The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) wet nurse:
The Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) wet nurse was Halima al-Sa’diyah. Her full name was Halima bint Abi Dhuaib Abdullah bin al-Harith. She belonged to the Sa’d branch of the Banu Sa’d, part of the Hawazin tribe. She nursed the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the desert of Banu Sa’d. At that time, it was customary for people in Mecca to send their children to the desert to be nursed, gaining both eloquence and physical strength.
Halima al-Sa’diyah and the Childhood of the Prophet (peace be upon him):
Halima al-Sa’diyah was a poor woman. She went out with her husband and camels searching for a baby to nurse. When they arrived in Mecca, no one accepted them because they were poor.
However, they found the orphan Prophet (peace be upon him), and Halima accepted him. The blessed child brought barakah (blessing) to Halima and her family.
Halima al-Sa’diyah said:
"We had never seen a land as barren as this; we went out and found nothing. But when this boy arrived, we found the most fertile land. Our camels gave plenty of milk; we milked and drank. The child slept easily, waking us only when he cried. He grew during the day what others grew in a month."
Halima nursed the Prophet (peace be upon him) for two years and then returned him to his mother, Aminah bint Wahb. Later, she took him back due to an epidemic in Mecca. The Prophet (peace be upon him) spent the first four years of his life in Banu Sa’d’s desert, which greatly influenced his character.
Virtue of Halima al-Sa’diyah:
Halima was one of the closest people to the Prophet’s heart, and he honored and respected her.
Bukhari and Muslim narrate from Abu Tufayl:
"I saw the Prophet distributing meat. A Bedouin woman came near; the Prophet spread his cloak for her to sit. I asked, ‘Who is she?’ They said, ‘She is his wet nurse.’"
Halima al-Sa’diyah was one of the earliest believers in Islam and passed away during the Prophet’s lifetime.
Thus, Halima al-Sa’diyah was a blessed woman honored to nurse the Prophet and held a special place in his heart.
