Relevant Chapters
The Message: pp.80-110
Excerpts
The Life of Muhammad the Prophet; p4:
Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) had brought his eldest son Isma'il
(a.s.) with his mother Hajirah (Hagar, in Hebrew) from Kan'an to a barren
valley which was later known as Mecca. He used to visit them once a year. When
Isma'il was old enough to help him, Prophet Ibrahim built the House of Allah
known as the Ka'bah.
There was no water in the land when Isma'il and Hajirah were
left there. The well of Zamzam miraculously appeared for Isma'il. The tribe of
Jurhum, finding the well, sought the permission of Hajirah to settle there.
During the annual visit of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.), permission was given to
them, and ultimately Isma'il married in the same tribe. He begot twelve sons;
the eldest was called Qidar (Cedar, in Hebrew).
The Isma'ilites increased in number, thus fulfilling the
promise of Allah to Ibrahim to multiply Isma'il exceedingly. (See Genesis
21:13)
P16: Abdullah, father of the Prophet, died a few month
before (or two months after) his birth, and his grandfather 'AbdulMuttalib took
over the care and upbringing of the child. After a few months, according to the
age-long custom of the Arabs, the child was entrusted to a Bedouin woman
Halimah by name, of the tribe of Bani-Sa'd, for his upbringing.
When he was only six years old, he lost his mother as well;
so, the doubly-orphaned child was brought up by 'Abdul-Muttalib with the most
tender care. Not two years had passed before 'Abdul-Muttalib also expired.
'Abdul-Muttalib died at the age of 82, leaving the care and custody of the
orphaned Muhammad to Abu Talib. Abu Talib and his wife, Fatimah Bint Asad,
loved Muhammad more than their own children. As the Holy Prophet himself said,
Fatima Bint Asad was his "mother" who kept her own children waiting
while she fed the Holy Prophet, kept her own children cold while she gave him
warm clothes. Abu Talib always kept the child with him day and night.
Abu Talib was an active participant in the trade caravans. When Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) was 12 years old, Abu Talib bade farewell to his family to go to Syria. Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) clung to him and cried. Abu Talib was so moved that he took the child with him. When the caravan reached Busra in Syria they, as usual, stayed near the monastery of a monk, Buhayra. Seeing some of the signs, which he knew from the old books, Buhayra was convinced that the orphan child was the last Prophetto-be. To make sure, he started a conversation with him, and at one point said: "I give you oath of Lat and Uzza to tell me..." The child cried out: "Don't take the names of Lat and Uzza before me! I hate them!" Buhayra was now convinced. He advised Abu Talib not to proceed to Damascus "because if the Jews found out what I have seen, I am afraid they will try to harm him. For sure, this child is to have a great eminence." Abu Talib, acting on this advice, sold all his merchandise for cheaper prices then and there, returning at once to Mecca
Webpage links
Prophet's Mother - wikishia
Khadija, Prophet's wife. by al-Jibouri
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