Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim stated that there were four Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, who were assigned to call the Athaan (call to prayer): two in Madeenah, one in the Qubaa` mosque and one in Makkah. The following are the biographies of those four Companions, may Allah be pleased with them:
Bilaal ibn Rabaah, may Allah be pleased with him:
His nickname was Abu `Abdullaah. He, may Allah be pleased with him, was the Mu`aththin (the person calling the Athaan) and the treasurer of the Prophet, . He was one of the first to embrace Islam and was severely harmed because of this. He, may Allah be pleased with him, attended all the battles with the Prophet, .
The last Athaan he called was on the day of the demise of the Prophet, . He, may Allah be pleased with him, lived in Madeenah until he joined an army that was sent on a campaign to conquer Greater Syria. He fought in that campaign and later died in Damascus in the year 20 A.H.
`Abdullaah ibn Amr ibn Umm Maktoom, may Allah be pleased with him:
Historians differ regarding his name: some stated that it was `Abdullaah, while others stated it was `Amr. His full name was `Abdullaah ibn Zaa`idah Al-Qurashi Al-`Aamiri, and his nickname was Ibn Umm Maktoom, may Allah be pleased with him. His mother's name was `Aatikah bint `Abdullaah ibn `Ankathah ibn `Aamir ibn Makhzoom. `Abdullaah ibn Umm Maktoom, may Allah be pleased with him, was related to the Prophet through his first wife Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her -- the first wife of the Prophet, -- who was a cousin to `Abdullaah. His father was Qays ibn Zayd and mother `Aatikah bint `Abdullaah. `Abdullaah ibn Umm Maktoom, may Allah be pleased with him, was born blind and hence was known as Abdullah Maktum.
Some historians said that he migrated to Madeenah after the emigration of Mus`ab ibn `Umayr, may Allah be pleased with him, while others said that he migrated shortly after the Battle of Badr.
The Prophet, , made him in charge of Madeenah in his absence thirteen times while he, , was away on battles.
He, may Allah be pleased with him, participated in the battle of Al-Qaadisiyyah and was the one holding the banner of the army, and was martyred during this very battle.
He, may Allah be pleased with him, was the one about whom Allah The Almighty blamed the Prophet, , in the Quran for not paying attention to him while he, , was busy calling the elite of the Quraysh to Islam.
Sa`d ibn Al-Qarth, may Allah be pleased with him:
His full name was Sa`d ibn Al-Qarth, may Allah be pleased with him. He, may Allah be pleased with him, was the servant of the family of `Ammaar ibn Yaasir, may Allah be pleased with them, and was known by the name Sa`d ibn Al-Qarth. He was given this nickname because he used to trade with Al-Qarth, which is a herb.
The Prophet, , wiped his head and supplicated Allah The Almighty to bless him and assigned him to call Athaan in the mosque of Qubaa`, and to substitute in place of Bilaal, may Allah be pleased with him, if he was absent.
When Bilaal, may Allah be pleased with him, relocated to Greater Syria, Sa`d, may Allah be pleased with him, took his place and was the one calling the Athaan instead during the era of Abu Bakr and `Umar, may Allah be pleased with them.
He, may Allah be pleased with him, continued calling the Athaan in the mosque of the Prophet, , until he died during the time of Al-Hajjaaj ibn Yoosuf.
Abu Mahthoorah, may Allah be pleased with him:
Historians differ regarding his name, some said his name was Samurah ibn Ma`een, and others said it was Ma`bar ibn Muhayriz. He was from the Quraysh tribe.
He, may Allah be pleased with him, had a very pleasant voice and the Prophet, , assigned him to call the Athaan in Makkah after he, , returned from the Battle of Hunayn. He, may Allah be pleased with him, continued doing this until he died in Makkah in the year 59 A.H. or 79 A.H.