In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
He is the mu'adhdhin of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
He was the first to raise the adhan in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
Which was constructed in Medina.
He continued to raise the adhan for a period of nearly ten years.
His resonant voice would ring out from atop the mosque.
His voice became linked to an era of radiance.
Of loftiness at the peak, and echoes in the ranks of glory.
A voice like the brilliance of light and lightning.
So much so that one can hardly mention the adhan of Bilal.
Without recalling the era with which it was associated.
It was the time of honor, dignity, the call to faith, and victory.
The time of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
Bilal was deeply affected by this.
He refused to call the adhan again after the passing of the Prophet, peace be upon him.
Or perhaps his soul could not bear to stand and call the adhan again.
For whenever he remembered the Beloved Chosen One.
His sorrow would surge, his eyes would well with tears, and his voice would grow hoarse.
Therefore, Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, went.
To Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him.
Saying, "O Caliph of the Messenger of Allah."
"I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, say:"
"'The best deed of the believer is jihad in the cause of Allah.'"
Abu Bakr said to him:
"What is it that you desire, O Bilal?"
He replied, "I wish to remain stationed in the cause of Allah until I die."
Abu Bakr asked:
"And who will call the adhan for us?"
Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
While his eyes were overflowing with tears:
"I will not call the adhan for anyone after the Messenger of Allah."
Abu Bakr said:
"Rather, stay and call the adhan for us, O Bilal."
Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, replied:
"If you freed me to be yours,"
"Then let it be as you wish."
"But if you freed me for the sake of Allah,"
"Then leave me to the One for whom you freed me."
Abu Bakr said:
"I freed you for the sake of Allah, O Bilal."
So he traveled to the Levant, may Allah be pleased with him.
Where he remained stationed and engaged in jihad.
And after many years.
Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, in his dream.
And he was saying:
"What is this estrangement, O Bilal?"
"Has the time not come for you to visit us?"
He awoke feeling sorrowful.
So he rode to Medina.
To the grave of the Prophet, peace be upon him.
He began to weep beside it and press himself against it.
Then al-Hasan and al-Husayn approached.
He began to kiss them and embrace them.
They said to him:
"We long for you to call the adhan."
So he went up to the roof of the mosque to call the adhan.
When he said:
"Allah is the Greatest,"
"Allah is the Greatest,"
Medina trembled.
When he said:
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,"
Its trembling increased.
When he said:
"I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,"
The Companions wept.
The Companions who had known the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, wept.
As Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, called the adhan.
They wept as they had never wept before.
And at the time of his death, may Allah be pleased with him.
His wife was weeping beside him.
He said, "Do not weep."
"Tomorrow we shall meet the beloved ones,"
"Muhammad and his companions."