ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib’s Vow and the Lot

When he dug Zamzam, Abd al-Muttalib vowed that if God gave him ten sons who could protect him, he would sacrifice one of them at the Kaaba. When the sons were complete, the lots fell on Abdullah, who was ransomed with a hundred camels. By this, the blood-money among Quraysh and the Arabs became one hundred camels ^{1 2 3 4}.

When Quraysh disputed Zamzam with him, Abd al-Muttalib vowed that if God granted him ten sons who reached the age of protecting him, he would sacrifice one of them at the Kaaba ¹. When his sons reached ten and he knew they could protect him, he told them of his vow, and they obeyed him ².

He wrote their names on arrows and gave them to the keeper of Hubal, who cast the arrows. The arrow fell on Abdullah, the best, most chaste and most beloved of Abd al-Muttalib's sons. Abd al-Muttalib took him, took the knife and went with him to the Kaaba to slaughter him. But Quraysh prevented him, especially his maternal uncles from Banu Makhzum and his brother Abu Talib ^{2 4 5}.

Abd al-Muttalib asked: "How shall I act regarding my vow?" They advised him to go to a soothsayer and seek her counsel. He went to her, and she ordered that the arrows be cast over Abdullah and over ten camels. If the arrow fell on Abdullah, he should add ten camels, until his Lord was content; if it fell on the camels, he should slaughter them ². He returned and cast lots between Abdullah and ten camels, and the lot fell on Abdullah. He kept adding ten camels at a time, and the lot fell only on Abdullah, until the camels reached a hundred, and then the lot fell on them. They were slaughtered in his stead. Abd al-Muttalib then left them, turning away neither person nor beast from them ^{3 4 6}.

The blood-money among Quraysh and the Arabs had been ten camels. After this event it became a hundred camels, and Islam affirmed it ³. It is related from the Prophet ﷺ that he said: "I am the son of the two sacrificed ones," meaning Ishmael and his father Abdullah ^{3 4 5}.

The saying "I am the son of the two sacrificed ones" is introduced by the author in the form "it is related" (ruwiya), without a takhrij. It is recorded in that form. The book gives no date for the event.