Draft:Bilal al-Habashi

Template:جعبه اطلاعات شخصیت Bilal al-Habashi, son of Rabah, was a black slave from Abyssinia who was brought to Mecca and enslaved by Umayyah ibn Khalaf (one of the staunch enemies of the Prophet of Islam). Bilal, who had converted to Islam after the Prophet's prophethood, was tortured by Umayyah to renounce Islam, but he did not abandon Islam. After some time, upon the recommendation of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny), he was purchased and freed, joining the Muslims and the Companions of the Prophet.

Bilal al-Habashi was honored with the position of Muezzin by the order of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) and on the day of the Conquest of Mecca, he went atop the roof of the Kaaba and recited the Adhan. (And while the Polytheists were throwing stones at him, he continued to recite the Adhan). Bilal al-Habashi's fame is mostly due to his recitation of the Adhan. Also, he was the treasurer of the Bayt al-Mal during the time of the Prophet and participated in all battles.

After the demise of the Prophet, Bilal migrated to Damascus by force due to not pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr and passed away there in the year 18 or 20 AH at the age of 60 or 70. His tomb in Bab al-Saghir, Damascus, is a shrine for the enlightened hearts.

Biography of Bilal al-Habashi

Bilal ibn Rabah was born in Mecca between the years 578 to 582 CE, and according to one narration, three years after the Year of the Elephant. Rabah, Bilal's father, was a prisoner from Abyssinia, and Bilal himself was born in the tribe of Banu Jumah or Sarah (who resided in Mecca) in a family of slaves.

He was enslaved by Umayyah ibn Khalaf, who was among the Disbelievers and enemies of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny), and after Bilal converted to Islam, he tortured him to renounce Islam. Umayyah would lay Bilal on the hot sands of Mecca during the day and, by placing a large stone on his chest, ordered him to abandon the religion of Islam and worship Lat and Uzza. Bilal disobeyed his order and did not abandon the religion of Islam.

Bilal's appearance has been described as follows: tall and thin stature, very black-skinned, hunched back, long and gray hair, and a delicate face.

Bilal's Acquaintance with the Prophet of Islam

According to some historical reports, Bilal became acquainted with the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny) while herding the sheep of Abdullah ibn Jud'an around Mecca. The Prophet asked him to give some of the share of the sheep's milk to him, and Bilal donated it. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) asked him to convert to Islam, Bilal accepted, and the Messenger of God asked him to conceal his Islam. According to another report, Bilal had gone to the Levant with a caravan during childhood, and Abu Talib brought him back to Mecca along with the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny), and thus Bilal became acquainted with the Prophet.

Bilal's Freedom from Slavery by the Prophet

After months of enduring pain and hardship during slavery, Bilal was purchased and freed by the Prophet. The freeing and the status and position that the Prophet gave to Bilal al-Habashi is reminiscent of Islamic equality and a refutation of the false notions of the aristocracy who considered superiority in tribe, color, wealth, class privileges, and honorary titles.

Bilal's Joining the Prophet's Companions

After freedom, Bilal joined the Muslims and became the first Muezzin of Islam and accompanied the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny) during travel and residence. He accompanied the Messenger of God in all battles, including Badr, Uhud, and Khandaq, and fought with the Disbelievers. In the Battle of Badr, at Bilal's indication, Umayyah ibn Khalaf and his son were killed by the Muslims. Of course, in another narration, Umayyah was killed by Bilal himself.

Bilal al-Habashi is mentioned among the "Nobles" and companions of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny). He was also the treasurer of the Prophet's Bayt al-Mal (peace be upon him and his progeny).

Bilal's Call to Prayer (Adhan)

Bilal is the first Muezzin of Islam. He was the first Muslim who recited the Adhan in Medina. The first Adhan that was recited officially on earth was in Medina. This Adhan was in a house near Masjid al-Nabi (peace be upon him and his progeny). A person named Nawwar, mother of Zayd ibn Thabit, says: My house was the longest of the houses that were around the mosque. So Bilal would come and recite the Adhan on it. This recitation of Adhan, which was from the beginning in that same place, continued until the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny) built his mosque, after which they recited the Adhan on the roof of the mosque.

On the day of the Conquest of Mecca, Bilal also went atop the Kaaba by the order of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) and recited the Adhan, which was very magnificent. The Disbelievers of Mecca were very upset by this event and threw stones at him, but he continued to recite the Adhan. It has been narrated that Bilal pronounced "Shin" as "Sin", and in a narration it is said that Bilal's Sin is Shin before God Almighty.

Bilal Not Calling the Adhan After the Prophet's Death

Following the demise of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny), Bilal did not call the adhan for anyone except on a few occasions. One of these occasions was at the request of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her); however, as Lady Fatimah al-Zahra was reminded of the hardships following her father's demise and could not endure the intense grief, Bilal was compelled to leave the adhan unfinished.

Another occasion was when he came to Medina to visit the grave of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his progeny), and the Hasanayn (Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn (peace be upon them both)) requested him to call the adhan, which he accepted; this incident deeply affected Medina.

The final occasion was when the Second Caliph traveled from Medina to Syria (according to Tabari, in the year 17 AH) and, in the region of Jabiyah, at the request of the Muslims, asked Bilal to call the adhan; he accepted, and everyone wept remembering the era of the Messenger of God.

Bilal's Migration to Syria

The reasons for Bilal Habashi's migration to Syria are cited in narrations as two matters: First, his migration is attributed to seeking the virtue of jihad and joining the mujahideen, as after the Prophet's death, Bilal went to Syria with the army of Usamah ibn Zayd and assisted Usamah in this campaign.

Others attribute the migration to his refusal to pledge allegiance to the First Caliph (Abu Bakr). Bilal, following the death of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his progeny), refused to pledge allegiance to the First Caliph, and for this reason, by the order of Umar ibn al-Khattab, he left Medina and went to Syria.

Bilal's Death in Damascus

Most historical sources record his death in Damascus in the year 20 AH. His age at death is recorded as over 60 years. Some sources mention his age at death as 63, 64, or 70 years. Some sources attribute the cause of his death to the plague.

According to the famous narration, Bilal Habashi is buried at Bab al-Saghir in Damascus. His shrine at Bab al-Saghir in Damascus is a visitation site for the spiritually enlightened.

Summary

The name Bilal Habashi evokes faith and conviction, steadfastness in pursuit of goals, patience and resistance against enemies, and endurance of torture in the way of God. The status bestowed upon Bilal Habashi by the great Prophet of Islam, who was once a black slave, demonstrates the equality of all humans regardless of race, color, nationality, or language in the view of Islam. Based on verse 13 of Surah Al-Hujurat: «إِنَّ أَکْرَمَکُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاکُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِیمٌ خَبِیرٌ» — "Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." The revelation of this verse was regarding Bilal's status and in rejection of the false criteria and vain thoughts of the disbelievers, doubling Bilal's rank and status.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) considered Bilal among the Sabiqun in Islam (the earliest converts) and praised his sincerity and self-purification. Additionally, there is a hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) stating: "Paradise longs for three persons: Ali, Ammar, and Bilal."