Bilal Ibn Rabah
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Bilal ibn Rabah (; ), also known as Bilāl al-Ḥabashī or simply Bilal, was a close companion of the
Islamic prophet Prophets in Islam () are individuals in Islam who are believed to spread God's message on Earth and serve as models of ideal human behaviour. Some prophets are categorized as messengers (; sing. , ), those who transmit divine revelation, mos ...
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
. Born in
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
, he was of Abyssinian (modern-day
Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
) descent and was formerly enslaved. He is considered the first muʾazzin (caller to prayer) in
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, personally chosen by Muhammad for his deep and melodious voice. Slavery in Islam
" BBC News. BBC, 2009. Web. 2013.
Robinson, David
Muslim Societies in African History
Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print.
He was a former slave and was known for his "deep, melodious, resonant" voice with which he called Muslims to the daily obligatory prayers. According to
Islamic tradition The term Islamic tradition may refer to: * Islamic Traditionalist theology, Islamic scholarly movement, originating in the late 8th century CE *''Ahl al-Hadith'', "The adherents of the tradition" * Traditional Islamic schools and branches * Islami ...
, Bilal was one of the earliest converts to Islam and is often regarded as the first African or
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
Muslim. He died in 640 CE, around the age of 59.


Birth and early life

Bilal ibn Rabah was born in Mecca in the
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
in the year 580.Janeh, Sabarr. Learning from the Life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW): Peace and Blessing of God Be upon Him. Milton Keynes: AuthorHouse, 2010. Print. Pgs. 235-238 There are differing accounts to the racial identity of his father according to historians. One account states that his father was an Abyssinian
prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
who had been given the name of Rabah, in
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
meaning profitable, he had been handed over as a slave to the Quraishi
Arab Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
clan of
Banu Jumah The Banu Jumah () was an Arab clan of the Quraysh. They are notable for being allies to the polytheist Meccans and being in war with the Muslims. They are related to the Banu Sahm, as they both were part of a larger clan descended from the sam ...
, this account is highly contested. Another account states that Bilal's father Rabah was in reality just an Arab who had been taken as a slave and given to the Banu Jumah for service, with some saying that Rabah was actually from the Banu Jumah itself but had somehow become a slave, while some maintain that Rabah was not even a slave and just so happened to have a child with an Abyssinian slave which was very frequent amongst Arabs of higher standing. Yet Bilal was born as a slave as slave-status is determined by the mother in Mecca. The notion of Bilal's father being of Arab ethnicity is further supported by the fact that Bilal was derogatorily called Ibn Sawda''', son of the black woman by the nobles of the Quraish. Should the nobles of the Quraish have simply wanted to belittle him for being of an African background, they would have simply made of his race, not his mother as in Arab custom, ethnicity is determined by the father, indicating that his father Rabah was an Arab by race and not an Abyssinian captured as a war prisoner, supporting the latter opinion. It is unclear whether Rabah was a Quraishi of Banu Jumah or just an Arab slave from a different clan with some saying that Rabah was an Arab descended from the tribes settled in Abyssinia for trade purposes. However, this can be challenged by the fact that Bilal was seen as an Abyssinian by historians but other notable people such as Usama bin Zayd who are considered as Arab despite of having an Abyssinian slave mother, favouring the former account. This in turn can be opined as being a confusion as since Bilal was a slave of Abyssinian origin on his maternal side, the nobles of the Quraish, his owners refused to acknowledge him as a fellow Arab due to the longstanding political discord between the people of
Arabia The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
and
Abyssinia Abyssinia (; also known as Abyssinie, Abissinia, Habessinien, or Al-Habash) was an ancient region in the Horn of Africa situated in the northern highlands of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.Sven Rubenson, The survival of Ethiopian independence, ...
, especially after the sack of the Kaaba by the Abyssinian army. His mother Hamamah, was a princess of
Abyssinia Abyssinia (; also known as Abyssinie, Abissinia, Habessinien, or Al-Habash) was an ancient region in the Horn of Africa situated in the northern highlands of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.Sven Rubenson, The survival of Ethiopian independence, ...
who was captured and enslaved after the event of the
Year of the Elephant The ʿām al-fīl (, Year of the Elephant) is the name in Islamic history for the year approximately equating to 570–571 CE. According to Islamic resources, it was in this year that prophet Mohammad was born.Hajjah Adil, Amina, "''Prophet ...
. Being born into slavery, Bilal had no other option but to work for his master, Umayyah ibn Khalaf. Through hard work, Bilal became recognised as a good slave and was entrusted with the keys to the Idols of Arabia. However, racism and sociopolitical statutes of Arabia prevented Bilal from achieving a great position in society.


