There is a tradition that his lordship remained four years before his weaning, and after it in the tribe of the Bani Sa’ad Bin Bakar, and that when Halimah returned with him in his fourth year to Aminah, the latter said: ‘Take him back to thy tribe; for I dread the climate of Mekkah.’ Halimah, being highly pleased with this proposal on account of the benefits connected with his blessed presence, assented. When he was four years old, the scission of the breast took place, Halimah again brought his lordship the refuge of prophecy—u. w. b.—to Mekkah, related the event to Aminah, and returned with that prince to her tribe. After she had attended upon him about one year more, his lordship occasionally disappeared from her sight, and Halimah, getting frightened by this circumstance, carried him to Mekkah, where she restored him to his mother.
Abu Hâzum says that when his lordship was in his fifth year, Halimah took him to Mekkah on a visit to A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, and that when one of the sorcerers saw him there he said: ‘O Arab people, kill this boy, for on his attaining manhood he will disperse and destroy you all.’ A’bd-ul-Muttalleb kept him concealed from the people, because all the Qoraish were afraid of and on their guard against him. In the sixth year of his age Aminah took his prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—with Omm Aiman to Madinah to visit her father and relatives, and they spent one month in the place called Dâr-un-nâba’ah. When the party had returned from Madinah to the just-mentioned place, Aminah departed from this perishable world and was buried there. When Omm Aiman arrived in Mekkah with his lordship, A’bd-ul-Muttalleb took him in his arms, greatly deplored the loss of Aminah, and took him under his own care. Whether the boy was awake or asleep, he often looked at him and said: ‘This child will become a governor and a commander.’
In the seventh year of his age some individuals of the Bani Madih, who excelled in the art of predicting future events from external appearances, said to A’bd-ul-Muttalleb: ‘Take proper care of this boy, for we have seen no footmark more resembling that which is in the place of Ebrâhim* than his own.’ Hereon A’bd-ul-Muttalleb said to Abu Tâleb: ‘Listen to what these people are saying!’ He also enjoined Omm Aiman to guard Muhammad—u. w. b.— carefully, telling her that the Jews and Christians considered him to be the future prophet of Arabia. During this year A’bd-ul-Muttalleb took him with himself to supplicate for rain, and by the blessing of his advent the desires of the Qoraish were gratified. This event took place as follows, according to the tradition of Raqiah, the daughter of Abu Sana’i, the cousin of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb: ‘During consecutive years such a great scarcity had continued among the rich and the poor inhabitants of Mekkah, that of harvests, only the name, and of breasts only the marks, remained.* When distress and misery were at their extremity, and I was in a state between sleep and wakefulness, I heard the following words pronounced by an invisible herald: “O tribe of the Qoraish, the time is at hand when the prophet of the latter days will make his appearance. On his account you will be provided with salubrious food and fertilizing showers. Look out among yourselves for a great man of tall stature, white limbs, high nose, open forehead, long eyelashes, and of noble descent. Tell him to take his son from among the people, and a man from each tribe; all of them having washed and perfumed themselves, they must together circumambulate the Ka’bah seven times, and go in the company of the just-described individual to Mount Abuqbis, where he must offer prayers, his associates saying ‘Amen,’ till the rain arrives.”’ Raqiah continues: ‘In the morning I arose with fear and trembling, and everyone to whom I related what I had heard, said: “By the holiness of the sanctuary, that man is A’bd-ul-Muttalleb.” When this news spread the people surrounded the last-named individual, and a man from each tribe having purified himself, they performed the circumambulation together. Then A’bd-ul-Muttalleb took his lordship on his back, raised his hands in prayer, and said: “O Granter of requests, Remover of difficulties, and Restrainer of grief, this assembly consists of Thy male and female servants who are the guardians of Thy sanctuary. They are complaining of the famine and distress which have reduced their sheep and camels to the verge of starvation, and to the extremity of annihilation. O Allah, send rain which will make grass grow, and cause us to remain alive.” The person to whom this tradition is ascribed further says: “I swear by the Almighty that we had not yet thought of returning, when the rain began to pour in such a manner that all the rivers commenced to flow. The princes of the Qoraish, such as A’bdullah Bin Juda’an, Shehâb Bin Moghairah, and others, all turned to A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, saying: “O father of Battha, thanks to thee for this blessing!”’
During the seventh year of the age of the lord of prophecy —u. w. b.—A’bd-ul-Muttalleb died, as also Naushirvân the just, and Hâtim Tâi, who need not be described. After the decease of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, Abu Tâleb took charge of his lordship, and for the great love he bore towards him he could not be without him for a single moment. During the night he made him sleep by his side, and in the day he fed him on delicious victuals. Whenever the family and relatives of Abu Tâleb dined in the company of his lordship the prophet—u. w. b.—they satisfied their hunger, and the food nevertheless superabounded; but when they had a repast without him the food was all consumed; they, however, remained hungry as before. Abu Tâleb considered his existence as a blessing, and preferred him to his own offspring. The great attachment of Abu Tâleb for, and his close connection with, his lordship before the prophecy and after the mission had begun will, however, become evident during the course of the present work, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High.