during the blessed apparent lifetime of our Beloved Grandfather صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.’

Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ ascended the portion of the roof of Masjid Nabawi from which he would give Azaan during the apparent life of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. When Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ began the Azaan with ‘اللّٰهُ اَکۡبَرُاللّٰهُ اَکۡبَر’, the residents of Madina became restless, and when he said the words ‘اَشۡھَدُ اَنۡ لَّآاِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰه’, the people grew so restless that crying could be heard in every direction. Then when he reached the words ‘اَشۡھَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًارَّسُوۡلُ اللّٰه’, there was quite a commotion and the people began to ask: ‘Has the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم come out from his blessed grave?’

After the physical passing of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, the people of Madina did not experience so much sorrow as they did on that day. (Ibn-e-‘Asakir, Raqm 493, Ibraheem Bin Muhammad, vol. 7, p. 137; Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 10, p. 720 summarised)

O devotees of the Prophet! It is a reality that the one who cries in devotion to the Prophet succeeds in this world and the hereafter. As Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ spent his entire life in love and devotion to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Allah Almighty granted him a lofty rank in this world and the hereafter. Love for him has been poured into the hearts of all Muslims who will come until the Day of Judgement, and the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم mentioned such merits and virtues of his that reading or hearing them increase one’s love for him.

What great worldly rank and status Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, the beloved companion of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, held in this world, and what great bounties he shall receive in the hereafter through the grace of Allah Almighty and the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Let us listen to two sayings of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in this regard:

The excellence of Bilal from the tongue of Mustafa

1.   The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once indicated towards Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ and said: On the Day of Judgement, he will ride a she-camel