In this part of the article titled “Slaves in the history of Islam”, we shall look briefly at the biography of Bilal al-Habashi, lady Fizzah and Qambar.
5. Bilal al-Habashi
Bilal al-Habashi (the Ethiopian) was the first mu’azzin of the Prophet. His father was called Riyah, and his mother Jumanah; his agnomen was Abu ‘Abdillah and Abu ‘Umar.
He was from those who accepted Islam in the very beginning. He participated in the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq and other battles. (1)
Bilal was at first a slave of Safwan bin Umayyah. During his slavery, he was tortured inhumanely because of his faith. He was made to lie down naked on the burning sand of the Arabian desert; a heavy stone was put on his chest which made breathing difficult for him. And as if it was not enough, some heavily built persons used to jump upon the stone, trying to crush him to death.
Still, the only sound heard from Bilal was “Ahad! Ahad! (One God! One God!). (2) Seeing such barbarism meted out to Bilal, the Prophet was very much grieved. Abu Bakr purchased and emancipated him.
In the 2nd year of Hijrah when the adhan (the call to the prayers) was prescribed, Bilal was given the honour to call the adhan. (3)
Later on, some people suggested that this honour should be given to someone else because Bilal could not pronounce the Arabic letter shin properly. The Prophet said: “The sin of Bilal is shin in the hearing of God.” Allah does not see the physical manifestation; He appreciates the purity of the heart.
Once Bilal came to the holy Prophet and recited some lines of poetry in his own language in the praise of the Prophet. The Prophet asked Hassan bin Thabit al-Ansari to translate it into Arabic. Hassan said:
When noble traits are described in our country,
thou art pointed out as a model among us.
It is a well-known fact that the Prophet had an admirable sense of humour – although even in witticism, he never spoke but the truth.
Once an old lady of Medina asked him to pray to Allah to give her a place in Paradise. The Prophet said: “Old women would not enter the Paradise.” She went out crying. Bilal saw her and asked her why she was crying.
She narrated the whole episode. Bilal came with the lady to the Prophet, and said: “This woman is narrating such and such from you?” The Prophet said: “Even black men would not enter the Paradise.” Now Bilal too started crying.
Then ‘Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet reached there and learning of the episode, tried to intercede with the Prophet, who told him that even old men would not enter Paradise. When he too joined the crying group, the Prophet told them to be cheerful because Allah would create them young and with bright faces and then they would go into Paradise. (4)
Bilal was devoted to the Ahlul Bayt. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq is recorded as having said: “May God bless Bilal! He loved us, the family of the Prophet, and was one of the most pious servants of Allah.”
It is written in Kamil Baha’i that Bilal did not say adhan or iqamah for Abu Bakr (5) and did not pay allegiance to Abu Bakr as a caliph.
Shaykh Abu Ja’far al-Tusi has narrated in lkhtiyar al-Rijal a report that Bilal refused to pay allegiance to Abu Bakr; and ‘Umar caught hold of his dress made of hide and said:
“Is this the reward of Abu Bakr; he emancipated you and you are now refusing to pay allegiance to him?”. Bilal said: “If Abu Bakr had emancipated me for the pleasure of Allah, then let him leave me alone for Allah; and if he had emancipated me for his service, then I am ready to render him the services required. But I am not going to pay allegiance to a person whom the Messenger of God had not appointed as his caliph.”
‘Umar then dealt harshly with him and said: “You should not remain here among us.” That is why after the Prophet’s death, Bilal could not remain in Medina; and migrated to Syria.
Some of his poetry on this subject is as follows:
By Allah! I did not turn towards Abu Bakr, If Allah had not protected me, a hyena would have stood on my limbs. Allah has bestowed on me good and honoured me, Surely there is vast good with Allah. You will not find me following an innovator, Because I am not an innovator, as they are.
The author of Al-Isti’ab writes, “When the Prophet died, Bilal wanted to go to Syria. Abu Bakr told him to remain in his (personal) service.
Bilal said: ‘If you have emancipated me for yourself, then make me a captive again; but if you had emancipated me for Allah, then let me go in the way of Allah.’ Abu Bakr left him alone.”(6)
Bilal died in Damascus by plague in the year 18 AH or 20 AH and was buried in Bab Saghir. (7) His grave in Damascus is visited by thousands of devoted Muslims every year.
6. Fizzah
Fizzah al-Nubiyyah (of Nuba, at present in Sudan) has also gained immortality for her devotion to Islam and her love for the Ahlul Bayt.
At first, she served Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet. It was arranged by the Prophet that one day, Fatimah would attend to the domestic duties while Fizzah would rest, and the following day Fizzah should work while Fatimah would rest.
