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Bilal
to moisten, to quench
Origin
Arabic
Used in
ar
Origin and meaning of Bilal
Bilal (بلال) is linked by name scholars to the root b-l-l, denoting moisture and the act of quenching or wetting — an image of refreshment in a culture born of the desert. The name is inseparable from Bilal ibn Rabah, the Ethiopian former slave freed by Abu Bakr and chosen by the Prophet Muhammad as Islam's first muezzin for his powerful voice, giving it deep spiritual and emancipatory meaning. Widely used across the Muslim world, from North Africa to South Asia, it is still chosen today for its association with faith and dignity.
Famous people
- Bilal ibn Rabah— saint
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