The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (405 page)

 
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Bil
l b. Rab
.

(d.
c.
641 AH 20).
One of the first Muslims, best known as the first
muezzin
of
Mu
ammad
. Of African origin, he was a slave in
Mecca
and possibly the first adult convert after
Abu Bakr
. He suffered persecution for his faith, was freed by Abu Bakr, and became a personal servant to Mu
ammad.

 
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(Heb., ‘elevated place’).
Synagogue
platform on which the
Torah
reading stand is placed. Alternative names for the bimah are
almemar
or
tevah
.

 
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Bimbis
ra, Seniya
.

King of Magadha at the time of the
Buddha
. He had ruled for fifteen years when Gaut
ma, at the age of 30, passed through his capital on his quest for enlightenment. Thereafter the two had a long and cordial relationship, and after hearing the Buddha preach, Bimbis
ra gained the stage of
srot
panna
(stream-enterer). He became a patron of the Buddhist
sa
gha
and donated a park for the use of monks.