Hajj with Abdullaah bin Mubaarak

With the blessed month of Hajj approaching fast I am sure many of us would love to have Imaam Abdullaah bin Mubaarak as their organiser.

Imaam ad-Dhahabi mentions in his famous book Siyar-‘Allaam an-Nubalaa:

Whenever the time for Hajj used to approach Abdullaah bin Mubaarak used to gather the people of his village and they used to say to him ‘We will accompany you [for hajj]’ He used to reply ‘bring your wealth’ then he used to take their wealth and place it in a safe and lock it.

Then he would take them from their village to Baghdaad, and throughout the journey he would to spend upon them from his own wealth, giving them the best type of food and best type of sweets. Then he would take them from Baghdaad whilst they would be in their most beautiful appearance [in terms of clothes etc] and most complete grandure.

Until they would reach the city of the Prophet, he would ask them what have your families asked you to buy for them? So they replied such and such.  Then he would take them to Makkah, after having completed their hajj he would say to them what have your families asked you to buy for them from the goods of Makkah? So they replied such and such. And he would buy it for them, then they would leave Makkah. Throughout the journey he would spend upon them from his own wealth until they reached their home village again.

Upon returning home he [Abdullaah bin Mubaarak] would help re-build their houses and after three days [after arrival] he would organise a big feast for them and give them new clothes and when they had finished eating and felt joyful he would call for the safe to be brought out and opened then he would return the weatlh of each and everyone.

[Siyar-‘Allaam an-Nubalaa by Imaam ad-Dhahabi, volume 8, page 386 the seerah of Abdullaah bin Mubaarak]