The correct answer is Both of them.The early childhood of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) was shaped by several noble women who provided him with care and sustenance, establishing a bond known in Islamic law as "milk-kinship." While many are familiar with... Read More
The correct answer is Both of them.The early childhood of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) was shaped by several noble women who provided him with care and sustenance, establishing a bond known in Islamic law as "milk-kinship." While many are familiar with the name of Hazrat Halima Saadia (RA), historical records confirm that Hazrat Suwaiba (RA) also held the prestigious status of being a foster mother to the Prophet (SAW). This tradition of fostering was a deeply rooted custom among the nobility of the Quraysh in Makkah, serving both physical and linguistic purposes for the growing children of the city.
Before the arrival of the desert wet nurses, the first woman to nurse the Prophet (SAW) after his mother, Hazrat Amina, was Hazrat Suwaiba (RA). She was a captured slave belonging to Abu Lahab, the Prophet's uncle. Upon the birth of Muhammad (SAW), Suwaiba rushed to Abu Lahab to break the news of his nephew's arrival. In a rare moment of joy, Abu Lahab was so pleased that he gestured with his finger and set her free.
Suwaiba nursed the Prophet (SAW) for several days. It is a notable historical fact that she had also nursed Hazrat Hamza (RA), the Prophet’s uncle, and later Abu Salama ibn Abdul Asad. This created a unique bond where Hazrat Hamza (RA) was not only the Prophet's uncle but also his foster brother. Throughout his life, the Prophet (SAW) maintained great respect for Suwaiba, often sending her gifts and clothing from Madinah until she passed away in the 7th year after the Hijrah.
Following the brief period with Suwaiba, the Prophet (SAW) was entrusted to Hazrat Halima Saadia (RA) of the Banu Sa’ad tribe. In ancient Makkah, it was common for wealthy families to send their infants into the surrounding deserts to be raised by Bedouin tribes. The primary reasons were to escape the stifling heat and potential diseases of the city and to ensure the child learned the purest form of the Arabic language, which was preserved in the desert away from the linguistic influences of foreign traders.
Hazrat Halima Saadia (RA) and the Rain of Blessings
Hazrat Halima’s encounter with the Prophet (SAW) is often described as a series of miracles. She arrived in Makkah during a year of great famine and drought. Her own donkey was weak, and her livestock produced no milk. Initially, many wet nurses hesitated to take Muhammad (SAW) because he was an orphan, fearing that his family would not be able to pay them well. However, Halima decided she could not return home empty-handed and chose to take the infant.
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