An Abyssinian in Makkah
Bilal ibn Rabah, an Abyssinian freedman in Makkah, was among the first to enter Islam.
The First Muezzin
Bilal ibn Rabah — the first voice to raise the call to prayer — in twelve cards.
The patience
His master took him to Makkah's burning sand to make him leave his faith; he did not.
One, One
Under the rock he kept saying: One, One — until Abu Bakr passed, bought him and set him free.
The voice
Bilal had a beautiful voice; people heard it and their hearts softened.
How shall we call?
When the Muslims settled in Madinah they asked: how shall we gather people for prayer?
Abd Allah's dream
Abd Allah ibn Zayd saw a man in a dream teaching him the words of the call, and he told it.
The call
The Prophet said: Bilal, rise and call the people to prayer — and it was the first adhan.
On the mosque roof
Bilal climbed a roof beside the mosque and called; the people heard and gathered.
The day of the conquest
On the day Makkah was opened Bilal called the adhan on the Ka'bah's back while the people remembered.
The trusted
Bilal kept the treasury's trust in Madinah, spending it on the poor.
After the Prophet
After the Prophet's passing they asked him to call again; he called once or twice then excused himself.
In Damascus
He died in Damascus; his grave in Bab al-Saghir's cemetery is still visited today.
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- An Abyssinian in Makkah
Bilal ibn Rabah, an Abyssinian freedman in Makkah, was among the first to enter Islam. - The patience
His master took him to Makkah's burning sand to make him leave his faith; he did not. - One, One
Under the rock he kept saying: One, One — until Abu Bakr passed, bought him and set him free. - The voice
Bilal had a beautiful voice; people heard it and their hearts softened. - How shall we call?
When the Muslims settled in Madinah they asked: how shall we gather people for prayer? - Abd Allah's dream
Abd Allah ibn Zayd saw a man in a dream teaching him the words of the call, and he told it. - The call
The Prophet said: Bilal, rise and call the people to prayer — and it was the first adhan. - On the mosque roof
Bilal climbed a roof beside the mosque and called; the people heard and gathered. - The day of the conquest
On the day Makkah was opened Bilal called the adhan on the Ka'bah's back while the people remembered. - The trusted
Bilal kept the treasury's trust in Madinah, spending it on the poor. - After the Prophet
After the Prophet's passing they asked him to call again; he called once or twice then excused himself. - In Damascus
He died in Damascus; his grave in Bab al-Saghir's cemetery is still visited today.