ACTS OF APOSTLE

chapter 14

*Following Uncle*

Little Muhammad's heart felt stuffy with life in Mecca. Every day, he saw poor children his age working together naked without shame.

Muhammad also saw that every night the doors of the houses of the rich were shut. Inside, they feasted, watched the dancers, and drank until the morning while being guarded by slaves. Elsewhere, he saw people struggling to find sustenance between life and death.

Muhammad often passed in front of rickety huts and shanty houses. Their doors were also tightly shut, but in them lived those who suffered. Those people, if they do not have food, tomorrow or the day after, are forced to pawn a daughter, wife or mother to be collected into the slaves of the merchants in order to escape from the twisted debt.

In front of the huts, Muhammad saw young men gathered. Their minds were filled with dreams of a miracle coming that would free Mecca from savagery. The young men gathered around a man who told him about the beautiful legends of the ancients who fought against the arbitrary king.

At the age of 12, Abu Talib intended to trade with Sham for a living.

"Take me, Uncle!" pinta Muhammad's

"But the desert journey is so difficult and far away! I can't bear to take a kid like you through such hardships!".

At that time, only Abu Talib took refuge. He felt very lonely if he had to face the life of Mecca alone, without an uncle beside him.

"To whom will Uncle leave me alone when Uncle leaves?" muhammad asked so hard.

Abu Talib was deeply moved,

"By Allah, I must have taken her away. He cannot part with me and I cannot part with him forever."

*Lihb The Astrologer*

The Quraysh often came to Lihb with their children to be foretold.

One day, Lihb saw Muhammad.

"Come here, young man!" yells. However, Abu Talib immediately hid Muhammad and took him away until Lihb shouted,

"Woe to you, bring here the young man I saw earlier! By Allah, this child will be a great man in the future!"

اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّد

Depart the caravan of Quraysh to *Sham 1)*. When they arrived in Busra, they passed the house of worship of a Christian priest named Buhaira. He is a clever priest. In his house of worship, there were always priests and Christians who studied with Buhaira.

Usually, Buhaira never mengubris Quraish troupe that every year passing in that place. But this time something changed for Buhaira. When the Quraish entourage, including Abu Talib and Muhammad, stopped near his house of worship, Buhaira ordered his aides to make many dishes.

Buhaira did so because from the window of his house of worship, he saw a strange thing in the group of Quraysh. There was a small cloud that moved slowly following wherever the caravan went. There was something or someone in the caravan that protected the cloud from the scorching sun.

Buhaira rushed to the caravan resting under the shady trees and said

"O you Quraysh, I have made food for you. I want all of you, little children, adults, slaves, and free people, to stop by my house"

One of the Quraysh asked,

"By Allah, O Buhaira, how special is what you have done to us today. In fact, we often pass through your place. What the hell is going on with you?"

"You are right" replied Buhaira,

"i was as you said before. However, you guys, everyone, are my guests this time and I want to entertain you. I've made food and you all have to eat."

With great pleasure, the Quraysh entered Buhaira's house to fulfill his invitation. Only, Muhammad did not come because he was a child. He was assigned to guard the caravan supplies.

______________

1) State of *Syam*

Abu Talib went to Sham in 582.

Sham was a country whose territory (now) included Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.

Sham was under Eastern Roman rule

subsequent..