The Divinatory Arrow Falls On 'Abdullah

Ibn Ishaq says: It is told that 'Abdullah was the dearest of 'Abd-Al- Muttalib's sons to him. 'Abd-Al-Muttalib was of the opinion that if the arrow did not fall on 'Abdullah, it would be quite enough to satisfy and please him. 'Abdullah is the father of The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him].

When the arrow caster took the divinatory arrows to draw them, 'Abd- Al-Muttalib stood near Hubal and went on supplicating Allah. The arrows were cast, and the lot fell upon 'Abdullah. 'Abd-Al-Muttalib took him by his hand, along with the razer and went to the area between Isaf and Na'ilah to sacrifice him. But the Quraysh men stood and came towards him from their assemblies, and said: "What do you intend to do O 'Abd-Al-Muttalib?" he said: "I intend to sacrifice him." The Quraysh men said to him: "No, by Allah, you will never sacrifice him until you use up all possible ways to avoid it and thus become excusable to do so. If you do so, anyone will then bring his son to sacrifice. Then, how would the people survive?" Al-Mughirah Ibn 'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr Ibn Makhzum Ibn Yaqathah Ibn Murrah, along with all men of Quraysh said: "Do not do. You'd rather go with him to Hijaz, where there is a female foreteller having a companion from among the jinn, and ask her, and the matter will be up to you: if she tells you to sacrifice him, you may do if you so like; and if she tells you to do a thing which may be a way out for you, you could accept it."

They went to Madinah, and found her, as told, in Khaybar. They went to her, and 'Abd-Al-Muttalib told her the story about his vow, and she postponed her answer to the coming day, in order that she would ask her companion from among the jinn.

When they left her, 'Abd-Al-Muttalib went on supplicating Allah. In the coming morning, they went to her and she said: "The news has reached me. How much is the blood-money among you?" they said: "Ten camels", and it was really so. She said: "Then, return to your city and bring your companion ('Abdullah) and ten camels, and cast divinatory arrows on him and them: if the lot falls on your companions, add more camels until your Lord is satisfied; and if the lot falls upon the camels, sacrifice them on his behalf, because in this case your Lord will have been satisfied, and your companion ('Abdullah) saved." '

'Abdullah Is Saved From Being Slain 

They went back to Makkah, and when they decided to carry out the measure, 'Abd-Al-Muttalib stood to supplicate Allah, and they brought 'AbduUah besides ten camels, while 'Abd-Al-Muttalib was standing near Hubal, supplicating Allah. They drew the arrows, which fell on 'Abdullah. They rose the number of the camels to twenty, and 'Abd-Al-Muttalib stood supplicating Allah near Hubal, and when they cast the arrows, the lot fell once again on 'Abdullah. They continued to add ten camels each time and draw the arrows which, in turn, did not fail to fall on 'Abdullah, until when they rose up to one hundred, while 'Abd-Al-Muttalib was standing near Hubal to supplicate Allah, and the arrows were drawn, the lot fell on the camels. On that the Quraysh men and the attendants said: "Now, your lord has been fully satisfied O 'Abd-Al-Muttalib."

They told that 'Abd-Al-Muttalib did not accept it before casting the arrows thrice (by way of confirmation). They did accordingly, and each time, the lot fell on the camels. Finally, the camels were slaughtered and left, and none was kept off them, be he a man or an animal.

Ibn Ishaq says: Then, 'Abd-Al-Muttalib took hold of the hand of his son 'Abdullah, and left. On the way, they passed by a woman'¹} belonging to Banu Asad Ibn 'Abd-Al-'Uzza Ibn Qusayy Ibn Kilab Ibn Murrah Ibn Ka'b Ibn Mu'ai Ibn Ghalib Ibn Fihr, the sister of Waraqah Ibn Nawfal Ibn Asad Ibn 'Abd-Al-'Uzza, and she was standing near the Ka'bah. Looked at his face, she said to him: "Where will you go O 'Abdullah?" he said: "I will go wherever my father likes." She said: "I will give you as much as is equal to the number of those camels which were slain on your behalf, provided that

