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Just as Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) grazed goats in his childhood with his foster brothers while in the custody of Hazrat Haleemah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), similarly he also grazed goats as he grew older.
Hazrat Jaabir bin ‘Abdillah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates, “We were once with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in a place named Zahraan when we began to pluck fruit from the salvadora persica tree (miswaak tree).Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to us, ‘Look for and pick the fruit that is dark, as it is tastier.’ We then asked, ‘O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Did you graze goats (due to which you would know this)?’ Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, ‘There is no Nabi who did not graze goats.’”
The people (of Makkah Mukarramah) would explain that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) grew up as the most dignified of his people, the one with the best character, the person who would enquire the most regarding the well being of his neighbors, the most forbearing and tolerant, the most truthful and trustworthy, and the furthest from fighting, arguing, immorality and every evil. This is why his people gave him the title of Al-Ameen (the truthful one).
‘Abdullah bin Jud‘aan was the cousin of Hazrat ‘Aa’ishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) i.e. her father’s brother’s son. Once, Hazrat ‘Aa’ishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) asked Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘aan was an extraordinarily hospitable manand would feed the people often. Will this benefit him in any way on the Day of Qiyaamah?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “No! This is because he did not say:
رب اغفر لي خطيئتي يوم الدين
O my Sustainer! Pardon my sins on the Day of Reckoning!
In other words, he did not seek forgiveness for his sins at any time in his life (i.e. he did not bring Imaan).
When the series of battles known as Harb-ul-Fujjaar drew to an end in Shawwaal, then an unsteady revival of Hilf-ul-Fudhool commenced in the sacred month of Zul-Qa’dah.
The first person to revive this pact was Zubair bin ‘Abdul Muttalib. The Banu Haashim and Banu Taym gathered in the home of ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘aan who had prepared food for all present. At that time, everybody present pledged to assist the oppressed. Whether the oppressed was related or unrelated in kinship, a local or foreigner, they undertook to assist him to the best of their ability.
The Arabs had been engaged in a series of battles with each other for many years. However, how long could this continue for? After Harb-ul-Fujjaar was concluded, it occurred to some people that just as bloodshed and killing was previously brought to an end by a pact devised by Fadhl bin Fudhaalah, Fadhl bin Wadaa‘ah and Fudhail bin Haarith, whose names caused this pact to be popularly known as Hilf-ul-Fudhool, in the same way, there was today an urgent need to once again to revive this pact.
(Continued)
While speaking to them, the monk suddenly noticed a group of seven Romans coming towards him while searching for something. The priest asked them, “What are you searching for?” They replied, “We have come out in search of the Nabi in whose regard the Towrah and Injeel have given the glad tidings that he will be travelling in this month. We have thus dispatched men in all directions (to search for him).”
(Continued)
Merely on account of the presence of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), the monk prepared a meal for the entire caravan of travelers. When they arrived to eat, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was absent. The monk enquired as to where Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was, to which they responded that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was out grazing the camels. Hearing this, the monk sent someone to call him.
Hazrat Abu Musa Ash‘ari (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that Abu Taalib once travelled with some seniors of the Quraish to Syria. A Christian monk was living in the area where they had halted. They had passed this monk on numerous occasions previously, but he never showed any interest in them. On this occasion, however, when the trade caravan of the Quraish halted, the monk unexpectedly emerged from his monastery, came to the caravan and began to examine each one of the travelers. When he came to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he grasped him by the hand and exclaimed:
هذا سيّد العالمين هذا رسول رب العالمين يبعثه اللّٰه رحمة للعالمين
“This is the leader of the worlds. This is the messenger of the Rabb of the worlds. Allah Ta‘ala will send him as a mercy for the people of the worlds.”
The First Journey to Syria and Encountering the Monk Baheeraa
Written by user2Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was twelve years old when Abu Taalib decided to travel to Syria with a trade caravan of the Quraish. Considering the difficulties encountered in travelling, Abu Taalib did not intend to take Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) with him. However, at the time of departure, he noticed signs of sadness and grief on the blessed face of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) due to which he decided to take him with.
