The Second Narration (continued):

Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said (continuing the incident of his embracing Islam):

One bright, moonlit night, I was by the Ka‘bah when the people of Makkah Mukarramah were sound asleep. Myself aside, there were only two women present and they were making tawaaf. Whenever these women would pass by the two idols, Isaaf and Naa’ilah, they would call out to them in supplication. As they drew close to me, I called out to them in mockery of their idols, “Marry one to the other!” My statement drew no response, however, as they continued calling out to their idols in supplication. The next time they came close to me, I called out, “Your idol has a private part of wood!” except that I did not use an ambiguous word indicating towards it but rather used an explicit word to refer to the private part. This statement finally excited a response as the two women now began to go about calling out in supplication to their idols for me to be destroyed and were proclaiming, “If only some of our people were here to punish you!”

Accepting Islam: There are different narrations recorded regarding Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) accepting Islam.

The First Narration: The first narration is reported by Hazrat ibn ‘Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma). He says:

When the news reached Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had claimed Nubuwwah, he said to his brother, “Travel to the valley of Makkah Mukarramah and enquire regarding the person who claims that he is a Nabi who receives revelation from the sky. Listen to his message and thereafter return to me.”

Leaving Madinah Munawwarah after the Demise of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam):

There are two views recorded with regards to whether or not Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) remained the mu’azzin of Madinah Munawwarah after the demise of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).

The First View:

The first view is that Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) did not remain the mu’azzin of Madinah Munawwarah after the demise of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). After the demise of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he felt it difficult to remain in Madinah Munawwarah and thus went to Shaam to engage in Jihaad.

This is the preferred view of ‘Allaamah ibn Katheer (rahimahullah) (Al Bidaayah wan Nihaayah 6/61), ‘Allaamah Suyooti (rahimahullah) (Is‘aaf 751) and 'Allaamah Ibn Hibbaan (rahimahullah) (Thiqaat 1/264)

Hazrat Sa‘eed bin ‘Abdul ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) and Hazrat ibn Jaabir (rahimahullah) both narrate that Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) did not call out the azaan after the demise of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and intended to leave Madinah Munawwarah to strive in Jihaad. When Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) came to know of this, he asked Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) to remain in Madinah Munawwarah to which Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) responded by requesting, “If you had freed me for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala then please allow me to leave.” Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) relented and allowed Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) to leave. Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then moved to Shaam.

(Siyar A‘laam min Nubalaa 3/222)