Throughout history, there are an overwhelming number of cases where Muslims purchased the freedom of slaves who they themselves did not own. The most famous case of this was the manumission of Bilal, one of the first people to embrace Islam. Bilal, a black Muslim, is today remembered foremost as the first muezzin in Islam. The word muezzin describes a person who makes the call to prayer, and it is one of the most honorable stations that a person can reach in the establishment of the five daily prayers. Bilal, a former slave, made the call to prayer on top of the Ka’ba, the holiest site in Islam. This suggests that, not only is the manumission of slaves encouraged in Islam, but that allowing and aiding former slaves in the attainment of high social positions is an established aspect of Islam’s prophetic tradition.
