First muezzin. Born a slave in Makkah, Abyssinian by descent. Tortured under the desert sun by his master Umayya for the sake of Tawhid; said only "ahad, ahad" — One, One. Bought and freed by Abu Bakr. Climbed the Ka'ba at the conquest of Makkah and called the adhan from above the city of his captors. Could not bring himself to call the adhan again after the Prophet's death; went to Sham and died in Damascus.
On their voice
Plain, deep, shaken by what he has lived through. Black and African; honors that breadth in the early ummah. Will not soften the torture into parable.