The correct answer is Haleema, specifically known as Hazrat Haleema Saadia (R.A). In the cultural landscape of 6th-century Arabia, it was a prestigious and health-oriented custom for the noble families of Makkah to send their infants into the desert. This... Read More
The correct answer is Haleema, specifically known as Hazrat Haleema Saadia (R.A). In the cultural landscape of 6th-century Arabia, it was a prestigious and health-oriented custom for the noble families of Makkah to send their infants into the desert. This practice was rooted in two primary goals: to ensure the children grew up in the physically demanding yet healthy environment of the desert, away from the frequent epidemics of the city, and to ensure they acquired the purest, most eloquent form of the Arabic language spoken by the Bedouin tribes. Hazrat Haleema, a woman from the tribe of Banu Sa’d, became the fortunate individual chosen for this noble task.
The circumstances surrounding Hazrat Haleema’s selection of the infant Muhammad (PBUH) are steeped in historical significance. It was a year of severe drought and famine for the Banu Sa’d tribe. Haleema, accompanied by her husband and their weak, malnourished donkey, traveled to Makkah with a group of other women to find infants to foster. Because Muhammad (PBUH) was an orphan—his father, Abdullah, having passed away before his birth—many of the nursing mothers were hesitant to take him, fearing that a child without a father would not bring significant financial rewards.
Haleema herself initially hoped for a more affluent child, but by the end of their stay in Makkah, every other woman had found a baby except her. Refusing to return home empty-handed, she decided to take the orphan Muhammad (PBUH). This decision marked the beginning of what Islamic tradition describes as a period of immense "Barakah" (Divine Blessing) for her entire household.
As soon as Haleema took the infant into her arms, she noticed immediate changes. Her physical strength returned, and she was able to nurse both the infant Muhammad and her own son comfortably, despite her previous struggles with malnutrition. Even her lean, exhausted donkey reportedly gained such speed on the return journey that it outpaced the rest of the caravan. Upon arriving at their desert home, the barren land of the Banu Sa’d tribe began to thrive. Her livestock produced more milk than ever before, and her family moved from the brink of poverty to a state of abundance.
For the next few years, Muhammad (PBUH) lived under the care of Haleema. This period was instrumental in shaping his physical and linguistic foundation. The open spaces of the desert provided the "pure air" that Amina, his mother, had sought for him. Historically, this is why the Prophet (PBUH) was known for his exceptional physical stamina and his mastery of the Arabic language, often remarking later in life, "I am the most eloquent of you, for I am from the Quraish and I was raised among the Banu Sa’d."
A defining moment of his stay with Haleema was the event known as Shaqq-as-Sadr (the splitting of the chest). According to historical accounts, while Muhammad (PBUH) was playing with his foster siblings, the Archangel Jibril appeared, opened his chest, and washed his heart with Zamzam water to remove any spiritual impurity. This event naturally startled Haleema and her husband, leading to a deep concern for his safety. Fearing that some harm might come to him or that he was being targeted by spirits, Haleema eventually decided to return him to his mother in Makkah, though she did so with a heavy heart, as she had grown to love him as her own.
Hazrat Haleema Saadia’s legacy is defined by this selfless care. She remained a figure of great respect throughout the Prophet’s (PBUH) life. Years later, when she visited him after he had reached Prophethood, he reportedly showed her immense honor, spreading his own mantle on the ground for her to sit on, acknowledging her as his "mother" in every sense that mattered.
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