regardless of a person’s status, they should respect those who raised them. This is the court which Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام would visit as a servant, but the cloak was spread for this blessed woman. This contains a lesson for us: if this is the respect shown to a foster mother, then what is the respect and honour that is owed to real parents?

This incident took place during the Battle of Hunayn. The war had ended, and he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was with a group of companions when Sayyidatuna Halimah Sa’diyah رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا arrived. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stood and spread his cloak for her. He did not speak to anyone else for as long as she was there and only paid attention towards her. When she was about to leave, he gave her many gifts and walked with her for a while as she left. Then, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, or a companion, addressed the onlookers, “This is the foster mother of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم who gave him milk.” The youth of today should read these narrations, take heed from them, and think about how we do not even respect our blood mothers.^[1]

Sayyidatuna Halimah was given an Abundance of Wealth

Sayyidatuna Halimah رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا once came to the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and complained of a drought. Thus, upon the request of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Sayyidatuna Khadijah رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا   gave one camel and 40 goats to Sayyidatuna Halimah رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا.^[2]

Respect for Foster Parents

Sayyiduna ‘Amr bin Saa’ib رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states:

I was once in the company of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم when his foster father (Sayyidatuna Halimah’s husband) arrived. The Prophet  صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم