٣٤٥١١ - حدثنا أبو معاوية عن إسماعيل عن قيس قال: اشترى أبو بكر بلالًا بخمس أواق ثم أعتقه، قال: فقال له بلال: يا أبا بكر، إن كنت إنما اعتقتني لتتخذني (خادمًا) (١) فاتخذني (خادمًا) (٢)، وإن كنت (إنما) (٣) أعتقتني للَّه فدعني ⦗١٤٦⦘ فأعمل للَّه، قال: فبكى أبو بكر ثم قال: بل أعتقتك للَّه (٤).
Hazrat Qais, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, bought Hazrat Bilal for five uqiyah of silver and then set him free. Upon this, Hazrat Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him: If you have freed me so that you may make me your treasurer, then if you wish, make me your treasurer. And if you have freed me for the sake of Allah, then leave me free so that I may act for Allah. The narrator says that upon hearing this, Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, began to weep and then said: Rather, I have freed you for the sake of Allah.