A play on Abdullah, father of the Prophet 

EPISODE 1

CAST

AM: Abdul Muttalib

UH: Umme Harith

A: Abdullah

Amena

AT: Abu Talib

AL: Abu Lahab

HR: Harith

HM: Hamzah

WAL: Wife of Abu Lahab

WAT: Wife of Abu Talib

WHR: Wife of Harith

WHM: Wife of Hamzah

SCENE 1

[Kaaba scenery]

Narrator: Let us travel back to the pre-Islamic age. This is the time when family life was at a disgraceful level. Killing and stealing was the norm. Drinking and gambling very common. People used to worship the sun, the moon, rivers, animals and even reptiles. Idol worshiping was extremely popular. There was no respect for women. The birth of a baby girl was considered shameful, and daughters were buried alive by their very own fathers.

At this time, in Makkah, emerged a man, we have all heard of - Abdul muttalib! He was the father of Abdulla and the grandfather of our Holy prophet, prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). Unlike the Arabs of that time, Abdul Muttalib did not worship idols, drink or gamble. He showed respect to women. In fact, it was he who brought with him the institution of marriage. In those days, many women owed their life to this man!

One night, Abdul Muttalib had a dream to re-dig the well of Zam Zam. In the dream, he was shown where it was. The next day, Abdul Muttalib takes his one and only son, Harith, to the place he saw in his dream, just to find out that there was an idol placed on either side. The Arabs would not let him dig and made him feel very weak as he only had one son. Abdul Muttalib becomes disappointed. He secretly goes to the Kaaba to pray to the Lord. There, he meets his wife Umme Harith. Let us see...

[UH leaning against kaaba and and AM undoes his nakaab]

AM: Salam alaikum, Umme Harith. The Lady of Mecca, at midnight? Why are you here at this hour?

UH: Alaikum Salam Abu Harith, I have always been your shadow even whilst you were the ruler of Makkah and when you were taking care of the travellers, the needy and the orphans. Abu Harith, you were so busy doing your job that you did not notice my shadow.

AM: May I never see tears in your eyes. Why have you taken refuge here, in the Kaaba?

UH: I have come to see what is on your mind. I swear by the Kaaba, it broke my heart when I saw you break because of the Arab ignorance in how they do not believe your word about Zam Zam.

AM: They denounce the one who utters nothing but the truth. The children of Ummayya want the sovereignty of Makkah. The head of Quraish support me with their tongue, but in their heart, they crave to destroy the monotheists, the believers. They would love to see me in the desert of calamities tomorrow.

UH: What is the state of the learned amongst the ignorant except that he would have a bleeding heart? The more exalted the status, the more severe the pain and sorrow.

AM: I fear that after my death they'll use this house which they have filled with their worthless stones, the idols, to make the oppressed more oppressed and the oppressor more oppressive..............And my child Harith, my one and only son? What will this child do alone, without me, with these deceitful people?

UH: I pray to the Lord of Ibrahim that Harith has more brothers to help him out in the time of difficulty

AM: How can I have children Um Harith?? You know I am over 50 and you are not young anymore?

UM: Had Zakariah not said the same words? And had not our Lord answered by saying, "We give you the glad tidings of Yahya's birth". Abu Harith, you know that whatever He [looking up at the sky] wills shall happen. You are no less than Ibrahim. You dug the well of his son. You dug the well of Zam Zam. May my tongue be severed if I have hurt you

AM: Be my witness. Witness the vow I make between the Lord of Kaaba and myself today.

AM: [Holds the kaaba] I pray to the lord of the Kaaba for 10 sons, and I PROMISE THAT WHEN GOD HAS GRANTED ME TEN SONS IN A WAY THAT I AM CONTENTED WITH THEIR EXISTANCE, I WOULD SACRIFICE ONE OF THEM, THE BEST ONE, RIGHT HERE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE. I WILL NOT BREAK THIS VOW WHEN THE TIME COMES. I WILL NOT.

[Long munajat]

SCENE 2

[stars scenery]

Narrator: The years pass, and Allah grants Abdul Muttalib a total of 10 sons, the youngest of them was Abdullah, also known as the 'moon of Makkah'. These sons grow up and help dig the well of Zam Zam. The Arabs were jealous of Abdul Muttalib's success and prosperity. One of them was present at the time was Umayya, the cousin of Abdul Muttalib. The enmity of the Umayyads with the Banu Hashim originated from here and carried on through history.

