Part 1 · Page 161
The Prophet’s Foster Siblings
English summary of the source section
Local English translation from the Arabic text; not an official published English edition. The second paragraph translates a related note printed with this section, not a separate indexed subsection.
Only an English summary is currently available for this section; the full section has not been translated here. Consult the Arabic source for exact wording and context.
Read the corresponding Arabic sectionIbn Ishaq said that the Messenger’s foster siblings were Abdullah ibn al-Harith, Unaysah bint al-Harith, and Hudhafah bint al-Harith, known as al-Shayma’. The name al-Shayma’ became so commonly used that she was known among her people by it. They were the children of Halimah bint Abi Dhu’ayb and her husband, Abdullah ibn al-Harith. The source also reports that al-Shayma’ used to care for the Messenger when he was with her family.
A note on the same source page relates a later conversation between al-Harith and the Messenger in Makkah. Quraysh challenged al-Harith about his son’s teaching that people would be raised after death and brought to Paradise or Hell. The Messenger affirmed this and told his father that, if that Day came while he was with him, he would take him by the hand. The report says al-Harith later accepted Islam and hoped his son would lead him to Paradise.