Gardens of the Righteous — Page 317
RIYADH AS-SALIHIN 317 alone (or if she had not filled her water-skin with it) Zam Zam would have become a running spring for us). So she drank of it and gave suck to the child. . The angel said to her: Be not afraid of perishing for here is the site on which this boy and his father shall build a House for Allah and Allah will not let those around it perish. The site of the House was a little higher than the surrounding earth like a dome. When rainwater came it passed on its right or on its left. . Ishmael and his mother continued thus till a group of the tribe Jurhum coming by way of Kada'a encamped below the site of Mecca. They observed a bird circling round and round and said: This bird is circling over water. . We have been passing through this valley over a period and there was no water in it. So they sent one or two men to investigate and they came upon the water and returned and told them of it. They all went and found Ishmael's mother near the water. They said to her: Will you permit us to make our camp near you? She said: Yes, but you will have no right over the water. They agreed. (Ibn Abbas relates that the Holy Prophet said: Ishmael's mother got her wish, for she had wanted company). So they made camp there and sent for their families who joined them and they were quite a number of households. . Ishmael grew up and learnt Arabic from them. He was handsome and was everybody's favourite. When he came of age they gave him one of their own daughters in marriage. Ishmael's mother died and Abraham came after. Ishmael's marriage and was looking for something which he had left behind but not finding Ishmael he inquired from his wife about him. She said: He has gone out to get (or hunt) provision for us. Then he asked her about their life and condition and she told him: We are in evil case. We live a life of straitness and privation; and she made other complaints. He said to her: When your husband comes home, convey my greetings to him and tell him that he should change the sill of his door. When Ishmael returned he perceived something in the atmosphere and asked his wife: Did anyone come to see you? She said:. Yes, such and such an old man came and asked me about you and I told him, and he asked me how we were carrying on and I told him we were hard up. He asked: Did he leave a message? She answered: Yes. He told me to convey his greetings to you and to tell you to change your door-sill. Ishmael said: This was my father, and he has directed me that I should part with you. So go back to your people. Then he divorced her and married another woman from among them. . Abraham kept away from them for a while and then visited them. But again he did not find Ishmael at home and asked his wife about him. She told him:. He has gone out to find provision for us. He asked her how they were carrying on and inquired about their condition and circumstances. She said: We are well off; and praised Allah. He asked: What is your food? She said: Meat. He asked: What is your drink? She answered: Water. He supplicated: Allah bless their meat and their water. (The Holy Prophet observed: They had no grain at the time, for if they had grain he would have blessed that also. That is why no