Bilaal’s early life and his acceptance of Islam
Ulama Institute #1
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- Before Islam, the Arabian Peninsula and the whole world in general, were in need of guidance because people had turned their backs on the truth. Slave markets were common throughout the Arabian Peninsula and Makkah was a central market for slave trade. Many slaves of different origins, especially those who originated from Abyssinia could be found in the houses of the Makkans.
- Bilaal ibn Rabaah was an Abyssinian, brought from overseas to be a slave in the house of the Qurayshi chief, Umayyah ibn Khalaf. He was known for his hard work and his loyalty to his master, Umayyah. Bilal’s presence in the household of Umayyah gave him the opportunity to hear the comments made by the leaders of the Quraysh about the Prophet ﷺ . All of their comments were negative because of their envy of this Prophet ﷺ .
- One of the basic teachings of Islam is the unity of mankind and equality of people in the sight of Allah ﷻ . One day, Bilaal heard some people talking about a Prophet calling people to worship Allah ﷻ alone, and to treat people equally. He heard that this Prophet was teaching people that all men are equal in the sight of Allah. Muhammad ﷺ was also urging the people of Makkah to abandon their false gods (idols), and to worship Allah ﷻ Alone. The prophet ﷺ said that Allah was the Creator of the universe and all slaves had to be treated with kindness. Bilaal spent a lot of time thinking about this message of Islam and its merits. He walked in the desert and thought deeply about Allah ﷻ and that which was created by Him. Finally he came to the conclusion that the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ were the truth and that it came from Allah ﷻ. He also realized that his master and the people of Makkah were worshipping worthless stones that would have no good effects on their lives. As a slave, his owners forced him to worship their idols and he realized the great mistake that he had made to believe their lies.
- Bilaal was fully convinced of the truth of Islam and he wanted to meet the Prophet ﷺ as soon as possible. However, he decided to meet Aboo Bakr, the man who was the closest to the Prophet ﷺ , for Bilaal knew that Aboo Bakr was the first man who believed in and supported the Prophet’s call to Islam. He scheduled this meeting secretly because he was afraid that someone would see him, and as a slave it might hold dire consequences for him. He knew that he would be the subject of ridicule and he would face severe hardship if his owner knew about his intentions. He arrived at Aboo Bakr’s house and spoke at length with him. He asked Aboo Bakr about Islam because he needed as much information as possible on the religion. Aboo Bakr told Bilaal about the principles of the religion that Muhammad was calling people to. Bilaal asked Aboo Bakr whether he believed in the Prophet’s message. As soon as Aboo Bakr replied in the affirmative, Bilaal indicated that he wished to become a Muslim. After meeting Aboo Bakr, Bilaal went back home and spent the night reflecting on that meeting. He also realized that he would face many problems and difficulties because of his conversion to Islam. The next day, Aboo Bakr took Bilaal to meet the Prophet ﷺ . There he heard the Prophet reciting the following verses of the Qur’aan:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍۢ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًۭا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۭ(١٣)
“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah ﷻ is Knowing and Acquainted.” [Soorat al-Hujuraat: 13]
- Bilaal listened carefully to these great principles of equality among human beings. After hearing the Prophet ﷺ recite the verse from the Qur’aan, Bilaal immediately accepted Islam. He was the first slave in Islamic history to accept Islam. His owner was horrified to learn that Bilaal had accepted Islam and proceeded to put him through a series of tortures. He was whipped repeatedly and a large rock was placed on his chest as he lay in the hot sun. Still, he did not renounce his new religion. When told to renounce Islam, he would reply:
- أحد، أحد» “Allah is One, Allah is One.” Finally, Aboo Bakr managed to convince Bilaal’s owner to sell him for an ounce of gold. With this, Bilaal was set free and able to practice Islam openly.
Learning from the lesson
- Bilaal ibn Rabaah was an Abyssinian slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf, a Qurayshi chief.
- Bilaal heard about the Prophet ﷺ and his message.
- He thought deeply about this religion.
- He met Aboo Bakr to learn more about Islam.
- He met the Prophet ﷺ and accepted Islam.
- He was tortured by his owner.
- Aboo Bakr bought Bilaal and set him free.
