“There was a man from amongst the Bedouins whose name was Zahir bin Haram. Whenever he came to Madinah for a need, he brought something for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as a gift, like cottage
cheese or butter. Likewise, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would prepare something to give to him whenever he wanted to leave, such as dates and so on.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to love him and say: “Zahir is our Bedouin and we are his city-dwellers.” Zahir was not very good looking.
One day, Zahir – may Allah be pleased with him– left the desert and came to Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم but did not find him. He had some merchandise to sell so he went on to the marketplace.
When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم found out about his arrival, he went to the marketplace looking for him. When he arrived, he saw him selling his merchandise with sweat pouring down from his face, and he wore Bedouin clothes which did not smell good either.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم hugged him tightly from behind, while Zahir was unaware and could not see who it was.
Zahir became scared and said: “Let me go! Who is this?” But the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم remained silent. Zahir tried to release himself from his grip and started to look right and left. When he saw the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم he relaxed and calmed down.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم began to joke with him, saying to the public: “Who will buy this slave?! Who will buy
this slave?!”
Thereupon, Zahir looked at himself and thought of his extreme poverty, for he had neither wealth nor good looks.
He said: “You will find me unmarketable, O Messenger of Allah.”
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “But you are not unmarketable with Allah. You are very precious to Allah.”
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