Bilal's appearance

In his book, ''Bilal ibn Rabah'', Muhammad Abdul-Rauf states that Bilal "was of a handsome and impressive stature, dark complexion with sparkling eyes, a fine nose and bright skin. 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 and a sense of dignity and self esteem."Abdul-Rauf, Muhammad. Bilāl Ibn Rabāh: A Leading Companion of The Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Indianapolis, Indiana: American Trust Publications, 1977. Print. Pg.5 Similarly, in his book ''The Life of Muhammad'',
William Muir Sir William Muir (27 April 1819 – 11 July 1905) was a Scottish oriental studies, Orientalist, and colonial administrator, Principal of the University of Edinburgh and Lieutenant Governor of the North-Western Provinces of British Raj, Brit ...
states that Bilal "was tall, dark, and with African feature and bushy hair." A source states that Bilal had a nose described as '''ajna''', meaning as being a raised nose with hair that was thick and not curly, and eyes that were sparkling and hazel-colored. His skin was described as being adam shadid al-udmah','' extremely dark brown''.'' There were attempts by European authors to minimize the African origin of Bilal in their writings and present them as facts. One such author who is still quoted as a source was a Sir William Muir. Sir William Muir was a Scottish orientalist, who is known to have made many inaccuracies, misrepresentations, and sometimes just complete falsehoods concerning the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and his companions (Citation Need). For instance Sir William Muir claimed that Prophet Muhammad had epilepsy in his childhood when that is demonstrably untrue (Citation Needed). Concerning the history of Bilal, Sir William Muir attempts to convince audiences that Bilal was of mixed origin, when all credible sources attributed to the companions of Prophet Muhammad, and even the common notion in Arabian countries, the area in which Bilal actually lived, say that Bilal was Abssynian, or Ethiopian, or Black. There is no credible historical resource that says that Bilal was of Arabic origin at all. Concerning the conjecture of Arabic ancestry, from particularly Sir William Muir as a resource, here is what it said about Bilal although all evidence points to the contrary: Bilal's Arabic appearance of having a raised nose, bushy thick non-curly hair with slightly lightly colored eyes, yet having been very strongly built with his chest being prominent, raised height, dark-skinned, features associated with having African ancestry can be attributed to the fact that his father Rabah was an Arab, and his mother Hamamah was an Abyssinian.Muir, Sir William. The Life of Mohammad From Original Sources. Edinburgh: J. Grant, 1923. Print. Pg. 59 Muir also states that noble members of the
Quraysh The Quraysh () are an Tribes of Arabia, Arab tribe who controlled Mecca before the rise of Islam. Their members were divided into ten main clans, most notably including the Banu Hashim, into which Islam's founding prophet Muhammad was born. By ...
despised Bilal and called him "''Ibn Sawda''" meaning, son of the black woman.


Conversion to Islam

When Muhammad announced his prophethood and started to proselytize, Bilal renounced idolatry, becoming one of the earliest converts to the faith. Incensed at Bilal's refusal, Umayyah ordered that Bilal be whipped and beaten while spread-eagled upon the Arabian sands under the desert sun, his limbs bound to stakes.Sodiq, Yushau. Insider's Guide to Islam. Bloomington, Indiana: Trafford, 2011. Print. Pg. 23


Torture by Umayyah

When Bilal's master, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, found out about his faith, he began to torture Bilal. He put a big rock with iron on top on his chest. The iron was so that the sun's heat reaches him. But he did not give up on his new religion.He had great faith. At the instigation of Abu Jahl, Umayyah bound Bilal and had him dragged around Mecca as children mocked him. Bilal refused to renounce Islam, instead repeating "''ahad, ahad''" meaning one, one, i.e.,
one God Monotheism is the belief that one God is the only, or at least the dominant deity.F. L. Cross, Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. A ...
. Incensed at Bilal's refusal, Umayyah ordered that Bilal be whipped and beaten while spread-eagled upon the Arabian sands under the desert sun, his limbs bound to stakes. When Bilal still refused to recant, Umayyah ordered that a hot boulder be placed on Bilal's chest. However, Bilal remained firm in belief and continued to say "ahad, ahad".


