From Halimah’s Upbringing to the Fijar War

After previously discussing the story of the birth and breastfeeding of the Prophet ﷺ, now we turn to his childhood and teenage phase. In this phase, there are various stories that are both touching and amazing.

Halimah asked Aminah’s permission

After the Prophet Muhammad had lived in Bani Sa’d village for a long time, the time came for Halimah to take him to meet his mother to be sent home. However, Halimah did not want to part with little Muhammad because of the blessings she received while he was with her. Halimah persuaded Aminah that little Muhammad could still be looked after by Halimah until he grew up. Halimah reasoned that it was because she was afraid of a disease outbreak in the city of Makkah which could harm the child. Finally Aminah allowed Halimah to go and take her back. So the Prophet ﷺ lived in the village of Bani Sa’d with Halimah’s family for the second time.

Chest cleavage event

When Rasulullah ﷺ was four or five years old, an incident occurred when his chest was cut open. Muslim narrated that Anas said that the Prophet ﷺ was visited by the angel Gabriel while he was playing with other children. Jibril took him, laid him down, then opened his chest. Jibril then took out his heart and took out a lump of flesh, saying, “This is part of the devil that is in you.” Then Jibril washed his heart in a golden vessel filled with zamzam water, put it together, and returned it to its original position. The children who were playing with him ran to Halimah and her husband to tell them that Muhammad had been killed. They came to Rasulullah ﷺ and found him pale. As a result of this incident, Halimah was worried about little Muhammad’s safety. Finally, the woman returned Muhammad to his mother’s lap.

Also read: Getting to know the personality of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam

With mother

One day, Aminah wanted to visit her husband’s grave in Yathrib as a form of loyalty to the memory of her husband who had died. Another source states that Aminah’s purpose in going to Yathrib was to visit relatives on her father’s side, namely Bani ‘Adi bin an-Najjar. He departed from Makkah on a journey covering a distance of about five hundred kilometers accompanied by his orphaned son, Muhammad ﷺ, his servant, Umm Aiman (Umm Ayman), and the person in charge, Abdul Muththalib. After arriving there, they stayed for a month and then returned to Mecca. Unfortunately, on the way back to Mecca, Aminah suddenly fell ill. The pain got worse at the beginning of the journey. Finally he died in Abwa’ (Parent) whose position is located between Makkah and Yathrib. Aminah died when Rasulullah ﷺ was six years old.

Under the tutelage of Abdul Muththalib

Since then, he was raised by Umm Aiman, then raised by his grandfather, Abdul Muththalib. A feeling of great love filled his heart towards his orphaned grandson. He felt sorry for his grandson who experienced another disaster after previously losing his father. Abdul Muththalib expressed his love for Rasulullah ﷺ which he did not give to his own children. He did not leave Rasulullah ﷺ alone, he even prioritized him above his children.

It was Abdul Muththalib’s habit to have a sitting mat prepared in the shade of the Kaaba by his family. After preparing the mat, Abdul Muththalib’s children sat around the mat waiting for Abdul Muththalib to come out of his residence. None of Abdul Muthtalib’s children dared to sit on the pedestal. They do this in order to glorify their father. However, Rasulullah ﷺ, who was still small at that time, actually came to Abdul Muththalib who was sitting on the pedestal. Little Muhammad also sat on the pedestal. Seeing little Muhammad sitting on the pedestal, his uncles tried to pull him away. When he saw this incident, Abdul Muthtalib said, “Let my son be. By Allah, he really has a great position.” So Rasulullah ﷺ sat with Abdul Muthtalib on the pedestal. Abdul Muththalib then rubbed his back with his hand and felt happy with what he had done.

When Rasulullah ﷺ was eight years, two months and ten days old, his grandfather, Abdul Muththalib, died in Mecca. Before his death, he had willed that the care of his grandchildren be handed over to his son, Abu Talib (Abu Talib) who is Abdullah’s brother.

Under the protection of Abu Talib

Abu Talib carried out his responsibilities towards his nephew as well as possible. Even though he lived with limited means, Allah blessed his small fortune. She raised him along with her children, even prioritizing him over them. Abu Talib paid special respect and attention to him, and continued to protect him and defend his interests for more than forty years. While under the care of his uncle, Rasulullah ﷺ grew up as a simple figure and far from the trivial things that children usually do. Umm Aiman ​​once told that when meal time came, the other children fought over the food, while Rasulullah ﷺ remained calm and accepted what Allah made easy for him. One of the important events during Abu Talib’s upbringing was a trade trip to Syria.

A glimpse of the Fijar war

Before the prophetic period, the Prophet ﷺ was present in a war, namely the Fijar war (Wicked people). Historians debate his age when he witnessed the war: some say fourteen years old, fifteen years old, and some say twenty years old.

The background to this war is that an Arab king in al-Hirah, an-Nu’man bin al-Mundzir (Al-Numan bin Al-Mundhir) has merchandise that he sends every year to the ‘Ukazh market (Okay) for sale. Delivery of merchandise requires escort so that the merchandise is guaranteed safe until ‘Ukazh. One time, he sat with al-Barradh bin Qais (Al-Barrad bin Qais Al-Kinani) who comes from the Kinanah tribe (Got it) and ‘Urwah bin ‘Utbah ar-Rahhal (Urwa bin Utba al-Rahhal)then asked who could guarantee the safety of his merchandise. So, al-Barradh guaranteed his merchandise to the Bani Kinanah. The king was not satisfied because he wanted guarantees for everyone. ‘Urwah, while insulting al-Barradh, undertook to guarantee his merchandise according to the king’s wishes. The takeover of the merchandise escort made al-Barradh vengeful and finally killed him when he was careless.

The murder occurred in the holy month. The ‘Urwah tribe is the Hawazin (Hawazin) did not accept the murder. They also prepared to attack Kinanah, led by Qais ‘Ailan (Qais Aylan). Hearing the news of the murder, the Quraysh tribe immediately left ‘Ukazh for the forbidden land. The Hawazin tribe then chased him and succeeded in chasing down the Quraysh before entering the forbidden land and a war broke out. The Fijar War takes place in several episodes. Rasulullah ﷺ was present on the biggest stage.

In that scene, the leader of the Quraysh and Kinanah troops is Harb bin Umayyah (Harb bin Umayyah). Victory was on Qais’ side the previous day; but when it was noon, victory was on Kinanah’s side. The presence of the Prophet ﷺ in the war was because his uncle brought him. He helped return an enemy arrow for his uncle when the enemy threw it at them. The end of this war was the peace proposed by ‘Utbah bin Rabi’ah (Utba bin Rabiah) representing Kinanah. Kinanah will pay Just that for sacrifices slaughtered by Hawazin, providing guarantees for the payment of diyat, and allowing sacrifices from the Quraysh themselves. Hawazin agreed until the war ended.

The Prophet ﷺ’s childhood and adolescence were filled with various important tests and experiences. However, behind it all, God’s wisdom was visible in preparing him to carry out the great mandate as the cover of the prophets and a blessing for the whole world. God bless.

Also read: The Prophet’s Early Life: Childbirth and Breastfeeding in Bani Sa’d

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Writer: Fajar Rianto

Article Muslim.or.id

Reference:

• ar-Rahīq al-Makhtum, by Shafiyurrahmān al-Mubārakfūri.
• Nur al-Yaqīn fi Sīrah Sayyid al-Mursalīn, by Muhammad al-Khudhari.
• al-Bidayah wa an-Nihāyah, by Ibn Kathir.

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