English Translation

Abidah told us, al-Aswad ibn Qays told us, from Nubayh, from Jabir ibn Abdullah, who said: I lost my camel one night, and I passed by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was fastening something for Aishah. He said to me: "What is the matter, O Jabir?" I said: "I have lost my camel, or my camel has gone missing, on a dark night." He said to me: "This is your camel, go and take it." I went in the direction he indicated but did not find it. I returned to him and said: "O Prophet of Allah, I did not find it." He said to me: "This is your camel, go and take it." I went in the direction he indicated but did not find it. I returned to him and said: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Prophet of Allah, no, by Allah, I did not find it." He said to me: "Take it easy," until when he had finished, he took my hand and set off with me until we reached the camel, and he handed it to me, saying: "This is your camel." The people had already set off. So I was riding my camel at the rear of the procession - and it was a camel that had a slow gait. I said: "O the grief of my mother, that I should have nothing but a slow camel!" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was riding behind me and heard what I said. He caught up with me and said: "What did you say just now, O Jabir?" I had forgotten what I said, and said: "I didn't say anything, O Prophet of Allah." Then I remembered what I had said, and said: "O Prophet of Allah, I said, 'O the grief, that I should have nothing but a slow camel!'" The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, struck the camel's rear with a whip - his own or my whip - and it set off, going at the fastest or swiftest pace I had ever ridden, pulling at its halter against me. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me: "Will you sell me this camel of yours?" I said: "Yes." He said: "For how much?" I said: "For an uqiyyah." He said: "How generous! How many watering-camels for an uqiyyah!" I said: "O Prophet of Allah, there is no watering-camel in Madinah I would rather have in its place." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "I have taken it for an uqiyyah." I got down from the saddle to the ground. He said: "What is the matter?" I said: "Your camel." He said to me: "Ride your camel." I said: "It is not my camel, it is your camel now." He said: "We used to ask him to reconsider twice when he commanded us something, but when he commanded a third time, we would not ask again." So I rode the camel until I came to my paternal aunt in Madinah, and I said to her: "Have you not seen that I sold our watering-camel to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, for an uqiyyah?" I did not see her being pleased by that - it was an excellent watering-camel. Then I took some pounded leaves and fed it to him, then took hold of his halter and led him to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. I found the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, standing, speaking with a man. I said: "Here is your camel, O Prophet of Allah." He took hold of its halter, then called Bilal and said: "Weigh out an uqiyyah for Jabir, and give him full measure." So I went with Bilal, and he weighed out an uqiyyah for me and gave me full measure. I returned to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was still standing talking to that man, and I said to him: "He has weighed out an uqiyyah for me and given me full measure." While he was still like that, I went off to my house without him noticing. He called out: "Where is Jabir?" They said: "He has gone to his family." He said: "Catch up with him, bring him to me." His messenger came running to me, saying: "O Jabir, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, summons you." So I went to him, and he said: "Take your camel." I said: "It is not my camel, it is your camel, O Messenger of Allah." He said: "Take your camel." I said: "It is not my camel, it is your camel, O Messenger of Allah." He said: "Take your camel." So I took it. He said: "By my life, we did not benefit from you just to make you dismount from it." So I came to my paternal aunt with the watering-camel and the uqiyyah with me, and said to her: "What do you think - the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gave me an uqiyyah and returned my camel to me."