lived in Yathrib should be sought, and so 'Abd al-Muttalib took
his son and went to see if she could decide what to do. Some
of the Meccans went with them and when they got there the
woman asked, 'What is the price of a man's life?' They told
her, 'Ten camels', for at that time if one man killed another,
his family would have to give ten camels to the dead man's
family in order to keep the peace among them. So the woman
told them to go back to the Ka’bah and draw lots between 'Abd
Allah and ten camels. If the camels were chosen, they were to
be killed and the meat given to the poor. If 'Abd Allah was
picked then ten more camels were to be added and the lots
drawn again and again until they finally fell on the camels.
‘Abd al-Muttalib returned to the Ka’bah with his son and the
people of Mecca. There they started to draw lots between ‘Abd Allah
and the camels, starting with ten camels. ‘Abd al-Muttalib prayed to
Allah to spare his son and everyone waited in silence for the result.
The choice fell on ‘Abd Allah, so his father added ten more camels.
Again the choice fell on ‘Abd Allah, so they did the same thing again
and again, adding ten camels each time. Finally they reached one
hundred camels, and only then did the lot fall on the camels. ‘Abd
Allah was saved and everyone was very happy. 'Abd al-Muttalib
however, wanted to make sure that this was the true result so he
repeated the draw three times and each time it fell on the camels.
He then gave thanks to Allah that He had spared ‘Abd Allah's life.
The camels were sacrificed and there was enough food for the
entire city, even the animals and birds. 'Abd Allah grew up to be a
handsome young man and his father eventually chose Aminah, the
daughter of Wahb, as a wife for him. It was a good match for she
was the finest of Quraysh women and 'Abd Allah the best of the
men. He spent several months with his wife but then he had to
leave her and travel with one of the caravans to trade with Syria.
On his way back to Mecca from Syria 'Abd Allah became ill and had
to stop off in Yathrib to recover. The caravan, however, continued
on its way and arrived back in Mecca without him. On hearing of
'Abd Allah's illness, ‘Abd al-Muttalib sent another son, al-Hareth, to
bring 'Abd Allah back to Mecca, but he was too late.
When he arrived in Yathrib ‘Abd Allah was dead. Aminah was
heart-broken to lose her husband and the father of the child she
would soon give birth to. Only Allah knew that this orphan child
would one day be a great Prophet.
his son and went to see if she could decide what to do. Some
of the Meccans went with them and when they got there the
woman asked, 'What is the price of a man's life?' They told
her, 'Ten camels', for at that time if one man killed another,
his family would have to give ten camels to the dead man's
family in order to keep the peace among them. So the woman
told them to go back to the Ka’bah and draw lots between 'Abd
Allah and ten camels. If the camels were chosen, they were to
be killed and the meat given to the poor. If 'Abd Allah was
picked then ten more camels were to be added and the lots
drawn again and again until they finally fell on the camels.
‘Abd al-Muttalib returned to the Ka’bah with his son and the
people of Mecca. There they started to draw lots between ‘Abd Allah
and the camels, starting with ten camels. ‘Abd al-Muttalib prayed to
Allah to spare his son and everyone waited in silence for the result.
The choice fell on ‘Abd Allah, so his father added ten more camels.
Again the choice fell on ‘Abd Allah, so they did the same thing again
and again, adding ten camels each time. Finally they reached one
hundred camels, and only then did the lot fall on the camels. ‘Abd
Allah was saved and everyone was very happy. 'Abd al-Muttalib
however, wanted to make sure that this was the true result so he
repeated the draw three times and each time it fell on the camels.
He then gave thanks to Allah that He had spared ‘Abd Allah's life.
The camels were sacrificed and there was enough food for the
entire city, even the animals and birds. 'Abd Allah grew up to be a
handsome young man and his father eventually chose Aminah, the
daughter of Wahb, as a wife for him. It was a good match for she
was the finest of Quraysh women and 'Abd Allah the best of the
men. He spent several months with his wife but then he had to
leave her and travel with one of the caravans to trade with Syria.
On his way back to Mecca from Syria 'Abd Allah became ill and had
to stop off in Yathrib to recover. The caravan, however, continued
on its way and arrived back in Mecca without him. On hearing of
'Abd Allah's illness, ‘Abd al-Muttalib sent another son, al-Hareth, to
bring 'Abd Allah back to Mecca, but he was too late.
When he arrived in Yathrib ‘Abd Allah was dead. Aminah was
heart-broken to lose her husband and the father of the child she
would soon give birth to. Only Allah knew that this orphan child
would one day be a great Prophet.