In the care of Haleemah Sa’diya

It was customary among the citizens of Makkah to put their new-borns in the care of Bedouin women who would raise them for a couple of years in the desert.

The Makkans believed that the unspoiled, rugged desert environment would make their children strong and hardy. Furthermore, an upbringing among the Bedouin ensured that the children would learn the purest form of Arabic language spoken throughout Arabia. Abdul Muttalib was looking for one such Bedouin woman who would serve as a wet nurse and take his grandson to the desert. Some women from the Banu Sa’d bin Bakr bin Hawazen came to Makkah to offer their services to local families. Abdul Muttalib asked each of them to take his grandson Muhammad , but all of them declined the offer when they were told the child’s father was dead. They felt the family of a fatherless child would not be able to reward them handsomely.

Haleemah bint Abu Dhuwayb had also come to Makkah that day. While all the other Bedouin women had found children to nurse, she was not so fortunate. She saw Abdul Muttalib with an infant in his arms and took pity on the child who had been rejected by the other women. She and her husband took the infant Muhammad back to the desert. Haleemah was happy she was not returning empty-handed. Haleemah and her husband, Harith bin Abdul Uzzah, both belonged to the tribe of Sa’d bin Bakr bin Hawazen. Their 20 children became the Prophet’s foster brothers and sisters. Their names were Abdullah, Anisa, and Judhama, who was better known as Shayma. Judhama also nursed the Prophet .