The Sacrifice of One Hundred Camels

Abd al-Muttalib was given this command when he had already forgotten his vow.

First he was told in a dream, “Fulfill your vow.”

He slaughtered a ram and fed the poor.

Then he saw another dream in which he was told, “Offer something greater.”

This time he slaughtered a bull.

The same command came again: “Offer something greater.”

Now he slaughtered a camel.

Then he saw another dream: “Offer something greater.”

He asked, “What is greater than this?”

He was told:

“Sacrifice one of your sons, just as you vowed.”

Now he remembered his vow.

He gathered his sons and told them about it.

Everyone lowered his head. Who would willingly allow himself to be sacrificed?

At last Abdullah said:

“Father, sacrifice me.”

He was the youngest of them. He was also the most handsome, and Abd al-Muttalib loved him more than all the others.

Therefore Abd al-Muttalib decided to draw lots.

The names of all his sons were written down, and the lot was cast.

Abdullah’s name came out.

He took a knife, grasped Abdullah by the arm, and laid him down to sacrifice him.

As soon as the father laid his son down, Abbas could not control himself. He rushed forward and pulled his brother away. He himself was still young at that time.

The father pulled Abdullah back. During this struggle, scratches appeared on Abdullah’s face, and those marks remained until the end of his life.

Meanwhile, some people from Banu Makhzum arrived and said:

“Do not sacrifice your son in this way. His mother’s life will be ruined. Offer a ransom in order to please your Lord.”

Now the question was: What should be offered as the ransom?

They suggested this method:

On one piece of paper, write ten camels. On another, write the name Abdullah.

If the paper with ten camels was drawn, ten camels would be sacrificed. If the paper bearing Abdullah’s name was drawn, another ten camels would be added.

Then the paper for twenty camels and the paper bearing Abdullah’s name would be placed together.

If the twenty-camel paper was drawn, twenty camels would be sacrificed. Otherwise another ten camels would be added.

In this way the number of camels would continue increasing by ten each time.

Abd al-Muttalib did exactly that.

The number of camels was increased by ten and then ten again.

Every time Abdullah’s name was drawn.

This continued until the number of camels reached one hundred.

Only then was the paper for the camels drawn.

Thus one hundred camels were sacrificed in exchange for his life.

Abd al-Muttalib was now completely satisfied that Allah had accepted the sacrifice of one hundred camels in place of Abdullah.

He sacrificed one hundred camels near the Ka‘bah and did not prevent anyone from eating from them.

Human beings, animals, and birds all ate from them.

Imam al-Zuhri says that Abd al-Muttalib was the first man to establish the custom of setting the value of a human life at one hundred camels.

Before that, ten camels were given.

Afterward this practice continued throughout Arabia. It became like a law that the ransom for a human being was one hundred camels.

When this was mentioned to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, he confirmed this ransom as correct.

For this reason, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

“I am the son of the two sacrificed ones,” meaning Prophet Ismail and Abdullah.

Abdullah was the most handsome man among Quraysh. His face was radiant like a shining star.

Many girls of Quraysh wanted to marry him, but Abdullah married Aminah.

Aminah was the daughter of Wahb ibn Abd Manaf ibn Zuhrah.

At the time of the marriage, Abdullah was eighteen years old.

He was going with his father for the marriage when, on the way, they saw a woman sitting near the Ka‘bah.

This woman was the sister of Waraqah ibn Nawfal.

Waraqah ibn Nawfal was one of the great scholars of Quraysh.

His sister had heard from Waraqah ibn Nawfal that the final Prophet was about to appear, and one of the signs would be that the face of his father would shine with the light of prophethood.

As soon as she saw Abdullah, this thought came into her mind.

She thought that perhaps this was the man who would become the father of the coming Prophet.

Therefore she said:

“If you marry me, I will give you as many camels in return as were slaughtered for your life.”

He replied:

“I am with my father. I cannot do anything against his wishes. I cannot separate myself from him. My father is an honored man and the chief of his people.”

In any case, he married Aminah.

Among the women of Quraysh, she was the most distinguished in lineage and status.

Aminah came to the house of Abdullah.

She said:

“When I became pregnant, someone came to me, meaning an angel came in human form. At that time I was between wakefulness and sleep, in a state of drowsiness.

“He said to me, ‘Do you know that you are going to become the mother of the leader of this community and the mother of a Prophet?’

“Then he came again when the birth of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was near.

“This time he said, ‘When you give birth, say: I seek Allah’s protection for this child from the evil and harm of every jealous person.

“‘Then name the child Muhammad, because his name in the Torah is Ahmad, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth praise him, while in the Qur’an his name is Muhammad, and the Qur’an is his Book.’”

(Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah)

According to another narration, the angel said to her:

“You are going to become the mother of the leader of the age. The sign of this child will be that a light will appear with him, filling the palaces of Syria and Busra.

“When the child is born, name him Muhammad, because in the Torah his name is Ahmad, whom the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth praise, and in the Gospel his name is Ahmad, whom the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth praise, while in the Qur’an his name is Muhammad.”

(Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah)

The light that had shone in the face of Abdullah came to appear in the face of Aminah after the marriage.

Imam al-Zuhri says that al-Hakim narrated and declared this report authentic: The Companions said to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:

“O Messenger of Allah, tell us something about yourself.”

He replied:

“I am the prayer of my father Ibrahim, the glad tidings of my brother Isa, and the good news. When I was in my mother’s womb, she saw as though a light had emerged from her, by which the palaces of Busra in Syria were illuminated.”

Aminah said to Halimah al-Sa‘diyyah:

“This child of mine has an extraordinary status. When he was in my womb, I did not feel any heaviness or tiredness.”

Prophet Isa, peace be upon him, was the final prophet to announce the coming of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

This glad tiding is also mentioned in the Qur’an.

Allah says in Surah al-Saff:

“And remember when Isa, son of Maryam, said, ‘O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah sent to you, confirming the Torah that came before me, and giving you good news of a messenger to come after me whose name will be Ahmad.’”

Since Prophet Isa, peace be upon him, had already given this glad tiding, people in every age were eagerly awaiting the coming of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

Meanwhile, before his birth, Abdullah passed away.

One of the signs of his prophethood mentioned in earlier scriptures was that his father would die before his birth.

Abdullah went with a commercial caravan for trade.

During the journey he became ill and returned in a weakened condition.

When the caravan passed through Madinah, Abdullah stayed with his maternal relatives, Banu Najjar.

His mother was from Banu Najjar.

He remained ill for one month and then died.

He was buried there.

When the caravan reached Makkah without Abdullah, Abd al-Muttalib learned that his son had become ill and was staying with his maternal family in Madinah.

He sent his son al-Zubayr to bring him back.

When al-Zubayr arrived there, Abdullah had already died.

In other words, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, came into this world a few months after the death of his father.