One of the most famous Negroes who achieved enduring repute in the history is Bilal the Moazzin[1]of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
His father’s name was Rabah and mother’s name was Hamama. Abu Abdullah was his cognomen and he was a Moazzin as well as a treasurer in the time of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). He was Muslim true to his faith and in the battles of Badr and Ohad he fought on the side of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
Bilal was a strong willed and unflinching person. When he accepted Islam, the polytheists of Mecca began to persecute him. With magnificent fortitude he endured the troubles, but did never utter a word of unbelief. Omayya bin Khalaf used to bring Bilal in the outskirts of Mecca and make him lie on the hot sand at midday. He used to lay a heavy stone on Bilal’s chest and say – Bilal will remain in this condition till death or he should deny Muhammad (s.a.w.a.). Bilal’s courage never fluttered under such severe hardships and he used to say ‘One, One.’ (Allah is one).
Abdullah has narrated that pioneer acceptors of Islam were eight per-sons and they included Bilal. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was protected by his uncle Abu Talib (a.s.). Abu Bakr who was also one of them was looked after by his family. The remaining helpless persons were seized by the polytheists of Mecca. The captives were forced to stand in the sun at midday and ordered to utter anti Islamic words. Hard pressed by the agony of standing in extreme heat everybody obeyed for the moment, save Bilal. He never gave up under any odds. Being a Muslim, he was despised even by his own community. The polytheists sometimes used to give Bilal to the children’s gangs and they pulled him in the streets with a rope tied round his neck. Even in this condition he used to cry Ahad, Ahad (Allah is one, Allah is one).[2]
Ata Khorsani said, ‘I was sitting with Saeed bin Mosayyab and he mentioned Bilal. He said that the polytheists wanted to convert Bilal by force but he continued to utter Allah, Allah. Once the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) met Abu Bakr and said, ‘If we had enough money, we would have purchased Bilal.’ Abu Bakr at once went to Abbas bin Abdul Mut-talib and requested to him to procure Bilal.
Abbas went to the owner of Bilal who was a woman and said to her, ‘Sell Bilal to me before his death, because if he dies you will lose his value.’ She said: ‘What will you do with him he is a very bad person.’ Despite her repeated refusal to sell, Abbas persisted and at last the deal
was made. Abbas purchased Bilal and sent him to Abu Bakr, the latter immediately emancipated him. [3]
Bilal was a tall, lean and a weak man. His skin was dark wheatish. His beard was coarse. The companions who narrated traditions from Bilal, are Abu Bakr, Omar, Osama bin Zaid, Abdullah ibne Omar, Ka’ab ibne Ajra, Bara ibne Aazib, etc. etc.
Attention should also be paid to the fact that the five Muslims who were captured by the infidels and chained in iron shackles and made to stand in the sun to utter anti-Islamic wordings did so, except Bilal. The behaviour of uttering un-Islamic wording of the four persons under du-ress to get release is called ‘Taqiayya’ by the Shias. Those who dislike Shias on account of their belief in Taqaiyya should take note of it that even the companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) believed in Taqaiyya and practised it.
Shaikh Abu Ja’far Toosi (r.a.) has written in his Ikhtiyar-ul-Rijal that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) said that Bilal had refused to take an oath of alle-giance to Abu Bakr and this had made Omar angry. Once he caught Bilal by his clothes and said: ‘O Bilal! Is it the proper manner to repay for the benevolence of Abu Bakr? He emancipated you and you refuse even to take an oath of allegiance to him.’ Bilal replied, ‘If he has freed me for the sake of Allah, then leave me alone (Let me do whatever I like best) and if he has done it for making conflicts, I am ready to become a slave again, but I shall never take an oath of allegiance. Allah blessed me with good and bestowed upon me virtues and immense is the good from Allah.’
In Isteeaab it is written that when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) died, Bilal found it unbearable to live in Medina so he wanted to go to Syria. Abu Bakr told him to live in Medina and do his (Abu Bakr’s) service but Bilal refused saying: ‘If you have freed me for Allah, captivate me not, so that I may go wherever I want. But if you freed me for yourself then you may enslave me.’ Abu Bakr permitted him to go, hence he went to Syria.[4]
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said,
May Allah shower His blessings on Bilal, who loved us Ahlul Bait (a.s.). He was a pious man.
Bilal died of plague in Syria in 18 A.H. or 20 A.H. and was buried at Baab-e-Saghir. Sheikh Abbas Qummi (a.r.) says that his tomb is famous and is visited by the pilgrims. He himself had visited it.
[1] Moazzin means a public crier in a mosque who calls the people to prayer
