This is a glance into the life of two noble companions of the prophet SAW, father and son.
When Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr may Allah be pleased with him joined the Muslim army in the battle of Uhud, he left in Madeenah his son Jabir to take care of the family. Abdullaah may Allah be pleased with him had many daughters; he ordered his only son to take care of them, and did not allow him to join the fighters. The Muslims returned defeated from that battle and lost a great number of men. Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr may Allah be pleased with him was among the martyred.
Jabir may Allah be pleased with him was saddened by the news of his father’s death. He was a young man who did not reach twenty years of age. He was at a loss as to how to care for his sisters, and in addition pay back his father’s debts. He felt overburdened under this sudden responsibility. His worries did not go unnoticed by the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) who asked: “Why do I see you so sad?” Jabir may Allah be pleased with him replied: “My father was slain in Uhud (Battle of Uhud) and he left behind many children, and a large debt.” The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) comforted him by telling him that his father was among the martyrs and recited to him Allah’s Words (which means): {And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, …” [Quran 3:169]. His heart lightened when he heard these verses.
Jabir may Allah be pleased with him married a widow who was older than him, though he was a young man and could have married a young virgin, but he wisely thought that she could better help him raise his younger sisters. His worries were not over, for he still had to fulfill his father’s debt, especially that the creditors were knocking incessantly at his door and would not give him more time. His father left no wealth except a small palm grove; which would yield barely enough fruits to feed them. He thought that he would ask the Prophet’s help for he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) never refused to help him. Jabir may Allah be pleased with him said to the Prophet, sallal: “O Messenger of Allah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) people are knocking at my door asking me to pay my father’s debt, but he left only a small palm grove and the fruits of which will not fulfill even a part of the debt. Would you please come with me so that the creditors would not be harsh to me?” He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: “I will come soon, during the middle of the day. Go now and sort your dates.”
People rushed to Jabir may Allah be pleased with him as he was sitting in his garden sorting his dates. He asked them to wait for the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) who promised to assist him. Now when they heard the Prophet’s name mentioned, people refrained from talking, except for one Jew who refused to wait even a moment, saying: “I have nothing to do with Muhammad. Pay me right now!” As the sun approached the zenith, they saw the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) coming hurriedly, sweat dripping from his forehead. He asked the Jew: “Would you accept a part of the debt to be paid to you now and postpone the rest for next year?” “Never,” he said, and he tried to present different excuses. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) walked around the piled dates and invoked Allah’s blessing. Then he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said to Jabir may Allah be pleased with him: “Call them, and measure for them.” He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) stayed for a while then left. As for Jabir may Allah be pleased with him he kept measuring the dates to his creditors until he fulfilled all the debts his father owed, and to his great amazement the piles of dates were still so high as if he did not take anything from them! He could barely believe his eyes.
Jabir may Allah be pleased with him returned home and related what has happened to his wife. “Allah has fulfilled my father’s debt. I would have been very content if I would have paid all the debt and not a single date remained for us, but by Allah’s grace, we still have most of our harvest!”
Jabir may Allah be pleased with him had missed many battles because his father would order him to take care of his sisters while he was with the fighters. But after his father’s death he had not missed any occasion to fulfill his duty of Jihad. One of the expeditions was especially dear to him, for a memorable event happened to him with the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) which he never tired to tell again and again. They were returning from the battle of Thatur-Riqaa’ near the area of Najd. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) stopped for some time and lagged behind. While he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) was hastening his mount to reach his companions, he saw Jabir may Allah be pleased with him on his red camel at the end of the convoy. The camel was trotting slowly, and Jabir may Allah be pleased with him was hitting it vigorously with a stick, but it refused to speed up. “What is wrong, Jabir?” asked the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ). “My camel is so slow I am lagging behind.” Said Jabir may Allah be pleased with him. “Give me the stick and hold on to your mount.” The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said. He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) hit the camel lightly with the stick, and as soon as he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) did, it sprang and run as if a new life was given to it. Jabir may Allah be pleased with him reached the head of the convoy, under the incredulous eyes of his friends who asked him what has happened to his camel. The sight of Jabir may Allah be pleased with him who could barely hold himself on his camel who was outpacing all the other camels, amused the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ). “How do you find your camel now?” he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) asked him. “In the best condition,” he replied, “your blessing has reached it and I have never seen it run as fast as today.” “Would you sell it to me?” asked the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ). “I will gladly give it to you as a gift,” Jabir may Allah be pleased with him said. “No but rather sell it to me.” “I agree if you set the price,” he said “Then I’ll buy it for one Dirham!” said the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ). “Do you give me much less than its value?” he said, “Then two Dirhams,” but he refused. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) kept increasing the price until he offered to buy it for one oke (a unit of weight) of gold. Jabir may Allah be pleased with him said: “I owe a man one oke of gold, so I will sell it to you and pay my debt.” The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) reached out to take hold of the camel, but Jabir may Allah be pleased with him said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have a last condition: that you let me ride it until we reach Madeenah.” He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) smiled and said: “You may ride it until Madeenah.” He rode alongside the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) holding the camel’s reins to slow it down, while the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) kept saying: “O Allah, forgive Jabir all his sins”.
The next day when they reached Madeenah, Jabir may Allah be pleased with him went to the Prophet’s mosque to hand him over his camel. When he saw the camel, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) smiled and held it by its reins and walked around with it saying: “So the camel is ours.” Then he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said to Bilal may Allah be pleased with him: “Give him one oke of gold and then some more.” Jabir may Allah be pleased with him left the mosque quiet content with the deal, looking forward to bring the news to his wife, when he heard someone calling him: “The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) wants you back.” He may Allah be pleased with him said to himself: “I hope the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) is happy with his camel.” When the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) saw Jabir may Allah be pleased with him and asked him: “Are you happy with the price?” “Yes, and may Allah reward you for the additional money.” “Then take hold of your camel, it is yours,” said the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ). “How come, O Messenger of Allah, the camel is rightly yours, for I received its price!” “The money and the camel are yours,” said the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ). Then he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) tapped Jabir may Allah be pleased with him on the shoulder and said: “Did you think that I bargained with you to take your camel away from you? It was not my intention!” Jabir may Allah be pleased with him thanked the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) for his great generosity and his gentleness, and left home bursting with joy.
Jabir may Allah be pleased with him related what has happened to his wife. She laughed for a long time, then said: “I was expecting that from the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ).” Jabir may Allah be pleased with him said: “I have felt the same way when the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) was bargaining with me.”
Jabir may Allah be pleased with him took great care of his camel for it became so dear to him after this event. The camel was at his service during the time of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) and the Caliph Abu Bakr may Allah be pleased with him after him, and then when it got old the Caliph told him to let it graze with the flock of camels of charity and roam freely in the grazing lands.
That was the story of Jabir may Allah be pleased with him and his camel, a story that highlights not only the camaraderie of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) with his companions, but also his great leniency and generosity, and the great love they had for him.
May Allaah be pleased with Both of them, Aameen.
