asserted that her master's faith had triumphed over his tyranny. Angered by her defiance, Dhu Nuwas subjected Mahya to a gruesome death: she was tethered between an ox and a donkey and dragged through the city until she succumbed.
Her persecutors displayed her body upside down on a tamarisk tree near the northern gate of the city, where they continued to desecrate her remains with stones and arrows. Eventually, her body was thrown into a nearby valley.
Mahya's steadfastness in the face of persecution and her defiant witness to Christ's truth serve as a powerful example of Christian faith and courage under duress. Her sacrifice is remembered as part of the martyrdom of Najran, a testament to the enduring faith of early Christians in the region.