The desert sun burned like a furnace, scorching the sands of Makkah. Sweat dripped down Bilal’s face, mixing with the dust that clung to his skin. His back ached from the weight of the boulder pressing down on his chest. His master, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, stood above him, eyes burning with anger.
“Renounce Muhammad!” Umayyah’s voice thundered. “Say that our gods are greater!”
But Bilal Ibn Rabah refused. His lips were cracked and dry, but still, he whispered, Ahad! Ahad!—“One! One!”
Every lash of the whip, every stone pressed into his flesh only made his faith stronger. He was once just a slave, invisible in the eyes of men, but in that moment, he was stronger than any of them.
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud said:
“The first people to declare their Islam publicly were seven: The Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr, ‘Ammar and his mother Sumayyah, Suhaib, Bilal and Miqdad. With regard to the Messenger of Allah, Allah protected him through his paternal uncle Abu Talib. With regard to Abu Bakr, Allah protected him through his people. As for the rest, the idolators seized them and made them wear coats of chain-mail and exposed them to the intense heat of the sun.
There was none of them who did not do what they wanted them to do, except for Bilal. He did not care what happened to him for the sake of Allah, and his people did not care what happened to him. Then they gave him to the children who took him around in the streets of Makkah while he was saying, ‘Ahad, Ahad (One [God], One [God]).’” (Sunan Ibn Majah 150)
The news of his suffering spread. Among those who heard was Abu Bakr, a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The Price of Freedom
Abu Bakr could not bear to see such injustice. He approached Umayyah and offered to buy Bilal’s freedom. Umayyah laughed.
“A worthless slave? Fine, take him!” he scoffed, thinking he had made a good bargain. But little did he know, he had just freed one of Islam’s greatest heroes.
Bilal Ibn Rabah, son of Rabah and Hamamah, was born into slavery in Makkah. His mother was a former princess from Abyssinia, captured and brought to Arabia. Though bound by chains, he carried a noble heart that longed for freedom.
Abu Bakr’s generosity changed Bilal’s life forever. Did you know freeing slaves is one of the rightful uses of Zakat funds in Islam? Throughout Islamic history, the act of freeing slaves has been encouraged and supported as part of charitable giving.
Bilal Ibn Rabah, once bound in chains, now stood as a free man. But his journey was only beginning.
The First Call to Prayer
When the Muslims settled in Madinah, a question arose: how should they call people to prayer? Some suggested a bell, others a horn, but the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had a vision of a human voice rising through the air, calling believers to worship.
The choice for this great honour was clear. The Prophet turned to Bilal.
“Bilal, stand and give the call to prayer,” he said.
Bilal’s heart pounded. He climbed to a high place and took a deep breath. Then, his voice rang out, clear and powerful:
Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!
The words soared over the rooftops of Madinah, reaching every ear, and filling every heart. It was a moment of triumph—the voice of a man once beaten for his faith now called others to it.
This way Bilal Ibn Rabah became the first mu’azzin in Islam.
Bilal Ibn Rabah: Bond With the Prophet
Bilal remained by the Prophet’s side through every battle and every hardship. He fought in the Battle of Badr, the Battle of Uhud, and the Battle of the Trench. He is also among the prophet’s companions who were promised paradise.
Abu Huraira narrated: At the time of the Fajr prayer the Prophet (PBUH) asked Bilal, “Tell me of the best deed you did after embracing Islam, for I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise.” Bilal replied, “I did not do anything worth mentioning except that whenever I performed ablution during the day or night, I prayed after that ablution as much as was written for me. (Sahih al-Bukhari 1149].
When the Prophet (PBUH) passed away, Bilal Ibn Rabah could not bear to stay in Madinah. The city felt empty without him. He left and settled in Syria, dedicating his life to worship and spreading Islam.
His Legacy Lives On
Bilal Ibn Rabah’s journey was not just one of pain but of resilience, faith, and honour. He was proof that in Islam, true worth is not in status or wealth, but in devotion. His voice may have faded from this world, but his legacy continues to echo in every call to prayer, reminding us of a slave who became a legend.
Allah also reminds us in the Quran: “Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:13). Bilal’s life was a living example of this verse, proving that faith and righteousness elevate a person beyond their status in society.