Haleemah as-Sa'diyah

Breast-feeding of babies by women who are not their biological mothers and allowing such babies to grow up in the deserts are some ofthe signs ofnobility and high status among the Arabs of pre-Islamic era. l:Ialeemah came to Makkah, in the company of some women from the clan of Banu Sa'd, hoping to find babies to nurse. Each woman except l:Ialeemah succeeded in getting a nursling. l:Ialeemah said: "There was no woman among us who was not offered the Messenger ofAllah ~), and, as soon as she was told that he was an orphan, she would reject him. We would say, 'What is his mother going to give us?' For, we only expected recompense from the baby's father. By Allah, each of my colleagues was able to get a nursling except me. But when I did not succeed in getting any for myself, I told my husband, al-l:Idrith ibn 'Abdul-'Uzza, 'By Allah, I would not like to be the only one from among my colleagues who would go back home without a nursling. I am going to take that orphan boy.' My husband said, 'You can go and take him. Perhaps, Allah will bless us through him.' I went and took the boy. By Allah, I only took him because I could not find any other." l:Ialeemah continued: "As soon as I took him and brought him to my riding animal, I breast-fed him as much as Allah would permit and he drank until he was satiated. His brother 3 also drank until he was 3 She meant her own son who was of the same age with the Prophet, Blessings and peace be upon him. satiated. My husband then went to our old camel and milked her and both of us drank: until we were satiated. And we passed a good night. In the morning, my husband told me, "I:Ialeemah, by Allah, I could see that you have accepted a blessed child. Can't you observe the blessings we have been witnessing since we took him, and Allah continued to increase us in blessing?!"
We set out on the return journey back to our village. By Allah, my donkey was so fast that none of those of my colleagues could catch up with her. Surprised at this, they said, "Daughter of Abu Dhu' ayb! Was this not your donkey on which you set out with us?!" I said, "Yes, by Allah, she is!" They then said, "By Allah, there is something about her!" When we arrived at the land ofBanu Sa'd and before that, I did not know a land more barren that our land - my sheep would graze and then come home satisfied and full of milk. We would milk as we liked, and none of our neighbors could be able to have even a drop of milk from their own sheep. Their sheep would go out grazing and would come home with empty stomachs. They would then tell their shepherds, "You should consider where the sheep graze." Yet their sheep would come back with empty stomachs while mine would come home satisfied, and we would milk as we liked. So, Allah continued to show us the blessings that we could clearly perceive.
The boy, Muhammad ~), then reached age two and he had been growing up in a way different from that of other kids. By Allah, he had hardly reached the age of two that he had already had strong skin. We took him back to his mother, though we were consumed with griefthat we would be losing the blessing he had brought to our household. When his mother saw him, we told her, "Please let our son stay with us for another year. For, we fear for him the epidemic ofMakkah." We continued pleading with her until she released him to us. Two or three months after we brought him back, an incidence occurred. He and his foster brother were in the back-yard with our sheep when his brother hurriedly came to us and said: ''That my Qurayshi brother was visited by two men, clad in white garments. They laid him on his back and opened his belly." His stepfather and I rushed to him. We found him standing while his colour has changed. His father embraced him and said: "My son, what happened to you?" He said, "Two men in white garment came to me. They laid me down and opened my belly. They removed something out and took it away. They then returned it as it was." We took him back home. His father said: "I;laleemah, I fear that my son has been touched by (the Jinn). So, let us take him back to his family before what we fear can appear."
I;laleemah continued: "So we took him to his mother. When she saw us, she exclaimed, 'What brought you back, foster parents?! You had been taking an excellent care of him! , We said, 'By Allah, nothing has happened. It is only that Allah has helped us pay our debts and we fear that some harm or unforeseen things might happen to him. That is why we brought him back.' But his mother did not believe us. She insisted that we tell her the truth and when we told her what had happened, she said, 'So you fear that he might be touched by Satan?! No, by Allah! Satan will never be able to find his way to him. By Allah, there is something great about this son of mine. Shall I tell you something about him?' We said, 'Yes.' She said, 'When I was pregnant with him, I never felt carrying anything that was lighter than him. I saw it in my dream that
a light came out of me that illuminated the palaces of Syria. And when I gave birth to him, his delivery was different from that of other babies; he came out, supporting himself with both hands and raising his head up to the heaven. So, leave him alone.'"
