Moral Pattern Par-Excellence (Part 3)

Al Amin: The Embodiment of Uprightness

By M. Y. K.

In the last instalment we had a glimpse of the high esteem the Prophet Muhammad (God’s peace be upon him), long before he received the Divine Call, enjoyed among the populace as a man of unique integrity for which he was nick-named Al-Amin or the Trustworthy. Today we would recall certain incidents from his life to show how punctilious he was about keeping his word and fulfilling obligations reposed in him in the smallest details of daily life as well as in most critical moments when life and death seemed to hang in the balance.

It is related that once in his pre-prophetic span of life, the Prophet ﷺ entered into some bargain with one Abdullah, who seating him on the spot, went away, promising shortly to return to settle accounts. When, however, he was gone, he got so entangled in other things, that the matter got clean out of his mind and it was not before three full days had passed that the thought came back to him. Forthwith, he rushed to the spot in search of the Prophet ﷺ and to his surprise, he found the Prophet ﷺ waiting for him there, all this time. A promise was a promise and had to be kept at all costs. It was a small matter. The Prophet ﷺ could have gone away, thinking the man had forgotten all about it. But word once given was as good as a bond with the Prophet ﷺ and had to be honoured no matter what happened.

Once it so happened that the Mekkans decided to reconstruct their sacred temple, the Kaaba which was in a dilapidated condition. All that was left of this ancient house of worship were some remnants of the four compound walls, about six feet in height. The roof was altogether gone. The plight it was reduced to was something like our present-day Eidgahs, with enclosure walls and no shelter overhead. Situated as it was on a low locality all the water from the town drained toward it. An embankment had been constructed to protect it but every time there came on a rush of water it gave way, and the building got damaged. It was consequently decided that whatever was left of the building should also be demolished and a more substantial structure erected instead. A merchantman, having accidently got wrecked at the port of Jedda, it provided the wooden material necessary for the contemplated edifice. The service of a Roman architect on board the doomed vessel was also secured. When all these elaborate arrangements had been completed, the Quraish who were the official custodians of this sacred House from times immemorial vied with one another in sharing the honour of lending a hand in the reconstruction. All the clans of this tribe conjointly undertook the work, each specifying a portion for itself. All went on smoothly until the time came for the black Stone to be set in its proper place in the building. This was a privilege which every clan coveted and would on no account give up in favour of any other. This led to a dispute which developed into a serious situation. Swords were drawn to settle the issue, and every clan swore that they would rather lay down their lives than forgo the privilege. For fourteen days the issue hanged fire and it was feared that it may lead to bloodshed. On the fifteenth day an aged man respected for his wisdom put forward a formula to resolve the dangerous deadlock. Whosoever should appear first the following morning within the compound of the Kaaba, he suggested, should be accepted as the sole arbitrator and his decision to be binding on all. The proposal was agreed to as the only way out of the impending bloodshed. The following morning the headmen of all clans gathered together at the premises of the Kaaba to watch for the first man to appear and their joy knew no bounds when it so turned up that the man who chanced to be the first to appear on the scene was none other than the one whom they had always acclaimed as a paragon of integrity. No sooner did this, youngish handsome man of tried integrity and good report made his appearance than a shout went up from all the assembled clans ”Al Amin! Here comes Al-Amin!”

The man who in the days to come was to don a Prophet’s mantle had been gifted with an abundant measure of wisdom. At a glance he saw the danger that lurked in the tense situation. And he was equal to the task. With a flash came to him the solution that would meet with the approval of all and ease the situation. He took a sheet of cloth, spread it on the ground, and placing the Black Stone in the centre, invited the chiefs of all clans to hold the sheet, and together raise the sacred Stone to its proper position in the wall. When it reached the right place, all holding it aloft, he took it out, and set it in the wall. Everybody participated in the honour and went away satisfied with this just and wise solution of the threatening crisis. What might have plunged the country into bloodshed was settled peacefully and amicably by the man who in the fulness of time was to give mankind a religion which alone reconciled the conflicting claims and sentiments of all religions and sections of mankind.

(The Light – November 8, 1958)