The Camel Given In Charity

The Camel Given In Charity

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.