Bilal in the viewpoint of the Messenger of God (PBUH) and the Commander of the Faithful (A.S)
The elucidative acknowledgement of Bilal towards divine information and his immense competence was in such a way that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that Paradise is eagerly awaiting to have Ali, Salman, Ammar and Bilal (8) and considered his Azan as the sole agument in avoiding to drink and to eat during the month of Ramadhan(9)
In time when the Quraysh tribe was resisting Islam, Prophet Muhammad asked Bilal to pray after Azan and ask God to help him to overcome against Quraysh people. (10) And once when it was the talk of Paradise, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
The lesson-giving defense of the Prophet (PBUH) in favor of Bilal in different aspects has been an adornment to the history, in a way that in a situation, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked Abu-Bakr to apologize from Bilal and His friends! (12) And another time when Abu Zar talked about the black face of Bilal, the Prophet (PBUH) reminded him of his guilt by a short sentence and said: ”Is there still existing a bit of arrogance out of ignorance in you?!”? At this time Abu Zar put his face on the ground and said he will not remove his face until Bilal put his foot on his face, and Bilal did what he asked for. (13) Bilal like Salman was an outstanding and righteous companion of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and used to visit the house of Fatimah Zahra (A.S) regularly, and in many occasions he used to go after errands by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). One day Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave him some money and told Bilal to buy perfume and good smelling stuff for the dowry of Fatimah. (14)
Every time he was longing to see the children of Fatimah (A.S), he would tell Bilal:”O Bilal brings to me my children, Hassan and Hussein.”? (15)
Certainly, much confidence and trust of the Prophet (PBUH) to Bilal was the instrument of such talks.
One day Imam Ali (A.S) with a clear understanding of the history of Bilal acknowledged him as being like himself (Ali) and said:
The pioneers to Islam are five persons: I as an Arab, Salman as an Ajam, Sahyb as the faithful of Rome, Bilal as an Ethiopian pioneer and Khebab a pioneer of Nabt. (16)
Foot note
8. The explanation of Nahj ul-Bilaghah, by Ibn Abi al-Hadid, page 104; Avalem ul-Ulum, page 308.
9. Bihar ul-Anvar, page 131; Nahayat ul-Ahkam, pages 422 and 524.
10. The History and Evolution of Government and the Caliphate, page 107, quoting Al-Taratib al-Adaryh, page 79.
11. Bihar ul-Anvar, page 116; pls. be referred to: Majma ul-Rejal, page 281.
12. A Brief History of Damascus, page 261.
13. The explanation of Nahj ul-Bilaghah, page 198.
14. Bihar ul-Anvar, page 88; Dalel ul-Amameh, page 87.
16. Ibid, page 499.