Birth & Childhood of Rasulullah s.a.w.

The prophesies and divine events that were  taking place in Arabia were sure signs of the coming of our Prophet Rasulullah  The Christian priest according to their Gospel (Injeel) and the Jewish Rabbis according to their book (Tauraat) declared that 'The last of all Nabees' will be born in Arabia. Hazrat Ebrahim (A.S) had also asked Allah to raise a prophet among the Arabs.

Hazrat Abdul Muttalib and his son Hazrat Haarith (R.A) began a desperate search for the well of 'Zam Zam'. There are two little hills, 'Safa and Marwah', now absorbed in the city of Makkah, and close to the well of 'Zam Zam'. Here Hazrat Hajira (R.A), mother of the infant Hazrat Isma'eel(A.S.) prayed for water in the parched desert, and in her eager quest between these hills, she found her prayer answered and she saw the 'Zam Zam' spring. She built walls round it to make it a well. In due course this well was covered up with silt and now, it was Hazrat Abdul Muttalib's intention to uncover it.

Hazrat Abdul Muttalib, the care-taker of the Ka'bah had to also contend with the attack by Abrah-bin-Saba, the governor of Yemen who intended to destroy the Ka'bah. Abrah had an army of 'The Elephants'. But Allah sent flights of birds which rained down stones on this army and destroyed the attackers and Abrah failed in his intention. The Quraan makes mention of this fact in Sura 'Feel' (The Elephants). This was the year that Rasulullah  was born and it was called the 'Year of the Elephants'.

After this event, when Hazrat Abdul Muttalib visited Zaid-bin-Zeeyazun, the then ruler of Yemen, he was told by his ruler that the prophet for whom the world was waiting will be born in the family of Hazrat Abdul Muttalib.

Just before the birth of Rasulullah  , Hazrat Abdullah the father of Rasulullah  was sent by Hazrat Abdul Muttalib on a trade mission to Syria (Shaam). On his return journey, Hazrat Abdullah fell ill and passed away at Madinah.

Thus Rasulullah  was born on Monday 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal (22 April 571 A.D.) in the family of Banu Hashim. His mother Hazrat Bibi Aamina (R.A). was from Banu Zuhra family. The genealogy of this tribe shows that it is directly linked with Hazrat Isma'eel (A.S.)

When Rasulullah  was born, many divine events took place. A bright star was seen by a Jew in Madinah. A sacred fire burning continuously for a thousand years in Persia (Iran) was extinguished. A bright light arose in Makkah and this was seen as far as Syria. An angel had appeared in the dream of Hazrat Bibi Aaminah(R.A.) and told her that the boy that was to be born to her should be named 'Ahmed' (The Praise One).

With great joy Hazrat Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of Rasulullah  took the infant Prophet  to the Ka'bah and thanked Allah for giving him this Divine grandson.

As a boy, Rasulullah  was cared for and suckled for seven days by Thuwaybah, the freed slave of Abu-Lahab-ibn-Abdul Muttalib, incidentally, Hazrat Hamza (R.A.) was also suckled by Thuwaybah. and because of this good fortune, Hazrart Hamza (R.A.) became Rasulullah  's foster brother. Hazrat Abdul Muttalib was so overjoyed with the birth of his grandson that after seven days he offered an 'Aqeeqah', and invited all the people of Quraish for a feast. This tradition of the 
'Aqeeqah' was common among the Arabs since they believed that by this sacrifice, all the evil and other omens will keep away from the person in the name of whom the 'Aqeeqah' is offered.

On the eighth day after his birth , Rasulullah  was given in the care of Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A) 
a lady of the Banu S'aad tribe. It was the practice of the Arabs to send their children away to the country-side so that they would grow up strong and healthy and learn the refined language of the Bedouin tribe which was considered superior to that of the city language. Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A) found that since Rasulullah  had joined her family, there was 'barkat' (blessing) and a great deal of prosperity in her home. Thus Rasulullah  grew up with the children of Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A), and he often went out with them to tend the sheep and goats.

After every six months, Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A.) brought Rasulullah  back to Makkah to his mother Hazrat Bibi Aaminah (R.A.) and to his grandfather Abdul Muttalib.

It was while Rasulullah  was in the care of Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A.)  that her children reported to her one day that two persons, dressed in white, had taken Rasulullah  away. When Hazrat Bibi Halemah (R.A.) found him, he was pale and weak. He explained that the two persons had split open his chest and taken out something from his heart. On inspecting his body, Hazrat Bibi Haleemah (R.A.) found no signs of injury. This incident so upset her that she brought Rasulullah back to Makkah to Bibi Aaminah (R.A.).

According to 'Saheeh Muslim.' Hazrat Anas-bin -Maalik (R.A.) reports that one day while Rasulullah  was playing with some boys, Hazrat Jibra'eel (A.S) appeared before Rasulullah  and split open his chest and removed a black spot from his heart and thereafter placed faith and wisdom in it. He then washed the heart in the water of 'Zam Zam' and replaced it in Rasulullah 's Chest.

When Rasulullah  was six years old, Hazrat Bibi Aaminah (R.A.) took him to her people in Madinah. On the return  journey to Makkah, she was taken ill and passed away at Abwa. Hazrat Abdul Muttalib then took care of Rasulullah  for two years. When Rasululaah  was eight years old, Hazrat Abdul Muttalib also passed away.