12.6 Umm Mabad
They journeyed on, until they reached the camp of Umm Mabad, a good woman who used to feed people and give them water to drink, a very important thing for travelers in the desert. But on that day Umm Mabad had nothing to offer. They asked for some dates but she had none. They asked for a little milk but her husband had taken all the strong goats out to pasture and those left were too weak to go out or give milk. Mohamed asked for permission to milk one of them and she said, "As you please." So he put his hand on the goat's back and said, "In the name of Allah." Then he began to milk it. Milk flowed. He gave the first bowl to Umm Mabad in spite of her protests, the second to Abu Bakr, and third to the guide. He was the last to drink. Then he milked the second goat in this manner and left Umm Mabad with bowls full of milk. When her husband came home he was amazed to see the bowls of milk, for he had left behind only the goats too feeble to go to pasture or give milk. So he asked her where it had come from. She said, "I saw a blessed man who came here with two of his friends. His face was luminous like a full moon, his expression serene. When he is quiet, there is a strange dignity about him, when he speaks his words are like sprinkled pearls. His friends obey his every wish and listen to his every word." "Ah," said the husband, "this is the man Quraysh are looking for. Had I been here when he came, I would have entered into Islam." "And why not now? Let us follow him to Yathrib and enter into Islam." So they followed the Prophet to Yathrib. Both became good Muslims. Umm Mabad's brother also entered into Islam, fought for it, and died a martyr. |
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