Bilal was one of the very early people to accept Islam. He was an Abyssinian slave owned by Umayyah ibn Khalaf, a chief of the clan of Jumah. When the Quraysh chiefs opposed to Islam launched their persecution campaign against the followers of the Prophet (peace be upon him), they targeted the weaker elements. Bilal was one of those who were most brutally tortured. However, he was saved when Abu Bakr bought him and set him free. He was close to the Prophet and became, more or less, the Prophet’s financial administrator.
Abu Amir Al-Hawzani reports: “I met Bilal, the Prophet’s companion who always called the prayer, in Aleppo, and I asked him to tell me about the Prophet’s spending for charity.” Bilal said: “Whatever he did in this area was carried out by me, right from the day when God chose him as Prophet until he passed away. When a Muslim came to him, looking almost naked, he would give me instructions. I would then go and borrow some money and buy some clothes and some food. I would give the man the clothes and feed him. One day I was stopped by someone who was an idolater. He said to me: ‘Bilal! I am rich, so do not borrow money from anyone but come to me and I will give you what you need.’ I did so.
“One day, I performed my ablution and was about to call the prayer when I saw that man with a group of traders. As soon as he saw me, he called me out, ‘You, Abyssinian!’ I said: ‘Yes!’ He looked at me in a hostile way and said some harsh words, before asking me: ‘Do you realize how many days are left before the month is finished?’ I said: ‘It finishes soon.’ He said: ‘Only four days. I will then hold you to what you owe me. I did not give you whatever I gave to please you or your friend (meaning the Prophet), but I gave it to you so that you would become my slave. I will then put you to look after sheep like you used to do in the past.’
“I keenly felt what anyone would feel in such a situation. I went on and called for the prayer. When I finished the last prayer of Isha and the Prophet went back home, I went to him and sought permission to enter. He let me in. I said to him: ‘Messenger of God! May both my parents be offered for your sake! This unbeliever whom I told you I borrowed money from has said this and that to me. You do not have what would repay him, nor have I. He will certainly put me to shame. Permit me, therefore, to go to these quarters where new Muslims live, to borrow some money, until God grants His messenger what he may use to repay my debt.’ I then left and went home. I put my sword, sheath, spear and shoes close to my pillow and went to sleep. I woke up several times. Every time I would look out, and when I realized that it was still night, I would try to go back to sleep.
“Then the first sign of dawn appeared and I was about to leave when a man came quickly and said to me: ‘Bilal! God’s messenger wants you to go to him.’ As I approached his place I saw four mounts fully loaded. I went to the Prophet and sought permission to enter. He said to me: ‘Rejoice! God has sent you what will repay your debts.’ I thanked God. The Prophet said: ‘Have you seen those four mounts?’ I said I did. He said: ‘They are all yours with their loads, so take them and repay your debts.’ The loads consisted of clothes and food, and they were a gift sent to him by the chief of Fadak (a town in northern Arabia).
“I went to the four mounts and put their loads down and tied them. I called the dawn prayer. After the congregational prayer was over, I went to the Baqee, where I called out announcing to all people: ‘Whoever has given a loan to God’s messenger should come for repayment.’ I started to sell things and repay debts, and I offered some articles as repayment, until every debt the Prophet owed was settled. I was left with two ounces, or an ounce and a half of gold. I then went to the mosque late in the afternoon. The Prophet was sitting alone in the mosque. I greeted him, and he asked me how things went. I said: ‘God has repaid everything the Prophet owed, and he now owes nothing.’ He asked me whether anything is left. I said: ‘Yes, two dinars.’ (The dinar was the gold currency at the time). He said: ‘Well, make sure to rid me of them, because I am not going to see anyone of my family until you have done so.’ No one came to us that day. So he stayed the night in the mosque and continued throughout the following day. At the end of the day, two riders came, and I took them and bought them clothes and food. After the Isha prayer, the Prophet called me and asked me what I did with what I had. I told him. He glorified God and thanked Him, as he had feared that he might die while holding some of that money in hand. I followed him as he went to his wives, greeting everyone of them in turn. He then went to the one whose turn was on that night. Such was the Prophet’s charitable spending.”