Abdullah bin Abul Muttalib was one of the most sought after men in all of Mecca. News that a descendent of Ismaeel would be the next prophet was spreading all over the Arabian Peninsula, as it was narrated in the Torah. Abdullah was a man of high moral conduct, excellent upbringing, youth, beauty and chastity and many women were vying to be his wife. He did not follow the ignorant ways of the people of Quraysh but was very religious and noble. He also had a light that shone from his face (some sources say it shone from his forehead, some say from his eyes) that was a sign of the light of prophethood. Abdullah disregarded all the women throwing themselves at him and chose Aminah bint Wahb, of the Zuhr clan, who was the best in lineage and status of all the women in Quraysh.
Shortly after they were married, Aminah became pregnant with a noble womb. While Aminah was pregnant, Abdullah went on a trip to Syria to trade and on his way back, he fell ill and stayed with his maternal uncles in Yathrib (Madinah). Abdullah did not make it through the illness and his young wife was left a widow, and the kicking baby in her womb, an orphan.

Aminah’s father in law, Abdul Muttalib, took care of her as if she was his own daughter. Despite having to deal with the death of her husband, Aminah experienced a pregnancy that was very easy. She did not have any physical or physiological hardship and was comfortable and calm. She also felt very light, as if she was not carrying a baby at all.
One day, an angel came to her in her sleep and said, “You are pregnant with the leader and the Prophet of this Ummah.” He came to her again before her birth and said, “Say after you have delivered him, ‘I seek protection for him with the One (Allah) from the evil of every jealous creature.’ Then name him Mohammed.”
Aminah went into labor on the 12th day of Rabee Ul Awwal around dawn. Aminah said that when she delivered him, “a light came out with him that illuminated what is between the East and the West. The light illuminated palaces and markets in Syria until I saw the necks of the camels in Basra. I saw three flags erected: one in the East, one in the West, and the third over Mecca.”
Abdul Muttalib came and took the baby and went around the Kabah with him saying, “Praise be to Allah who gave me this greatly important boy, I seek Allah’s protection for him.” Abu Lahab, the prophet’s ﷺ uncle was so excited over the birth of his nephew that he freed the slave who brought him the good news, Thuwaybah. She ended up staying with Aminah the first few days after delivery and breast-fed the baby until he was given to his wet nurse, Haleemah.
When Mohammed ﷺ was a toddler, he went back to Aminah and right when she held him she felt that same feeling she had when he was in her womb. He was so loved by his mother and his grandfather Abdul Muttalib, who saw so much of his son in Mohammed ﷺ. When he was six, Aminah took him to Yathrib to visit the grave of his father and to meet his father’s family who live there. They brought with them their servant Barakah, who was like a second mother to Mohammed ﷺ.
Aminah shed so many tears at the grave of her husband and Mohammed ﷺ did too, at the sight of his mother crying and sadness for the father he never knew. At that time in Yathrib, there was a fever going around and Aminah was affected by it. She did not realize she had caught it until after they left the city. She passed away on the way home to Mecca. Mohammed ﷺ had to bury his mother himself, at the age of six, as there was no one around except Barakah. He cried bitterly and the angels that surround him cried with him in sympathy for losing both of his parents at such a young age.
How proud his parents would be to see how much positive change their son has had for over 1400 years. May Allah bless them.
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*Subhannallah I did not know much about Aminah before I started researching her. There was a very important reason for the Prophet ﷺ to endure hardship at such a young age and there was a reason for him to be an orphan. However, it still made me a bit teary eyed at the end, even though I already know that part of the story.
*Sometimes I wonder how the women were able to give away their babies to wet nurses. It must have been so hard to give birth then not see your baby for two years. I wonder why the women didn’t breast-feed them themselves. Subhannallah.
*In this story, we also are reminded of the importance of choosing a good spouse and how the children are always a reflection of their parents. Doesn’t the description of Abdullah remind you of Mohammed ﷺ? Even his parents were of the noblest of people.
*It really gets you thinking that when you are carrying a child, you have no idea the greatest that child will achieve. It could be the next leader or the greatest scientist or create such a huge change in the world.