THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME

WITH PROPHET MUHAMMAD

THE PROPHET OF ALLAH
004

Abd Al Muttalib
And his son
Abdullah

by
Khadeijah A. Stephens

Copyright © 1984-2012 by Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com

Khadeijah A. Stephens

Bismillah Ir Rahman Ir Raheem

Abd Al Muttalib and His Son Abdullah
The Vision of Abd Al Muttalib
Abd Al Muttalib whose given name was Shayba son of Hashim, was not an idolater, he
directed his prayer to Allah alone and loved to be near the Ka’bah. It was because of
this love that he would often have his mattress spread out in a place known as 'Hijr
Ishmael' -- which is the place where Prophet Ishmael and his mother Lady Hagar lie
buried and also where Prophet Ishmael used to pen his sheep -- and sleep there.

It was on one such night that he had a vision in which it was said to him, "Dig the sweet
one." He asked, "What is the sweet one?" but there was no reply. The next morning he
awoke with an overwhelming feeling of happiness and peace, the like of which he had
never experience before, so he decided to spend the following night near Hijr Ishmael.

That night he had another vision in which the same voice told him, "Dig for mercy". He
asked the meaning of it, but again there was no answer. When he returned to sleep
there on the third night the vision came yet again but this time he was told, "Dig for the
treasure." When Abd Al Muttalib asked what was meant by the treasure the vision
vanished as before.

The vision came again on the fourth night, however this time the voice was more specific
and told him to dig for Zamzam. Abd Al Muttalib asked about Zamzam, but unlike the
previous occasions the voice answered saying, "Dig for it, you will have no regrets, it is
your inheritance from your greatest ancestor." The voice told Abd Al Muttalib that
Zamzam lay buried nearby and to supplicate to Allah for the continuous flow of pure
water that would suffice all pilgrims. So he supplicated to Allah in the manner he was
taught and at dawn he returned to his home to get a spade. His son Harith was there so
he told him to fetch another spade and to come with him to dig for the well of Zamzam.

The Discovery of Zamzam

The sun had risen as they set to work digging. As the people started to rise and go about
their daily chores and business they noticed Abd Al Muttalib and Harith digging away in
the Sacred area and not long after a crowd started to gather to see what they were
doing.

As much as the Meccans respected Abd Al Muttalib they felt he was going too far and
told him he must stop desecrating the ground with his digging. Abd Al Muttalib refused
and told his son to stand on guard to prevent anyone interfering with his digging. The
digging progressed without an incident and the people began to tire of standing around
and had started to disperse when to Abd Al Muttalib's great joy he struck the stone cover
of the well of Zamzam. Immediately, he thanked Allah and the excited crowd regrouped
around him.

News of his find spread quickly throughout Mecca and it wasn't long until a very large,
joyous crowd had gathered to celebrate this great discovery.

The Treasure of Zamzam

Abd Al Muttalib and Harith removed the large stone cover from the forsaken well of
Zamzam and as they did to the amazement of everyone, their eyes fell upon the
treasure that had been taken from Ka’bah many centuries before when the Jurhumites
had been driven from Mecca. There was great excitement and everyone laid claim to a
share of the treasure.

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In those days it was the practice of Meccans to use divining arrows and cast lots to settle
major issues, with the ceremony taking place within the confines of Ka’bah before their
chief idol Hubal. There were three stakes: one that the treasure should be returned to
Ka'bah, another that it should be retained by Abd Al Muttalib, and the third that the
treasure be divided between the tribes.

When the time came for the settlement everyone gathered anxiously by the Ka’bah and
the diviner cast the arrows. As the arrows fell they fell in favor of some of the treasure
being restored to the Ka’bah and the remainder being retained by Abd Al Muttalib; none
fell in favor of the Koraysh. After the division had been settled it was also decided the
tribe of Hashim should take charge of the Well of Zamzam as it was their responsibility
to provide water for the pilgrims.

Abd Al Muttalib Takes a Vow

To many it would have appeared that Abd Al Muttalib had everything he could desire. He
was the Custodian of Ka'bah, handsome, wealthy, generous, and of noble character that
had won him the respect of the people of Mecca. However, he only had one son, Harith,
whereas his cousins Umayyah, chief of the tribe of Abdu Shams and Mughirah, chief of
the tribe of Makhzum had many.

The fact he had just one son had not concerned Abd Al Muttalib greatly until he met with
resistance from his fellow Meccans during the excavation of Zamzam. At that time he felt
weaker than at any other and wished he had more sons to support him.

He felt humble to be chosen as the one to be honored to restore the well and was
grateful to Allah for His blessings to him, but his heart prompted him to supplicate to Him
for ten sons. As he supplicated in earnest, he promised Allah if He would favor him with
ten sons who reached the age of manhood, he would sacrifice one of them at the
Ka’bah. Allah accepted his supplication and as the years passed he had to his great
pleasure, nine more sons. He never forgot the promise he made to Allah and as his sons
reached manhood the matter pressed hard upon his mind, especially as the youngest of
his sons, Abdullah had now reached maturity.

Abdullah had grown into a handsome, fine, upstanding young man like his father and
although Abd Al Muttalib loved his other sons, Abdullah had become his favorite.

Abd Al Muttalib knew the time had come to fulfill his vow. He was a man of his word and
had no intention of turning away from his oath. Until this time, Abd Al Muttalib had kept
the matter between Allah and himself secret, so no one in his family knew of the oath he
had taken many years before.

