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Part 1

In the Care of Halima Saadia

In the Lap of Halima Saadia RA

Arab Tradition of Childcare:

In those days, it was customary among the Arabs that when a child was born, they would entrust the child to wet nurses from the countryside. The rationale behind this was that the child would receive better nourishment and upbringing in the open and healthy environment of the countryside and would learn the purest form of the Arabic language.

Arrival of the Wet Nurses:

A caravan of wet nurses arrived in Mecca. They began looking for homes where children had been born. Many wet nurses came to the house of Abdul Muttalib and saw the noble Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. However, when they learned that this child was born an orphan, they moved on, thinking that there would be no financial gain from a household without a father. Thus, many wet nurses came and went, but none accepted the Prophet ﷺ to nurse. This great honor was destined for Halima Saadia رضي الله عنها.

Decision of Halima Saadia رضي الله عنها:

When Halima Saadia رضي الله عنها arrived in Mecca, she found that all the other women had found children to nurse, except for herself. The only child left was the orphan boy whom no one else had accepted. She said to her husband, Abdullah ibn Harith, “By God, it is unbearable for me to return without a child while all the other women return with one. They will taunt me for this. Why not take this orphan child?”

Abdullah ibn Harith responded, “There is no harm in that. Perhaps Allah will bless us through this child.”

Meeting with Abdul Muttalib and Amina:

Thus, Halima Saadia رضي الله عنها went to the house of Abdul Muttalib. He and Amina warmly welcomed her. Amina then brought her to the child. The Prophet ﷺ was wrapped in a woolen blanket, which was white in color. Below him was a green silk cloth. He lay straight, and a fragrance of musk emanated with his breath. Halima Saadia رضي الله عنها was astonished by his beauty and grace. The Prophet ﷺ was sleeping at that time, and she did not want to disturb him. But as soon as she gently placed her hand on his chest with affection, he smiled and opened his eyes, looking directly at her.

Halima Saadia’s Account:

Light from the Eyes:

Halima Saadia رضي الله عنها said: “I saw a light emanating from your eyes that reached the heavens. I lifted you in my arms and kissed the area between your eyes. I then sought permission from your mother and Abdul Muttalib to take you with me to the caravan. When I placed you in my lap to feed you, you began to nurse from the right side. I initially offered the left side, but you did not nurse from it. You continued to nurse only from the right side, while my own child nursed from the left.”

The Miraculous Journey:

The caravan then set out. Halima Saadia رضي الله عنها narrated: “I mounted my donkey and took you along. Suddenly, our donkey moved so swiftly that it outpaced the entire caravan. Previously, it was so weak and slow that it lagged behind everyone. My fellow women were astonished and said, ‘O Halima, what has happened today? How is your donkey moving so fast? Is this the same donkey you came with, which struggled with each step?’ I replied, ‘Indeed, it is the same donkey. By Allah, this matter is extraordinary!'”

Arrival at Banu Saad:

When they arrived at the settlement of Banu Saad, the area was experiencing drought and famine. Halima Saadia رضي الله عنها said: “That evening, when our goats returned from grazing, their udders were full of milk, which had never happened before. Previously, they produced very little milk, and it was difficult to milk them. We milked our goats that day and filled all our containers. We realized that this blessing was due to this child. The news spread among the women, but their goats continued to produce very little milk.”

★ As a result, we began to notice blessings in every aspect of our home. Others were astonished. Two months passed in this manner. Within two months, you (the Prophet ﷺ) started to walk. When you were eight months old, you began to speak, and your words were comprehensible. By the age of nine months, you were speaking very clearly. During this period, we witnessed many blessings through you. Halima Saadia said: “When I brought you to my home, there was no household in Banu Saad that did not smell of musk. In this way, everyone started to love you.”

★ When we weaned you, the blessed words from your tongue were: “Allah Akbar Kabira Walhamdulillah Kathira Wasubhan Allah Bukratan Wa Asila,” meaning, Allah is the greatest, praise be to Allah abundantly, and glory to Allah morning and evening.

★ When you turned two years old, we took you back to your mother. At this age, children were usually returned to their parents. We had witnessed your blessings and wished that you would stay with us for a longer period. So, we discussed this with your mother, saying: “Please allow us to keep the child for another year. I am afraid that the diseases and climate of Makkah might affect him.”

