The Chivalry of Sulaiman Al-Rumaih
An Aqili’s Loyalty to His Companions and His Help for the Sick to Perform Hajj
Category: Biographies and Stories of Notable FiguresThe Al-Oqilat merchant Sulaiman Al-Rumaih was taking horses to Makkah for trade around 1336 AH. Halfway along the desert route between Makkah and Madinah, his horse grooms—about fifteen men—contracted typhoid and became completely unable to ride.
Al-Rumaih refused to abandon his workers in the wilderness. Chivalry and the protection of one’s companions were non-negotiable Al-Oqilat values. He hired Bedouin men to carry each patient on their shoulders in a wooden litter, with teams of eight alternating for every sick man.
His generosity did not end there:
When they reached Makkah, he did more than secure treatment. He hired other men to carry the patients in the same manner from Makkah to Mina and then Arafat, enabling them to complete every rite of Hajj. This consumed a great part of his trading capital, but he placed chivalry and honor above material profit and became an enduring example of loyalty.