Chapter 3 : Abdul Muttalib and The Recovery of Zamzam Flashcards
What are some important events that occurred in the life of Abdul Muttalib before the birth of Prophet Muhammad
1) The Rediscovery of Zamzam
- The spring of Zamzam first gushed forth during the time of Prophet Ismail and Hajar
- The tribe of Jurhum were Pure Arabs from Yemen who had passed through Bakkah long before Prophet Ismail and Hajar’s arrival
- They had settled in the surrounding valleys and later with Hajar’s permission, relocated to the central part of the valley of Makkah
- Makkah’s scarce resources and harsh living conditions led the Jurhimites to abuse their position as keepers of the Holy Sanctuary
- Their injustices towards visitors did not sit well with Adnanian Arabs who with the help of the neighbouring tribe of Khuza’ah chased the Jurhimites out of Makkah
- However, before relinquishing nearly 2000 years of Makkan Rule, the Jurhimites razed the sanctuary and buried the well of Zamzam
- The Khuza’ah did not bother searching for Zamzam because other wells had since sprung up in the valley
- Far from upholding Abraham’s religion, their leader Amr Ibn Luhai imported an idol from Syria named Hubal and established it as the chief deity of Makkah
- Aside from idol worship, the tribe of Khuza’ah introduced a number of unusual religious practices explicitly referred to in the Quran :-
i) Dedication of certain portions of food, drink, cattle and crops to the Idols and Allah
” The pagans set aside for Allah a share of the crops and cattle He created, saying, “This ˹portion˺ is for Allah,” so they claim, “and this ˹one˺ for our associate-gods.” Yet the portion of their associate-gods is not shared with Allah while Allah’s portion is shared with their associate-gods. What unfair judgment! “
- Al-Quran 6:136
ii) Dedication of certain animals to the idols by sparing them from domesticated work
” They say, “These cattle and crops are reserved—none may eat them except those we permit,” so they claim. Some other cattle are exempted from labour and others are not slaughtered in Allah’s Name—falsely attributing lies to Him. He will repay them for their lies. “
- Al-Quran 6:138
- All these instances show that with the rise of Banu Khuza’ah, there was a decline in the Abrahamic Way
- Al Ya’qubi reports :-
” Abdul Muttalib saw in a dream as he slept in the Hijr-Ismail, that a figure approached him and said ‘ Stand O Father of Makkah and excavate Zamzam, the well of your great elder ( Prophet Ismail ) ‘ “
- Tarikh Al-Ya’qubu Volume 1, Page 246
- Abdul Muttalib and his oldest son Harith followed the instructions from the dream and uncovered the well
- They uncovered the treasures that had been buried ( 7 Swords, 7 Shields and 2 Gold Antelope Sculptures )
- Abdul Muttalib gave 1/5 of the treasure as charity and used the metal to fashion the doors to the Ka’bah and used the gold to gild the doors
- Imam Al-Sadiq reported that the Prophet said the following regarding Abdul Muttalib :-
” O Ali, Abdul Muttalib founded 5 traditions during the Jahiliyyah that God has carried over into Islam “ :-
i) He forbade sons from marrying their step mothers after their father’s deaths after which God revealed ‘ Do not marry the women whom your fathers had married ( Al-Quran 4:22 ) ‘
ii) He found a treasure and deducted 1/5 of it as charity after which God revealed ‘ Know that of whatever you gain, to God belongs a fifth ( Al-Quran 8:41 ) ( Khums ) ‘
iii) When he excavated Zamzam, he called it ‘ Water for the Pilgrims ‘ after which God revealed ‘ Do you consider those who provide water to the pilgrims and maintain the Sacred Mosque to be like those who believe in God and the Last Day ( Al-Quran 9:19 ) ‘
iv) Abdul Muttalib established that the retribution for murder would be 100 camels after which God carried over the same ruling in Islam
v) The Quraysh had no prescribed number of circuits for Tawaf so Abdul Muttalib decided that it would be 7 circuits after which God carried over the same ruling in Islam “
- The position of Abdul Muttalib is so great that Allah SWT endorses many of the practices of Abdul Muttalib and makes his practices the model / template for muslims to follow
- Despite this, many muslims ( Sunni ) consider Abdul Muttalib to be a disbeliever
