A Thousand Camels
(MUHAMMAD ARSALAN ILYAS, Karachi,pakistan)
In the times of Umar (Radiallahu
Anhu) there was a severe famine. All the people of Madinah were suffering due to
the shortage of food. A caravan made up of a thousand camels loaded with a large
stock of food grains belonging to Uthman (Radiallahu Anhu) arrived from Shaam
(Syria). Several merchants offered to buy all of it. He asked them what profit
they would pay. "Five per cent," they said. He answered that he could get higher
profit than that. They began to argue with him, saying that they did not know of
any merchant who would offer him more than their quote. He said to them, "I know
of one who repays a profit of more than seven hundred to a dirham (Arabian
currency)." He then recited the verse of the Noble Quran in which Allah Ta'ala
mentioned this profit. "The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way
of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each
ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases. And
Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower." (2:261).
"O traders! Bear witness with me that I donate all this to the poor people of
Madinah!" said Uthman (Radiallahu Anhu).
Source: Related by Shaikh Habibullah Mukhtaar in his book "Bringing Up Children
in Islaam" in the chapter of Generosity.
Dear readers, what ever we give for the sake of Allah is really ours and
whatever we keep with us will one day be someone else's. Let us follow the
footsteps of our Prophet and the pious Sahabah, with whom Allah was pleased
with, by helping the needy ones in this blessed month of Ramadan.