Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) – Part Seven

Calling out the Azaan in Shaam

Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) once visited Jaabiyah (a place in Shaam) during the period of his Khilaafat. On his arrival, the people approached him and asked him if he would request Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), who was residing in Shaam, to one day call out the azaan for them. Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) put their request to Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) who agreed to one day call out the azaan. The momentous day finally dawned and as the people heard the azaan of Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) they were reminded of the blessed era of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and immediately began to weep. Such was their weeping out of the sadness and grief of being separated from their beloved Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) that Hazrat Aslam (rahimahullah), the freed slave of Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), said, “I never saw people crying more than they did on that day.”

(Siyar A‘laam min Nubalaa 3/222, Zarqaani 5/71)

Returning to Madinah Munawwarah

‘Allaamah Zarqaani (rahimahullah) has quoted the following incident from Haafiz ibn ‘Asaakir (rahimahullah) with a strong chain of narrators:

After Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) settled in Daariyyaa (a place in Shaam), he one night saw a dream in which Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, “O Bilaal! What is this separation? Is it not time for you to visit me?” When Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) awoke from the dream, he was filled with such grief and concern that he immediately mounted his conveyance and set out in the direction of Madinah Munawwarah. When he arrived before the blessed grave of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he was overcome by his love for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and grief over his separation and thus began to weep excessively. Hazrat Hasan and Hazrat Husain (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) thereafter came to meet him. On seeing them, Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) began to embrace and kiss them out of the love he had for the family of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). They thereafter said to Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), “We desire to hear you call out the azaan as you would call it for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).” Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thus ascended to a raised place in order to call out the azaan. As Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) commenced the azaan and called out “Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar!” Madinah Munawwarah began to echo with the mubaarak voice of Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). As he continued and called out the next words of the azaan, the echoes in Madinah Munawwarah increased, reaching the people, until the women and children emerged from their homes, crying out of the deep remembrance of the mubaarak era of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Such was the love they had for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) that never before had there been a day after the demise of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in which the people of Madinah Munawwarah cried more profusely than that day.

(Zarqaani 5/71)

Humility

Ibn Muraahin (rahimahullah) narrates that people would come to Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and praise him, mentioning the great virtue and abundant good which Allah Ta‘ala had blessed him with. In the face of the lofty praises of all these people, Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would humbly reply, “I am merely an Abyssinian and I was, just yesterday, a slave.”

(Ibn Sa‘d 3/180)

Statement before Passing Away

Sa‘eed bin ‘Abdul ‘Azeez narrates that when Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was passing away, he exclaimed, “I will tomorrow meet those whom I love, Muhammed (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and his companions!” The wife of Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then said, “How great my grief (at losing you)!” to which Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “How great my happiness (at meeting Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the Sahaabah)!”

(Siyar A‘laam min Nubalaa 3/223)

Demise

There are different views narrated regarding the date of Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)’s demise.

Haafiz ibnul Hajar ‘Asqalaani (rahimahullah) has mentioned that he passed away in the 18th year after Hijrah after succumbing to the plague of ‘Amwaas. (Fat-hul Baari 7/125)

‘Allaamah Zahabi (rahimahullah) has preferred the view that Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) passed away in the 20th year after Hijrah. (Al Kaashif 2/178)

Source: Whatisislam.co.za