Hazrat Bilal (Ra.) had a friend named Wahshi (Yes, that Wahshi who killed Hamza (ra.) at Uhud and after becoming a Muslim also killed Musailama the Liar (Kaddhab) at Yamamah) and both of them were slave From Habasha (Abysinyya)

When Bilal became muslim and subsequently after too much torture from his owner, Rasool (Sm.) set him free by Abu Bakr. During the first Hijrah Muslims were migrating to Habasha the Land of Bilal and Wahhshi’s forefathers. At that time Wahshi asked Bilal as he is a free man now and he can move to Habasha, why wasn’t he going back to his fatherland where he was born where his people are.

Can you guess what Bilal’s reply was?

Hazrat Bilal (Ra.) replied (and take note, this is a very important hadith of Bilal), “Oh Wahshi my friend, you won’t understand, my people are here, Islam made me one of them and they are us (Bilal/Muslims). I share the faith, the love, the worries and aims. I live with them and I die with them (Muslim Ummah(Nation)). Should Habasha try to invade the Land of Haram (Ka’aba) the Muslims I will fight alongside my Muslim brothers as they never saw me fighting before.”

He was expressing that even though he loves his homecountry but the moment he became Muslim he became part of the Ummah. And he is a Muslim first then Habashi. If the situation comes to chose a side between the Habashi nation and Muslim Nation, he will choose to be a Muslim.