The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 130
Seal of the Prophets - Volume I 130 the child back and happily entrusted him to his mother. 1 Historians have attributed many strange occurrences to the birth of the Holy Prophet sa. For example, it is said that the palace of Chosroe, King of Iran, was struck with a devastating earthquake and that fourteen of his royal galleries collapsed. Furthermore, the fire at ‘The Holy Fire Temple of Persia’, which had been alit for hundreds of years, was suddenly extinguished. Then it is also said that various rivers and fountains became dry, and even in the very house of Muḥammad sa many miraculous wonders were manifested. However, these narrations are generally weak. There is also a narration which is perhaps true and it states that during the time of the birth of Muḥammad sa , the sky was a spectacle of the breaking of many stars. 2 Similarly, there is also another narration which states that the young Muḥammad sa was born naturally circumcised. 3 If in fact this is true, it should not spur astonishment, for natural phenomena like this have been witnessed in other children also. Another feature naturally inherited by the Holy Prophet sa was an ascent piece of flesh on the left side of his back, which is well-known among the Muslims as the ‘Seal of Prophethood’. 4 Fosterage and Childhood It was a custom among the nobles of Makkah that mothers did not suckle their own children. Instead, children were normally sent outside the city and were entrusted to Bedouin wet nurses. The obvious benefits of this were that infants would remain vigorously healthy and grow strong as a result of the pure and unpolluted rural environment. Moreover, they would learn to speak excellent precise Arabic. 1 As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 129, Bābu Wilādati Rasūlillāh sa wa Riḍā‘atihī, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) 2 * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az- Zarqānī, Volume 1, pp. 227-230, Bābu Min ‘Ajā’ibi Wilādatihī sa , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) * Tārīkhul-Khamīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan Dayār Bakrī, Volume 1, p. 200, Dhikru Mā Waqa‘a Lailata Mīlādihī, Muwassasatu Shu‘bān, Beirut 3 * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az- Zarqānī, Bābu min ‘Ajā’ibi Wilādatihī sa , Volume 1, p. 232, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) * Tārīkhul-Khamīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan Dayār Bakrī, Volume 1, p. 204, Dhikru Khatānihi, Muwassasatu Shu‘bān, Beirut 4 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az- Zarqānī, Volume 1, p. 226, Bābu Min ‘Ajā’ibi Wilādatihī sa , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)