The Story of Jābir’s Camel on This Expedition

Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq said: Wahb ibn Kaysān related to me from Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh, who said:

I accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the expedition of Dhāt al-Riqāʿ from Nakhl, riding a feeble camel of mine. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ began the return journey, the troops pressed on ahead while I kept dropping back, until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ caught up with me and said,

“What is the matter, Jābir?”

I replied, “Messenger of Allah, this camel of mine is slowing me down.”

He said, “Make him kneel.”

So I made him kneel, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made his own mount kneel as well. Then he said, “Hand me that staff of yours,” or, “Cut me a stick from that tree.” I did so, and he took it and prodded the camel a few times. Then he said, “Mount!” I mounted, and—by Him who sent him with the truth—the camel began to keep pace with the Prophet’s she-camel, even vying with it.

He then asked, “Will you sell me this camel of yours, Jābir?”

I answered, “Rather, I give it to you as a gift.”

He said, “No, but sell it to me.”

I replied, “Then name your price.”

He said, “I have bought it for one dirham.”

I said, “No, Messenger of Allah—that would be a loss for me.”

He said, “Then for two dirhams.”

I said, “No.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ kept raising the offer until he reached one uqiyyah. I said, “Are you satisfied, Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “Then it is yours.” He said, “I have bought it.”

He then asked, “Jābir, have you married yet?”

I replied, “Yes, Messenger of Allah.”

He said, “To a virgin or to a previously married woman?”

I said, “To a previously married woman.”

He said, “Why not a young maiden so that you could play with her and she could play with you?”

I answered, “Messenger of Allah, my father was killed on the day of Uḥud and left seven daughters behind, so I married a matron who could gather their hair and look after them.”

He said, “You have done well, if Allah wills. When we reach Sirār we shall order a camel slaughtered, stay over its meat for the day, and when your wife hears of us she will shake out her cushions.”

I said, “By Allah, Messenger of Allah, we have no cushions.”

He said, “They will come. When you arrive, act wisely.”

When we reached Sirār, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered a camel slaughtered, and we stayed over its meat the entire day. When evening fell the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered (Madīnah) and we entered as well. I told my wife the story and what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said to me. She said, “Very well; hearing and obedience.”

The next morning I took hold of the camel’s head, led it until I made it kneel at the door of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and then sat in the mosque nearby. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out, saw the camel, and asked,

“What is this?”

They said, “Messenger of Allah, this is a camel Jābir has brought.”

He said, “Where is Jābir?” and I was summoned.

He said, “Nephew, take hold of your camel’s head; it is yours.”

He then called Bilāl and said, “Take Jābir and give him an uqiyyah.” I went with him, and he gave me an uqiyyah and added a little more.

By Allah, that amount kept increasing for me, and its place was known in our house, until it was lost only yesterday among the losses we suffered on the day of al-Ḥarrah.

The two Ṣaḥīḥs have both recorded this narration.