The Life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

The Orphan's Childhood Muhammad (pbuh)

  The Orphan's Childhood 

Muhammad (pbuh) returned to live with his mother in Mecca when hewas about three years old. Three years later Aminah decided to take herson to visit his uncles in Yathrib. She told her maid, Barakah, to prepareeverything they would need for the long journey, and then they joinedone of the caravans going there. They stayed in Yathrib a month andMuhammad (pbuh) enjoyed the visit with his cousins. The climate therewas very pleasant and he learned to swim and to fly a kite. On their wayback to Mecca, however, Aminah became ill and died. 

She was buried inthe village at al-Abwa not far from Yathrib. Muhammad (pbuh) returnedsadly to Mecca with his mother's maid He was now six years old and hadlost both his father and mother. He was then adopted by his grandfather, 'Abd al-Muttalib, who loved him dearly and kept him by his side at alltimes. It was the custom of 'Abd al-Muttalib to sit on a blanket near theKa'bah. There he was always surrounded by people who had come tospeak to him. No one was allowed to sit on the blanket with him,however, except his grandson Muhammad (pbuh), which shows howclose they were to each other. Many times 'Abd al-Muttalib was heard tosay: 'This boy will be very important one day.'   

  Two years later 'Abd al-Muttalib became ill and Muhammad (pbuh)stayed by him constantly. 'Abd al-Muttalib told his son, Abu Talib, toadopt Muhammad (pbuh) after his death, which he did. Abu Talib hadmany children of his own, but Muhammad (pbuh) immediately becamepart of his family and the favorite child. 

The time came for Quraysh toprepare a caravan to go to Syria. Abu Talib was going with them and hetook Muhammad (pbuh) along. It was Mohammed's first journey to thenorth. After days of travel, the caravan arrived at a place near Syria wherethe Romans used to come to trade with the Arabs. Near this marketplacelived a monk called "Bahira‟. His cell had been used by generations ofmonks before him and contained ancient manuscripts.

Bahira' saw the caravan in the distance and was amazed to see thatover it was a large white cloud. It was the only cloud in a clear blue skyand it appeared to be shading one of the travelers. The monk was evenmore surprised to see that the cloud seemed to follow the caravan butdisappeared when the person it was shading sat down under a tree. 

Bahira knew from the scriptures that a prophet was expected to comeafter Jesus and it had been his wish to see this prophet before he died.Realizing that what he had just seen was a miracle, he began to think thathis wish might, after all, come true.     

  The monk sent an invitation to the Meccans to come and eat with him.The Arabs were surprised because they often passed by and Bahira hadnever invited them before. When the group was all together for the meal,the monk said, 'Is this everyone?'. 'No', someone said, 'a boy was leftwatching the camels.' Bahira‟ insisted that the boy should join them. Theboy was Muhammad (pbuh). When he arrived Bahira‟ said nothing, butwatched him all through the meal. He noticed many things about hisappearance which fitted the description in the old manuscripts. 

Later onhe took him aside and asked Muhammad (pbuh) many questions. He soonfound out how he felt about the idols in the Ka'bah. When Bahira tried tomake him swear by them, as the Arabs used to do, Muhammad (pbuh)said, 'There is nothing in this world that I hate more'. They talked togetherabout Allah and about Mohammed‟s life and family. What was said madeBahira certain that this was indeed the Prophet who would follow Jesus.   

  Then the monk went to Abu Talib and asked him how he was relatedto Muhammad (pbuh). Abu Talib told him that Muhammad (pbuh) washis son. Bahira replied that this could not be so because the boy wasdestined to grow up an orphan, and he ordered Abu Talib to watch overMuhammad (pbuh) with great care. 

There are many stories told aboutMohammed's youth. Some tell of how he used to take the family's sheepto graze and was always kind to them. While they grazed he would sitthinking about the mysteries of nature. Unlike those around him1 henever worshipped the idols and never swore by them.   

  He also wondered why people were always struggling for power andmoney, and this saddened him and made him feel lonely, but he kept hisfeelings to himself. He was a quiet, thoughtful boy, and rarely playedwith other boys of his age. On one occasion, however, Muhammad(pbuh) went with some of the boys to a wedding in Mecca. 

When hereached the house he heard the sounds of music and dancing but just as hewas about to enter he suddenly felt tired and, sitting down, fell asleep. Hedidn't wake up until late the next morning and thus missed thecelebrations. In this way Allah prevented him from doing anythingfoolish for He was keeping Muhammad (pbuh) for something much moreimportant.