Emancipation

News of the persecution of Bilal reached some of Muhammad's companions, who informed him. Muhammad sent
Abu Bakr Abd Allah ibn Abi Quhafa (23 August 634), better known by his ''Kunya (Arabic), kunya'' Abu Bakr, was a senior Sahaba, companion, the closest friend, and father-in-law of Muhammad. He served as the first caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruli ...
to negotiate for the emancipation of Bilal, who
manumitted Manumission, or enfranchisement, is the act of freeing slaves Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and ...
him after either purchasing him or exchanging him for coins.Ibn Hisham, Sirah, V. 1, p. 339-340Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, V. 3, p. 232


Bilal in Medina

In the newly formed Islamic state of Medina, Bilal had become a prominent contributing member of the Muslim society taking on important roles.


Adhan

Muhammad chose Bilal as the first mu'azzin (reciter of the
Adhan The (, ) is the Islamic call to prayer, usually recited by a muezzin, traditionally from the minaret of a mosque, shortly before each of the five obligatory daily prayers. The adhan is also the first phrase said in the ear of a newborn baby, ...
).


Sunni view

The majority of mosques around the world recite the Athan according to the Sunni tradition. A dream was seen by Abdullah ibn Zaid where an angel in the form of a man wearing a green garment taught the words of the adhan. Muhammad then instructed Abdullah to teach those words to Bilal because he had a louder voice than him.
Umar ibn al-Khattab Umar ibn al-Khattab (; ), also spelled Omar, was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () and is regarded as a senior companion and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muh ...
also saw the same dream. The detail of this story is mentioned below. It is narrated in Sunan Ibn Majah that Abdullah ibn Zaid said the following:


Shia view

Shias, in contrast, do not accept Abdullah ibn Ziyad's story. They state that the Adhan was revealed to Muhammad just as the Qur'an al-Majid was revealed to him. Shias believe that the Adhan could not be left to the dreams or reveries. Furthermore, Sayed Ali Asgher Razwy states, "If the Prophet could teach the Muslims how to perform prostrations, and how, when, and what to say in each prayer, he could also teach them how and when to alert others before the time for each prayer." According to the Shia traditions, the angel who taught Muhammad how to perform ablutions preparatory to prayers and how to perform prayers also taught him the Adhan.


Treasury

Bilal rose to prominence in the Islamic community of Medina, as Muhammad appointed him minister of the
Bayt al-Mal ''Bayt al-mal'' () is an Arabic term that is translated as "House of money" or "House of wealth". Historically, it was a financial institution responsible for the administration of taxes in Islamic states, particularly in the early Islamic Calip ...
(treasury).Charbonneau, Joshua (Mateen). The Suffering of the Ahl-ul-bayt and Their Followers (Shi'a) throughout History. Washington, D.C.: J. M. Charbonneau, 2012. Print. In this capacity, Bilal distributed funds to widows, orphans, wayfarers, and others who could not support themselves.Razwy, Ali A. A Restatement of the History of Islam & Muslims 570 to 661 CE. Stanmore, Middlesex, U.K.: World Federation of K S I Muslim Communities Islamic Centre, 1997. Print. Pg. 553


