-by Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb -
The Story of Hazrat Halima Sa`diyya (Radiyallahu anha), the foster mother of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) is well-known.
The custom of the Arabs who lived in the towns was to entrust their young children in the care of the Bedouin women, who earned a living by being wet nurses. For the town Arabs, this time afforded their children the healthy environment of the desert; facilitating good health, strength and an opportunity to master the rich, untainted speech of the Bedouins.
Thus, it was the good fortune of Hazrat Halima Sa`diyya(Radiyallahu anha), that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) was destined for her.
In the many books on the Seerah, we read Hazrat Halima’s(Radiyallahu anha) personal account of how she, her husband and baby travelled in the company of other women, in search of children to suckle. It was a time of famine and drought and theirs was a state of hunger and want, to the extent that she could not even feed her baby.
On reaching Makkah Mukarramah, none of the women were prepared to accept Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) once they were told that he was an orphan. Their hope was to secure a child whose father would reward them generously.
Whilst the other women were successful in their quest,Hazrat Halima(Radiyallahu anha) was not. Before departing from Makkah Mukkarramah, she decided to take the orphaned baby, rather than have none to take home. There was no other choice that she had.
Hazrat Halima (Radiyallahu anha)relates herself, that the moment she lifted him into her arms, she found to her great surprise, that she had sufficient milk to feed him, as well as her own little baby. And she thereafter related the good fortune that came their way whilst taking care of the little Muhammad (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) : Their she-camel was suddenly blessed with plentiful of milk; her lean, slow donkey was suddenly blessed with strength and speed; their barren land was blessed with plentiful of grass for their animals to feed on. And like this, prosperity filled their home due to the presence and blessings of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam).