The well of Zamzam, which disappeared when the Arabs placed idols at the Kab'ah, remained buried under the sand.Thus, for many years the people of Quraysh had to fetch their water form far away.One day Abd al-Mutalib was very tired from doing this and fell asleep next up Zamzam.When he woke up he was puzzled because he did know what Zamzam was, the well having disappeared many years before he was born. The next day he had the same dream, but this time he was told where to find the well.
Abd al-Mutalib had one son at that time, and together they began to dig. The work was so difficult that Abd al-Mutalib made an oath to Allah that if one day he were to have 10 sons to help him and stand by him, in return he would sacrifice one of the in Allah's honour. After working for three days they finally found the well of Zamzam. Pilgrims have been drinking from it ever since.
The years passed and Abd al-Mutalib did have ten son. They grew into fine, strong men and the time came for him to keep his promise to Allah. He told his sons about the promise and they agreed that he had to sacrifice one of them. To see which one it would be, they decided to draw lots, which was the custom of Quraysh when deciding important matters. Abd -al-Mutalib told each son to get an arrow and write his own name upon it and then bring it to him. This they did after which he took the to the Kab'ah where there was man whose special task it was to cast arrows and pick one form among them. This man solemnly proceeded to do this. On the arrow he chose was written the of Abd Allah the youngest and the most favourite son of Abd-al-Mutalib. Even so the father took his son near the Kab'ah and prepared to sacrifice him.
Many of Quraysh leaders were present and they became very angry because Abd Allah was very young and much loved by every one. They tried to think of a way to save his life. Someone suggested that the advice of wise old woman who lived in Yathrib should be sought, and so Abd-al-Mutalib took his son and went to see if she could decide what to do. Some of the people of Makkah went with them and when they got there the woman asked, "What is the price if a man's life?"
They told her. "Ten camels", for at that time if one man killed another, his family would have to give ten camels to dead's man family in order to keep the peace among them. So the woman told them to go back to the Kab'ah and draw lots between Abd Allah and Camels. If the camels were chosen, they were to killed and the meat given to the poor. If Abd Allah ws picked then ten more camels were to be added and the lots drwan again and again until they finally fell on the camels.
Abd al-Mutalib returned to the Kab'ah with his son and the people of Makkah. There the started to draw lots between Abd Allah and camels,starting with ten camels. Abd al-Mutalib prayed to Allah to spare his son and everyone waited in silence for the result. The choice fell on Abd Allah, so they did the same thing again and again, adding ten camels each time. Finally they reached one hundered camels, and only then did the lot fall on the camels.
Abd Allah was saved and everyone was very happy. Abd al-Mutalib , however, wanted to make sure that this was the true result so he repeated the draw three times and each time it fell on the camels. He then gave thanks to Allah that He had spared Abd-Allah's life. The camel were sacrificed and there was enough food for the entire city, even for animal and birds.
Abd-Allah grew up to be a handsome young man and his father eventually chose Aminah, the daughter fo Wahb, as a wife for him. It was good match, for She was the finest of Quraysh women and Abd-Allah the best of the men. He spent several months with his wife in but then he had to leaver her and travel with one of the caravans to trade with Syria. On his way back to Makkah form Syria Abd-Allah became ill and had to stop off in Yathrib to recover. The caravan, however, continued on its way and arrived back in Makkah without him. On hearing of
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