Bilal and his support for Velayat
Bilal was always supporting Ali (A.S) and Fatimah (A.S) and their aspirations lavishly. When the Imam (A.S) was among the Muslims, he would respect him greatly, in a way that some would object by telling him:
Abu Bakr released you from the slavery of Umayyah and, and still you respect Ali (A.S) more than Abu Bakr? Bilal replied:
”I am indebted more to Ali (AS) than to Abu Bakr, since Abu Bakr saved me from slavery and torture in this world, though I could have gone to eternal Heaven with patience and martyrdom, but Ali (A.S) saved me from the everlasting fire and the tortures of Hell. Since because of his friendship and Velayat and regarding him superior to others, I will be benefited from the lasting grace and eternal paradise!
Bilal went to Al-Sham (Damascus) and lived there for some time and finally in time of Umar’s Khilafat died due to pestilence (sometime between 18 to21 of Hegira year).
When Abu Bakr’s supporters were inviting people for the allegiance with Abu Bakr, people came to Bilal (with much more confidence for acceptance) and suggested their allegiance.
He declined to accept their alliance with firm calmness and away from emotions and fleeting trends but with cognition.
Umar who noticed this event started struggling with him with anger, and with aggressive tone said to him:
”Is this your recompense to Abu Bakr who set you free?!”
Bilal replied: ”If Abu Bakr freed me for the sake of God, he should leave me alone for the sake of God, and if he freed me for the sake of other things but God, then I am at his service, whatever he wants to do it is ok for me, but I will never make alliance with someone who has not been chosen by the Prophet to be his successor and for sure obeying the one who is been chosen by the Prophet is our duty till the day of resurrection.”
Umar became mad after he heard the flat and explicit answer of Bilal, then said some unworthy words to him, and told him to leave Medina.
And this was the beginning of the exile of Bilal from Medina to Al-Sham because of his support and defense for Imamate and Velayat.
In the last moments of his presence in the city of the Prophet (PBUH), the daughter of the Prophet (PBUH) and the Amir of Believers (A.S) he was whispering these lyrics:
I found salvation by God and not because of Abu Bakr and if it was not the help of God, the hyena would have ripped my veins. God placed me in a good place and valued me, indeed goodness is found in Him. I will never follow any heresy, and I will not be heretic like they are. (20)
Bilal left for Al-Sham and lived there for some time and finally in time of Umar’s Khilafat died due to pestilence (sometime between 18 to21 of Hegira year). Bab al-Saghir is the cemetery of Damascus, where the body of Bilal is laid to rest, and today it is a shrine for visiting Muslim pilgrims.
20. Ibid Page 119 (The way that Bilal dealt with the second caliph, it was so revealing, offensive or a kind of seeking petition, although many would not dare to deal in such a manner! For example, one day when Umar told Bilal it is not time for prayer, why are you saying Azan? Bilal answered: ”when you were even more ignorant than your donkey, I knew about time and punctuality.” A Brief History of Damascus, page 267).
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
Foot notes
20. Ibid Page 119 (The way that Bilal dealt with the second caliph, it was so revealing, offensive or a kind of seeking petition, although many would not dare to deal in such a manner! For example, one day when Umar told Bilal it is not time for prayer, why are you saying Azan? Bilal answered: ”when you were even more ignorant than your donkey, I knew about time and punctuality.” A Brief History of Damascus, page 267).
Other links:
Martyrdom of the Two Sons of Muslim bin Aqil (A.S) (Part 1)
Martyrdom of the Two Sons of Muslim bin Aqil (A.S) (Part 2)
Martyrdom of the Two Sons of Muslim bin Aqil (A.S) (Part 3)
Tammar Means Date Seller
Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr