Chapter 3: Childhood: Ḥalīmah and the Years of Loss
From the desert of Banū Sa‘d to the care of his uncle — his first eight years
© 2026 Sheikh Mohamed Fawzy. All rights reserved. Version 1.7
His first nurses
After his mother, one of the first women to nurse him was Thuwaybah, a freed servant of his uncle Abū Lahab. The Prophet ﷺ himself mentioned her:
It was a custom of the noble families of Makkah to send their babies to nurses in the desert, where the air was clean and the Arabic was pure. The Prophet ﷺ was given to Ḥalīmah al-Sa‘diyyah, of the tribe of Banū Sa‘d ibn Bakr.
Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm tells the long story of Ḥalīmah’s journey and the blessings she saw; in line with this course, we keep only what is firmly established.
Growing up in the desert
Pure language
He grew up speaking the clearest Arabic of the Bedouins.
A strong body
Open land, fresh air and hard life made him strong and healthy.
A big family
Ḥalīmah’s children became his brothers and sisters through nursing.
The lands of Banū Sa‘d were in the desert south-east of Makkah, towards Ṭā’if; the marker on the map is approximate.
The opening of his chest
While he was still a small boy among Banū Sa‘d, something amazing happened:
What did it mean?
Allah purified his heart from Shayṭān’s share while he was a child, preparing him to carry the message.
How do we know it is true?
It is in Sahih Muslim, from Anas — who even saw the mark on his chest. Tap Takhrīj to see the chain.
No picture is drawn for this event, on purpose. Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm places it in his fourth or fifth year; after it, Ḥalīmah returned him to his mother.
A journey to Yathrib
Back in Makkah, he lived with his mother Āminah. When he was six, she took him to Yathrib to visit his father’s grave, together with his grandfather and the servant Umm Ayman. They stayed a month.
On the way home…
At a place called al-Abwā’, between Yathrib and Makkah, his mother fell ill and died. She was buried there. The little boy returned to Makkah without her.
Now he had lost both his parents — and he was only six years old.
Find al-Abwā’ on the map of the previous slides. Let the class be quiet for a moment and imagine a six-year-old making that journey home.
In his grandfather’s care
A loving grandfather
His grandfather ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib, a leader of Quraysh, took him in. He loved him very much and kept him close.
Another loss
When the boy was eight, ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib died too. Before his death, he gave the boy into the care of his son Abū Ṭālib.
Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm: he was eight years, two months and ten days old when his grandfather died. Abū Ṭālib was the full brother of the Prophet’s father, ‘Abdullāh.
Abū Ṭālib, the protecting uncle
Abū Ṭālib was not rich, and he had many children. But he loved his nephew more than his own sons, and protected him for more than forty years.
Years later, Allah reminded the Prophet ﷺ of how He had looked after him:
Abū Ṭālib will return in Chapters 9, 12 and 13 — protecting the Prophet ﷺ from Quraysh until his death in the Year of Sorrow.
His first eight years
- Before birth His father ‘Abdullāh dies in Yathrib.
- Birth Born in Makkah on a Monday, in the Year of the Elephant.
- Baby Nursed by Thuwaybah, then sent to Ḥalīmah in the desert of Banū Sa‘d.
- Age 4–5 The opening of his chest; he returns to his mother.
- Age 6 His mother Āminah dies at al-Abwā’.
- Age 8 His grandfather ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib dies; Abū Ṭālib takes him in.
Ages follow Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm. Have students retell the timeline in their own words, one student per step.
He knew how an orphan feels
Because he grew up as an orphan himself, the Prophet ﷺ cared deeply for orphans and promised a great reward to those who look after them:
What can you do?
Be kind to a classmate who has lost a parent; support an orphan-sponsorship project with your family; never make fun of anyone’s loss.
Be sensitive: there may be students in the class who have lost a parent. Emphasise that Allah cared for His Prophet ﷺ through every loss.
What we learn
Allah takes care
He lost his father, mother and grandfather — yet Allah never left him alone.
A purified heart
The opening of his chest shows Allah was preparing him from childhood.
Kindness to orphans
The orphan became the Prophet who promised Paradise to those who care for orphans.
Quick quiz
Allah sheltered the orphan
ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam ﷺ