The Crying Camel

Allah ta’ala said to the Prophet (peace be upon him):

وما أرسلناك إلا رحمة للعالمين”

“We have not sent you but as a mercy to all the worlds.” (Al-Anbiya:107)

The scholars tell us that “the worlds” here means – aside from the human and jinn-kind – all animals, plants, and basically; every group of entities.

One day the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered the garden of a man from the Ansar(Helpers). There was a camel in it and when it saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) it made a yearning sound and its eyes flowed with tears.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) came to it and wiped/patted it on its head until it was calmed. He then said, “Who is the owner of this Camel? Whose Camel is this?”

A young man from the Ansar came and said, “It is mine, Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Do you not fear Allah with regards to this animal which Allah has given you ownership over? It has complained to me that you keep it hungry and overburden it.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) interceded – did shafa’ah – for this camel when it complained to him; he had so much mercy for it, he patted it and comforted it with his blessed hands. This hadith should give us – those who have believed in him from his ummah – it should give us great hope and joy since we inshaAllah have greater right to his shafa’ah/intercession than this camel; more right to his mercy, and his tenderness saw.

Whenever we are heartbroken, whenever we are sad/depressed, let us be comforted in knowing this.

May Allah ta’ala bless us by exposing us to the mercy of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and grant us his intercession.