After the well of Zam Zam was dug, the time came when the promised sacrifice had to be offered. Abdul Muttalib has a dream in the middle of the night..

[AM is sleeping and is unsettled. He awakes abruptly.]

UH: Aba Abdullah! Have you had a nightmare?

AM: I thing the time has come..

UH: The time? What time? What time are you talking about?

AM: [sounding distant as if in a nother world] The time for my vow to be fulfilled. The vow I made in the Kaaba. [pacing] It was repeated three times in three different voices! I ignored it the first time. The second time, I called it a nightmare. And this time it was said in a way that shook my whole body.. shook my whole body.. [turns to his wfe] Oh Ummi Abdulla, It isn't a nightmare.. Time has come.. It is time to fulfil vows

UH: This vow is heart breaking

AM: What can I do? Break this vow or fulfil it? I have to fulfil it! I cannot break it?! Never! If I don't fulfil it what will I answer to the owner of Zam Zam for breaking my vow? It isn't a long time ago when I was alone without any support, and now I have all these sons! [beat] No! It is now time for me to fulfil my vow. [turns to wife] Be my witness, you can testify that I keep my vow. You have to help me and be strong. Do not make me hesitate with your tears.

UH: Which one of our sons will become worthy of the vow of someone like you?

AM: I don't know

[Munajat]

SCENE 3

[stars scenery]

Narrator: The night before the day of the sacrifice had arrived. It was a strange night. Sadness filled the atmosphere. There was a mixture of emotions. One could feel an air of anxiousness, worry, fear and even happiness. The wives of the sons of Abdul Muttalib sat with their husbands. Some were crying, some were advising their husbands, some just sat there in silence.

AL: Should I run away? it's better than death? No, abu lahab must stay, but what kind of vow is this? How can he leave the daughters and kill the sons?

WAL: Oh Abu Lahab! I really think we should just go! What is all this? A vow? It's a joke! It does not make sense to kill one's own son! Hmph! I think we should just run away!

WAT: Abu Talib, This is a vow father must fulfil. I owe my life to your father. It is because of your father that the institution of marriage started. It is because of him that we, the women are still alive. If you have to give your life, don't worry, I will still be safe, besides your father will still be with me. Go on, offer yourself.

AT: I fear my father may prefer someone else to me. I am happy to meet death. By the Lord of Ibrahim, I fear that father will sacrifice one of my brothers. It should be me. What will I do if he asks for Abdullah? He cannot sacrifice Abdullah instead of me? He is so young, he is the moon of Makkah!

WHR: You should offer your sacrifice. You are after all, the eldest. All your other brothers are younger. We have had so many good years together. I will live on the memories. Don't worry about anything else. Father's vow must be fulfilled.

HR: You know, I am praying that father takes me for this ultimate sacirifce. It will be the greatest honour for me. Someone like me must be worthy enough to be killed by his sword.

WHM: Oh Hamza, I think you should offer yourself. This is the ultimate sacrifice to the Lord of the Kaaba.

HM: By the lord of Ibrahim, I am ready to be sacrificed. I am the grandson of Hashim. And I am ready to be sacrificed in the way of the Lord. I hope father selects me.

A: [Stands up and walks to front of stage] Glory be to the Lord of Ibrahim. What a beautiful night it is! The stars shine so bright! Who has made these so perfectly? Can the Arab idols, which are not even able to defend themselves, create this beautiful galaxy? Don't the Arabs know that they make the idols with their own hands? We, the sons of Abdul Mutalib, the Banu Hashim, are so lucky. We are monotheists and not idol worshipers. We believe in one God, the Lord of the Kaaba... I wonder, who will father choose tomorrow?

If these stars, the earth and this body [pointing to himself] have a creator whom father worships, And father wants to sacrifice one of us for this same creator, then there is no fear to be sacrificed for him. If this is my last night on this earth, I want to spend it praising the creator and thanking him for the bounties he has bestowed on me.

[Munajat]

SCENE 4 

[Day kaaba scenery]

Narrator: The day of the sacrifice has arrived...

[Abdul Muttalib leads the way amongst the crowd. The rest follow behind. Women standing by the stage, wailing] [Men stop for a second. The conversation starts, UH stands up.]

UH: Why are you crying? (to her daughter in laws). It is a day that a vow made to the Lord has to be fulfilled. The Hashimite woman must not make their men hesitant? We should be strong for them!

