ZS13:AK2 Saidina Bilal Bin Rabah ra

Saidina Bilal bin Rabah radiallahu anhu (ra), may Allah be pleased with him is one of my most admired Companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him). My undisputable obsession with his character and attitude has indeed motivated me flying to Syria to visit his tomb. When approaching the tomb, some kind of mystical feeling and strong emotion aroused through my mind and inner part of me. Tears drained out from my eyes when I was inside the small hall of the shrine. There I was, standing in front the tomb of one of the important figure during the early stage of Islam. The person, whose foot step walking in the Jannah was heard by the Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) in his dream.
Quoted from the book Fadhail ‘Amal written by Maulana Zakaria rah.: is one of the best known galaxy of Sahabah as Muaazin of the Prophet’s saw (peace be upon him) masjid.He was an Abyssinian slave of a disbeliever in Makkah. His conversion to Islam was, naturally, not liken by his master and he was therefore, persecuted mercilessly. Ummayah bin Khalaf who was the worst enemy of Islam, would make him lie down on the burning sand at midday and would place a heavy stone on his chest, so that he could not even move a limb. He would then say to him; “Renounce Islam or swelter or die”. Even under this afflictions, Saidina Bilal ra would exclaim; “Ahad – the one Allah”…,”Ahad” ….”Ahad”.
He was whipped at night and with the cuts thus received, made to lie down on the burning ground during the day to make him either forsake Islam or to die lingering death from wounds. The torturers would get tired and take turns and vie with one another in afflicting more and more painful punishment, but Saidina Bilal ra would not yield. At last, Saidina Abu Bakar ra bought his freedom and he became a free Muslim.
Look how Allah swt rewarded his steadfastness! He was to have the honor of becoming the Prophet’s Muazzin. He was always to remain with him at home and abroad to call out the Azan for Solat. After the Prophet’s death it became very hard for him to continue his stay at Madinah where he would miss him at every step and in every corner. He therefore left Madinah, and decided to pass the rest of his life striving in the path of Allah swt. Once he beheld Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) in his dream saying to him; “O Bilal! How is it that you never visit me?” No sooner did he get up than he set out for Madnah. On reaching there, Saidina Hassan ra and Husain ra requested him to call out the Azaan. He could not refuse them, for they were very dear to him. But as soon as the Azan was called, the people of Madinah cried openly out of their anguish at the memory of the happy old days. Even the women came out of their houses weeping. Saidina Bilal ra left Madinah again after few days and died in Damascus in 20 AH. There are few others tomb beside his and one of them, is claimed to be the tomb of Saidina Jafar Ta'yar ra.
With gloomy sad feeling, we left the place for Zuhur prayer at the nearby Masjid of Islamic College.