Military campaigns during Muhammad's era

He participated in the
Battle of Badr The Battle of Badr or sometimes called The Raid of Badr ( ; ''Ghazwahu Badr''), also referred to as The Day of the Criterion (, ; ''Yawm al-Furqan'') in the Qur'an and by Muslims, was fought on 13 March 624 CE (17 Ramadan, 2 AH), near the pre ...
. Muhammad's forces included
Ali ibn Abi Talib Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until Assassination of Ali, his assassination in 661, as well as the first imamate in Shia doctrine, Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muha ...
,
Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib Ḥamza ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ibn Hāshim ibn ʿAbd Manāf al-Qurashī (; )Muhammad ibn Saad. ''Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir'' vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). ''The Companions of Badr''. London: Ta-Ha Publishers. was a foster brother, ...
,
Ammar ibn Yasir Ammar ibn Yasir (; July 657 C.E.) was a ''Sahabi'' (Companion) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and a commander in the early Muslim conquests. His parents, Sumayya and Yasir ibn Amir, were the first martyrs of the Ummah. Ammar converted to I ...
, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari,
Abu Bakr Abd Allah ibn Abi Quhafa (23 August 634), better known by his ''Kunya (Arabic), kunya'' Abu Bakr, was a senior Sahaba, companion, the closest friend, and father-in-law of Muhammad. He served as the first caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruli ...
,
Umar Umar ibn al-Khattab (; ), also spelled Omar, was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () and is regarded as a senior companion and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Mu ...
,
Mus`ab ibn `Umair Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr () also known as Muṣʿab al-Khayr ("the Good") was a '' sahabi'' (companion) of Muhammad. From the Banū ʿAbd al-Dār branch of the Quraysh, he embraced Islam in 614 CE and was the first ambassador of Islam. He died in ...
, and Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam. The Muslims also brought seventy camels and two horses, meaning that they either had to walk or fit three to four men per camel. However, many early Muslim sources indicate that no serious fighting was expected, and the future Caliph
Uthman Uthman ibn Affan (17 June 656) was the third caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruling from 644 until his assassination in 656. Uthman, a second cousin, son-in-law, and notable companion of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, played a major role ...
stayed behind to care for his sick wife Ruqayyah, the daughter of Muhammad.
Salman the Persian Salman Farsi (; ) was a Persian religious scholar and one of the companions of Muhammad. As a practicing Zoroastrian, he dedicated much of his early life to studying to become a magus, after which he began travelling extensively throughout Weste ...
also could not join the battle, as he was still not a free man.


Conquest of Makkah

During the Conquest of Makkah in 630 CE, Bilal played a significant role in the events that marked the triumph of Islam in the city. As one of Prophet Muhammad’s closest companions, Bilal was chosen to perform the
adhan The (, ) is the Islamic call to prayer, usually recited by a muezzin, traditionally from the minaret of a mosque, shortly before each of the five obligatory daily prayers. The adhan is also the first phrase said in the ear of a newborn baby, ...
(call to prayer) from the
Kaaba The Kaaba (), also spelled Kaba, Kabah or Kabah, sometimes referred to as al-Kaba al-Musharrafa (), is a stone building at the center of Islam's most important mosque and Holiest sites in Islam, holiest site, the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Sa ...
after the city was peacefully captured by the Muslim forces. Bilal’s act of calling the adhan from the Kaaba is a historic moment, symbolizing the end of idolatry in
Makkah Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above sea level. Its metropo ...
and the establishment of Islam as the central faith in the region. His association with the adhan, which he had famously recited during the early days of Islam, now took on an even greater significance as it marked a moment of Muslim victory and the peaceful conquest of Makkah.
Ibn Kathir Abu al-Fida Isma'il ibn Umar ibn Kathir al-Dimashqi (; ), known simply as Ibn Kathir, was an Arab Islamic Exegesis, exegete, historian and scholar. An expert on (Quranic exegesis), (history) and (Islamic jurisprudence), he is considered a lea ...
mentioned in Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah from
Malik ibn Anas Malik ibn Anas (; –795) also known as Imam Malik was an Arab Islamic scholar and traditionalist who is the eponym of the Maliki school, one of the four schools of Islamic jurisprudence in Sunni Islam.Schacht, J., "Mālik b. Anas", in: ''E ...
states: Bilal's role in the Conquest of Makkah was not just symbolic; it also represented the recognition of his loyalty and dedication to the faith from its earliest days, despite the hardships he had endured as a slave in Makkah. This momentous occasion is often remembered as one of the most significant events in early
Islamic history The history of Islam is believed, by most historians, to have originated with Muhammad's mission in Mecca and Medina at the start of the 7th century CE, although Muslims regard this time as a return to the original faith passed down by the Abra ...
.


His piety

Bilal was among the
sahabah The Companions of the Prophet () were the Muslim disciples and followers of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who saw or met him during his lifetime. The companions played a major role in Muslim battles, society, hadith narration, and governance ...
promised Paradise in this world, as mentioned in the story of his footsteps being heard in paradise.


Poetry

Bilal reportedly recited the following poem in praise of Muhammad in his native Abyssinian language: Alternatively, it has been claimed that this poem is actually in the Sindhi language and was written in praise of either Yahya al-Baramaki or his son Al-Fadl. However, the language of the poem does not match any known dialect of Sindhi.


