Bilal RA.

Jazakallahu fro sharing this wonderful write-up with us.I got really teary.I couldn't read everything cos I prefer 'bigger fonts'& my eyes hurts from 'too much exposure to light'.Never mind!!!

I've learnt something new,mash'Allahu.Thanks for sharing once again.

Pls,send it to my mailbox.

Bil�l Ibnu Rabah Alia Amer
  
 Bil�l was a black slave belonging to Umayyah ibn Khalaf. He was tall, thin and slightly hump-backed. Thick grayish hair crowned his head. He moved about silently - speaking only in reply. He was born to two slave parents, making him a slave. He used to travel to ash-Sham for Umayyah's trading caravan, braving the bitter cold of winter and the extreme heat of summer. His only recompense was a handful of dates each day that he ate to strengthen his body. At his master's house he would serve the guests while going hungry. He was overworked and mistreated as were Umayyah's other slaves.

Bil�l would often hear about Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and Isl�m, through the alarming dicussions between his master and guests. Soon he felt drawn to this religion. He would listen to Abu Bakr calling to Isl�m, and slowly his heart was filled with eemaan. He went with Abu Bakr to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and declared his submission to Isl�m. This was a daring move from a slave who belonged to a staunch enemy of Muhammad. He was the seventh person to accept Isl�m. Abu Bakr and others of the same tribal status, were spared from harm by the Quraysh. However, the wrath of the disbelievers fell upon the Muslims who had no tribe to defend them. Umayyah ibn Khalaf used to force Bil�l to go outside during the hottest part of the day wearing a suit of armour where he would then be thrown face down in the sand and leave him to bake in the sun. He would not return except to turn him on his back. He owuld have a gigantic rock placed on his chest and then say, "You will stay here until you die or deny Muhammad and worship Al-Laat and al-Uzzah." Bil�l used to endure this only by saying, "One, One." Abu Bakr passed by one day while they were torturing him. He said to Umayyah, "Have you no fear of All�h that you treat this poor man like this?" Umayyah replied, "You are the one who corrupted him, so you save him from his plight!" Abu Bakr replied, "Then sell him to me, you can state your price." Umayah who was not to let a good deal pass by, sold Bil�l, he added, "I would have sold him to you even if you had offered me but an ounce of gold." Abu Bakr answered, "I would have bought him even if you asked a hundred ounces." Abu Bakr and Bial went to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam with the good news. There he announed, "I am setting Bil�l free, O Messenger of All�h." This greatly pleased the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam not to mention Bil�l himself.

When the Muslims were settled in Madinah, Isl�m became firmly established - salah, zakat and fasting were instituted. In the beginning, Muslims gathered for salah at the appointed times without being summoned. Later the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam thought about using a trunpet like that the Jews used to summon to salah. He disliked the idea and ordered a clapper to be made to be beaten at salah times.

Then Abdullah ibn Zayd came to him and said, "O Messenger of All�h, I had a dream last night. A man wearing two green garments came to me holding a bell, so I offered to buy it. When he asked me what I wanted it for, I told him that it was to summon people to salah, whereupon he offered to show me a better way. It was to say four times: 'All�hu Akbar', then to say twice: 'Ash-hadu allaa ilaaha illa All�h', then twice: 'ash-hadu anna Muhammadar rasoolullah', then twice: 'hayya 'alas-salah', then twice: 'hayya 'alal-falah', then 'All�hu Akbar, All�hu Akbar, laa ilaaha illa All�h."

"It is a true vision insha All�h," said the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam adding, "Go and teach it to Bil�l for he has a more beautiful and far reaching voice." For the first time Madinah resonated with the adhaan as Bil�l was saying it. It was only fitting that the one who uttered the word of Tawheed under the harshest of torture should utter it during the adhaan. When Umar heard the adhaan he rushed to the Prophet and said, "By the One Who has sent you with the Truth I had the same dream about it!" "Revelation has already preceded you," replied the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam.