Abdullah, the father of Holy Prophet Muhammad (salallaho alaihe wasalam) was the most loving son of Abdul Muttalib. He was married to Aminah, daughter of Wahab bin Abd Munaf, the chief of Bani Zahra.
After passing few months of matrimonial life, Abdullah went to Syria with a trade caravan. On his way back home, he stopped at yathrib, where he fell ill and died. Thus Holy Prophet (salallaho alaihe wasalam) became orphan even before his birth. By way of inheritance Abdullah left a few camels, goats and a slave girl Umm-e-Aimen. Umm-e-Aimen real name was Barakah.
In those days it was customary among noble Arab families to send their infants to nurses of good tribes in the rural areas so that they should grow in the clean open air of the desert and learn pure Arabic speech. Aminah also gave her son to Halima Saadia, a noble lady of desert tribe of Bani Saad who lived some 25 miles outside of Makkah.
None of the other Bedouin wet nurses wanted to take the child Muhammad (salallaho alaihe wasalam) because he was an orphan. When a child was returned to the family of the foster child, they would reward the wet nurse generously. Every woman got a child to bring up but Halima, who had arrived last and did not find a child to foster. She was ready to go back when she decided to return and collect the child Muhammad, even though he was an orphan.
Muhammad (salallaho alaihe wasalam) always had the highest regards for Halima Saadia. His (salallaho alaihe wasalam) foster parents were poor people but with the coming of this child (salallaho alaihe wasalam) their luck changed. It was also the year of famine and drought so they would constantly pray for rain.
With the duty of bringing up Muhammad(salallaho alaihe wasalam), Halima fortunes turned right around and her life was filled with immense good fortune. Both Muhammad and the other foster child were fully fed, even though the previous night there was no milk for the other child. The old she camel, which had not given a drop of milk, was soon over flowing with milk. Halima was at the very back of the group of women but now was at the front of the group. This was indeed a great blessing for this poor Bedouin family. Their land became fertile as never before. Halima’s herd of goats used to come home full, and over flowing with milk. The rest of the Bedouins' goats used to come home scraggy and empty. They used to complain to the shepherd to take the sheep and goats to the same place that Halima takes her flock! There were many more signs about how her life was turned around.
After two years the child Muhammad (salallaho alaihe wasalam) was back to his mother, but due to plague in Makkah, she returned him to the pure desert air for another couple of years. At this time, Halima told Aminah about the great blessings that she had received when Muhammad was in her care.
A strange incident took place in the prophet’s childhood. Once both Muhammad and his foster brother were playing in the yard with the goats when the Angel Jibrael appeared to them. The Angel came split open Muhammad’s chest, took out his heart, removed a blood clot and washed it in Zamzam. The angel then returned the heart to Muhammad's body before going away. The angel said this was the part of shaytan in you.
His foster brother ran to Halima and said that Muhammad has been murdered. She rushed out and found Muhammad standing with a pale white face. She checked over his body and found that he was fine.