- It is narrated by Al-Shaykh Al-Saduq that the Prophet said the following of Abdul Muttalib :-
” O Ali, Abdul Muttalib did not gamble, worship idols or eat from the offerings of the Gods. He used to say ‘ I follow the religion of my forebear Abraham ‘ “
- Al-Khisal, Page 132
- Al-Ya’qubi ( Sunni Scholar ) also wrote the following :-
” Abdul Muttalib used to believe in one God and he rejected the worship of idols. He founded certain traditions that the Messenger of God confirmed and the Quran corroborated. They are “ :-
i) That one must fulfill one’s oath
ii) That the retribution for a life is 100 camels
iii) That one may not marry a mahram relative
iv) That one must not enter other people’s houses from the back door
v) That a robber’s hand must be cut
vi ) That burying one’s daughter alive is forbidden
vii) The practice of Mubahalah
viii) That wine is forbidden
ix) That adultery is forbidden and punishable by law
x) That matters may be decided by lots
xi) That no one may circuit the Ka’bah naked
xii) That guests should be honoured
xiii) That a pilgrim must only pay for his pilgrimage with lawfully gotten money
xiv) That the sacred months be honoured
xv) That prostitutes be banished
The Quraysh used to say ‘ Abdul Muttalib is the second Abraham ‘ “
- Imam Al-Sadiq has narrated the following :-
” Abdul Muttalib will be raised on the Day of Resurrection as a nation unto himself. He will have the mark of the Prophets and the air of Kings “
- Al-Kafi Volume 1, Page 447
2) The Oath to Sacrifice one of his Sons
- When Abdul Muttalib rediscovers the well of Zamzam
- Naturally, he becomes the keeper of the well of Zamzam
- This gave him a lot of prestige and power
- Obviously, there was jealousy and tension from the people around him
- So Abdul Muttalib prayed to Allah to strengthen him by granting him 10 sons and he would sacrifice one ( Probably he knew that Ibrahim tried to sacrifice Ismail so he wanted to sacrifice also )
- During those days within those Tribal Culture, the bigger your family, the better your protection
- It has been narrated by Al-Shaykh Al-Saduq in his book Al-Khisal that Imam Al-Baqir said the following regarding Abdul Muttalib :-
” Abdul Al’-Muttalib had 9 sons so he vowed to sacrifice one if God were to grant him a 10th. When Abdullah was born, he could not muster the strength to kill him since the Messenger of God was in his loins. So he brought ten of his camels and drew lots between them and Abdullah but Abdullah’s lot was drawn. So he added 10 camels. Abdullah’s lot kept being drawn and he kept adding 10 camels. When the number of camels reached 100 camels, the camel’s lot was drawn. But Abdul Muttalib said guiltily ‘ I have not been fair with My Lord ‘ so he drew lots again twice more and both times the camel’s lot was drawn. So he said ‘ Now i know that My Lord is satisfied ‘. So he slaughtered the camels “
- Al-Khisal, Page 157
- It has been narrated by Al-Shaykh Al-Saduq in his book Oyoun Akhbar Al-Ridha that Imam Al-Ridha said the following :-
” Imam Al-Ridha was asked about the Prophet’s statement ‘ I am the son of the two who were nearly slaughtered ‘. He replied ‘ He means Ismail son of Abraham and Abdullah son of Abdul Muttalib ‘ “
” … as for the second, Abdul Muttalib had once clung to the ring on the door to the Ka’bah and begged God to grant him 10 sons and he vowed that he would sacrifice one of them whenever God answered his prayer. When their number reached 10, he said ‘ God has fulfilled his part, so by God, I shall fulfill mine ‘. So he gathered 10 of his sons in the Ka’bah and drew lots between them and he drew the lot of Abdullah, the father of the Messenger of God, who was his favourite son … “
” He drew a second and third time but each time Abdullah’s lot was drawn. So he took him and bound him and prepared to slaughter him. But Quraysh came together to prevent him … His daughter Atikah said ‘ Take those free range camels of yours that roam the sanctuary and draw lots between them and your son and give your Lord until he is satisfied … ‘ “
- Oyoun Akhbar Al-Ridha, Volume 2, Page 189 - 190
3) The Invasion of Makkah by the army of Abraha
- Will be explored further in the next chapter
