Wonderful story!
The Camel Given In Charity
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I would like to share this short Story with you which was narrated to us by Dr.
Saleh as-Saleh (May Allah Have Mercy upon him) in his room Understanding-
islam1. You can listen to the audio The Camel Given In Charity
The Sheikh began:
"Do you want hear this real story which took place here about a hundred years
ago. (In Saudi) Tayib. This is real! This is real!"
He continued:
"Bismilaahi Rahmaani Raheem. This story took place here about hundred years ago
and it was also broadcasted on the radio stations. It is about a man call Ibn
Jad'aan. He (Ibn Jad'aan) said how during Spring times he used to go out. He
would see good and healthy fat camels and their udders filled to the extent of
almost exploding. Whenever the little offspring (i.e. the calf) came close to
the mother camel, her milk would pour forth because of the great abundance of
blessings and abundance of goodness.
So I (Ibn Jad'aan) looked at one of my she camels with her calf and I
remembered my poor neighbour who had seven young daughters. So I said to
myself, by Allah I will give this camel and her calf as Sadaqah (charity) to my
neighbour - and he recited the Ayah where Allah said in (Surah Al-imraan: 92):
"By no means Shall you Attain piety righteousness unless you spend in Allah's
cause of which that you love"
And the most beloved from amongst my cattle, to me, is this she-camel. So I
took her along with her calf and knocked on the door of my neighbour. I told
him to accept it as a gift from me. I saw his face glooming with happiness and
he was unable to utter anything in response.
So he benefitted from its milk and used to load wood on its back, awaiting for
its offspring to grow up in order to sell them. Subsequently, he gained great
good from this camel.
After the spring had passed, the dry summer came with its drought, and so the
Bedouins began looking for water and grass. We gathered our belongings and left
our places looking for water and the duhool (plural of duhul) or 'holes' in the
earth, situated underground leading to water traps underneath the ground. Their
openings are on top of the ground, as the Bedouins know of very well.
I (i.e. Ibn Jad'aan) entered into one of these holes so as to bring some water
to drink...
Dr Saleh continued: "and his (Ibn Jad'aan's) three sons were waiting for him
outside the hole. However he did not return. His three sons waited for him for
one, two and three days and finally became hopeless.
They said maybe he was stung by a snake and died or he was lost under the earth
and destroyed. They (and we seek refuge in Allah from this) waited for his
destruction. Why? Due to greed in order to distribute his inheritance.
So they returned home and divided what he had left, amongst themselves. Then
they remembered that their father (Ibn Jad'aan) gave a she-camel to their poor
neighbour. They went to their neighbour and told him that it is better that he
give them back the she-camel and take another camel in replace of it, otherwise
they will take it by force and he will be left with nothing.
The neighbour complained that he would report them to their father. So they
informed him that he had died. He inquired as to how and where Ibn Jad'aan had
died, and why they hadn't told him. They then explained how he entered into one
of these holes underground in the desert and did not come out.
The neighbour said: " By Allah take me to this place and take your she-camel
and do whatever you do with it and I don't want your camel in return!"
They took him and when he saw the place, he went and brought a rope, lit a
candle, tied it outside the duhul (the hole) and then stepped into it crawling
on his back until he reached the places whereby he could crawl and roll.
Eventually the smell of moisture became closer and then all of sudden he heard
the sound of a man by the water groaning and moaning.
He went closer and closer towards this sound in the darkness putting his hand
out all over until his hand fell onto the man (Ibn Jad'aan). He checked his
breath and he was still breathing after one week! He pulled him out covering
his eyes so as to protect him from the sunlight. He took with him some dates,
moistened them in water and gave it to him to drink.
He then carried him on his back and took him to his house and life gradually
return to this man whilst his sons didn't know. He then asked him: "Tell me, by
Allah, one week while you were underground and you didn't die?!"
"I will tell you something strange..." Ibn Jidaan explained: "...when I went
down there I got lost and waves took me from all directions and I said to
myself I'd better stay close to this water that I have reached. So I started to
drink from it, but hunger had no mercy and water does not suffice. Then after
three days hunger intensified on me and took me from all parts. While I was
lying on my back I surrendered myself to Allah and put all my affairs in his
hands and all of the sudden I felt the warmth of milk pouring onto my mouth. So
I sat in the midst of the darkness and I saw a pot coming closer to my mouth. I
drank from it until I took from what is sufficient and then it would go! This
occurred three times in the day but the last two days it stopped and I didn't
know what happened."
His neighbour then informed him:
"If you know the reason you will be amazed! Your sons thought you had died and
they came to me and took away the she-camel which Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Aala)
was giving you from its milk!"
The Muslim is in the shade of his Sadaqah (Charity). Allah stated in (Surah
At-Talaaq: 2,3): "...and whoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to him, he will
make a way for him to get out (from every difficult)" and "...and he will
provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And who ever puts his trust
in Allah, then he will suffice him".
The True meaning of Life is to Plant Trees under whose shade you do not Expect
to Sit.
