The merits of Bilal bin Rabah, the freed slave of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه Sahih al-Bukhari 3755
Arabic hadith text
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، عَنْ قَيْسٍ، أَنَّ بِلاَلاً، قَالَ لأَبِي بَكْرٍإِنْ كُنْتَ إِنَّمَا اشْتَرَيْتَنِي لِنَفْسِكَ فَأَمْسِكْنِي، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ إِنَّمَا اشْتَرَيْتَنِي لِلَّهِ فَدَعْنِي وَعَمَلَ اللَّهِ.
Translation
Narrated Qais
Bilal said to Abu Bakr, "If you have bought me for yourself then keep me (for yourself), but if you have bought me for Allah's Sake, then leave me for Allah's Work."