Sacred Stories by Marilyn McFarlane

Author:Marilyn McFarlane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin/Beyond Words

Did You Know?

• The angel Gabriel is the main messenger from God in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

• Medina, in western Saudi Arabia, is the second holiest city in Islam. It’s called City of the Prophet. Muhammad was buried here, and a mosque stands on the site of his home.

• Abu Talib—ah-BOO tah-LEEB

• Khadijahh—kah-DEE-juh

• Medina—meh-DEE-nuh

18

A Boy of Courage

Centuries ago, in ancient Medina, there lived a clever boy named Salamah who was famous for his archery. He was so skilled with his bow and arrows and his aim was so good, he could shoot a cluster of dates off the top of a palm tree or a pebble off a distant boulder.

Salamah was famous for something else, too—he was a great runner. In every race Salamah beat the other boys, and he often outran grown men. Once he even ran faster than a horse! But Salamah was best known for his devotion to Islam and Muhammad. He would do anything to please the blessed Prophet and show his love of Islam. The fleet-footed boy would run errands for Muhammad, and as he passed by people said, “There goes Salamah, the boy who can run as fast as a horse.”

One day Salamah was out practicing his bow and arrows in the hot, dry hills near Medina when he heard a commotion. He ran to the top of the nearest hill and looked down at the field where Muhammad’s camels grazed.

The camels weren’t grazing peacefully now. Several men on horseback were shouting at them and chasing them out of the field.

“They’re stealing the Prophet’s camels!” Salamah exclaimed. He dashed down the hill and up another, looking for help. He saw a group of Muslims at work on the edge of town. “Help!” he called. “Hurry! Thieves are stealing the blessed Prophet’s camels!”

As soon as he knew they had heard him, Salamah turned to go after the thieves by himself. He ran like the wind, and soon he could see the thieves and the stolen camels, their hooves raising great clouds of dust on the road. Salamah ran closer, his heart pounding. He jumped behind a big boulder, placed an arrow in his bow, and prayed. “Allah, guide my arrows and do not let these men find that I’m alone.”

He shot arrow after arrow at the camel thieves, so rapidly that they were afraid an army of Muslims had come after them. But soon the leader spotted Salamah hiding behind a rock.

“It’s only a child. Are you afraid of one young boy?” he shouted at his men.

Wheeling their horses around, they dashed after Salamah, furious because they had been tricked. In their anger they forgot all about the camels and wanted only to catch the boy who had dared to shoot at them. But Salamah had started to run the moment the leader saw him. He ran faster than he had ever raced in his life, with the bandits galloping behind him. Closer they came, and closer still as Salamah ran up a hill. Spying a clump of trees at the top of the hill, he dove into it and, without a pause, aimed an arrow.

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