After Fatimah’s death, ‘Ali married Fizzah to Abu Tha’labah al-Habashi. She bore him a son, and then Abu Tha’labah died.
Later on, Fizzah married Malik al-Ghatathani. One day Malik complained to ‘Umar about Fizzah. ‘Umar said: “A ‘hair’ from the family of Abu Talib is more learned than ‘Adi.”(8) (‘Adi was ‘Umar’s tribe.)
Fizzah raised a family of her own, but her devotion to the Ahlul Bayt continued. She, on her own accord, accompanied Husayn to Karbala and shared the agonies and sufferings that the family of Imam Husayn had to endure.
Her knowledge of the holy book, the Qur’an, is renowned in the Muslim world. It is recorded that at least for the last twenty years of her life, she never uttered a single word except from the Our’ an, and always talked by reciting the verses of the Qur’an.
One interesting piece of conversation is given here to illustrate her unique erudition:
Abu’l Qasim al-Qushayri quotes a reliable person that once he was left behind from his caravan and was travelling alone. In the desert, he saw a woman and asked who she was. The woman recited the verse of the Qur’an: “And say ‘salam’, and soon shall they know.” (9)
He realised his mistake and greeted her, and then asked, “What are you doing here?” The woman: “And those whom God guides, there can be none to lead (them) astray.”(10)
The man: “Are you a genie or a human being?” The woman: “O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer.” (11)
The man: “Where are you coming from?” The woman: “They are being called from a place far distant. “(12)
The man: “Where are you going to?” The woman: “Pilgrimage to the House (of God) is duty men owe to God, those who can afford the journey.”(13)
The man: “Since how many days have you been separated from your caravan?” The woman: “We created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days. “(14)
The man: “Do you want something to eat?” The woman: “Nor did He give them bodies that ate no food” (15)
So he gave her some food. After that, he told her to run quickly. She said: “On no soul does God place a burden greater than it can bear.” (16)
So he asked her to sit on the camel behind him. Came the answer: “If there were, in the heavens and the earth, other gods besides God, there would have been chaos in both”.(17)
Hearing it, he came down from the camel and requested her to ride it. When she sat on it, she recited: “Glory be to Him who has subjected this to our use, for we could never have accomplished this by ourselves. “ (18).
After some time, they reached the caravan. He asked her if she had any relatives of her in that caravan.
She said: “O Dawud! We have indeed made you a vicegerent on earth; Muhammad is not but a prophet; O Yahya! Take hold of the book with might; O Musa, verily I am your Lord.” (19)
He called these names and saw four young men running towards him. Meanwhile, he asked the woman what was their relationship with her. She recited: “Wealth and sons are adornments of the life of this world.” (20).
At that time, her sons reached them; the mother told her sons: “O my father, engage him on wages, truly the best of men for your to employ is the man who is strong and trustworthy.” (21)
The sons gave him some remuneration for his trouble and service. But she thought it was not enough; so she said: “ God gives manifold increase to whom He pleases.”(22)
So they increased some more. (23) That person asked the sons who she was. They informed him that she was Fizzah, the servant of Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet; and that for twenty years she has not spoken a signal word except the Qur’an. (24).
7. Qambar
Qambar’s name is often mentioned in the traditions. And he has been immortalised by the poetry lines of Imam ‘Ali: When I saw an unlawful thing, I kindled a fire and called Qambar.
Someone asked Qambar who was his master. Qambar described the virtues of Imam ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib in such a lucid and impressive manner that it has been recorded by the traditionists ad verbatim.
As justice cannot be done to it in translation, I am leaving that oration out. I have already said how lovingly Qambar was treated by Imam ‘Ali.
After the Imam’s death, Qambar used to relate that very seldom did he have the occasion to serve his master because Imam ‘Ali used to do his work by himself: He used to wash his own clothes, even mended them himself whenever needed; he would draw water from the well for his daily use; would give them good food and decent dress but would himself eat and dress like a poor man. His oft-used phrase with them was “go easy child”.
Qambar used to say, “It was only once that he got annoyed with me. It was at the time when I showed him the money that I have ‘hoarded.’
It was from my share of the income given to me by others and gifts I had received from the members of his family. I had collected about hundred dirhams. When I showed him the amount, he looked angry, and what pained me most, he looked sad.”
Qambar inquired why he was so sad. He replied, “Qambar if you had no use of the money, were there no people around you who needed the money?
Some of them might have been starving; others might have been ill and infirm. Could you not have helped them? I never thought you could be so heartless and could love wealth for the sake of wealth.
