urban_rose
16-01-07, 05:56 PM
Bilal Ibn Rabah
Sahaba and Muezzin
By
Tanya Mariam Khada
Bilal, an African slave owned by Umayyah ibn Khalaf, a leader of a powerful Meccan tribe, recognized the purity and truth of the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAS) message. He became one of the Prophet’s (SAS) closest and most trusted companions, the first man to give adthan to the Muslims in Medina.
While a slave, Bilal struck up a relationship with Abu Bakr while on a trade journey to Syria. This was where he was first confronted with the belief that there is only one God. This deviation from polytheistic belief made Bilal question his religious persuasion and search for the truth. The truth came shortly after the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAS) first revelation. Bilal was one of the first believers, he accepted the message of Islam and embraced the belief that man is only a slave to God and not to other men and that men and women are all equal in the eyes of God. Most importantly he rejected the polytheistic practices of the Quraysh (the most powerful tribe of Mecca). Bilal’s conversion sparked anger and hatred in his owner. Umayyah used torture to try to change Bilal’s stance on the Oneness of God. This torture included chaining and starvation. Bilal continually repeated Ahad, Ahad (the oneness of God). This angered Umayyah all the more and eventually Umayyah set out to kill Bilal. Bilal was chained and placed out in the hot desert son with no cover and when he refused to bend he was tortured by a boulder being placed over his body, smashing him. Abu Bakr heard about the cruel torture and approached Umayyah to protest such cruel behavior. Umayyah refused to relieve Bilal of his torture; therefore Abu Bakr offered to buy Bilal. The asking price was an exorbitant amount of five pounds of gold. Abu Bakr agreed and Bilal was freed.
Bilal’s fierce devotion to God aided in the early Muslims’ ability to resist the taunts and cruelty forced upon them by the non believers of Mecca. In an effort to save their lives and the message of God, the Muslims fled to Abyssinia to seek refuge with the Christian king. From Abyssinia they moved to Yathrib, now called Medina. In Medina Bilal remained a close companion to the Prophet Muhammad (SAS). The Muslims appreciated Bilal’s beautiful voice, which was one of the wonderful attributes given to him by God. Bilal became the first Muezzin, person who calls people to prayer, and gave the adthan, call to prayer, to the Muslims in Medina. Bilal was a soft spoken and patient man who was so reliable and devoted that he became the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAS) treasurer. Bilal was responsible for providing for all the poor Muslim travelers who arrived in Medina. He was highly respected and considered an important aspect to the community. When the Prophet Muhammad (SAS) returned to Mecca, an event called the Hijra, Bilal was one of his most valued companions as well as one of his most important warriors.
The story of Bilal, one of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (SAS), shows the equality of all men and women under Islam. Bilal was the African slave of a rich Arab man, yet he was accepted as one of the most knowledgeable and respected of Muslim men
.
Sahaba and Muezzin
By
Tanya Mariam Khada
Bilal, an African slave owned by Umayyah ibn Khalaf, a leader of a powerful Meccan tribe, recognized the purity and truth of the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAS) message. He became one of the Prophet’s (SAS) closest and most trusted companions, the first man to give adthan to the Muslims in Medina.
While a slave, Bilal struck up a relationship with Abu Bakr while on a trade journey to Syria. This was where he was first confronted with the belief that there is only one God. This deviation from polytheistic belief made Bilal question his religious persuasion and search for the truth. The truth came shortly after the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAS) first revelation. Bilal was one of the first believers, he accepted the message of Islam and embraced the belief that man is only a slave to God and not to other men and that men and women are all equal in the eyes of God. Most importantly he rejected the polytheistic practices of the Quraysh (the most powerful tribe of Mecca). Bilal’s conversion sparked anger and hatred in his owner. Umayyah used torture to try to change Bilal’s stance on the Oneness of God. This torture included chaining and starvation. Bilal continually repeated Ahad, Ahad (the oneness of God). This angered Umayyah all the more and eventually Umayyah set out to kill Bilal. Bilal was chained and placed out in the hot desert son with no cover and when he refused to bend he was tortured by a boulder being placed over his body, smashing him. Abu Bakr heard about the cruel torture and approached Umayyah to protest such cruel behavior. Umayyah refused to relieve Bilal of his torture; therefore Abu Bakr offered to buy Bilal. The asking price was an exorbitant amount of five pounds of gold. Abu Bakr agreed and Bilal was freed.
Bilal’s fierce devotion to God aided in the early Muslims’ ability to resist the taunts and cruelty forced upon them by the non believers of Mecca. In an effort to save their lives and the message of God, the Muslims fled to Abyssinia to seek refuge with the Christian king. From Abyssinia they moved to Yathrib, now called Medina. In Medina Bilal remained a close companion to the Prophet Muhammad (SAS). The Muslims appreciated Bilal’s beautiful voice, which was one of the wonderful attributes given to him by God. Bilal became the first Muezzin, person who calls people to prayer, and gave the adthan, call to prayer, to the Muslims in Medina. Bilal was a soft spoken and patient man who was so reliable and devoted that he became the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAS) treasurer. Bilal was responsible for providing for all the poor Muslim travelers who arrived in Medina. He was highly respected and considered an important aspect to the community. When the Prophet Muhammad (SAS) returned to Mecca, an event called the Hijra, Bilal was one of his most valued companions as well as one of his most important warriors.
The story of Bilal, one of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (SAS), shows the equality of all men and women under Islam. Bilal was the African slave of a rich Arab man, yet he was accepted as one of the most knowledgeable and respected of Muslim men
.