Thread by @sirnucy

Know your heroes series 8

بلال بن رباح الحبشي

Bilāl Rabāh Al-Habashiy

1. Born to a father, Rabāh, who was an Arab slave and a mother,  Hamāmah, a former princess from Abyssinia (Ethiopia), who was captured and put to slavery after the event of ‘the elephant’,

2. Bilāl was born into slavery. His master, Umayyah bn Khalaf was one of the most prominent chiefs of Makkah. Muhammad Abdul-Rauf in his book, “Bilāl Rabāh”, says:

"He was of a handsome & impressive stature, dark brown complexion with sparkling eyes, a fine nose & bright skin.

3. He was also gifted with a deep, melodious, resonant voice. He wore a beard which was thin on both cheeks. He was endowed with great wisdom, a sense of dignity & self esteem."(1)

Similarly, Sir William Muir added:

"He was tall, dark, & with African feature and bushy hair."(2)

4. Bilāl was among the first seven people to publicly announce their Islām. Ibn Mas’ood رضي الله عنه said:

أول من أظهر إسلامه سبعة رسول الله، وأبو بكر، وعمار، وأمه سمية، وبلال، وصهيب، والمقداد 

“The first set of people to publicly announce their Islām are seven:

5. The Prophet, Abubakr, ‘Ammār, his mother Sumayyah, Bilāl, Suhayb and Al-Miqdád.”

It is mentioned that one day, the Prophet ﷺ and Abubakr were sitting inside a cave on the outskirts of Makkah when Bilāl passed them by with the cattle of ‘AbduLlāh bn Jad’ān.

6. When the Prophet ﷺ saw him, he called out to him, يا راعي، هل من لبن؟" “O herdsman, do you have milk?” Bilāl answered in the negative but added, “If you don’t mind, I have a sheep which you can milk.” After all had drank from the milk, the Prophet ﷺ turned to Bilāl

7. and said, "هل لك في الإسلام؟ فإني رسول الله" “Will you accept Islām? I’m a Messenger of Allāh.

On hearing this, Bilāl took the Shahādah and the Prophet ﷺ said to him,  "اكتم إسلامك" “conceal your faith.” Bilāl continue to link up with the Prophet ﷺ to learn more about Islām

8. while protecting his faith from his master. Sadly, Umayyah bn Khalaf soon discovered Bilāl’s little secret & began torturing him. At first, he tied a rope on his neck & instructed the children to drag him around, while he keeps repeating “Ahad, Ahad” (He’s one, He’s one).

9. Later, he ordered his men to take Bilāl naked and throw him on the hellish sands of the desert at the hottest times of the summer day. Then, they further put a heavy rock on his chest, all in a bid to force him revert to polytheism. Umayyah would occasionally come to

10. deride him with the following words, “لا تزال هكذا حتى تموت أو تكفر بمحمد وتعبد اللات والعزى” “You will remain in this condition until you die or dump Muhammad & worship Allāt and Al-Uzzah.” Yet, the only thing that Bilāl kept on saying was, “Ahad, Ahad.” (He (Allāh) is One!

11. One day, Abūbakr passed by Bilāl in this despicable state and shouted at Umayyah bn Khalaf, أما تتقي الله في هذا المسكين، حتى متى تعذبه؟ “Do you not fear Allāh concerning the affairs of this poor man? Whn will you stop torturing him?”

12. Umayyah replied, “أنت أفسدته، فأنقذه مما ترى” “You’re the one that corrupted him, save him from this calamity.” So Abubakr paid for his ransom and he was set free.

13. No sooner had Bilāl joined the fold of the faithful than he become the first Mu’adh-dhin of the Prophet ﷺ .The Prophet ﷺ said, نعم المرء بلال، هو سيد المؤذنين، ولا يتبعه إلا مؤذن، والمؤذنون أطول الناس أعناقًا يوم القيامة". “What an excellent man is Bilāl!

14. He’s the lease of the Mu’adh-dhins and the Mu’adh-dhins will be the tallest of people on the day of judgement.” The Prophet ﷺ would also fall on him occasionally to give the adhaan saying, قم يا بلال، فأرحنا بالصلاة" “Stand up O Bilāl and soothe us with the call to prayer.”

15. Muslim narrated on the authority of Abū Hurayrah who said, “One day, the Prophet ﷺ called Bilāl after the evening prayer and said:

يا بلال، حدثني بأرجى عمل عملته عندك في الإسلام منفعة؛ فإني سمعت الليلة خشف نعليك بين يدي في الجنة". قال بلال: ما عملت عملاً في الإسلام

16.
أرجى عندي منفعة من أني لا أتطهر طهورًا تامًّا في ساعة من ليل ولا نهار، إلا صليت بذلك الطهور ما كتب الله لي أن أصل

“O Bilāl, tell me what good deed have you done in Islām that I heard the sound of your footsteps before me in Paradise?” Bilāl replied:

17. “I did not do any act in Islām for which I hope to get any benefit, but this, that when I perform complete ablution during the night or day I observe prayer with that purification, what Allāh has ordained for me to pray.”

Allāhu Akbar!!!! Bilāl is in Jannah!!!!

18. Bilāl fought gallantly in all the battles with the Prophet ﷺ and was instrumental in the killing of his former slavemaster, Umayyah bn Khalaf. When the Prophet died, he was asked to call to the Salāt. When he reached the words, “Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasūlullāh,

19. he broke down in tears and could not continue. Since that day, he stopped giving the Adhān until his death.

رضي الله عنك يا مؤذن رسول الله!!!

(1). Abdul-Rauf, Muhammad. Bilāl Ibn Rabāh: A Leading Companion of The Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

20. Indianapolis, Indiana: American Trust Publications, 1977. Print. ISBN 0892590084 Pg.5

(2). a b Muir, Sir William. The Life of Mohammad From Original Sources. Edinburgh: J. Grant, 1923. Print. ISBN 0404563066 Pg. 59 (as quoted in Wikipedia).