For the first three or four days after Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was born, it was his mother, Aaminah, who fed him and gave him milk to drink. Thereafter, he was fed by Sayyidah Thuwaibah (radhiyallahu ‘anha).

Sayyidah Thuwaibah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) was first a slave. She belonged to Abu Lahab, the uncle of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was born, it was Sayyidah Thuwaibah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) who came to her master, Abu Lahab, to give him the good news that he had a nephew. On hearing the news, Abu Lahab was so happy that he immediately set Sayyidah Thuwaibah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) free.

Before feeding Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Sayyidah Thuwaibah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) also fed his uncle, Sayyiduna Hamzah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). When different baby boys and girls drink milk from the same woman, then they become milk-brothers and sisters. This means that the woman who fed them becomes like their mother, and they become like brothers and sisters. That is why Sayyiduna Hamzah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was not only the uncle of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), but was also his milk brother – because they both drank milk from Sayyidah Thuwaibah (radhiyallahu ‘anha).

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would honour Sayyidah Thuwaibah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) and treat her with a lot of kindness and respect, because she had fed him milk as a baby and was a mother to him. Even after Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) married Sayyidah Khadeejah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), Sayyidah Thuwaibah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) would come to visit Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). In the same way, after Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) left Makkah Mukarramah and made hijrah to Madeenah Munawwarah, he would still send gifts for Sayyidah Thuwaibah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) in Makkah Mukarramah.

Lesson:

If any person was kind to us, helped us or looked after us in our life, then we must never forget that person. We must always show them respect, be kind to them and send gifts to them. That is why Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would always send gifts for Sayyidah Thuwaibah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), respect her and be kind to her – because she fed him when he was a baby.

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