Life of Muhammad — Page 43
sa 43 Many would show greater zeal, go forward and held the reins of the camel and insist on the Prophet's sa dismounting in front of their doors and entering their houses. Politely the Prophet sa would refuse saying, "Leave my camel alone. She is under the command of God; she will stop where God wants her to stop. " Ultimately it stopped on a site which belonged to orphans of the Ban u Najj a r tribe. The Prophet sa dismounted and said, "It seems that this is where God wants us to stop. " He made enquiries. A trustee of the orphans came forward and offered the site for the use of the Prophet sa. The Prophet sa replied that he would not accept the offer unless he were allowed to pay. A price was settled and the Prophet sa decided to build a mosque and some houses on it. This settled, the Prophet sa asked who lived nearest to the site. Ab u Ayy u b An sa r i ra came forward and said that his house was the nearest and that his services were at the Prophet's sa disposal. The Prophet sa asked him to prepare a room in his house for him. Ab u Ayy u b's ra house was double-storeyed. He offered to let the Prophet sa have the upper storey. But the Prophet sa preferred to have the lower storey for the convenience of his visitors. The devotion which the people of Medina had for the Prophet sa showed itself again. Ab u Ayy u b ra agreed to let the Prophet sa have the lower storey, but refused to go to sleep on a floor under which lived the Prophet sa. He and his wife thought it discourteous to do so. A pitcher of water was accidentally broken and water flowed on the floor. Ab u Ayy u b ra , fearing lest some water should drip through to the room occupied by the Prophet sa , took his quilt and with it dried up the water before any could drip through. In the morning he called on the Prophet sa and narrated the events of the night before, upon hearing which the Prophet sa agreed to occupy the upper storey. Ab u Ayy u b ra prepared meals and sent them up. The Prophet sa ate whatever he wanted and Ab u Ayy u b ra whatever remained. After a few days, others demanded a share in entertaining the Prophet sa. Until the Prophet sa