Bilal, the slave of Omaiyah bin Khalaf, was severely beaten by his master when the latter came to know of his conversion to Islam. Sometimes a rope was put around his neck and street boys were made to drag him through the streets and even across the hillocks of Makkah. At times he was subjected to prolonged deprivation of food and drink; at others he was bound up, made to lie down on the burning sand and under the crushing burden of heavy stones. Similar other measures were resorted to in order to force him to recant. All this proved in vain. He persisted in his belief in the Oneness of Allah. On one such occasion, Abu Bakr was passing by; moved by pity, he purchased and emancipated him from slavery.
[Ibn Hisham 1/317-318; Rahmat-ul-lil’alameen 1/57]
Read Next Blog:
The Sahaba – Our Role Models