People who accepted Islam in the beginning had no supporters or sympathizers and infidels started torturing them brutally. Bilal (R.A.) was amongst the most oppressed Muslim at that time.


When Bilal's (R.A.) master, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, found out about his conversion to Islam, he began to torture Bilal (R.A.) so that he renounce slam and return back to his old religion i-e worshiping idols. But Bilal (R.A.) refused to renounce Islam. His master Umayyah and other infidels used to take him out in the midday heat when the desert turned to a fatal hell. Then they would throw him naked on its scorching rocks and bring a burning hot rock, which took several men to lift from its place, and throw it onto Bilal’s (R.A.) body and chest. This savage torture was repeated every day until the hearts of some of his executioners took pity on him. Finally, they agreed to set him free on condition that he would speak well of their gods/idols, even with only one word that would allow them to keep their pride so that the Quraish would not say they had been defeated and humiliated by the resistance of their persevering slave.


But even this one word, which he could eject from outside his heart and with it buy his life and soul without losing his faith or abandoning his conviction, Bilal (R.A.) refused to say and began to repeat his lasting chant instead: “Ahad Ahad" (Allah is absolute/one). His torturers shouted at him, imploring him, “Mention the name of our idols ‘Al-Laat’ and ‘Al-Uzzaa’." But Bilal (R.A.) answered, "Ahad ... Ahad.” They said to him, "Say as we say." But he answered them with remarkable mockery and caustic irony, "Indeed my tongue is not good at that."


So Bilal (R.A.) remained in the melting heat and under the weight of the heavy rock and by sunset, they raised him up and put a rope around his neck. Then they ordered their boys to take him around the mountains and streets of Makkah. But Bilal's (R.A.) tongue did not mention anything other than his holy chant, "Ahad … Ahad…” Bilal’s (R.A.) torture continued for several days but he remained patient, brave, firm, and expecting the reward in the Hereafter from Allah.