Muhammad under The Nurture of His Uncle - Trading to Sham

Abu Thalib did his best to look after Muhammad. He nurtured Muhammmad along with his other children. He even gave Muhammad more attention than his own children. For about forty years Abu Thalib looked after Muhammad and defended him with all his efforts. He fought and made peace with people only for the sake of Muhammad.

Abu Thalib taught Muhammad about trading as a tradition amongst Quraish. Quraish tribe has been well-known for its skill of trading. Muhammad followed his uncle to trade to Syam (Syria) when he was 12. In the middle of the journey, they reached a place called Bushra (in one of the areas of Syam) and the capital city of Hauran which was at that time under the rule of The Roman Empire.

Ahmad Hatta et al in The Great Story of Muhammad reveals that when the trading party came closer to a monastery where a monk named Buhaira lived in, Buhaira greeted them and provided them with various foods. He invited them to have lunch together. During the treatment, Buhaira tried to find Muhammad but he didn’t succeed. Then he asked them, “Is there anyone who is not present in this lunch?”

“O, Buhaira. There is no one absent in this lunch except one kid,” one of them answered.

“Bring him in!” Buhaira ordered.

“By Lata and Uzza, I never expected I would be blamed for Muhammad’s absence,” one of the members of the party complained. He soon took Muhammad inside and had him sit together with the others.

Buhaira stared at Muhammad and observed him thoroughly. At the end, he found the signs of prophethood in Muhammad. Furthermore, when everyone had left their seats, Buhaira proposed some questions to Muhammad about his identity, family, how he was, and how he slept. Muhammad responded all questions fairly and honestly. No information is added nor reduced. Weirdly, Buhaira always confirmed whatever answer Muhammad gave.

Finally, Buhaira saw Muhammad’s back. He was shocked when he found a prophethood sign between his shoulder bones. Ibn Hisyam narrated that this sign was like a trace of cupping medication on the skin surface.

After investigating Muhammad, Buhaira asked Abu Thalib everything related to Muhammad’s history and once again he confirmed Abu Thalib’s answers.

“You’re right. Take your nephew home and beware of the Jews. Wallahi, if only they knew what I know, they would surely kill him. Just go back to your country as this kid will soon become a great man.”

In the book of Ar-Rahiq al Makhtoom Syaikh Shafiyrrahman al Mubarakfuri claims there was a well-known monk named Buhaira. He was originally named Jirjis. When Muhammad’s trading party came approaching, Buhaira walked out of his place (he had never been out of his place except at this time) and greeted them. Firstly, he mingled with the trading party, then approached the 12 year-old Muhammad and held his hand. He said, “This is the leader of God’s Messengers. This is the Messenger of God of universe. This is a man sent by Allah as a blessing for universe.”

Hearing the words of Buhaira, Abu Thalib and some leaders of Quraish asked, “How do you know that?”

“Indeed, when you were approaching Aqabah, all stones and trees prostrated. They bowed whereas stones and trees will never bow and prostrate except there is a prophet around them. I recognise him from the prophethood ring between his two shoulder bones. The shape is like an apple. We know this sign from our Holy Book (Bible).”

Buhaira then asked Abu Thalib to take Muhammad home since he worried that the Romans and the Jews would capture him even kill him if they really came to Syam.