The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 131
IV - Early Life 131 Initially the young Muḥammad sa was suckled by his mother and later Thuwaibah also nourished him with her milk. Thuwaibah was a slave-girl who belonged to Abū Lahab, the paternal uncle of Muḥammad sa. Abū Lahab freed her at the birth of his orphan nephew as an expression of his gratitude. It was this very Thuwaibah who suckled Ḥaḍrat Ḥamzah ra as well. Hence, Ḥamzah ra , who was the uncle of Muḥammad sa , also became his foster brother through the relationship of milk. Prophet Muḥammad sa never forgot this relationship. All her life, the Prophet sa would always assist Thuwaibah and even after her death, he inquired whether she had any relatives. It was found that she had no remaining relatives. After Thuwaibah, the fosterage of Muḥammad sa was permanently entrusted to Ḥalīmah ra who was a noble lady belonging to the people of Hawāzin, from the tribe of Banī Sa‘d. Along with other women, she came to Makkah as a wet nurse in search of a child. She was not content in taking an orphan child along with her because her desire was to find a child with a living father, wherefrom the expectation of reward and veneration would be much higher. Therefore, in the beginning she was rather reluctant in taking the young Muḥammad sa along with her, however, when no other child could be found and all her companions had already found their respective children, she preferred to take Muḥammad sa instead of returning empty handed. Nonetheless, Ḥalīmah ra realized very soon that the child she had brought with her was one of great fortune. She relates that: “ Prior to the arrival of Muḥammad sa we suffered times of hardship and poverty, but immediately after the arrival of the child this poverty was miraculously transformed into prosperity and we began to see blessings in all of our matters. ” Besides Muḥammad sa , another child who was also suckled by Ḥalīmah ra was ‘ Abdullāh and he had an older sister whose name was Shīma. Shīma held Muḥammad sa very dear to herself. After two years, when the appointed time of fosterage was complete, Ḥalīmah ra brought the young Muḥammad sa to Makkah, as was the custom. She had developed such a deep love for the child that it was her heartfelt desire to take him back with her again if his mother so permitted. Therefore, Ḥalīmah ra requested with great persistence, “Let the child stay with me for some more time, I shall take care of him in every regard. ” Initially, Āminah ra rejected the idea but