The life of the Prophet Muhammad - Ibn Kathir - volume 2 of 4

172 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Fuhayra, freed-man of Abii Bakr, and their guide 'Abd All& b. Urayqit
al-Laythi, passed by the two tents of Umm Ma'bad al-Khuza'iyya.
"Umm Ma'bad was a good, fearless, strong woman who would sit with her
legs drawn up, wrapped in her garment, at the entrance to the tent and give out
food and drink. They asked her whether she had any meat or milk they could
buy from her. But they obtained none from her and she told them, 'If we had
anything, you would not lack for hospitality, but our people are all out of provisions
and we've been suffering drought.'
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) noticed a goat at the side of her tent and said,
'What about that goat, Umm Ma'bad?' She replied, 'She's a goat left over from
the goats after the drought.' 'Does she give milk?' he asked. 'No, she's too dried
up for that,' she replied. 'Would you permit me to milk her?' he asked. 'If she
has any milk you can,' she replied.
"The Messenger of God (SAAS) called to the goat and stroked it, speaking
God's name, wiped her teat and again invoked God's name. Then he called for
a vessel large enough to satisfy them, and the goat opened its legs and milk
poured out in a copious flow until it was full. He gave (the vessel to) her to drink,
and then his Companions and thereafter they all had a second drink. When they
were all quenched, he drank too, saying, 'The one who pours drinks last!' He put
milk in it again, left it with her, and then they departed.
"He went on, 'Soon her husband, Aba Ma'bad, came home, leading emaciated
goats, staggering they were so weak, and their brains scarcely functioning. When
he saw the milk, he was amazed and said, 'Where did this milk come from, Umm
Ma'bad? We don't have a milch-camel and the goat has not been with a male.'
'Well, a man who was blessed came past us and seemed from his speech to be
such-and-such,' she replied. 'Describe him to me; I think he is that man the
Quraysh are looking for,' he told her.
"She replied, 'I saw him to be a man of evident cleanliness, fine in character,
his face handsome, slim in form, his head not too small, elegant and good looking,
his eyes large and black, his eyebrows long, his voice deep, very intelligent, his
eyelids brown, his brows high and arched, his hair in plaits, his neck long and his
beard thick. He gave an impression of dignity when silent and of high intelligence
when he talked. His logic was impressive, he was decisive, not trivial, not trite, his
ideas like pearls moving on their string. He seemed the most splendid and finelooking
man from a distance and the very best of all from close-by, medium in
height, the eye not finding him too tall nor too short. A tree-branch, as it were,
between two others, but he was the finest-looking of the three, the best proportioned.
He was the cenb-e of his companions' attention. When he spoke, they listened
well, and if he ordered, they hurried to obey, a man well helped, well
served, never sullen, never refuted.'
"He - her husband - commented, 'That, I swear, has to be that man Quraysh
are seeking. If I had chanced on him, I would have done my very best to follow
him.'