Islam develops cohesion in society for the general benefit of the mankind. It promotes strong bonds between parents and the children. It expands relationship to even the wet nurses, serving the infants. If a child is reared and suckled by a woman other than the real mother, she is accorded the status of an additional mother called Umm Ridah (foster mother, or milk mother); her husband is treated as the father of the child,
and her children real brothers and sisters prohibiting marriages with them. Thus, a woman who nurses a child (more than five times before the age of two years), becomes mother by milk-relation with special rights under Islamic law. The suckled child is considered as a full sibling to the foster-mother’s other children, and as mahram to the woman. No other religion accords such a status to the suckling mothers.
When the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was still an infant, a group of ladies visited Makkah to take the new born babies to the open desert environment as per custom of the town.
Halima Saadia, from Banu Saad tribe, was that fortunate lady who took Muhammad (peace be upon him), then just an-eight-day-old, for foster care.
The other ladies of the group could get babies of rich families, but Halima opted for this orphan as his father, Abdullah, had died before his birth. Her companions were apparently happy with their findings but nobody knew that Halima was carrying a baby that was to become arguably the greatest personality in human history. He was gifted with blessings from Almighty Allah. And it occurred instantly. Her breast was filled with milk; her mount got strength and ran ahead of the caravan.
