M Rahman:
Hazrat Belal (RA) was one of those who believed in Allah's Messenger Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and embraced Islam at the very beginning after receiving his message. At that time, in the face of strong opposition and persecution from the Quraysh of Mecca, accepting Islam and openly announcing or accepting it was a matter of adventure. The matter was more difficult for Hazrat Belal (RA) because he was a slave. However, by the will of Almighty Allah, Belal (R.A.), who was persecuted, believed in His Messenger. The "black slave" Belal rejected the religion of the Quraish and accepted the "religion of Muhammad", and when this became known, he was subjected to indescribable torture. Whipping after whipping, dragging his bruised body along gravel and sandy desert paths, laying him on hot sand and coals in the hot sun, pressing huge stones on his chest, in short, the utmost cruelty was shown to this man. Nevertheless, he was steadfast in the path of faith. At one stage of the torture, Hazrat Muhammad's (pbuh) friend and beloved companion, Abu Bakr (pbuh), bought him from Belal's master at a high price and set him free.
The main reason for the amount of torture that was inflicted on Hazrat Belal (RA) was that he was a slave. A slave could only be compared to an animal in Arab society at that time. He was not recognized as a human being in that society. However, in today's modern labor system, there is also the question of how much a worker is valued as a human being, and how much is considered a beast of burden. However, the reason why Hazrat Belal (RA) suffered more than other companions of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was because he was an unborn slave. So he cannot have any will of his own. His only job is to fulfill his master's wishes. When Umayya Ibn Khalaf, the master of Hazrat Belal (RA), came to know, Umayya said, "Your mother was my slave, your father was my slave, you are also my slave from birth, how dare you deny our god?"
But when that same man came under the shadow of Islam, the Messenger of Allah and his companions placed him in a seat of great honor. To realize how much Islam brought Hazrat Belal (RA) to a place of honor, we mention some events and matters.
The most significant event occurred in the eighth year of Hijri, the day when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) conquered the city of Makkah. After conquering Makkah, he called Hazrat Belal (R.A.) and said, "Belal! Get up on the Kaaba. Give the call to prayer." On the instructions of the Messenger, Belal (R.A.) ascended the Kaaba and gave the call to prayer. Remember, it is not another house, but Kaaba! It is the Kaaba which was the symbol of their honor, the symbol of their nobility to the Quraish and the Meccans. Through this incident, the Messenger of Allah crushed all the pride of the proud Quraish to the ground. Not only to the Quraish, but also to the Muslim Ummah, this Kaaba is considered the holiest place on earth. The Kaaba under the feet of Belal! This incident proves that a believing servant, even if he is black and a slave, his honor with Allah and His Messenger is higher than the Kaaba.
Not in that one day incident, but in the life of Hazrat Belal there are many such incidents which are unimaginable for an unborn slave in any society other than the Islamic system of life. For example, after the establishment of the state in Madinah, the Messenger of God (PBUH) gave the responsibility of Baitul Mal, i.e. the state treasury, to Belal (RA). That is, he was the first accountant of the Islamic state. If we use the current terminology, we can say that he was the first finance minister of Islam!
After the conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) handed over the keys of the Kaaba to Hazrat Belal (RA). He was entrusted with the main responsibility of cleaning the Kaaba house, removing the idols of gods and goddesses and consecrating it.
Although born an Abyssinian slave, he later married into a noble Arab family. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) himself married Hazrat Belal (RA) to the daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA), the first Caliph of Islam.
Hazrat Belal (RA) served as the governor of Damascus and Syria during the reign of Hazrat Umar Farooq (RA), the second Caliph of Islam. He remained in this position till his death.
The slave who did not have the right to speak, did not have the right to decide on his own personal matters, talking to the mouth of the master was considered as arrogance and competition, to what heights Islam took the slave! This is the beauty of Islam, this is the greatness of Islam. Those who have failed to realize the real beauty of Islam, who want to see the Islamic way of life as stagnant and ineffective in the present age, the true teachings of Islam are missing in front of them. And that is why, despite being a so-called "90% Muslim country", from our common day-labourers and laborers to intellectuals and socialists, we find the liberation of humanity and the rights of workers in Western ideas. Of course, the responsibility of this failure lies largely on the religious class, who, for their own sake, hide the real form of religion and establish a distorted image before the people.
[Author: Journalist and columnist; Contact: 01670174643, 01711571581, 01711005025]