★ When we repeatedly asked her, Hazrat Amina agreed, and we took you back to our home. As you grew older, you began to go outside and see the children. You would see them playing but never approached them. One day you asked me, “Mother, why don’t I see my brother and sister during the day?” You were inquiring about your milk-brother Abdullah and sisters Anisa and Shaima. Halima (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “I told you they go to graze the goats early in the morning and return after sunset.” Upon hearing this, you said, “Then let me go with them too.”

★ After that, you started going with your siblings. You would go happily and return happily. One day, my children came running, scared and said, “Mother, hurry up… or brother Muhammad ﷺ will be in trouble.”

★ Hearing this, we were alarmed and rushed there. We saw you standing, your color pale, and your face yellow, not because of any pain from having your chest opened, but from seeing those angels. Halima (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “We asked you, ‘What happened?’ You said, ‘Two men came to me. They were wearing white clothes (they were Jibril and Mika’il, peace be upon them). One of them asked, “Is this the one?” The other replied, “Yes, this is the one.”

★ Then they came closer to me, held me, and laid me down. After that, they opened my chest and started searching for something inside. Finally, they found it and took it out. I don’t know what it was.’

★ According to other narrations, that thing was a black spot, which is the place where Satan resides in a person’s body and from where he affects the person.

★ Halima (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “Then we took you home. At that time, my husband Abdullah bin Harith said to me, ‘Halima, I fear that some harm might come to this child, so take him back to his family.’ I agreed. We set out for Makkah. When I reached the upper areas of Makkah, you suddenly disappeared. I was distraught.”

★Halima Saadia (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: “I reached Makkah in a state of anxiety and went straight to your grandfather, Abdul Muttalib. I said, ‘Last night, I was bringing Muhammad back, and when I reached the upper areas, he suddenly disappeared. By God, I don’t know where he is.’

★”_Hearing this, Abdul Muttalib immediately stood by the Kaaba and prayed for your safe return. Then he set out to search for you along with Waraqah bin Nawfal. Both of them searched until they reached the valley of Tihama. They saw a boy standing under a tree with dense branches. Abdul Muttalib asked, ‘Boy, who are you?’

★ Since the Prophet ﷺ had grown taller by then, Abdul Muttalib did not recognize you. You were growing rapidly. You replied, ‘I am Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib.’

★”_Hearing this, Abdul Muttalib said, ‘My life be sacrificed for you, I am your grandfather, Abdul Muttalib.’

“_He then picked you up, hugged you, and started crying. He seated you on his horse in front of him and headed back to Makkah. At home, he sacrificed goats and cows and invited the people of Makkah to a feast.

★ After you were found, Halima Saadia (may Allah be pleased with her) came to Hazrat Amina. She asked, ‘Halima, why did you bring the child back now? You wished for him to stay with you longer.’

“_Halima replied, ‘He has grown older now, and by God, I have fulfilled my responsibility. I constantly fear that something might happen to him, so I am handing him over to you.’

“_Hearing this, Hazrat Amina was astonished and said, ‘Tell me the truth, what is the matter?’

Then she told them the whole story. Halima Saadia had actually witnessed many strange and wonderful events. These events had greatly disturbed her, and then the incident of the blessed chest being split open occurred, which compelled her to return him immediately. Halima Saadia narrates these events as follows:-

★_“Once a group of Jews passed by me. These people claimed to believe in the heavenly book, the Torah. I asked them if they could tell me anything about my son.”

“_Along with this, I narrated to them the details of the birth of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. Hearing these details, the Jews said to each other: ‘This child must be killed.’ Saying this, they asked- ‘Is this child an orphan?’

“_I overheard them saying that they intended to kill him, so I quickly pointed towards my husband and said, ‘No! This is the father of the child,’

“_Then they said, ‘If this child were an orphan, we would have certainly killed him.’

★_They said this because they had read in their ancient books that a final prophet was to come, whose religion would spread throughout the world, and who would have such and such signs in his birth and childhood, and that he would be an orphan. Since Halima Saadia told them that this child was not an orphan, they thought that he was not that child. Thus, they abandoned the idea of killing the child.

The Life of the Prophet ﷺ Step by Step (Abdullah Farani)

(Translated from Urdu)

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