Thus did Lady I:Ialeemah part with her great nursling. The Messenger of Allah ~) later in his life, talked about this unique childhood in which he extraordinarily understood things, pictures and names while he was at the dwellings of Banu Sa'd. A number of his Companions may Allah be pleased with them narrated the events of this childhood.
At the end of the Battle of I:Iunayn, when the Messenger of Allah ~) got properties and captives from Hawazin as spoils of war, a delegation from Hawazin, who had already embraced Islam came to him at a place called Ji'ranah. They said: "Messenger of Allah, we are a tribal people who had been touched with an afiliction that is not unknown to you. Please grant us favor, Allah will grant you favor." There was among the captives, his foster sister, Shayma'. So she came, begging him to show compassion. She reminded him of how he bite her on her back (while he was still a nursling at the dwellings of Banu Sa'd). When the Messenger of Allah (~) heard this, he laid down his garment for her and made her sit down beside him. The spokesman of the delegation, Zuhayr ibn Sard then stood up and said: "Messenger of Allah, your aunts and foster mothers who took care of you are among the captives that are inside the enclosures. Ifwe had nursed Ibn Abi Shammar or Nu'man ibn Mundhir and then what happened to us from your part had happened to us from theirs, we would definitely hope in their reciprocal kindness and sympathy. And you are the best ofthose nursed by any foster mother." He then recited a poetic passage in which he implored the Prophet ~) to do
favor to his foster people. The Messenger of Allah (~) then said, "As for that which is for me and the children of' Abdul-MunaJib, it is all for Allah and for you."
The An~ar (the Helpers) then said, "Whatever belongs to us is for Allah and His Messenger!" That day was, indeed, a day of reciprocal kindness; and the stand took on that day was a stand that represented greatness and excellent moral quality!!!
Muhammad went back to the warmness of his mother's bosom and unto the compassionate care of his grandfather, 'AbdulMunalib. He had then become a young boy in whose noble face lights were illuminating, whose appearance brought splendor, whose heart was filled with signs of guidance and transparence and whose tongue was characterized with tenderness and sweetness. For, he was being nurtured by Allah, the Exalted. Ammah would hug and embrace her beloved son. She would feel a unique warmness that she used to have while she was pregnant with him; and she would perceive this extraordinary and indescribable warmness all over her body.
His grandfather, 'Abdul-Mu!talib - the chief of Qurayshcould not bear Muhammad's absence, and he would never be tired of looking at him. He would visit him at Aminah's apartment every morning and evening, and at all times. He would ask her, "How is my son Muhammad?" And he would hold him and fondly hug him. He would see in Muhammad the picture of his son 'Abdullah who died while he was still a bridegroom and whose death brought him unparalleled sorrow. He would see in his grandson amazing characteristics that increased him in compassion and love for him. When Muhammad (~) reached the age of six, his mother sought permission from 'Abdul-Munalib to go to Yathrib with her son in order to visit the grave ofher beloved husband 'Abdullah and to spend some time with his maternal uncles, Banu Najjar. He gave her permission to go and advised her to take care of herself and her son. Aminah set out with her son, Muhammad and in the company ofher maid-servant called Barakah, who served her and took care of her son. Muhammad (~) loved Barakah and regarded her as a member of his household and family. Aminah felt a great pain and sorrow when she stood beside the grave of her beloved husband, shedding hot tears with her son, Muhammad on her side on whose noble cheeks drops of tears that looked like pearls were rolling down - out of compassion for his sorrowful mother and in sadness for death of a father he never saw. It appeared that the fever of Yathrib had affected Aminah before she left the city. But she did not know of this until she was on her way back to Makkah. Her condition worsened, and while at a village called Abw;i', she succumbed to her illness and breathed her last. Muhammad (~) wept bitterly and the Angels of the heaven also wept in sympathy with him.4 They cried for him because of his losing of both his parents while he was in so young an age. His orphanhood was, no doubt, the most painful one! The page ofhis mother, Aminah bint Wahb was then closed!! The young boy, Muhammad ~) was then grabbed and taken back to Makkah by that young woman, Barakah, who was a freed slave ofhis parents.