ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Bilal's Bedtime Stories Bilal the Great African Muslim Bilal is very lovingly remembered by all Muslims of the world as one of the earliest great African Muslim. He was born in a village in a mountainous place in Western Arabia. Bilal's father was called Rebah and his mother was known as Hamama[^1]. They had come to Arabia as slaves from Ethiopia. The father and mother were slaves of Ummayya bin Khalaf, a rich man from the tribe of Quraish.

Bilal was therefore born in slavery and served as a housekeeper. His master Ummayya bin Khalaf was not a Muslim. When Bilal was about the age of 40, it was the time when started teaching the new religion of Islam, Bilal was attracted by the teaching of . He accepted the religion of Islam and became a Muslim. When Ummayya bin Khalaf and his family went to worship idols, Bilal would pray to Allah as taught by Islam.

In the early days of Islam the tribe of Quraish who were strong and many and lived in and around Makkah, disliked Islam. They also disliked and his new teachings. If any person accepted the new religion, they oppressed and harassed him. One day Ummayya bin Khalaf came to know of Bilal's secret prayers. He called Bilal and asked, “Oh Bilal, do you worship and bow down to the God of Muhammad?” Bilal was not afraid.

He replied, 'Yes Master, I do worship Allah, the only God.” The reply angered Ummayya greatly. He began to torture Bilal. He was tied with ropes and made to lie on the burning hot desert sand at mid-noon. He was then asked to forget the God of Islam and worship the 'great' idols known as LAT and UZZA. But Bilal was strong in his new belief. He refused to worship idols and kept crying “AHAD-AHAD”, meaning “One God, One God.” The tortures continued and were increased.

Hot iron rod were stamped on his pained body. Yet Bilal would not yield. On one hot day Bilal lay on the burning hot sand tied to the ground. A very heavy stone was placed over his chest. Bilal could no longer bear the heat and the load so great. He had also grown weak. In that tied condition even water was denied to him. In the condition he lay and lost his senses. As the day neared its end, it became cooler; he regained his conscious (senses).

He found that the heavy stone was no more on his chest. He wondered who had come to free him from pain. His heavy eyes slowly opened only to look at the bright smiling face of . had heard of and seen the torture of Bilal.