“The One… The One!!”

Bilaal was an Abyssinian from the black race. His destiny made him a slave of some people of the tribe of Jum’ah in Makkah, where his mother was one of their slave girls. He led the life of a slave whose bleak days were alike and who had no right over his day and no hope for his tomorrow. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and the Holy religion of Islam made this weak Abyssinian slave a teacher to all humanity in the art of faith and defending it with whatever it takes.

When Bilaal’s owners found out he had embraced the religion of Islam, they took him out in the midday heat when the desert sand turned into burning hell. They would throw him naked on its scorching rocks and bring a burning hot rock, which took several men to lift from its place, and throw it onto his body and chest.

This savage torture was repeated every day until the hearts of some of his executioners took pity on him. Finally, they agreed to set him free on condition that he would speak well of their gods, even with only one word that would allow them to keep their pride so that the tribe of Quraish would not say they had been defeated and humiliated by the resistance of their slave. But even this one word, which he could pretend to eject from his heart and with it buy his life and soul without losing his faith or abandoning his conviction, Bilaal refused to say.

Indeed, he refused to say it and began to repeat his lasting chant instead: “The One… The One!” (Allah is the One and Only God). His torturers shouted at him, imploring him, “Mention the name of Al-Laat and Al-‘Uzzaa.” But he answered, “The One… The One!”

They said to him, “Say as we say.” But he answered them with remarkable mockery and sarcasm, “Indeed my tongue is not good at that.” So Bilaal remained in the melting heat and under the weight of the heavy rock, and by sunset they raised him up and put a rope around his neck. Then they ordered their boys to take him around the hills and streets of Makkah. Bilaal’s tongue did not mention anything other than his holy chant, “The One… The One!”

When the night overtook them, they began bargaining with him, “Tomorrow, speak well of our gods, say, ‘My lord is Al-Laat and Al-‘Uzzaa,’ and we’ll leave you alone. We are tired of torturing you as if we are the tortured ones.” But he shook his head and said, “The One…The One!”

So, Umayah Ibn Khalaf, his master, kicked him and exploded with exasperating fury, and shouted, “What bad luck has thrown you upon us, O slave of evil? By Al-Laat and Al-‘Uzzaa, I’ll make you an example for slaves and masters.” But Bilaal answered with the holy greatness and certainty of a believer, “The One… The One!” And he who was assigned to play the role of a sympathizer returned to talking and bargaining. He said “Take it easy, Umayah. By Al-Laat, he will not be tortured again. Bilaal is one of us and his mother is our slave girl. He will not be pleased to talk about and ridicule us because of his Islam.”

But Bilaal gazed at their lying cunning faces, and his mouth slackened like the light of dawn. He said with a calmness that shook them violently, “The One… The One!” It was the next day and midday approached. Bilaal was taken to the sun-baked ground. He was patient, brave, firm, and expecting the reward in the Hereafter. Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq went to them while they were torturing him and shouted at them, “Are you killing a man because he says, ‘Allah is my Lord?'” Then he shouted at Umayah lbn khalaf, “Take more than his price and set him free.” It was as if Umayah were drowning and had caught a lifeboat. It was to his liking and he was very much pleased when he heard Abu Bakr offering the price of Bilaal’s freedom, since they had despaired of crushing him. And since they were merchants, they realized that selling him was more profitable to them than killing him. They sold him to Abu Bakr, and he emancipated him immediately.

Bilaal took his place among free men. When Al-Siddiq put his arm round Bilaal, rushing with him to freedom, Umayah said to him, “Take him, for by Al-Laat and Al-‘Uzzaa if you had refused to buy him except for one ounce of gold, I would have sold him to you.” Abu Bakr realized the bitterness and disappointment hidden in these words. It was appropriate not to answer, but because they violated the dignity of this man who had become his brother and his equal, he answered Umayah saying, “By Allah, if you had refused to sell him except for a hundred ounces, I would have paid it.” He departed with his companion to the Messenger of Allah, giving him news of his liberation, and there was a great celebration.

Source: “Men Around the Messenger(pbuh).” By Khalid Muhammad Khalid.

Also Read : Abu Bakr Sets Bilal Free