[To the crowd] Shout with joy in this feast of sacrifice. He is Ibrahim. He takes ten Ismails to the sacrificing place..

[women sit down]

[Men go on the stage AM first then the rest.. Abdul Muttalib on one side and the rest on the other]

AM: I have made a promise to the beloved that I would like to keep. The day I made this vow I had only one son. I had no support but God. The Arabs told me off. The Quraysh called me barren and I was commissioned to dig the well. Being alone and lonely made me make a vow that no one can bear. I wanted the Lord to grant me ten sons and he did. Umme Harith is witness to this vow. Now I have these ten sons. I swear to the Kaaba that they are all dearer to me than life.

A: [AM kisses him] I am ready to be sacrificed! You can offer my life to the Lord of the Kaaba.

[AL cowers in the corner somewhere]

AT: [AM kisses him] Abdullah, you are so young. You cannot be sacrificed. Father should take me! I am ready for the sacrifice.

HM: [AM kisses him] But, father, he has a young baby, take me. I am ready too!

HR: [AM kisses him] You are to have a baby soon. [To father] Father, it should be me to be sacrificed. I have lived my life now; they are all younger than me. Father, It only makes sense to sacrifice me. And I am ready for it.. Surely I am worth it, am I not?

[All step back. AM steps forward]

MAN: You cannot just choose like this. You must draw the lots!

Narrator: According to traditional Arab routine of drawing the lots, Abdullah was chosen to be sacrificed. The people raised strong resistance, because the whole of Arabia took Abdullah as their favourite youth of rare qualities and nobility. If it was so difficult for the people of Arabia, how difficult was it for the parents sacrifice Abdullah, the youngest son, the 'moon of Makkah'.

The day had arrived when a father will sacrifice a son, when Abdul Muttalib will sacrifice Abdullah. The people of Arabia were very emotional, yet Abdullah and Abdul Muttalib stayed focused on the sacrifice. In the next scene, Abdul Muttalib is taking his sons for the sacrifice.

AM: [goes towards Abdullah and brings him forward- The rest step down from the stage and sit down] [AM looks at his son for a while]

My Lord! you want the best. And I had promised the best. Today, I sacrifice my son, Abdullah. He, Abdullah, my son, is the moon of Makkah, he is the most unique. O Lord of Ibrahim, please accept my sacrifice.

A: Father, do not look worried and sad, you will find me the most patient.

[Abdulla kneels ready to be sacrificed, AM kisses him on the forehead]

AM: Are you ready my dear son?

A: It is my calling; I am ready to be sacrificed!

AM: You know my son, Abdullah, you will take my life with you too.

A: Father, the mountain learns from you to be firm in your resolution. Remember Ibrahim? Remember his fatherly love to Ismail?

AM: How sweetly you talk, Abdullah. I will have to ask you to lie down, it is time for a great sacrifice..

[Abdullah lies down AM kisses him again and raises the sword]

Voice: Do not sacrifice him. Leave this new bloom of his mother! If your dream urges you to fulfil your vow, let him be until we find a solution. Return home and get your ten camels ready for sacrifice. Then draw the lots between Abdullah and the camels. If that is not accepted, keep adding ten camels until your Lord is pleased with you.

Narrator: It was a wise woman who lived in Hijaz who offered a solution to the sacrifice. She suggested drawing a lot between 10 camels and Abdullah. The lot between the camels and Abdullah was cast again and again and each time it fell upon Abdullah. Each time ten camels were added until the number reached one hundred. Finally the lots fell in favour of the camels. Therefore, one hundred camels were sacrificed for the life of Abdullah. Even today, in Arabia, the ransom of a man is 100 camels. Our prophet always used to say 'Ana ibnu al-dhabeehayn' which means 'I am the son of two sacrifices', referring to the sacrifice of Ismail and to this sacrifice of Abdullah.

[AM kisses and hugs his son]

AM: I Thank the lord of the Kaaba for granting you back to me again.

A: And I thank the Lord for enabling me to stay without breaking your vow.

AM: It was a difficult day today with a very sweet end. I wish to double its sweetness. I announce my wish to get Abduallah married. This day requires a feast. The Makkan people are invited to my house this evening on two occasions.

[AM puts his hand on Abdullah's shoulder]

Abdullah's ransom and the news of his marriage.

A: Father, I have just survived the sword

AM: That makes it even sweeter. For now, arrange for the camels to be sacrificed and let the feast begin!

[Munajat]