How an enslaved man became the first voice of a global faith

Nature · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Bilal ibn Rabah, born into slavery in 6th-century Mecca, rose to become the first mu'azzin of Islam. Chosen by Muhammad for his resonant voice, he endured brutal persecution for his faith before rising to prominence as a trusted minister, military participant, and a symbol of spiritual equality and devotion.

Born in 580 CE, Bilal ibn Rabah occupied a complex social position in Mecca. While his mother, Hamamah, was an Abyssinian slave, historical accounts regarding his father, Rabah, remain contested. Some suggest Rabah was an Abyssinian prisoner of war, while others argue he was an Arab, a theory supported by the derogatory epithet 'Ibn Sawda'—son of the black woman—used by the Quraysh elite to belittle him.

Bilal’s conversion to Islam triggered severe retaliation from his master, Umayyah ibn Khalaf. He was subjected to torture, including being pinned under a hot boulder on the desert sands, yet he famously repeated 'ahad, ahad'—meaning 'one, one'—to affirm his monotheistic belief. His eventual emancipation was secured by Abu Bakr, who purchased his freedom at the request of Muhammad. Once free, Bilal became a central figure in the nascent Islamic state in Medina, serving as the first caller to prayer and the minister of the Bayt al-Mal treasury, where he managed the distribution of funds to the vulnerable.

His legacy is defined by his role in the 630 CE Conquest of Makkah, where he ascended the Kaaba to perform the adhan, signaling the triumph of the new faith. Beyond his administrative and symbolic roles, Bilal was deeply revered for his piety. A hadith notes that Muhammad heard Bilal’s footsteps in Paradise, a reward for his habit of praying after every ablution. Even after Muhammad’s death in 632 CE, Bilal maintained his principles, famously refusing to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr, arguing that his emancipation was for the sake of God alone, not for political service.

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