The Great Companions – Bilal R.A

A Glimpse in to the life, merits and qualities of a great companion of our beloved Nabi ﷺ, Bilaal Ibn Rabaah رضي الله عنه

Listen to  “Sayyidina Bilaal Ibn Rabaah رضي الله عنه ” by Mawlana Junayd Makda Sahib

Who is Bilaal Ibn Rabaah رضي الله عنه ?

  • Name : Bilal Ibn Rabah (Habshi) رضي الله عنه
  • Born: 8 years after our beloved nabi sallallahu alayhi wassalam (42 BH)
  • Demise: 9 years after our beloved nabi sallallahu alayhi wassalam (20 AH)
  • Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه was the son of Rabah.
  • He was a very brave and beloved companion of our beloved Nabi ﷺ.
  • He was also known as Bilaal al Habshi because he was originally from Habsha (a region near or including Ethiopia)
  • He was the 7th person to accept Islam. This became the cause of punishment and trouble for him at the hands of his master Ummayah bin Khalaf but this did not affect him and he remained steadfast on Islam.
  • Sayyidina Abu bakr as Siddiq رضي الله عنه, freed Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه by purchasing him and then setting him free.
  • He was given the great honour of being chosen by Nabi ﷺ for the first ever Azaan in Islam.
  • He migrated to Madinah and participated in major battles including Badar, Uhud and Khandaq.
  • In the battle of Badr, he killed his former master – Umayyah bin Khalaf.
  • He remained with our beloved Nabi ﷺ and supported him till he departed from this world.
  • After our beloved Nabi ﷺ passed away, Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه was overcome with such grief that he decided he could no longer stay in medina and he then left to live in Syria
  • Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه passed away in Syria approximately at the age of 63 and is buried in Damascus, Syria

May Allah grant Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه a great amount of reward for all of his services to our beloved Nabi ﷺ and to deen and give us the ability to emulate these great companions.

Amazing Love

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An Example of Amazing Love for Nabi ﷺ

After the demise of our most beloved Nabi ﷺ, Bilal رضي الله عنه, missed him so much and could not wait to reunite with his beloved Nabi ﷺ again.

So, while on his death bed, his wife Hind cried, “wa hazanaa” (what a great grief).

Such times are for emotions and grief, yet for him was immense joy! 

He said to his wife “wa tarabaa” (what a great joy); “Tomorrow I will meet with my loved ones — Muhammad ﷺ and his companions.”

Qualities

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Qualities

  1. He was very trustworthy and intelligent.
  2. When he was tortured and asked to call on one of the idols, he still on uttered the words ‘Ahad Ahad’ meaning ‘One Allah, One Allah’
  3. An example of how Islam does not discriminate through race or family lineage but only looks at piety and the qualities of the heart.
  4. A very beautiful and melodious voice and was the chosen Muazzin for our beloved Nabi ﷺ.
  5. Merits of Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه

    ● Our beloved Nabi ﷺ heard his foot steps in front of him in Jannah. 

    Our beloved Nabi ﷺ said, “O Bilal, what special deeds have you done that I heard sounds of your walking steps ahead of me in Paradise.”   Bilal رضي الله عنه said, “Whenever I make Wudhu (ablution), I offer two units (rakah) of prayer as Tahiyyatul Wudu.”  (Sahih al-Bukhari)

    ● Umar رضي الله عنه would refer to him with the words Sayyiduna (our master).

    Referring to Abubakr رضي الله عنه freeing Bilal رضي الله عنه, Umar رضي الله عنه would say, “Abu Bakr is our master and he freed our master (from slavery),” meaning Bilal رضي الله عنه (Sahih al-Bukhari)

    ● He was the first person to ever call out the Azaan in Islam and after the conquest of Makkah he gave the first ever Azaan in the city of Makkah

    ● Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه is among those Sahaba who every Muslim is aware of and also feels immense love for.

    Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه and the Azaan

    ● Sayyidina Abdullah Ibn Zayd رضي الله عنه saw a dream in which he learnt the method and words of Azaan (the call to prayer). Our beloved Nabi ﷺ approved it and Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه was appointed to call the first Azaan.

    ● When Sayyidina Umar رضي الله عنه heard the Azaan, he rushed to our beloved Nabi ﷺ saying he too had seen the Azaan in his dream.

    ● Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه was appointed as the Muazzin of Rasoolullah ﷺ (the person responsible for calling to prayer on behalf of our beloved Nabi ﷺ).

    ● In 8 AH after the conquest of Makkah, whilst all the nobles (Muslims and the non-Muslims) were standing, our beloved Nabi ﷺ asked Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه to climb the roof of the Kaaba and call-out the Azaan.

    ● After Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه moved to Syria he called the Azaan only twice:

    1) First When Umar رضي الله عنه visited Baitul Maqdis (Palestine) and he requested Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه to call the Azaan. When he called the Azaan, the companions wept bitterly remembering the old days and even Umar رضي الله عنه cried and wept in a way he had never wept before.

    2) Second was after he saw our beloved Nabi ﷺ in a dream, saying, “O Bilal, what is it that, you do not visit me.” Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه rushed to Madinah and visited the blessed grave of the beloved Nabi ﷺ. He then saw Hassan and Husain رضي الله عنهما whom he embraced. On their request, Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه gave Azaan. On hearing Sayyidina Bilal’s رضي الله عنه Azaan, the people of Madinah rushed to the masjid in memory of the past and many were moved to tears. Sayyidina Bilal رضي الله عنه himself felt very emotional as his voice shook and tears flowed from his eyes as his gaze fell upon the place where he would see our beloved Nabi ﷺ. This was Sayyidina Bilal’s رضي الله عنه last Azaan in Madinah.

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