Assalamu allaikum Gambia-L
I would like to comment on the above subject which Peter Sanyang
raised.  Indeed Mr Sanyang raised some important and I dare say
intersting issues that cannot go unanswered.

The story of Bilal (RA) is well known to most people.  He was from
Abyssinia ( now Ethiopia) who suffered enormously in the hands of his
masters before the advent of Islam and during  those dark days of
Meccan perscution of new converts.  Mr Sanyang raised the issue of
racism.  I admit he did suffer from racism  from some of his
brothers ( some early muslim converts) some of whom think that the
promise of Islam with regards to the hereafter does not extend to the
blackman.  Indeed there are some Arabs who still think so.  Lest Mr
Sanyang and the likes of him jump for joy let me hasten to add the
historic context of Bilal's time and the stance of Islam of this
issue.  No time,  but I believe the important thing here is the fact
that he was a black slave in a fiercely oppresive aristocratic
society who dared admit the oneness of Allah in the face of his '
master'.  Bilal was not alone in this.  Salman Farisi (RA) who was
from Iran also suffered from it

It was Islam that freed Bilal (RA) from the slavery of this world and
the next world.  After he was bought and freed by Abu Bakr (RA) he
was constanly close to the Prophet of Allah(SAW).  This was what Umar
(RA) used to say our master (Abu Bakr) freeing our master (Bilal).
In fact Bilal (RA) was one of the few Sahabas who was promised Jannah
by Allah (SWT) through his beloved prophet (SAW).  Colour therefore
cannot be a bar to Jannah.  After all colour is determined by just
melanocytes among millions of other cells!

Mr Sanyang's assertion that Bilal was the slave of Muhammed (SAW) is
unfounded.  That Islam is a universal religion is beyond doubt.  It's
up to you to accept the truth when it has reached you.  You will
surely be asked!  The question of race had to be addressed by the
best Teacher and Guide Muhammad (SAW) to the Sahabas who were told
(as we are told) that the best among you is the one who fears God
most and saveguard his obligations to Him.  This surely was in the
mind of the prophet (SAW) in his Farewell message on mount Arafat.

After the demise of the prophet (SAW) Bilal moved to Khaibarah
(where  the famous battle of Khaibarah was fought) where he lived for
the rest of his life.  Reason?  Bilal could not bear the grief of
the loss of the prophet anymore for every corner of Madina
reminded him of his beloved prophet.  It is like what we call
flashbacks (a kind of post traumatic stress disorder).  As to where
you got the information about his marriage being delayed I need the
refernce for that!  Please educate us!

Finally Mr Sanyang  I would like to say that religion is a
human instict so that you find people at all times worshippng one
thing or the other.  Allah choses whom He wills to carry the true
messge to humanity.  It is not for us to question that wisdom.  In
fact I am not aware of any true prophet among Europeans, Americans,
Indians, etc.  So it is not the  blackman's enigma.

Ma' sallam
MMC





Dr Mansour ceesay
Deparment of Epidemiology & Population Sciences
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicne

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