Name the first Muslim among slaves?

The correct answer is Hazrat Zaid bin Haris (RA).

In the early days of Dawah in Makkah, the message of Islam was accepted by a small, courageous group of individuals representing different social strata. Historical accounts and Seerah scholars generally categorize the first converts into four groups: the first woman (Hazrat Khadija), the first man (Hazrat Abu Bakr), the first child (Hazrat Ali), and the first among the slaves, which was Hazrat Zaid bin Haris (RA).

The Background of Hazrat Zaid bin Haris (RA)

Hazrat Zaid (RA) was not a slave by birth. He belonged to a noble family of the Kalb tribe but was kidnapped during a tribal raid as a young child and sold in the slave markets of Arabia. He was eventually purchased for Hazrat Khadija (RA), who gifted him to the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W) upon their marriage. The Prophet (S.A.W.W) treated Zaid with such immense kindness and affection that when Zaid’s biological father and uncle eventually found him and offered a large ransom for his freedom, Zaid refused to leave. He famously chose to remain a slave to the Prophet (S.A.W.W) rather than return to his family as a free man, stating that he had seen qualities in the Prophet (S.A.W.W) that he could never leave.

The Moment of Conversion

Because of his proximity to the household of the Prophet (S.A.W.W), Hazrat Zaid (RA) was one of the very first people to witness the onset of revelation. When the call to Islam was presented, he did not hesitate. His conversion is historically significant because it demonstrated that Islam offered dignity and spiritual equality to those who were marginalized by the strict social hierarchies of Makkah. While Hazrat Bilal (RA) is often the first name that comes to mind when discussing slaves in Islam, he accepted Islam later, during the period when the message began to spread more widely despite intense persecution.

A Unique Bond and Status

The relationship between the Prophet (S.A.W.W) and Hazrat Zaid (RA) was so deep that he became known as "Hibbu Rasulillah" (The Beloved of the Messenger of Allah). The Prophet (S.A.W.W) eventually freed him and adopted him as his son. For a long period, he was even called Zaid bin Muhammad. However, after the revelation of Surah Al-Ahzab, which clarified the rules of adoption and lineage, he returned to using his biological father's name. As discussed in other historical contexts, he remains the only Sahabi whose name is explicitly mentioned in the Holy Quran.

Legacy of Leadership

Hazrat Zaid’s (RA) life was a testament to the Islamic principle that merit and character define a person's status, not their past or their social class. He rose from the status of a slave to become a high-ranking military commander. He led several expeditions and was the primary commander during the Battle of Mu'tah, where he achieved martyrdom. His life story serves as a historical bridge, showing how the early message of Islam transformed the social fabric of Arabia by elevating those who were previously considered property to the status of leaders and heroes of the faith.