The Oppressed — Bilāl, Ṣuhayb, 'Ammār
⛓️ THE OPPRESSED — The Victorious
"Ṣuhayb is the forerunner of the Romans, Salmān is the forerunner of the Persians, and Bilāl is the forerunner of the Abyssinians."
— The Prophet ﷺ [al-Ḥākim]
📖 Introduction
In the first years of Islam, the most persecuted were not the nobles of Quraysh—they had tribal protection.
The most tortured were slaves and foreigners: those with no one to defend them.
Yet they are the ones who shine brightest in Islamic history.
Part I: Bilāl ibn Rabāḥ 🎵
📋 Identity Card
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Bilāl ibn Rabāḥ al-Ḥabashī |
| Origin | Abyssinia (Ethiopia) |
| Status | Slave of Umayya ibn Khalaf |
| Conversion | Among the first seven |
| Title | Muezzin of the Messenger |
| Death | ~20 AH, Damascus |
😢 The Torture
Bilāl was the slave of Umayya ibn Khalaf, one of Islam's fiercest enemies.
When Umayya discovered his slave had embraced Islam, he decided to break him.
The Torment
📜 Scene of Torture
• Time: Midday, the sun at its zenith
• Place: The burning rocks of Mecca's desert
Umayya would drag Bilāl, strip off his clothes, and throw him on the scorching rocks.
Then place a massive boulder on his chest.
Umayya: "You will stay like this until you die or renounce Muḥammad!"
Bilāl, gasping under the weight, repeating:
"Aḥad... Aḥad..."
(One... One...)
This word — Aḥad — became the symbol of resistance for the oppressed.
🏆 Liberation
One day, Abū Bakr passed by and saw Bilāl being tortured.
He asked Umayya: "How much for this slave?"
Umayya, with contempt: "Take him for whatever you want, he's worthless."
Abū Bakr paid a huge sum and freed Bilāl immediately.
When Abū Bakr was told he paid too much, he replied:
"If he had asked for a hundred times more, I would have paid it."
🌟 His Glory
First Muezzin
In Medina, the Prophet ﷺ sought a way to call people to prayer.
After 'Abd Allāh ibn Zayd's vision about the adhān, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Rise, O Bilāl, and call to prayer!"
His beautiful voice rang out for the first time across Medina's sky.
The Conquest of Mecca
On the day of Mecca's conquest, the Prophet ﷺ ordered Bilāl to climb the Ka'ba and give the call to prayer.
The former tortured slave now calling to prayer from the roof of Quraysh's sanctuary.
Divine vindication.
Part II: Ṣuhayb al-Rūmī 💰
📋 Identity Card
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Ṣuhayb ibn Sinān |
| Title | al-Rūmī — captured as a child by the Byzantines |
| Origin | Arab, from the Numayr tribe |
| Status | Freedman, became a wealthy merchant |
| Conversion | Very early, with 'Ammār |
| Death | ~38 AH, Medina |
💪 His Story
Sacrifice of Wealth
When Ṣuhayb wanted to emigrate to Medina, Quraysh stopped him:
"You came to us poor and became rich among us. Do you think you'll leave with your wealth?"
Ṣuhayb offered:
"What if I leave you all my wealth? Will you let me go?"
They accepted. He showed them where all his fortune was hidden and left for Medina with nothing.
When he arrived, the Prophet ﷺ welcomed him joyfully:
"The trade was profitable, O Abū Yaḥyā! The trade was profitable!"
Allah revealed about him:
﴾ And among people is he who sells himself seeking the pleasure of Allah ﴿
— [al-Baqara: 207]
Part III: 'Ammār ibn Yāsir 🩸
📋 Identity Card
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | 'Ammār ibn Yāsir ibn 'Āmir |
| Origin | Yemen, family emigrated to Mecca |
| Status | Family of clients, without tribal protection |
| Parents | Yāsir (father) and Sumayya (mother) |
| Conversion | Among the earliest Muslims |
| Death | 37 AH, Battle of Ṣiffīn |
😢 The Martyred Family
'Ammār's family—his father Yāsir, his mother Sumayya, and he himself—were the most tortured family.
Collective Torture
Abū Jahl would torture them personally, under the scorching sun:
- Yāsir — beaten until exhaustion
- Sumayya — elderly woman, bound and beaten
- 'Ammār — branded with fire, drowned in water
The Prophet ﷺ would pass by them, unable to physically rescue them. He would say:
"Patience, O family of Yāsir! Your meeting place is Paradise!"
The First Martyrs
Sumayya refused to renounce Islam. Abū Jahl, enraged, took a spear and stabbed her.
She became the first martyr in Islam.
Shortly after, Yāsir also died under torture.
Under Duress
'Ammār, exhausted beyond endurance, uttered words of disbelief under compulsion.
Devastated, he came to the Prophet ﷺ weeping:
"O Messenger of Allah, they did not leave me until I insulted you and praised their gods!"
The Prophet ﷺ asked:
"How do you find your heart?"
"Firm in faith."
The Prophet ﷺ smiled:
"If they do it again, do the same."
And Allah revealed:
﴾ Except for one who is compelled while his heart is secure in faith ﴿
— [al-Naḥl: 106]
🏆 The Prophecy
The Prophet ﷺ told 'Ammār:
"You will be killed by the transgressing group."
At Ṣiffīn (37 AH), 'Ammār, advanced in age, fought alongside 'Alī. He was killed.
The prophecy was fulfilled.
💎 Key Lessons
1. Apparent Weakness Hides Real Strength
Slaves and foreigners were considered the weakest in Quraysh's eyes.
But their faith was the strongest. Bilāl under the rocks: "Aḥad, aḥad." He didn't break.
The lesson: don't judge anyone by their appearance.
2. Wealth Is a Test
Ṣuhayb gave up all his fortune to Quraysh in exchange for his departure.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "The trade was profitable!"
Question for us: what do we give up for our religion? Or nothing at all?
3. Duress Is Excused
'Ammār insulted Islam under torture. He came to the Prophet ﷺ weeping.
The Prophet: "How do you find your heart?" He said: "At peace in faith."
Allah revealed: "Except for one who is compelled while his heart is at peace in faith."
4. Paradise for the Persecuted
The Prophet ﷺ could not save Yāsir's family from torture.
But he promised them: "Patience, family of Yāsir! Your appointment is Paradise."
Suffering has an end. Paradise has no end.
📊 Summary
| Companion | Trial | Victory |
|---|---|---|
| Bilāl | Tortured under hot rocks | First muezzin, adhān from Ka'ba |
| Ṣuhayb | Stripped of all wealth | "The trade was profitable" |
| 'Ammār | Family martyred before him | Prophecy of the Prophet ﷺ fulfilled |
| Sumayya | Killed by Abū Jahl | First martyr in Islam |
📚 Sources
| Book | Author |
|---|---|
| Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī | al-Bukhārī |
| Sīra of Ibn Hishām | Ibn Hishām |
| Siyar A'lām al-Nubalā' | al-Dhahabī |
| al-Iṣāba fī Tamyīz al-Ṣaḥāba | Ibn Ḥajar |
And Allah knows best
Rabbi Zidnī 'Ilmā — My Lord, increase me in knowledge