After Muhammad


Shia view

After Muhammad died in 632 CE, Bilal was one of the people who did not give
bay'ah ''Bayʿah'' (, "Pledge of allegiance"), in Islamic terminology, is an oath of allegiance to a leader. It is known to have been practiced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Bedouin culture it was a procedure for choosing the leader of the trib ...
(the oath of allegiance) to
Abu Bakr Abd Allah ibn Abi Quhafa (23 August 634), better known by his ''Kunya (Arabic), kunya'' Abu Bakr, was a senior Sahaba, companion, the closest friend, and father-in-law of Muhammad. He served as the first caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruli ...
.Riz̤vī, Sayyid Sa'eed Ak̲h̲tar. Slavery: From Islamic & Christian Perspectives. Richmond, British Columbia: Vancouver Islamic Educational Foundation, 1988. Print. Pg. 35-36Ahmed, A.K. The Hidden Truth About Karbala. Ed. Abdullah Al-shahin. Qum, Iran: Ansariyan Publications, n.d. Print. Pg. 307 It is documented that when Bilal did not give bay'ah to Abu Bakr,
Umar ibn al-Khattab Umar ibn al-Khattab (; ), also spelled Omar, was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () and is regarded as a senior companion and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muh ...
grabbed Bilal by his clothes and asked, "Is this the reward of Abu Bakr; he emancipated you and you are now refusing to pay allegiance to him? Bilal replied, "If Abu Bakr had emancipated me for the pleasure of
Allah Allah ( ; , ) is an Arabic term for God, specifically the God in Abrahamic religions, God of Abraham. Outside of the Middle East, it is principally associated with God in Islam, Islam (in which it is also considered the proper name), althoug ...
, then let him leave me alone for Allah; and if he had emancipated me for his service, then I am ready to render him the services required. But I am not going to pay allegiance to a person whom the Messenger of God had not appointed as his caliph." Similarly, al-Isti'ab, a
Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
source, states that Bilal told Abu Bakr: "If you have emancipated me for yourself, then make me a captive again; but if you had emancipated me for Allah, then let me go in the way of Allah." This was said when Bilal wanted to go for Jihad. Abu Bakr then let him go." The following is a poem by Bilal on his refusal to give Abu Bakr bay'ah: : By Allah! I did not turn towards Abu Bakr, : If Allah had not protected me, : hyena would have stood on my limbs. : Allah has bestowed on me good : and honoured me, : Surely there is vast good with Allah. : You will not find me following an innovator, : Because I am not an innovator, as they are. Being exiled from Medina by Umar and Abu Bakr, Bilal migrated to
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
. Abu Ja'far al-Tusi, a Shia scholar, has also stated in ''lkhtiyar al-Rijal'' that Bilal refused to pay allegiance to Abu Bakr.


Sunni view

In the Sunni view, Bilal gave ba'yah to Abu Bakr and participated in Muslim Conquests.


Sufi view

Purnam Allahabadi, a
Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
poet from
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
, composed a
Qawwali Qawwali is a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing originating in the Indian subcontinent. Originally performed at Sufi shrines throughout the Indian subcontinent, it is famous throughout Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and has ...
in which he mentioned how time had stopped when some companions blocked Bilal from delivering the
Adhan The (, ) is the Islamic call to prayer, usually recited by a muezzin, traditionally from the minaret of a mosque, shortly before each of the five obligatory daily prayers. The adhan is also the first phrase said in the ear of a newborn baby, ...
(which he had seen in his dream), and appealed that it was incorrect. Because the companion Bilal was of an Abyssinian origin, he could not pronounce the letter "Sh" (Arabic: ). A hadith of Muhammad reports that he said, "The 'seen' of Bilal is 'sheen' in the hearing of Allah," meaning God does not look at the external but appreciates the purity of heart.


