Pregnancy and Birth - Hazrat Abdullah married Hazrat Amina bint Wahb, who was from one of the most respected families of the Quraish. Hazrat Abdullah's father, Abdul Muttalib, married them when Hazrat Abdullah had been saved from slaughter (after the vow was fulfilled). After marrying Hazrat Amina, Hazrat Abdullah consummated the marriage with her, and she became pregnant with their beloved son, Muhammad ﷺ.
However, not long after the marriage, Hazrat Abdullah left for Syria for trade. On his return, he fell ill and was taken to Yathrib (Madinah Munawwarah), where he passed away at his maternal home (Banu Najjar). At that time, Hazrat Amina was at most two months pregnant. It was as if Allah Almighty had saved Hazrat Abdullah from slaughter so that he could fulfill this special responsibility, and then when this duty was fulfilled, his soul was taken.
Hazrat Amina remained in Makkah Mukarramah, under the care of her father-in-law, Abdul Muttalib. The inheritance that Hazrat Abdullah left behind included five camels, a flock of goats, and a slave girl who was Umm Ayman (may Allah be pleased with her).
When Hazrat Amina's pregnancy reached its term, she gave birth to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The pregnancy and birth were completely normal, but Hazrat Amina saw that when he was born, a light emanated from him that illuminated the palaces of Syria.
عن العرباض بن سارية رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم :
"إني عندَ اللهِ مكتوبٌ خاتمُ النَّبييِّنَ ، وإنَّ آدمَ لمنجَدلٌ في طينتِه ، وسأخبرُكم بأوَّلِ أمري : دَعوةُ إبراهيمَ ، وبِشارةُ عيسَى ، ورؤيا أمِّي الَّتي رأَت - حين وضعَتني - وقد خرج لها نورٌ أضاءَت لها منه قصورُ الشَّامِ .
Arbadh bin Sariya (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"I was written with Allah as the Seal of the Prophets when Adam was still being formed in his clay, and I will tell you about the beginning of my affair: I am the prayer of (Hazrat) Ibrahim, the glad tidings of (Hazrat) Isa, and the dream that my mother saw when she gave birth to me - a light emanated from her that illuminated the palaces of Syria.
(Sahih Al-Albani)
The birth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was on Monday, the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal, in the morning of the Year of the Elephant. On the seventh day after his birth, his grandfather Abdul Muttalib circumcised him and named him Muhammad. There is no authenticity to the narrations that say that he ﷺ was born circumcised; the more correct statement is that his circumcision was performed by his grandfather.
Allama Shami (may Allah have mercy on him) says: There are different narrations regarding the birth of the Holy Prophet ﷺ being circumcised, none of which are authentic. Allama Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) has spoken in detail to refute Al-Hakim's statement (the narrations about the Holy Prophet ﷺ being born circumcised are Mutawatir). It has been proven to be weak according to the scholars of Hadith. Some researchers of Huffaz say: The correct thing that seems to be is that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was not born circumcised.
وقد اختلف الرواة والحفاظ في ولادة نبينا صلى الله عليه وسلم مختوناً، ولم يصح فيه شيء، وأطال الذهبي في رد قول الحاكم: إنه تواترت به الرواية، وقد ثبت عندهم ضعف الحديث به، وقال بعض المحققين من الحفاظ: الأشبه بالصواب أنه لم يولد مختوناً
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) - (6 / 752)
Hazrat Amina breastfed her son Muhammad ﷺ for three days, but her milk was scarce. Then Thuwaiba (Abu Lahab's slave girl) breastfed him ﷺ with the milk of her son Masrooh.
Thuwaiba had also breastfed Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib and Abu Salama bin Abdul Asad (may Allah be pleased with them) before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, thus these two became his foster brothers.
To be continued...
✍🏻: Muhammad Rehan Zia-ul-Haq Afi Anhu
Servant of Teaching, Madrasa Riyazul Jannah, Dhulia (Maharashtra)
And Servant of the Quran, Majma Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him), for the circles of the Holy Quran remotely, in Madinah Munawwarah.