Bilal Ibn Rabah

Bilaal ibn Rabah al - Habaschī (Arabic: بلال بن رباح الحبشي, DMG Bilāl b. Rabah al - Ḥabašī ) was one of the companions ( sahaba ) of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam. He probably came from East Africa and was a slave Umayya ibn Chalafs. He belonged to the stranger who was born in Mecca of non-Arab ancestry ( muwallad ).

He is said to have been one of the first men of the known to Islam; other accounts, he was among the first seven people who have joined in Mecca Muhammad. During the Meccan period of the prophecy were Muslims, especially those who lived as wards or slaves of Quraish in Mecca, persecuted by their polytheistic cartridges. Finally, Bilal was bought by Abu Bakr from slavery after he had to endure excruciating torments. He was a close confidant and servant of the Prophet.

After the emigration ( hijra ) of Muhammad to Medina he was, not least because of his beautiful voice, the prayer caller ( muezzin ), Adhan the Medinan community. In the battle of Badr, he killed his rival and former patron Umayyah ibn Khalaf and his son. Also in other battles - Uhud, grave battle - he has attended.

At the conquest of Mecca Muhammad instructed him to call off the roof of the Kaaba in prayer; some could not hide their displeasure, however, that all things, a black servant at this historic occasion the Muslims called to prayer. This should have been the occasion for the revelation of the following verse from the Qur'an according to representations of the Prophet's biography ( sira ) and Koranic exegesis ( tafsir ):

" My people! We have created you ( by you) ( were descended ) of a male and a female, and we have made ​​you into nations and tribes, that ye may (as a result of the genealogical relationships ) knows each other. As chief among God considers one of you who is most pious on ... "

After the Prophet's death, he was under Abu Bakr continue as a muezzin, but gave up this office under ʿ Umar b.al - Hattab with regard to the following prophetic speech on:

"Your most excellent indeed is the jihad in the way of God. "

Using this argument, Bilal moved to Syria and to have said: "I will fight until my death. "

He died 638-642 contradictory reports, either in Damascus or Aleppo or in Daraya, near Damascus. To its shape created numerous anecdotes and legendary reports; Ibn ʿ Asaakir dedicated to him in his history of the city of Damascus, a fifty -page biography.

To date, many male slaves are called in Mauritania after him Bilal.