The Sacrifice
Abd Al Muttalib had raised his sons to be true men and all were obedient to him. One
day he called his ten sons together and told them of the oath he had taken. They all
accepted; their father's vow was their vow and bravely asked him how the matter would
be decided. Abd Al Muttalib told them the matter would be determined by arrow divining
and that they must each take an arrow and make their mark on it.

After their marks had been made, Abd Al Muttalib sent a message to the arrow-diviner of
the Koraysh tribe to meet him in the Ka’bah. Then he took his ten sons into the

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Sanctuary and led them inside the Ka'bah. When the arrow-diviner arrived he told him of
his oath. Each son presented his arrow and Abd Al Muttalib stood ready with his knife
drawn. The arrows were cast, and the lot fell against Abdullah. Without hesitation, Abd Al
Muttalib took his son's hand and led him to the door intending to make straight for the
place of sacrifice.

Abdullah’s Female Relatives

Abd Al Muttalib had not considered the fact that he might have to deal with his wives as
he did not know they had learned of his intention. Fatima, the mother of Zubair, Abu
Talib, and Abdullah who were all candidates for the sacrifice, was on her mother's side
descended from Abd, one of the sons of Ksay and belonged to the very influential tribe
of Makhzum. When Fatima learned of the vow, she immediately rallied her co-wives,
who were from less influential tribes, and together with her own powerful tribe they had
marched in force to the Ka’bah to prevent the sacrifice.

As Abd Al Muttalib opened the door of Ka’bah his eyes fell upon the large crowd
assembled in the courtyard. Everyone noticed the expression on Abd Al Muttalib and
Abdullah's faces had changed. Fatima and her kinsmen were quick to realize that it was
Abdullah who had been chosen as the sacrifice. Just then, someone in the crowd called
out, "For whom is the knife!" and others took up the cry although it was evident for whom
the knife was intended.

Abd Al Muttalib tried to tell them of his vow, but was interrupted by Mughirah, the chief of
Makhzum who told him they would not permit him to make the sacrifice. He told him that
they were prepared to offer a sacrifice in his stead, even to the extent of ransoming
Abdullah with all the property of the sons of Makhzum. They were adamant and
prepared to take whatever steps necessary in order to spare the life of Abdullah.

By this time Abdullah's brothers had come out of Ka’bah. Until then, none had spoken
but they too now turned to their father imploring him to spare the life of their brother and
to offer some other kind of sacrifice in his stead. There was no one present who did not
urge him not to do so.

Being an upright man, Abd Al Muttalib did not want to break the vow he had taken, but
the pressure upon him was great. Reluctantly, he agreed to consult with a wise Jewess
living in Yathrib who was familiar with matters such as this and who could tell him
whether a substitution was in fact permissible in this case, and if it was what form of
ransom would be required.

The Wise Woman of Yathrib

Abd Al Muttalib set off with Abdullah and several of his brothers for Yathrib -- Abd Al
Muttalib's birth-place. When they reached Yathrib they sought the whereabouts of the
wise woman and were told she no longer lived there but in Khaybar, many miles away
north of Yathrib.

So they continued their journey through the hot desert until they reached Khaybar where
they found the wise woman. Abd Al Muttalib told her of the oath he had taken and
inquired whether it was possible to offer a ransom instead. She listened intently and told
them to return the following day after she had time to consider the matter and she would
give them an answer.

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Abd Al Muttalib prayed fervently to Allah and the next morning he and his sons returned
for the verdict. The wise woman greeted them and asked what the usual compensation
was offered amongst their tribe, whereupon they told her it was common place to offer
ten camels. Upon hearing this she told them to return home and as soon as they arrived
to put Abdullah and ten camels side-by-side and cast lots between them. She told them
that in the event the arrow should fall against Abdullah they were to increase the number
of camels by ten, and cast lots yet again until Allah accepted them by the arrow falling
against the camels. She also told them once the number of camels had been determined
all were to be sacrificed immediately in order that Abdullah might live.

The Sacrifice of 100 Camels

After having thanked the wise woman, Abd Al Muttalib and his sons set out for home
straight away and upon reaching Mecca Abdullah and ten camels were taken into the
courtyard of Ka’bah. Abd Al Muttalib went inside the Ka’bah and supplicated to Allah
asking Him to accept what they were about to do. Upon the conclusion of his
supplication he came out of the Ka’bah and the lots began to be cast. The first arrow fell
against Abdullah, so ten more camels were added. The lot was cast again, but once
more the arrow fell against Abdullah, and ten more camels were added and so it
continued. It was only when the number of camels reached one hundred that the arrow
finally fell against the camels.

The Ransom is Accepted

Everyone was overjoyed including Abd Al Muttalib. However, he wanted to make quite
sure that this was, without any doubt, the ransom required by Allah to decide the issue,
so he insisted that the lots be cast twice more. Anxiously, everyone looked on as the lots
were cast, but to everyone's relief on each occasion, the arrow fell against the camels.
There was no doubt left in Abd Al Muttalib's mind that Allah had accepted his expiation
and so the camels were sacrificed immediately and the abundant supply of meat was
distributed amongst the poor, the needy, and the orphans. There was so much meat left
over that every sector of the community ate from it and joined in the great celebration.

Abd Al Muttalib
And his son
Abdullah
004

Back Cover
Sub-Titles
The Vision of Abd Al Muttalib

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The Discovery of Zamzam
The Treasure of Zamzam
Abd Al Muttalib Takes a Vow
The Sacrifice
Abdullah’s Female Relatives
The Wise Woman of Yathrib
The Sacrifice of 100 Camels
The Ransom is Accepted