CHILDREN’S CORNER

Umayyah bin Khalaf’s. Then others would take a turn. Each one of them would beat him mercilessly until he got tired, and no mercy was ever shown to him. If it was daytime and the sun was hot, they would force Bilal to lie on the scorching sand of the desert with a huge rock holding him down. His body would soon be covered with bruises and festering wounds. Prodding him with their feet they would then ask: “So, tell us now, Bilal, will you give up the religion of Muhammad?” In reply, Bilal would only weakly cry: “Ahad, Ahad... The One, the One... Allah.” And it was night when they waylaid him, they would tie him up with chains and lash him with sticks. The deniers of truth showed such cruelty in torturing Bilal that it easily surpassed the ruthlessness of many ignorant Arabs. One day Abu Bakr was passing by while Bilal was being tortured in this way. Abu Bakr was greatly outraged to see Bilal’s plight and the cruelty of his tormentors. He asked his torturers: “Don’t you fear Allah? How long will you torture this poor man?” “It is you who have spoiled him by teaching him Islam. If your heart bleeds for him, free him yourself!” Retorted Umayyah. Abu Bakr bought Bilal there and then and set him free. When the Prophet migrated to Madinah, Bilal also migrated like many other of the Prophet’s other Companions. In Madinah, it soon became a custom for the Muslims to gather and wait for the Prophet to declare that it was the time for prayer. But with their numbers increasing day by day, it was becoming more and more difficult for them to keep track of the prayer time as some of them lived far away from the mosque or used to work in the fields on the outskirts. The Prophet therefore asked the Muslims to devise a way to summon them for prayers five times a day. Everybody tried to think of something. Some suggested lighting up a big fire on top of the mountain. Others thought it would be a good idea to ring a bell, while yet others suggested blowing a horn. The Prophet did not like any of these suggestions. One morning the Prophet was sitting in the mosque with some of his Companions. A Companion called Abdullah ibn Zayd walked into the mosque, greeted the Prophet, and announced: “Last night I had a