En route to Syria, they neared the city of Busra where a Christian monk by the name of Jarjis, popularly known as Baheeraa, lived. He was well acquainted with the signs of the final Prophet that were mentioned in the divine books. The moment this trade caravan halted before Baheeraa’s monastery and his gaze fell on the illuminated personage of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he at once recognised him as the Prophet referred to in the previous books. Baheeraa then grasped Rasulullah’s (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) hand in his own.
(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 1/88-89)
After the demise of ‘Abdul Muttalib, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was taken into the custody of his uncle, Abu Taalib. Abu Taalib loved Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) more than his own children, and cared for him with this compassion and love until the end of his life. Hence, he had completely fulfilled the responsibility of raising and caring for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Sadly, despite his devoted guardianship and loving care of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he was deprived of the wealth of Islam.
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Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) remained in the care of his paternal grandfather, ‘Abdul Muttalib, for a period of two years. When he turned eight, ‘Abdul Muttalib also bid this world farewell. Based on the different views, ‘Abdul Muttalib passed away at the age of either eighty two, eighty five, ninety five, one hundred and ten or one hundred and twenty. He was buried in Hajoon.
The father of Kindeer bin Sa‘eed says:
During the era of ignorance, before the advent of Islam, I once came to Makkah to perform Haj. I saw a person making Tawaaf of the Ka’bah whilst uttering the following couplet:
رُدَّ إِلَيَّ رَاكِبِيْ مُحَمَّدًا يَا رَبِّ رُدَّهُ وَاصْطَنِعْ عِنْدِيْ يَدًا
“O Allah! Return to me my mounted one (i.e. the one mounted on a conveyance), Muhammad! O Lord! Return him to me and show me great favour (through returning him to me).”
Hazrat Umme Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) returned to Makkah with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and handed him into the care of his paternal grandfather, ‘Abdul Muttalib.
‘Abdul Muttalib always kept Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) with him. Whenever ‘Abdul Muttalib would be present in Musjid-ul-Haraam, a special mat would be placed in the shade of the Baytullah for ‘Abdul Muttalib. Nobody was allowed to even place a foot on this mat, to the extent that even ‘Abdul Muttalib’s own children would sit on the edges of this mat. However, when Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would come, he would sit comfortably on the mat. His uncles would try to move him away from this seat but ‘Abdul Muttalib would say with complete kindness, “Leave this son of mine. By Allah! His status will be absolutely unprecedented.” He would then call him and make him sit close by, and when ‘Abdul Muttalib would look at him, he would become pleased.
(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 1/86)
The splitting of the chest occurred four times in the mubaarak life of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
The first occurred during his childhood when he was in the care of Hazrat Halimah (radhiyallahu ‘anha). He was four years old at the time. He was on the grazing-field when two angels, Hazrat Jibraa’eel (‘alaihis salaam) and Hazrat Mikaa’eel (alaihis salaam), appeared as men in white garments carrying a golden tray laden with ice. They cut open his chest and removed his pure heart. They then split open his pure heart and removed one or two lumps of congealed blood and said, “This is shaytaan’s portion.” They placed his heart in the tray and washed it with ice water, after which they returned it to its original location, stitched his chest and applied a seal between his shoulder blades.
The splitting of the chest left Hazrat Halimah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) worried that some calamity may befall Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Hence, she took him to his mother, Hazrat Aaminah, in Makkah Mukarramah, and informed her of what had transpired. Upon hearing what happened to the child, Hazrat Aaminah was in no way alarmed. She then mentioned the noor, the divine barakaat (blessings) and good that she had experienced during pregnancy and at the time of birth, after which she said, “The status and condition of this son of mine will be very great. Shaytaan will have no access to him. Do not worry as no calamity will befall him.”
Hazrat Halimah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) then returned home and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) began living with his mother. When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was six years old, his mother decided to journey to Madinah Munawwarah and took him along with her. Hazrat Umme Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) also accompanied them on this trip. She stayed at her parents’ home for a month and thereafter returned with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) to Makkah Mukarramah. While returning to Makkah Mukarramah, she passed away at a place called Abwaa and was buried there as well.
(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 1/73-85)