Seerah / Persecution
"Our master freed our master"
- Date
- Makkan period · approximate
- Location
- Makkah
- People
- Bilal (RA), Abu Bakr (RA), 'Umar (RA)
Jabir (RA) narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari that 'Umar (RA) used to say: Abu Bakr is our master, and he freed our master — meaning Bilal (RA), the enslaved man Abu Bakr bought and set free.
As it was narrated
The story, in the words of those who were there
Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ عُمَرُ يَقُولُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ سَيِّدُنَا، وَأَعْتَقَ سَيِّدَنَا. يَعْنِي بِلاَلاً.
Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:`Umar used to say, "Abu Bakr is our chief, and he manumitted our chief," meaning Bilal
Lessons
- In Islam, honour is by taqwa, not lineage or wealth.
- Spend your wealth to free people from oppression.
Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.
Pause for a moment
Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.
Send salawat ﷺBibliography
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3754 (Jabir) · primary source
- Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)