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Hadith 19: Jabir’s Marriage and Selling his Camel
Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah:
I went out with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on an expedition, but my camel delayed me. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and said to me: Jabir, I said: Yes. Allah's Messenger, (here I am at your beck and call) He said: What is the matter with you? I said: My camel has delayed me and is tired, so I have lagged behind. He (the Holy Prophet) got down and goaded it with a crooked stick and then said: Mount it. So I mounted and (to my great surprise) I saw it (moving so quickly that) I had to restrain it (from going ahead of) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He (the Holy Prophet) (in the course of journey said to me): Have you married? I said: Yes. He (again) said: Is it with a virgin or one previously married? I said. With one previously married, whereupon he (again) said: Why not with a young girl with whom you could sport and she could have sported with you? I said: I have sisters, so I preferred to marry a woman who could keep them together (as one family), who could comb them and look after them. He said: You are about to go (to your house), and there you have the enjoyment (of the wife's company). He again said: Do you want to sell your camel? I said: Yes. So, he bought it from me for one u'qiya (of silver), then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) arrived (at Medina) and I arrived in the evening. I went to the mosque and found him at the door of the mosque, and said: Is it now that you have arrived? I said: Yes, He said: Leave your camel, and enter (the mosque) and offer two rak'ahs. So I entered and offered two rak'ahs of prayer, and then returned. The Prophet (ﷺ) then commanded Bilal to weigh out one 'uqiya (of silver) tor me. Bilal weighed that out for me (lowering the scale of) balance. So I proceeded and as I turned my back he said: Call for me, Jabir. So I was called back, and I said (to myself): He would return me the camel, and nothing was more displeasing to me than it. He said: Take your camel and keep its price with you, (also).
Values
Fiqh:
1. It is permissible to ask to buy something which was not offered for sale, Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be upon Him) asked to buy the camel even though he was not offered for sale.
2. It is permissible to sell something and delay receiving the price.
3. Installment selling is permissible.
4. Selling goods have to be according to a certain price which was agreed upon between the seller and the buyer.
5. It is permissible for the seller to benefit from the sale after the sale has occurred and it is permissible to stipulate that on the buyer, because Jabir sold the camel on the road and delivered it upon arrival.
6. It is recommended to give full measure and weigh with justice.
7. It is permissible to increase the price by the buyer out of kindness.
8. It is permissible for the buyer to give the seller what he has bought from him as a gift.
9. It is permissible for the ruler to buy and sell with his citizens.
10. It is recommended to marry a virgin.
11. It is recommended to accept gifts and presents, and this increases the bonds of love between Muslims.
12. It is permissible to goad the riding animal with a stick so that it walks, without harming or torturing it.
Dawah Values:
1. The leader or dayiah should be in the most beneficent place, whether at the front or at the end.
2. The dayiah should care about his people, and chat with them about their personal affairs such as marriage and finance, he should give them advice and help them.
3. Using selling, buying, weighing with justice and all transactions to make good relations with people and be kind to them whether the needy or the non-needy.
Values Related to Traveling:
1. The travelers should help and support each other.
2. The leader of the traveling group should follow up on them and see their needs.
3. The traveler should not leave the traveling group without permission, in some narrations Jabir asked for permission to move more quickly because he was in a hurry as he was newly married.
4. It is recommended to enter the mosque first upon arrival after traveling and pray two rakah’a before going to the house.
5. The one who arrives should not surprise his family by entering the house suddenly; he should tell them first so that the wife takes her time to be ready for her husband.
Generic Values:
1. The blessing of the Prophet (Peace Be upon Him) when He goaded the camel with a stick, the camel became quick and active unlike its original state.
2. The humbleness, generosity and attentiveness of the Prophet (Peace Be upon Him), when he stopped his camel and went in person to Jabir’s camel to goad it to move as narrated.
3. The politeness and good manners of Jabir is reflected in not letting his camel go quicker than the Messenger’s camel.
4. The Prophet (PBUH) asked to buy the camel even though He did not need it, maybe because he thought it was about to die, so He wanted to give Jabir its value, when the camel survived, the Prophet (PBUH) gave it to Jabir and also gave him its price as a gift.
5. Jabir is merciful towards his sisters and wise as he married a suitable woman that would care for his sisters, so Jabir is truly thoughtful of his sisters as he put them first.
6. Jabir went for Jihad in the difficult expedition of Dhat Al-Riqa, even though he was newly married and he rode a weak camel preferring the reward of Allah to the worldly life.
7. It permissible to tell others about the good deeds, if he did not intend any bragging, i.e. marrying a woman who previously married to take care of his sisters.
8. Almighty Allah mentioned the previously married women prior to the virgins in the Qur’an: “Perhaps, if he were to divorce you ˹all˺, his Lord would replace you with better wives who are submissive ˹to Allah˺, faithful ˹to Him˺, devout, repentant, dedicated to worship and fasting—previously married or virgins.” (At-Tahrim: 5).
9. The previously married is expected to have more experience, she could be more supportive and helpful with her husband more than the young inexperienced one. This is what Jabir needed, and this is what Mother of the Believers Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, gave to Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be upon Him).
10. Playing, enjoyment and laughter are some of the aims of marriage; Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be upon Him) asked about it and encouraged doing so.
11. The wife of Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, is Suhaimah Masoud al-Ansarayah, she was religious and she carried the responsibility of taking care of Jabir’s sisters along with him. She did that even though she was a newly married and that is something rare to find.
12. Allah’s Messenger was kind to Jabir as he gave him the price of the camel and let him keep the camel as well, as Jabir was newly married and he had sisters to take care of.
13. Using indirect ways to help the needy in order to save his honor and not to embarrass him.
14. (…and nothing was more displeasing to me than it.) The thing that you displease might be what others wish for and seek to buy, so be content which what Allah has given you to be happy in this life.
15. (…and nothing was more displeasing to me than it.) Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said that because riding the camel was difficult for him, as it was slow which was quite an obstacle during the Jihad in the cause of Allah. Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be upon Him said): “…And four things are part of misery: a bad neighbor, a bad wife, a small abode and a bad mount.”
