The Vision of Abd Al Muttalib

Abd Al Muttalib was not an idolater, he directed his prayer to Allah alone and loved to be near the Ka'ba. It was because of this love that he would often have his mattress spread out in a place known as 'Hijr Ishmael' -- which is the place where Prophet Ishmael and his mother Lady Hagar lie buried and also where Prophet Ishmael used to pen his sheep --- and sleep there. It was on one such night that he had a vision in which it was said to him, "Dig the sweet one." He asked, "What is the sweet one?" but there was no reply. The next morning he awoke with an overwhelming feeling of happiness and peace, the like of which he had never experience before, so he decided to spend the following night near Hijr Ishmael. That night he had another vision in which the voice told him, "Dig for mercy". He asked the meaning of it but again there was no answer. When he returned to sleep there on the third night the vision came yet again but this time he was told, "Dig for the treasure." When Abd Al Muttalib asked what was meant by the treasure, the vision vanished as before. The vision came again on the fourth night, however this time the voice was more specific and told him to dig for Zamzam. Abd Al Muttalib asked about Zamzam, but unlike the previous occasions the voice answered saying, "Dig for it, you will have no regrets, it is your inheritance from your greatest ancestor. It will neither dry up, nor fail to suffice the pilgrims." The voice told Abd Al Muttalib that Zamzam lay buried under a place in which there was blood, dung and an ants' nest, and that amongst it all he would see a crow pecking. Before the vision departed, the voice told him to supplicate to Allah for the continuous flow of pure water that would suffice all pilgrims.

The Realization of Abd Al Muttalib's Visions

At dawn, Abd al Muttalib arose and as in the tradition passed down from one generation to the next from the time of Prophet's Abraham and Ishmael, he circumambulated Ka'ba seven times and reverently kissed the Black Stone. Having completed his rites, he made his way to the door of Ka'ba, took hold the metal ring that hung from its lock and started to supplicate in the manner in which the voice had instructed. As he supplicated a large black crow flew down behind him and not long after another crow joined it. After Abd Al Muttalib had finished his supplication he turned and observed the birds strutting toward two rocks that had been taken as idols, approximately a hundred yards away. The two idols had been named Isaf and Nailah and were among the lesser idols of Mecca. Legend had it that the idols had been early Jurhumites that had been turned into stone because of their profanity. It was between these two idols that the idolaters would slaughter their animals and consequently it was common to find both blood and dung upon the ground. As Abd Al Muttalib approached he noticed an ants nest and knew that this must be the place referred to by the voice in the vision. Wasting no time at all, he returned to his home to get a spade. His son Harith was there so he told him to go and fetch another spade and to come with him to the Ka'ba.

The Discovery of Zamzam

The sun had risen as they set to work digging between the two idols. As the people started to rise and go about their daily chores and business they noticed Abd Al Muttalib and Harith digging away in the sacred area between their idols and not long after a crowd started to gather to see what they were doing. As much as the Meccans respected Abd Al Muttalib they felt he was going too far and told him he must stop desecrating the ground with his digging. Abd Al Muttalib refused and told his son to stand on guard to prevent anyone interfering with his digging. The digging progressed without any incident and the people began to tire of standing around and had started to disperse when to Abd Al Muttalib's great joy he struck the stone cover of the well of Zamzam. Immediately he thanked Allah, and the excited crowd regrouped around him. News of his find spread quickly throughout Mecca and it wasn't long until a very large, joyous crowd had gathered to celebrate this great discovery.

The Treasure of Zamzam

Abd Al Muttalib and his son removed the large stone cover from the forsaken well of Zamzam and as they did to the amazement of everyone, their eyes fell upon the treasure that had been taken from Ka'ba many centuries before when the Jurhumites had been driven from Mecca. There was great excitement and everyone laid claim to a share of the treasure. In those days it was the practice of Meccans to use divining arrows and cast lots to settle major issues with the ceremony taking place within the confines of Ka'ba before their chief idol Hubal. There were three stakes; one that the treasure should be returned to Ka'ba, another that it should be retained by Abd Al Muttalib, and the other that the treasure be divided between the tribes. When the time came for the settlement everyone gathered anxiously by the Ka'ba and the diviner cast the arrows. As the arrows fell they fell in favor of some of the treasure being restored to the Ka'ba, and the remainder being retained by Abd Al Muttalib, none fell in favor of the Koraysh. After the division had been settled it was also decided that the tribe of Hashim should take charge of the Well of Zamzam as it was their responsibility to provide water for the pilgrims.