Qambar, I am afraid you are not trying to acquire much from Islam; try more seriously and sincerely. Take the coins out of my house.”
Qambar immediately distributed the money amongst the poor and the needy. It might be added that Qambar had long been freed by Imam ‘Ali, but he remained with him.
Hajjaj bin Yusuf al-Thaqafi, the governor of ‘Abdul Malik bin Marwan in Iraq, was a tyrant who used to boast that:
“The most tasteful thing to me in the world is shedding the blood.” His name has become a proverb in tyranny. He killed 120,000 people whose only crime was their love for and devotion to ‘Ali bin Abi Talib and the Ahlul Bayt. This number does not include those who were killed by him in the battles.
He tried very hard to eliminate the Shi’ahs of ‘Ali from Iraq. Sa’id bin Jubayr and Kumayl bin Ziyad were two of his victims.
Once Hajjaj asked, “Is there anybody left from the followers of Abu Turab [i.e., ‘Ali] so that I may please Allah by killing him?”
He was told that there was Qambar, his slave. So Qambar, then a very old man, was captured and brought to him. Then the following talk took place between Hajjaj and Qambar:
Hajjaj: “Are you the slave of ‘Ali?”
Qambar: “Allah is my Master and ‘Ali is my benefactor.”
Hajjaj: “What was your duty in the service of ‘Ali.”
Qambar: “I used to bring water for his ablution (wuzu).”
Hajjaj: “What was ‘Ali reciting after finishing the wuzu ?”(25)
Qambar: “He used to recite this verse:
‘And when they forgot that which they had been admonished, He opened for them the door of all things (of enjoyment); until when they rejoiced in what they were given, We caught them suddenly, when, lo! they were in utter despair.’ (26)
Hajjaj: “I suppose he meant us to be included in this verse?”
Qambar: “Yes.”
Hajjaj: “You better leave the religion of ‘Ali.”
Qambar: “Before I leave his religion, tell me which religion is better than his.”
Hajjaj: “What will you do if I cut your head?”
Qambar: “Then it will be good luck for me and bad luck for you.”
In another tradition, this last question and answer have been recorded differently:
Hajjaj: “I surely intend to kill you. You better choose your own method of death.”
Qambar: “It is up to you. Kill me in whatever way you like, because I kill you in the same way on the day of judgement. And, as a matter of fact, my master had told me that you would behead me.”
Hajjaj ordered him to be beheaded. Qambar was martyred in the cause of his faith. Today his grave in Baghdad is the place of pilgrimage for thousands of pilgrims. (27)
NOTES:
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- Ibn Sa’d, op. cit., vol. III: 1, p. 170; Ibn Hajar, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 336.
- Ibn Sa’d, op. cit., vol. III:1, p. 166; Abu Na’im, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 148; Ibn Hajar, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 336.
- Ibid, p. 167.
- al-Majlisi, Hayatu’l Qulub, pp. 129-130; Bihar, vol. 16, p. 295.
- Shustari, Nurullah, Majalisu’1-Mu’minin (Tehran, 1268 AH) p. 54; and also see Ibn Sa’d, op. cit., vol. III:1, p. 169.
- Shushtari, op. cit.; also see Abu Na’im, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 150.
- Shushtari, op. cit., p. 54; and also see Ibn Sa’d, op. cit., vol. III:1, p.170; Ibn Hajar, op. cit., vol.1, pp.336-337.
- Shubbar, S. ‘Abdullah, Masabihul Anwar, vol. 2 (Najaf: Matba’ah al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1952/1371) p. 425-6 quoting Manaqib of Ibn Shahr Ashub.
- The Quran 43:89
- The Quran 39:37
- The Quran 7:31
- The Quran 41:44
- The Quran 3:97
- The Quran 50:38
- The Quran 21:8
- The Quran 2:286
- The Quran 2l:22
- The Quran 43:13
- The Quran 38:26, 3:144; 19:21; 20:11-12 respectively.
- The Quran 18:46
- The Quran 28:26
- The Quran 2:261
- These sons were most probably from Fizzah’s second husband, Malik al-Ghatathani.
- Shubbar, S. ‘Abdullah, Masabihul Anwar, vol. 2 (Najaf: Matba’ah al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1952/1371) p. 425-6 quoting Manaqib of Ibn Shahr Ashub.
- Majlisi, Bihar, vol. 43 (Beirut, 1983/1403) p. 86-7; Ibn Shahr Ashub, Manaqib Aal Abi Talib, vol. 4 (Bombay, 1313 AH) p. 15.
- The Quran 6:44
- Kashshi, Rijal as quoted by Qummi, op. cit., vol.1, p. 153.
