بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْم
الحمد لله رب العالمين الذي منّ علی المؤمنين اذ بعث فيهم رسولا من انفسهم يتلوا عليهم ايته و يزكيهم و يعلمهم الكتاب و الحكمة و ان كانوا من قبلُ لفي ضلال مّبين
After two beautiful years in the care of Sayyidah Haleemah رضی الله عنها, the nursing period had now concluded and it was time for the Prophet ﷺ to return to his home in Makkah, to his beloved mother Sayyidah Aaminah رضی الله عنها who eagerly yearned for him ﷺ. However, neither Sayyidah Haleemah رضی الله عنها, nor Shayma رضی الله عنها, nor the rest of their family were ready to part with the Prophet ﷺ.
When the day of return came, Sayyidah Haleemah رضی الله عنها could not bear to do so as she met with Sayyidah Aaminah رضی الله عنها who was equally yearning for her son. Here we had two beautiful souls, two hearts of two mothers that both yearned for the Prophet ﷺ and loved him dearly. Sayyidah Haleemah رضی الله عنها recalled all the Khair (Goodness) and Barakah (Blessings) that transformed her life and world through his ﷺ presence, and had decided in that moment to convince Sayyidah Aaminah رضی الله عنها to allow her to spend some more time with him ﷺ.
She knew this would not be easy due to the great love and care a mother’s heart feels for her child, but being a mother herself she convinced Sayyidah Aaminah رضی الله عنها by igniting the protective faculties that stimulate a mother to endure the greatest of pains and sacrifices for her child’s well-being. She رضی الله عنها mentioned the climate of Makkah and the spreading pandemic that was affecting its inhabitants, and earnestly requested that she be permitted to keep the Prophet ﷺ in her home at Banu Saa’d to protect him. Thus, Sayyidah Aaminah رضی الله عنها agreed out of sheer love and protection for her beloved son and Sayyidah Haleemah رضی الله عنها joyfully returned home with the Prophet ﷺ who uplifted her entire household that was burdened with the pain of his absence.
In this manner Sayyidah Haleemah RA and her family continued to prolong and enjoy his ﷺ blessed company for a number of years, watching him grow into a beautiful boy who only increased in excellence and virtue.
The Angels علیهم السلام Approach
As the years passed and the Prophet ﷺ was now four or five years old, he ﷺ was once out grazing goats with his milk-brothers in the lands of Banu Saa’d. It was during this moment when two great men approached them and headed straight for the Prophet ﷺ. Seeing this, the children of Sayyidah Haleemah Saa’diyah رضی الله عنها displayed great courage out of the love they had for their milk-brother, risking their lives to protect him ﷺ from what was perceived as a sign of danger or harm. Nevertheless, they were unable to stop the two men whom were now taking hold of him ﷺ and placing him on the ground. At this moment the children frantically ran to their parents calling out for help and protection for their beloved “Quraishi Brother”, which they lovingly referred to him ﷺ by.
During this time, the two men – who were in reality angels that had taken the form of men – began opening the chest of the Prophet ﷺ who was laid flat on the ground, observing and experiencing this as an innocent child. Sayyidinaa Anas ibn Maalik RA narrates the account of this incident which heard he from the Prophet ﷺ:
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَیْهِ السَّلَام وَهُوَ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ فَأَخَذَهُ فَصَرَعَهُ فَشَقَّ عَنْ قَلْبِهِ فَاسْتَخْرَجَ الْقَلْبَ فَاسْتَخْرَجَ مِنْهُ عَلَقَةً
“The Angel Jibra’eel علیه السلام came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was playing with the children. He took hold of him and lay him down on the ground and split open his chest and took out the heart from it and then extracted a blood-clot out of it.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Thereafter they placed the blessed heart of the Prophet ﷺ in cold Zam Zam, then restored it to his blessed body and sealed his blessed chest once again. This was a significant moment which spiritually and physically prepared the Prophet ﷺ for the great mission of Nubuwwah (Prophethood) that he would embark upon in the future.
