Ibn Isḥāq said: Hishām ibn ʿUrwah related to me from his father that Waraqah ibn Nawfal would pass by Bilāl while he was being tortured and hear him repeating, “One, One!” Each time Waraqah would respond, “One, One—by God, O Bilāl!” Then he would turn to Umayyah ibn Khalaf and the men of Banū Jumah who were tormenting him and declare, “By God, if you kill him for this I will make him a shrine of devotion (ḥanānā).”
I say: Some have found this puzzling, for Waraqah died after the Prophet’s commissioning during the pause in revelation, whereas people only began embracing Islam after the verse, “O you who are wrapped up [in garments]” (Q 74:1), was revealed. How, then, could Waraqah have passed by Bilāl while he was still being tortured? This needs further consideration.
Ibn Isḥāq also records that Abū Bakr once passed by Bilāl as he was being tortured, so he purchased him from Umayyah in exchange for one of his own black slaves, set him free, and delivered him from the torment. He likewise bought and manumitted several other believing slaves—male and female—including Bilāl, ʿĀmir ibn Fuhayrah, Umm ʿUbays, and Zinnīrah (whose sight was taken and then restored by God), as well as al-Nahdiyyah and her daughter. He purchased the latter two from Banū ʿAbd al-Dār. Their mistress had sent them out to grind grain and was heard saying, “By God, I will never set you free!” Abū Bakr said, “Let them go, O mother of so-and-so!” She retorted, “You let them go! You have corrupted them—so free them yourself.” He asked, “How much do you want for them?” She answered, “Such-and-such.” He said, “I have bought them; they are free. Return her flour to her.” They asked, “Shall we finish grinding it first, Abū Bakr, and then return it to her?” He replied, “If you wish, do so.”
He also bought the slave girl belonging to the Banū Muʾammal—a branch of Banū ʿAdiyy—whom ʿUmar used to beat because of her Islam.
Ibn Isḥāq said: Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī ʿAtīq narrated to me, from ʿĀmir ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Zubayr, from
(1) Sirat Ibn Ishaq, p. 190; Sirat Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 318; al-Rawd al-Unuf, vol. 2, p. 67.
(2) The text enclosed in brackets is taken from Sirat Ibn Ishaq.
(3) Ibn al-Athir states in al-Nihaya (vol. 1, p. 452): “al-hanan”: mercy and compassion; it also signifies sustenance and blessing. Waraka adhered to the religion of Isa (peace be upon him) and died before the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) mission because he told the Prophet, “If I live to see your day, I will grant you a decisive victory.” This account is debatable, for Bilal was not tortured until after his conversion.
(4) Sirat Ibn Ishaq, p. 191; Sirat Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 318; al-Rawd al-Unuf, vol. 2, p. 68.
(5) The bracketed phrase does not appear in manuscript Ḥ; it was likely omitted by eye-skipping between the first and second occurrences of the verb yaʿdhibu (“he tortures”).
(6) In manuscripts Ḥ, Ṭ and in al-Rawd it reads ʿAmīṣ—a scribal error. The correct reading is confirmed in al-Sirah wa al-Maghazi, in Sirat Ibn Hisham, and in al-Isabah’s biography of his kunya.
(7) The bracketed passage was omitted in Ḥ and Ṭ but restored from other sources. al-Suhayli writes in al-Rawd al-Unuf (vol. 2, p. 78): “Its first form is zayn (zāy with kasra), then nayn (nūn with kasra and shadda), on the pattern fiʿīlah. This is the accurate written transmission. al-Zanīrah is the singular of zanānir, meaning small pebbles, as stated by Abu ʿUbaydah. Some pronounce it zanīrah (zāy with fatḥa, nūn with sukun, bāʾ), but this form is not used as a female name.”
(8) In Ḥ, Ṭ and Sirat Ibn Hisham: “ḥall”; in al-Sirah wa al-Maghazi: “ajal”; al-Rawd supports “ḥall.” Ibn al-Athir explains in al-Nihaya under ḥall: “In the hadith of Abu Bakr, he said to a woman who swore not to free her maid: ‘ḥillan imma fulan,’ then he bought and emancipated her. ‘ḥillan’ means ‘release yourself from your oath’; it is in the accusative as a verbal noun.”
(9) al-Sirah wa al-Maghazi, pp. 191–192; Sirat Ibn Hisham, vol. 2, p. 319; al-Rawd al-Unuf, vol. 2, p. 68.