'Abdullah Marries Aminah Bint Wahb 

'Abd-Al-Muttalib took him to Wahb Ibn 'Abd Manaf Ibn Zuhrah IbnKilab Ibn Murrah Ibn Ka'b Ibn Lu'ayy Ibn Ghalib Ibn Fihr, a duly chief of Banu Zuhrah in ancestry and honor. He married him to his daughter Aminah Bint Wahb, the best of the Quraysh's women at that time, in family status and position. Her modier is Barrah Bint 'Abd-Al-'Uzza Ibn 'Uthman Ibn 'Abd-Ad-Dar Ibn Qusayy Ibn Kilab Ibn Murrah Ibn Ka'b Ibn Lu'ayy Ibn Ghalib Ibn Fihr. Her (Aminah's) grandmother is Umm Habib Bint Asad Ibn 'Abd-Al-'Uzza Ibn Qusayy Ibn Kilab Ibn Murrah Ibn Ka'b Ibn Lu'ayy Ibn Ghalib Ibn Fihr.

It is told that when he wedded her, he consummated marriage with her where he was, and had sexual intercourse with her, with the result that she became pregnant of The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him]. Then, when he came out and left her and passed by the woman who had previously offered herself to him, he said to her: "What is the matter with you that you do not offer to me the same you had already offered yesterday?" she said: "You have lost the light you had yesterday, and now, I have no need for you (without it)." She had already heard from her brother Waraqah Ibn Nawfal, who had been Christianized and adopted the Scripture, that a Prophet would appear in this ummah.

Ibn Ishaq says: I was told that 'Abdullah entered upon a girl belonging to him, after he had married Aminah Bint Wahb, with the traces of clay visible on him because of work, and invited her to his bed, and she delayed to come because of die traces of mud he had. He left her, washed off the traces of mud, and then took his direction to Aminah. On the way, he passed by that woman, who invited him to sleep with her, and he rejected. He entered upon Aminah and had sexual intercourse with her, as a result of which she became pregnant of Muhammad [peace be upon him]. Then, he came upon this woman who had the day before offered herself to him, and invited her to bed, but she replied: "No! When you passed by me earlier, you had brightness in between your eyes, and I invited you to bed, but you rejected. Then, you entered upon Aminah and (had sexual relation with her and ) she took it from you."

Ibn Ishaq says: It is told that this woman related that he came upon her with brightness in between his eyes, like the brightness of the horse. She said: "I invited him to have sexual relation with me, in the hope it would move to me, but he rejected. He then entered upon Aminah and what was said To Aminah When She Became Pregnant had sexual intercourse with her, as a result of which she became pregnant of The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him]."

The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him], in this way, had, among all of his people, the best ancestry and family status in honor and position, from the side of his father and mother.

What Was Said To Aminah When She Became Pregnant Of The Messenger Of Allah [Peace Be Upon Him]

It is told, and Allah knows best, that Aminah, the mother of The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him] related that when she became pregnant of The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him], she was visited by a visitant who said to her: "Verily, you have become pregnant of the chief of this ummah. So, once you deliver him, say, 'I seek refuge with (Allah) the One to protect him from the evil of every envier'. Then, name him Muhammad (praised more often)." Furthermore, when she became pregnant of him, she saw as if light came out of her, by which she could see the palaces of Busra, a territory in Sham.²

A short time later, Abdullah Ibn Abd-Al-Muttalib, the father of The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him], died, while Aminah, the mother of The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him] was still pregnant of him.

(1) Her name is Ruqayyah Bint Nawfal, the sister of Waraqah Ibn Nawfal. But according to the narration of Al-Bariqi from Hisham Ibn Al-Kalbi that her name is Fatimah Bint Murrah, the most beautiful and the chastest of women, and she read the Scriptures and saw the light of Prophediood in his ('Abdullah), thereupon invited him to have sexual intercourse with her. See Ar-Rawd Al-Anif, 1:180. you should have sexual relation with me now." He said: "I am in the company of my father, and could neitehr leave him nor disagree with him."

(2) Ibn Sa'd in At-Tabaqat, 1:98, 1:104; Ahmad in his Musnad, 5:262; Al-Haythami in Majma' Az-Zawa'id 8:224.