To His Compassionate Grandfather
‘Abdul-Muttalib brought the boy to Makkah. He
had warm passions towards the boy, his
orphan grandson, whose recent disaster (his
mother’s death) added more to the pains of
the past. ‘Abdul-Muttalib was more passionate
with his grandson than with his own
children. He never left the boy a prey to
loneliness, but always preferred him to his
own kids. Ibn Hisham reported: A mattress
was put in the shade of Al-Ka‘bah for ‘Abdul-
Muttalib. His children used to sit around that
mattress in honour to their father, but
Muhammad [pbuh] used to sit on it. His uncles
would take him back, but if ‘Abdul-Muttalib
was present, he would say: “Leave my
grandson. I swear by Allâh that this boy will
hold a significant position.” He used to seat
the boy on his mattress, pat his back and was
always pleased with what the boy did. [Ibn
Hisham 1/168]
When Muhammad [pbuh] was eight years,
two months and ten days old, his grandfather
‘Abdul-Muttalib passed away in Makkah. The
charge of the Prophet [pbuh] was now
passed on to his uncle Abu Talib, who was
the brother of the Prophet’s father.
Abu Talib took the charge of his nephew in
the best way. He put him with his children
and preferred him to them. He singled the boy
out with great respect and high esteem. Abu
Talib remained for forty years cherishing his
nephew and extending all possible protection
and support to him. His relations with the
others were determined in the light of the
treatment they showed to the Prophet [pbuh].
Ibn ‘Asakir reported on the authority of
Jalhamah bin ‘Arfuta who said: “I came to
Makkah when it was a rainless year, so
Quraish said ‘O Abu Talib, the valley has
become leafless and the children hungry, let
us go and pray for rain-fall.’ Abu Talib went to
Al-Ka‘bah with a young boy who was as
beautiful as the sun, and a black cloud was
over his head. Abu Talib and the boy stood by
the wall of Al-Ka‘bah and prayed for rain.
Immediately clouds from all directions
gathered and rain fell heavily and caused the
flow of springs and growth of plants in the
town and the country.[Mukhtasar Seerat-ur-
Rasool p.15,16]