Specialities of Nabi ﷴ ﷺ

Isma`eel AS, the son of Ibrahim AS is famously known as Zabeehullah – “the one who was sacrificed for the Pleasure of Allah”, but do you know that our Prophet Muhammed ﷺ was known as “ibnu zabeehatain – the son of two sacrifices.”

Why was he ﷺ given this name?

The answer is recorded in the authenic books of Seerah that whilst in the process of excavating through the earth to get to the well of Zam Zam, besides his only son Haaris, ‘Abdul Muttalib had no other assistant to lend a hand. This is why he took an oath to the effect that if Allah ﷻ blesses him with ten sons, who would grow up to be his helping hands, he would slaughter one of them in the name of Allah ﷻ.

When Allah ﷻ fulfilled this cherished aspiration by granting him ten sons, he was fast asleep one night in front of the Ka`bah when he saw a vision of a person instructing him:

يا عبد المطلب اوف بنذرك لرب هذا البيت

“O Abdul Muttalib! Fulfil your vow that you had pledged for the Lord of this sacred house.”

On awakening from this dream, ‘Abdul Muttalib summoned all his sons and revealed his vow and subsequent dream to them. With one voice they all submitted:

اوف بنذرك وافعل ما شئت

“Fulfil your vow and do as you please.”

‘Abdul Muttalib drew lots for all his sons and ‘Abdullah, his most beloved son’s name came up in the draw. He grasped ‘Abdullah’s hand and proceeded with a knife towards the sacrificial quarters. When ‘Abdullah’s sisters witnessed this distressing sight, they were moved to weeping in anguish. One of them pleaded with the father to draw another lot with ten camels against ‘Abdullah’s name. If the lot is drawn in favour of the ten camels, slaughter the camels but we implore you to leave ‘Abdullah alone. At that time, ten camels was the blood money paid to a murdered victim’s family. When he drew lots a second time, ‘Abdullah’s name came up again. ‘Abdul Muttalib added on ten camels and drew lots again. Once more, ‘Abdullah’s name came up. ‘Abdul Muttalib continued adding ten camels each time he drew lots but on every occasion, ‘Abdullah’s name came up. When he eventually reached a hundred camels, he was spared when finally the camels’ name came up. At that instant, ‘Abdul Muttalib and the bystanders cried out in delight: “Allahu Akbar.” ‘Abdullah’s sisters carried him away from there and ‘Abdul Muttalib slaughtered his hundred camels between mounts Saffa and Marwah.

Ibn ‘Abbaas RA says that initially, ten camels made up the blood money paid to a murdered victim’s family. Amongst the Quraysh and other Arabs, ‘Abdul Muttalib initiated the tradition of paying one hundred camels instead of the customary ten camels as blood money. Rasulullah ﷺ also maintained this Sunnah in Islam. Following this incident, ‘Abdullah was described with the title of Zabeeh (the sacrificed or slaughtered one). This is the reason why Rasulullah ﷺ was referred to as Ibnuz Zabeehain (the son of two Zabeeh’s – his father Abdullah and because he was from the progeny of Isma`eel AS).