Death

The Sunni scholar
al-Suyuti Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (; 1445–1505), or al-Suyuti, was an Egyptians, Egyptian Sunni Muslims, Muslim polymath of Persians, Persian descent. Considered the mujtahid and mujaddid of the Islamic 10th century, he was a leading Hadith studies, muh ...
in his '' Tarikh al-khulafa'' wrote: "He (Bilal) died in Damascus in 17 or 18  AH, but some say 20 AH, or even 21 AH when he was just over sixty years old. Some said he died in Medina, but that is wrong. That is how it is in al-Isabah and other works such as the Tahdhib of
an-Nawawi Yahya ibn Sharaf al-Nawawi (;‎ (631A.H-676A.H) (October 1230–21 December 1277) was a Sunni Shafi'ite jurist and hadith scholar. Ludwig W. Adamec (2009), ''Historical Dictionary of Islam'', pp.238-239. Scarecrow Press. . Al-Nawawi died at ...
." When Bilal's wife realized that death was approaching Bilal, she became sorrowful.Qušairī, Abd-al-Karīm Ibn-H̲awāzin Al-, and Abu'l-Qasim al-Qushayri. al-Qushayri's Epistle on Sufism: al-Risala al-Qushayriyya Fi 'ilm al-Tasawwuf. Trans. Alexander D. Knysh. Lebanon: Garnet & Ithaca Press, 2007. Print. Pg.313 It is documented that she cried and said, "What a painful affliction!" However, Bilal objected to his wife's opinion by stating, "On the contrary, what a happy occasion! Tomorrow I will meet my beloved Muhammad and his faction (hizb)!" He is believed to have been buried in the Bab al-Saghir cemetery, Damascus. However, there exists another shrine, believed to be the burial of Bilal, near a small village called al-Rabahiyya, in Amman, Jordan.


Descendants and legacy

The descendants of Bilal ibn Rabah al-Habashi are said to have migrated to the land of
Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
in
East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...
.Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity. New York, New York: HarperCollins, 2009. Print. Pg. 92 Though there are some disagreements concerning the hard facts of Bilal's life and death, his importance on a number of levels is incontestable. Mu'azzins, especially those in
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
and
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
, have traditionally venerated the original practitioner of their profession. The story of Bilal is the most frequently cited demonstration of Islam measuring people not by their nationality nor social status nor race, but by their Taqwah (piety). In 1874,
Edward Wilmot Blyden Edward Wilmot Blyden (3 August 1832 – 7 February 1912) was an Americo-Liberian educator, writer, diplomat, and politician who was primarily active in West Africa. Born in the Danish West Indies, he joined the waves of Americo-Liberians ...
, a former slave of African descent, wrote: "The eloquent Adzan or Call to Prayer, which to this day summons at the same hours millions of the human race to their devotions, was first uttered by a Negro, Bilal by name, whom Mohammed, in obedience to a dream, appointed the first Mu'azzin. And it has been remarked that even
Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...
is in Asia an unknown personage by the side of this honoured Negro."Mohammedanism and The Negro Race
" ''Fraser's Magazine'', July Dec. 1875: 598-615. Print.


See also

*
Zayd ibn Harithah Zayd ibn Ḥāritha al-Kalbī () (), was an early Muslim, Sahabi and the adopted son of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He is commonly regarded as the fourth person to have accepted Islam, after Muhammad's wife Khadija, Muhammad's cousin Ali, a ...
*
Keita Dynasty The Keita dynasty ruled pre-imperial and imperial Mali from the 11th century into the early 17th century. It was a Muslim dynasty, and its rulers claimed descent from Bilal ibn Rabah. The early history is entirely unknown, outside of legends and ...
*
List of expeditions of Muhammad __NOTOC__ The list of expeditions of Muhammad includes the expeditions undertaken by the Muslim community during the lifetime of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Some sources use the word ''ghazwa'' and a related plural ''maghazi'' in a narrow techn ...
* '' Bilal: A New Breed of Hero'', a 2015 animated film about Bilal's life.


Notes


References


Further reading

* ''H.M. Ashtiyani''. Bilâl d’Afrique, le muezzin du Prophète, Montréal, Abbas Ahmad al-Bostani, la Cité du Savoir, 1999 * ''İbn Sa'd''. et-Tabakâtü'l-Kübrâ, Beyrut 1960, III, s. 232 * ''Avnu'l-Ma'bud''. Şerh Ebû Dâvud, III,185, İbn Mâce, Ezan, 1, 3 * ''А. Али-заде''
Билал аль-Хабаши // Исламский энциклопедический словарь
– М.: Издательский дом Ансар, 2007. — 400 с.


External links


Medieval Islamic CivilizationOmar H. Ali, "Arabian Peninsula," Schomburg Center, The New York Public Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bilal Ibn Ribah Mu'azzins 580 births 630s deaths 640s deaths Quraysh Sahabah who participated in the battle of Badr Muhajirun Sahabah hadith narrators 7th-century Arab slaves