When thinking about illustrious and influential black companions of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH), many Muslims would probably think of Bilal ibn Rabah, a black African man, and one of the most trusted, prominent, and loyal sahabah (companion) chosen by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to be a mu’ezzin (reciter of the adhan, call to prayer) and use his own voice to call people to prayer. It is important for us to remember Bilal for his strong faith, strength, and contribution to Islam. And in remembering his story, we can also reflect upon the stories of other key black figures in Islamic history. In fact, many of the sahabah who lived during the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are blacks, referring not only to Nubians and Abyssinians, but also to Arabs who had black and brown skin color.
The first black women and men who embraced Islam during the Meccan period after the declaration of the Prophet’s mission in 610 AD include courageous figures such as Sumayyah bint Khabbat, a freed slave; Umm Ayman a.k.a. Barakah, an emancipated Ethiopian slave; Zaid ibn Harithah, Prophet Muhammad’s adopted son; Ammar ibn Yasir, the son of the martyred Sumayyah and Yāsir; and many others, may Allah be pleased with them. Here, we are highlighting Bilal’s deep love for and conviction of Ahadun Ahad (the One God), and his perseverance in facing extreme struggles as a way of connecting a well-known story to that of our own collective story as a human race in the midst of a troubling climate reality.
Bilal ibn Rabah (580-640 AD) was born in the mountainous region of Mecca in Western Arabia. His father, Rabah, was an Arab slave bound to the clan, Banu Jumah. Bilal’s mother, Hamamah, was a native of Abyssinia (now Ethiopia). She was abducted as a child after the events of Amul-Fill when an invading army led by Abraha the Abyssinian, Christian ruler of Yemen, attacked Mecca and tried to destroy the Ka’ba, believed to be the first house of God built by Prophet Abraham and his son, Ismail, peace be on them. Hamamah was captured and sold into slavery by pagan merchants in pre-Islamic Mecca. Born into slavery, Bilal was a favorite slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf, one of the arch enemies of Islam. Bilal probably heard and learned about Islam and its message not from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself, but through Umayyah’s constant complaints and criticism of the religion when he talked about it in private and in public.
When Umayyah learned that Bilal converted to Islam, he repeatedly tortured Bilal in an effort to force him to abandon his new faith. In many narrations, there are descriptions of Umayyah forcing Bilal who had his hands and feet in chains, to lie on the hot desert sand and pinned him down with a heavy stone on his chest. Despite being crushed by the heavy stone, beaten with iron rods, and being exposed to the sweltering desert heat, Bilal remained steadfast in his faith in Allah and the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. While being tortured, he was heard repeating the word, “Ahad, Ahad” meaning “Allah is One.” When the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) learned about Bilal being tortured by his cruel master, he sent a friend, Abu Bakr, to buy Bilal’s freedom from his oppressor. The process to buy Bilal’s freedom took quite some time. Eventually, due to his love for money and realizing that Bilal would not give up his newly found faith, Umayyah sold Bilal to Abu Bakr. Emancipated, Bilal became one of the closest and most trusted, loyal and distinguished sahabah (companions) of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and was given the honor to be the first mu’ezzin (caller to prayer) in Islam. He spent a lot of time with the Prophet due to his position as the custodian of the treasury. He also showed his loyalty and dedication to Islamic causes on numerous occasions, especially when he participated in most of the Prophet’s expeditions and battles where he put his life on the line in guarding the Prophet’s safety. Bilal served the Prophet (PBUH) for 25 years. The last days of his life were spent in Syria where he died around 640 AD at the age of 64 and was buried in Damascus.
Bilal’s example of love for Ahadun Ahad (the One God) and the concept of Tawheed (unity or oneness of God) is very important for Muslims especially in learning how to worship Allah. The Qur’an says, “And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, (saying) “Worship Allah (One God) and avoid taaghoot” (Qur’an, 16:36). Taaghoot means worshipping other than Allah (e.g., people, money, idols, stones, animals, trees, etc.).
There are many ways to worship God aside from making daily prayers. Taking good care of yourself, your family, friends, and neighbors is part of worship. Being kind to people and animals is part of worship as you are showing love and respect of God’s creations. Sharing resources and knowledge with those in need and taking care of our environment, planet, and resources from destruction are part of what worship looks like. We are all connected in our relationships with each other, with the environment, and the planet. We must find ways to unite as one entity, one family, and one body. When one part is aching, we all feel the pain. To fulfill our duties in worshipping God include fulfilling our given role as a Khalifah (guardian); we must find ways to ensure a steady balance in our lives and with our nature.
Today, Bilal ibn Rabah, is also known as Bilal Al-Habashi, or Bilal the Ethiopian by approximately 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide. His life story reflects the deep love and conviction he had in Allah and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). His story also demonstrates Islam’s respect for human equality, kindness, anti-racism, and social equity. Allah does not measure people by their skin color, nationality, social status nor race, but by the measure of their taqwa (piety) and their actions. It is crucial to acknowledge the evils of slavery be it physically, mentally, or spiritually. The act of freeing a slave from bondage is highly encouraged by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as Islam was sent as a guide to free its believers from their mental, physical, and spiritual chains. Islam provided the means to spiritual enlightenment and personal liberation. The Prophet often emphasized kindness, understanding, tolerance, and flexibility among his companions especially in exercising their moral duties in confronting individual’s spiritual deficiencies as well as confronting the evils that exist in society. May God accept all our forms of worship and grant us Bilal’s unshakeable faith, perseverance, and determination. May he continue to be a source of inspiration for all of us.