| Bilal The Abysinian Bilal was an Abyssinian slave and one of the first 10 converts to Islam. Abyssinia is now Ethiopia and was a major military power during that time. For many centuries, the Arabs worshiped stone idols as gods and were extremely devoted to them. In 612 A.D., Prophet Muhammad -- may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him -- began preaching the message that God is one and to reject the worship of stones and statutes. Upon hearing that message, Bilal immediately converted to this new creed. The owner of Bilal rejected the message of Muhammad and tortured Bilal to make him recant his belief. He beat Bilal repeatedly, demanding he return to their idol worship. Bilal refused. With each refusal, his tormentor became angrier. After lashing him with a whip, opening wounds upon Bilal's back, he forced Bilal to lie on the burning desert at midday, again exhorting him to renounce his belief. Through the pain of the gashes on his back and the burning sand searing his flesh, Bilal remained resolute in his belief. Heavy boulders where then placed on Bilal's chest. Delirious from the heat, thirst and pain, Bilal managed to raise one finger and say "Ahad," which means one. Abu Bakr, also an early convert to Islam, walked by and saw Bilal being tortured for his beliefs. He purchased Bilal and immediately gave Bilal his freedom. Bilal became one of the prophet's dearest companions. The prophet personally chose Bilal to recite the call to prayer because his voice was so powerful and melodic. When the prophet conquered Mecca and went to the House of Allah to destroy the stone statues, Bilal was one of only three people who accompanied Muhammad inside the Kaba, an honor normally reserved for the very elite of the ruling clan in Mecca. Prophet Muhammad once asked Bilal what he did that was so special, because he heard Bilal's footsteps before his in paradise. Bilal responded that he did nothing special except when he made ablution -- a religious washing of the body; day or night, he prayed what was ordained for him to pray. After the prophet passed away, Bilal moved to Damascus because he missed the presence of the prophet. One night he had a dream, and the prophet asked him, "O Bilal, why have you not visited me?" After waking, Bilal left immediately for Medina, where the prophet was buried. When he arrived, the prophet's grandsons asked him to make the call to prayer, and he agreed. When Bilal began to recite the call to prayer, the entire mosque and those within earshot began to weep uncontrollably because Bilal's voice was so closely associated with the prophet. Bilal ibn Rabah was devoted to the belief in one God, resolute in the face of adversity, pure of heart, noble in spirit, a trusted companion and admired throughout the Islamic world. |
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| A LEAP OF FAITH |
| A Glimpse of Mystic Ethiopia "..Like everyone else, I needed to thread both myth and history, in my effort to understand the present." More |
| Clashes of What? "..To be honest and precise the only big threat today is the clashes of extremists.” More |
| Nejashi Mosque "..the mosque, which is taken as a symbol of religious co-existence, is becoming one of the tourist attractions worldwide.." More |
| A leap of faith "The question arises as to why Ethiopia? The Prophet could have chosen a safe haven for his followers in any of Arabia's other neighbours: modern-day Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Iraq or Iran. Instead he chose Ethiopia, largely, it is said, because of the righteous reputation of Ethiopia's king, the Negus or Al-Najashi. "Go to Ethiopia, there is a king there that is just," Prophet Mohamed told his followers. His counsel proved to be wise. Iran, then known as Persia, was a pagan country and the far-flung provinces of the Byzantine Empire -- Egypt and Syria -- were teetering on the verge of rebellion. The Copts of Egypt asked the Prophet to intervene on their behalf and overthrow Byzantine rule. Ethiopia, in sharp contrast, was a free and pietistic land ruled by a magnanimous monarch. More |