The Final Price

“Today I will play such a game with Abu Bakr (RA) that I have never played with anyone before,” Umayyah bin Khalaf said to his companions with a brutal, savage laugh.

This was the same Umayyah bin Khalaf whose slave was Hazrat Bilal al-Habshi (RA)—the man who had mocked Bilal’s declaration of faith, treating it like a childish fantasy. To crush the call of monotheism rising from a slave, Umayyah had inflicted the worst forms of torture upon him.

“You know,” Umayyah continued, his eyes flashing with cruelty and cunning, “Bilal is my slave. And what status does a slave have anyway? When he starts repeating ‘Ahad, Ahad,’ he becomes nothing but a detestable heap of black flesh to me. I thought one warning would drive the madness of this new religion out of him—but it didn’t. There is no cruelty I did not inflict upon him.

“I placed him on burning sand, threw him into scorching heat, crushed his chest with heavy stones—but he did not abandon his faith. Curse this magic of Muhammad; breaking it is beyond my power.”

“But you were talking about playing a game with Abu Bakr (RA),” someone interrupted mockingly.

“Yes!” Umayyah roared. “That is the game you are about to witness. Isn’t it amusing that Abu Bakr has developed love for this dark-skinned slave?” He burst into another cruel laugh.

“He says this tortured slave is his brother and that he is ready to pay any price to free him from my oppression.”

“So where is the game in that?” the people asked again.

“The game,” Umayyah snarled, “is this: bargaining over a black slave. I want to see how high a price Abu Bakr is willing to pay for something so worthless. I will raise the price so high that he will either run away—or I will walk away with something shiny and precious in exchange.”

“Gold… gold!” Umayyah laughed hysterically. “What a wonderful game—Abu Bakr’s defeat is guaranteed, and my victory certain!”

Meanwhile, Hazrat Bilal (RA) was being roasted on burning sand, dragged over stones, and whipped mercilessly.

“Ahad… Ahad…” groaned Bilal (RA).

When Abu Bakr (RA) heard this cry, he rushed forward as if every pain of Bilal’s suffering pierced his own heart.

“Do you have no fear of God regarding this helpless man?” Abu Bakr (RA) said, pointing toward Bilal (RA).

“You are responsible for this,” Umayyah replied coldly. “You corrupted him. Now tell me—will you buy him or not?”

“Yes,” Abu Bakr (RA) replied firmly.

“Yes—at any price.”

“What will you give?” Umayyah asked, narrowing his eyes.

“I will give Qistas,” Abu Bakr (RA) said instantly. “My strong slave Qistas, whose disbelief I detest—just as you detest Bilal’s faith. I love Bilal; you should love Qistas.”

Umayyah sneered, thought briefly, then said, “Agreed.”

But immediately he burst into laughter again.

“No… not just that. I will take Qistas and his wife as well.”

“I agree,” Abu Bakr (RA) replied without hesitation.

Umayyah laughed again.

“And his daughter too.”

Abu Bakr (RA) paused for a moment—then said, “Very well.”

Still unsatisfied, Umayyah declared,

“By God, I will take Qistas, his wife, his daughter—and two hundred dinars as well. Now speak—will you buy Bilal?”

“Have some shame!” Abu Bakr (RA) said, disgusted by his deceit. “Do you feel no embarrassment while lying again and again?”

“By Lat and Uzza,” Umayyah said seriously, “this is the final price.”

“Agreed, O disbeliever,” Abu Bakr (RA) replied, standing tall, filled with love for his oppressed Muslim brother.

The bargain was complete.

In this great trial, both believers emerged victorious—Hazrat Bilal (RA) through his life, and Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) through his wealth. They endured the storm of sacrifice and came out triumphant, because Allah was dearer to them than life and possessions.