From a spiritual perspective alone, we see the sheer, unimaginable strength of the heart of Rasoolullah ﷺ which was now fortified for the first stage of his mission. Allah سبحانه و تعالی teaches us the strength of his ﷺ heart when he declared to us in the Qur’aan that even a great mountain would not be able to bear the might of the Word of God! His blessed heart ﷺ was the only vessel pure enough and strong enough to yield the mighty revelation of Allah’s final and greatest message. Allah سبحانه و تعالی says regarding this in the Glorious Qur’aan:
لَوۡ اَنۡزَلۡنَا هٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنَ عَلٰى جَبَلٍ لَّرَاَيۡتَهٗ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنۡ خَشۡيَةِ اللّٰهِؕ وَتِلۡكَ الۡاَمۡثَالُ نَضۡرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُوۡنَ
“Had We sent down this Qur’aan upon a mountain, you would have certainly seen it humbled and torn apart in awe of Allah. We set forth such comparisons for people, so perhaps they may reflect” (Surah Al Hashr 59:21)
Upon completion of this procedure, the angels then placed their hands on the blessed chest and comforted the Prophet ﷺ:
ثُمَّ ضَمُّونِي إِلَى صُدُورِهِمْ وَقَبَّلُوا رَأْسِي وَمَا بَيْنَ عَيْنَيَّ ثُمَّ قَالُوا يَا حَبِيبُ لَمْ تُرَعْ إِنَّكَ لَوْ تَدْرِي مَا يُرَادُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ لَقَرَّتْ عَيْنَاكَ
“They all hugged me, kissed my forehead and between my eyes and said, Oh beloved! If you only knew what goodness is intended for you, you would be delighted” (Abu Nu’aym, Ibn Asakir)
As the angels returned, Sayyidah Haleemah رضی الله عنها and her husband Haarith arrived at the scene, rushing to his safety as soon as the children informed them. They found the Prophet ﷺ whilst his face had become pale in a state of astonishment. Sayyidah Haleemah رضی الله عنها immediately embraced the Prophet ﷺ and hugged him to her chest and comforted him, asking him what had happened and ascertaining his well-being. Likewise, Haarith also held on to the Prophet ﷺ and hugged him as they inquired and heard his account of what had occured.
Bidding farewell to Banu Saa’d
Following this incident, Sayyidah Haleemah رضی الله عنها was constantly worried and concerned for the safety of the Prophet ﷺ out of the sheer love and concern she felt for him. She could not bear for herself to be the cause of harm or danger for him ﷺ by keeping him in such a place where she feared such incidents may re-occur. Thus, her own protective faculties were ignited and she could not sleep until he ﷺ was safe, even if that meant she would have to distance herself from him by taking him ﷺ out of Banu Saa’d.
Both Sayyidah Haleemah رضی الله عنها and her husband Haarith agreed to return to Makkah with the Prophet ﷺ for the sake of his safety and protection. They took him ﷺ back to Makkah Al-Mukarramah and allowed Sayyidah Aaminah رضی الله عنها to keep him ﷺ in her care. Seeing this sudden change arose a suspicion in Sayyidah Aaminah رضی الله عنها, for she knew that they had always insisted on keeping him ﷺ and would never wish to part with him. She رضی الله عنها asked them in regards to this and insisted until they told her the complete story. They were however, met with no sense of fear or concern in response from Sayyidah Aaminah رضی الله عنها, though she was the blessed mother of the Prophet ﷺ who gave birth to him ﷺ and loved him even more than them. Rather she consoled them with absolute confidence and guarantee that no one could harm her blessed child, citing the various experiences she witnessed during the pregnancy and birth whilst telling them:
كلا والله ما لشيطان عليه سبيل، وإنه لكائن لابنى هذا شأن عظيم
“By Allah, there is no way that the Devil can get to him. This son of mine will be of great standing.” (Mawaahib Al-Ladunniyyah)
However, after consoling them and giving them confidence to have no such fear, she displayed her motherly love and made it clear that she would not part with her beloved son this time. Thus at this juncture Sayyidah Haleemah RA painfully bid farewell to the son she was chosen to feed, raise and nurture. Her love and care lived with the Prophet ﷺ throughout his blessed life, as did the connection with his siblings and dear family in Banu Saa’d, especially his sister Shayma رضی الله عنها.
Allah سبحانه و تعالی reunited the Prophet ﷺ with Sayyidah Haleemah رضی الله عنها and Sayyidah Shayma رضی الله عنها shortly after the conquest of Makkah in the year 8 AH. They stood before him in an emotional tribute as they gazed upon his blessed face in awe, now grown into the perfect man ﷺ, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the liberator and conqueror of Makkah Al-Mukarramah ﷺ, whilst he ﷺ humbly stood before them as a son, and a younger brother loving, caring and honouring them in their elderly age as they did for him in his infancy.
May Allah سبحانه و تعالی be pleased with them both and grant them the ultimate Sa’aadah (Felicity) of the Aakhirah!
Join us tomorrow as we continue in the blessed Seerah with our next article: “Return to Makkah”
