Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 140
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 140 Prophet, peace be on him, directed, ‘Leave my camel free, it is under divine direction. ’ It continued to advance and then sat down, but rose immediately and went a few steps forward and then returned and sat down on the spot where it had sat down first. On this, the Holy Prophet observed, ‘Allah desires that this should be my dwelling place. ’ He then dismounted and inquired whose house was nearest. Abu Ayub Ansari came forward and submitted, ‘Messenger of Allah, that is my house and that is my door. You are most welcome. ’ He responded, ‘Well then, go and prepare some place for my stay. ’ Abu Ayub went and, having made his arrangements, returned within a few minutes and the Holy Prophet accompanied him into the house. It was a two - storey house and Abu Ayub sug gested that the Holy Prophet should stay in the upper storey, but he preferred the ground floor so that people should have easy access to him. During the night Abu Ayub and his wife could get little sleep as they were disturbed by the idea that they were a bove the Holy Prophet, so next morning Abu Ayub respectfully insisted that the Holy Prophet should move to the upper storey and he yielded to his supplications. He continued to reside with Abu Ayub for several months till the construction of the mosque and his own quarters was completed. Abu Ayub took his food up to the Holy Prophet, and he and his wife subsisted on the leftovers. Often food was sent for the Holy Prophet by other Muslims, among whom the name S’ad bin Ubadah, chief of Khazraj, has been speci ally mentioned in biographies. Um Saleem, a widow, was a devoted Muslim who had a ten - year - old son, Anas bin Malik. She brought him to the Holy