Bilāl ibn Rabāḥ
بلال بن رباح
- Dates
- 580–640 CE / 43 BH–20 AH
- Relation to the Prophet ﷺ
- Early convert, freed by Abū Bakr; personal muʾadhdhin of the Prophet ﷺ
The first muʾadhdhin in Islam. An African slave whose voice called the community to prayer five times a day in Madinah.
Life
Bilāl was an Abyssinian slave in the household of Umayyah ibn Khalaf, a prominent enemy of the Prophet ﷺ. When Bilāl converted, Umayyah tortured him in the noonday Makkan sun, pressing a boulder onto his chest to force him to deny Islam. Bilāl answered, through cracked lips: Aḥad. Aḥad. One. One.
Abū Bakr bought him and freed him. After the Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ chose Bilāl's voice — deep, clear, grave — as the first voice to call the Muslims to prayer. He called the adhān in Madinah for the rest of the Prophet's ﷺ life. After the Prophet's ﷺ death, he could not bear to call it again. He died in Damascus in 640, and his grave there is still visited.
Passages that mention Bilāl
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"peace be upon him, said: Whoever prays four rak'ahs on Monday night, reciting Al-Fatiha and "Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad" in the first rak'ah ten times, in the second rak'ah Al-Fatiha and "Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad" ten times, in the third rak'ah Al-Fatiha and "Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad" twenty times, in the fourth rak'ah Al-Fatiha and "Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad" thirty times, then concludes and recites "Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad" seventy-five times, and seeks forgiveness for himself and his parents seventy-five times, then asks Allah for his needs, it is a right upon Allah to give him his request as he asked."
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""Bilal ibn Abdullah was from the offspring of the people of Al-Sara. His mother was Hamamah from Banu Jumah." Al-Bukhari mentioned that Bilal was the brother of Khalid and Ghufrah, the caller to prayer for the Prophet, peace be upon him, and he died in Al-Sham. He also mentioned the three kunyahs. Ata al-Khurasani recounted a moment with Ibn al-Musayyib, who spoke of Bilal, saying: "Bilal was deeply committed to his faith and endured torture for the sake of Allah."
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""For Allah's sake." Bilal then asked for permission to go for jihad, which Abu Bakr granted. Bilal went to Sham, where he eventually passed away. It is also reported that Bilal did not call the prayer for anyone after the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he desired to engage in jihad. Abu Bakr wanted to prevent him, but Bilal said, "If you freed me for Allah's sake, then let me go my way." So, he was in Sham until Umar arrived at al-Jabiya."
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"Abu Bakr then approached al-Abbas, asking him to purchase Bilal. Al-Abbas did so and sent Bilal to Abu Bakr, who subsequently freed him. There is a narration that describes how Bilal's masters would lay him on his stomach, pressing him while insisting, "Your religion is al-Lat and al-Uzza." Yet Bilal would steadfastly declare, "My Lord is Allah, One, One."
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"I have grown old, and my strength has weakened, and my end is near. So Bilal stayed with him. When Abu Bakr passed, Umar made the same request, but Bilal refused. Umar then asked, "Then who, O Bilal? Bilal replied, "Sa'd, who called to prayer in Quba during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him."
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"Jabir reported that Umar stated: "Abu Bakr is our master; he freed Bilal, our master." Salim narrated that a poet praised Bilal ibn Abdullah ibn Umar, saying: "And Bilal, the servant of Allah, is the best of Bilals..." Ibn Umar replied: "You have lied; rather, Bilal, the Messenger of Allah's servant, is the best of Bilals.""
Also from this generation
- Salmān al-Fārisī
سلمان الفارسي
The architect of the Trench at the Battle of the Ahzāb — a Persian military tactic introduced to the Arabs for the first time.
- Abū Dharr al-Ghifārī
أبو ذر الغفاري
The companion who most perfectly lived the austerity the Prophet ﷺ taught. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The earth has not carried anyone, nor the sky shaded anyone, more truthful than Abū Dharr."