Surah al-Balad (The City ) 90 : 13

Explanatory Note

Then follows an explanation of this ascent and its nature by means of, first, pointing out some actions which were totally lacking in the particular surroundings that the message of Islam was facing at the time: the freeing of slaves and the feeding of the poor who were subjected to the cruelty of an ungracious and greedy society. It then adds what is applicable to all ages and societies and needed by all who wish to attempt the ascent.

This surah was revealed in Makkah when Islam was surrounded powerful by enemies and the state that would implement its laws s non-existent. Slavery was widespread in Arabia and the world large. The treatment meted out to slaves was brutal. When some the slaves or former slaves, like `Ammar ibn Yasir and his family, Bilal ibn Rabah, and others, accepted Islam their plight became worse, and their cruel masters subjected them to unbearable torture. then became clear that the only way to save them was to buy them from their masters. Abu Bakr, the Prophet’s Companion, was, as usual, the first to rise to the occasion, with all the boldness and gallantry it required.

Ibn Ishaq relates:

Bilal, Abu Bakr’s servant, was owned by some individual of the clan of Jumah as he was born a slave. He was, however, a genuine Muslim and cleanhearted. Umayyah ibn Khalaf, the Jumah master, used to take Bilal out when it became unbearably hot and order him to be laid down on his back on the hot sand of Makkah and cause a massive rock to be placed on his chest. Then, he would say to Bilal that he was to stay like that until he died or renounced Muhammad and accepted as deities the idols called al-Lat and al-‘Uzza, the goddesses of the pagan Arabs. Under all such pressure, Bilal would simply say, ‘One, One,’ meaning that there is only one God.
 
One day, Abu Bakr passed by and saw Bilal in that condition. He said to Umayyah: ‘Do you not fear God as you torture this helpless soul? How long can you go on doing this?’ Umayyah replied, ‘You spoiled him, so you save him.’ Abu Bakr said, ‘I will. I have a black boy who follows your religion but he is stronger and more vigorous than Bilal. What do you say to an exchange deal?’ Umayyah said, ‘I accept.’ Abu Bakr said, ‘Then he is yours.’ Then Abu Bakr took Bilal and set him free.
 
While in Makkah, before the migration to Madinah, Abu Bakr freed a total of seven people: `Amir ibn Fahirah, who fought in the Battle of Badr and was killed in the Battle of Bi’r Ma`unah, was the only other man freed by Abu Bakr. The other five were women. The first two were Umm `Ubays and Zanirah, who lost her eyesight when she was freed. Some of the Quraysh claimed that the two idols al-Lat and al-‘Uzza caused the loss of her eyesight. Zanirah said, ‘What rubbish! Al-Lat and al-‘Uzza are absolutely powerless.’ God then willed that she should recover her sight.
 
Abu Bakr also freed a woman called al-Nahdiyyah and her daughter, who belonged to a woman of the clan of `Abd al-Dar. One day he passed by the two women as their mistress was sending them on an errand to prepare some flour. As she gave them her instructions, she declared: ‘By God, I will never set you free.’ Abu Bakr said to her, ‘Release yourself of your oath.’ She rejoined, ‘It was you who spoilt them. Why don’t you set them free?’ He said, ‘How much do you want for them?’ She named her price. He said, ‘It is a deal, and they are free.’ He turned to the two women and told them to give the woman her flour back. They suggested that they should finish preparing it for her first and he agreed.
 
The fifth woman was a Muslim slave of the clan of Mu`ammal. She was being tortured by `Umar ibn al-Khattab, who was then still an unbeliever. He beat her until he was tired and said to her, ‘I apologize to you. I have only stopped beating you because I am bored,’ to which she replied, And so God shall thwart you.’ Abu Bakr bought her and set her free.
 
Abu Quhafah, Abu Bakr’s father, said to him, ‘I see you, son, freeing some weak slaves. Why don’t you free some strong men who can defend and protect you?’ Abu Bakr replied, ‘I am only doing this for the sake of God, father.’ Thus Abu Bakr scaled the ascent by freeing those helpless souls, for the sake of God. The attendant circumstances in that particular society make such an action one of the most important steps towards scaling the ascent.