Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Zir, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The first seven persons to openly declare Islam were: the Messenger of Allah, Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him, and his mother Hazrat Sumayyah, may Allah be pleased with her, Hazrat Suhaib, Hazrat Bilal, and Hazrat Miqdad, may Allah be pleased with them. In any case, Allah protected the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, through his uncle Abu Talib. And Allah protected Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, through his people. And the rest were seized by the Quraysh. They were made to wear iron armor and were thrown into the heat of the sun. There was none among them except that they yielded before their (the Quraysh's) intentions, except Hazrat Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him. He considered himself insignificant for the sake of Allah, and became easy for the people. So they seized him and handed him over to the children, and the children would drag him through the streets of Mecca while he kept calling out, "Ahad, Ahad" (Allah is One, Allah is One).

Hazrat Mansur, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that Hazrat Mujahid, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The first seven people to openly declare Islam were: the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, Hazrat Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, Hazrat Khabbab, may Allah be pleased with him, Hazrat Suhaib, may Allah be pleased with him, Hazrat Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him, and Hazrat Sumayyah, may Allah be pleased with her, who was the mother of Hazrat Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him. In any case, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was protected by his uncle, and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was protected by his people, but the rest were seized, and then the disbelievers made them wear iron armor and placed them in the heat of the sun. Until one of them had to endure extreme hardships, so they gave them whatever they asked for. Members of each man's tribe would bring water in a large leather bag and put them in it, then lift them up by their sides, except for Hazrat Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him. The disbelievers put a rope around his neck and ordered the children to drag him between the two mountains of Mecca. Even in that state, he, may Allah be pleased with him, would say: "Ahad, Ahad" (Allah is One, Allah is One).

Hazrat Buraidah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I heard the sound of footsteps ahead of me, so I asked: Who is this? The angels said: It is Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him). Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed Hazrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) of this and asked: By which deed have you preceded me? He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! Whenever I became impure, I performed ablution, and whenever I performed ablution, I thought that surely Allah has a right upon me for two units of prayer, so I performed them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is because of this.

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.

Hazrat Jabir (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is our master. And he freed our master, that is, Hazrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him).

Hazrat Hisham (may Allah have mercy on him) states that his father, Hazrat Urwah (may Allah have mercy on him), said: Hazrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was the treasurer of Hazrat Abu Bakr and the muezzin of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).

Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) has surpassed the people of Habasha.