BILAAL IBN RABAH (R)

Bilaal ibn Rabah (May Allah be pleased with him) was a black Ethiopian slave who was freed for the sake of Allah by Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq. Bilaal was amongst the first of the companions to embrace Islam and he became the caller of the prayer during the lifetime of the Prophet (May Allah be pleased with him) and he fought alongside the Messenger of Allah (r) in all of the battles including the Battle of Badr. He was also one of the companions who were tortured by the disbelievers for no other reason than he was a Muslim. Bilaal patiently suffered while Abu Jehl (a pagan Arab) tied him to the ground in the hot desert sun and put hot rocks on his chest. Abu Jehl would say to him: "Disbelieve in the Lord of Muhammad (and I will stop torturing you)." And Bilaal would say: "(Allah is) one, (Allah is) one."

Another of Bilaal's tormentors was called Umayyah ibn Khalf and Allah decreed that Bilaal would kill him during the Battle of Badr.

Bilaal was the muadhdhin (caller of the prayer) during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) and he was the first Muslim to call the adhaan.

In an hadith, narrated upon the authority of Abd-Allah ibn Buraidah who said that his father said:

"(One day) the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) woke up, summoned for Bilaal and said to him: 'With what (deed) have you preceded me to Paradise with? I have never entered Paradise (in my dreams) except that I have heard the sound of your footsteps in front of me. Last night (in my dreams) I entered Paradise and I heard the sound of your footsteps in front of me. I came to a castle made of gold and I asked: 'whose castle is this?' They (the angels) said: 'It is for a man from amongst the Arabs.' I said: 'I am an Arab so who does this castle belong to?' They (the angels) said: 'It is for a man from the Quraish.' I said: 'I am from the Quraish so who does this castle belong to?' They (the angels) said: 'It is for a man from the nation of Muhammad.' I said: 'I am Muhammad so who does this castle belong to?' They (the angels) said: 'It is for 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab.' Bilaal said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I have never called the adhaan except that I prayed two rak'aat (afterwards) and I have never broken my wudoo except that I renewed it (immediately) and I believed that I should offer two rak'aat of prayer to Allah (i.e. after every wudoo).' The Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) then said: 'It is because of those two (rak'aat).' "

And in another hadith narrated upon the authority of Jaabir ibn Abd-Allah who said that 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab said:

"Abu Bakr is our chief and he freed our chief (referring to Bilaal)."

THE VIRTUES OF BILAAL IBN RABAH (Peace Be Upon Him)

In a hadith narrated upon the authority of Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said to Bilaal (May Allah be pleased with him):

"O Bilaal, tell me which act that you did at the time of morning prayer that you did in Islam for which you hope to receive good reward, for I heard during the night (in my dreams) the sound of your footsteps before me in Paradise." Bilaal said: "I did not do any act in Islam for which I hope to get any benefit except that when I perform complete ablution during the night or day I observe prayer with that purification what Allah has ordained for me to pray."
 

Source: http://www.prophetmuhammed.org