THE SUCKLING OF MUHAMMAD

~ Thuwaibah, (the freed slave girl of Abu Lahab, the son of  Abdul-Muttalib) suckled Muhammad for the first seven days of his life. She also had suckled Hamzah, the uncle of Muhammad. As was customary for Arab nobles, on the eighth day he was entrusted to Halimah of the Banu Sa’d clan of the Hawâzin tribe to suckle him and bring him up. ~ { }

“The nobles of Arabia would entrust their babies to bedouin women so that they would become healthy and strong in the open and free climate of the desert. Besides it would help develop eloquent speech, because the language of the bedouin was more pure, graceful and eloquent than those living in urban areas.”

 

# It was the practice of Arabs to give their infants to wet-nurses. These wet-nurses would return the children to their parents after the period of suckling. They were then rewarded for this service to the infants. That year women of Banis’-sa’ad came to Mecca. One of these was named Halima Sadia. She arrived with her husband, she on an old she–camel, and her husband on a donkey. They were late and when they had arrived, all the infants of the wealthy families had already been picked.

None of the wet-nurses touched the orphan Muhammad, because none expected much from an orphan. # [ ]

“But Halima refused to go back empty handed and sought her husband’s advice on taking Muhammad, the orphan because he had an illuminating forehead. Halima’s husband agreed to the proposal…
Halima says that Muhammad always suckled from one nipple and left another one for his foster brother. Their she-camel also gave so much milk that they drank it to the extent of satiation; and on way back from home Halima looked so much blessed that other women grew envious of her. On return journey, their weak and frail ass surpassed all other animals. Their goats also gave abundant milk while others had dried their milk. Hazrat Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihi wa Sallam) looked so grown – up and healthy within two years what other children would not do at the age of four.” [ ]

# Muhammad was brought to Mecca to be returned to his mother Amna, after the age of suckling was over. On the pretext of riots and epidemics, Halima got permission from Amna to take Mohammad back with her. # [ ]

~ Halimah Sa’diyah went to Makkah twice a year to show Mohammad to his mother and grandfather. Halimah Sa’diyah suckled him for 2 years, but he stayed with her for four years altogether.  ~ { }


The History of Islam, Vol 1, Akbar Shah Najeebabadi, 2000, p94
Qissasul Anbiya, Stories of the holy Prophets, Badr Azimabadi, 1996 p126

The History of Islam, Vol 1, Akbar Shah Najeebabadi, 2000, p94

Qissasul Anbiya, Stories of the holy Prophets, Badr Azimabadi, 1996 p125

 
Qissasul Anbiya, Stories of the holy Prophets, Badr Azimabadi, 1996 p126

 
The History of Islam, Vol 1, Akbar Shah Najeebabadi, 2000, p 94