The Birth Of Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H)

Only a few days before the year of Elephant, Abdul-Muttalib married his son, Abdullah to Aminah bint Wahb belonging to a noble family of the Quraish in Yathrib (Al-Madinah). Abdullah was then 24. On the same occasion Abdul-Muttalib himself married Halah bint Wuhaib, a relative of Aminah. Hamzah was born from his marriage to Halah bint Wuhaib

A few days after the marriage, Abdul-Muttalib sent Abdullah to Syria along with a trade caravan. On his return, Abdullah fell sick and stayed in Yathrib (Al-Madinah) with his relatives and sent his father news about his illness. Abdul-Muttalib sent his son Harith to bring Abdullah back to Makkah under his care and protection. But Abdullah died before Harith reached Al-Madinah and was already buried in the graveyard of his relatives, Banu Najjar. Harith came back to Makkah empty-handed and gave Abdul-Muttalib this soul shattering news. Abdullah had left behind a few camels, goats and a slave-girl, Umm Aiman. Aminah was then pregnant and so the Prophet ~ became an orphan while still in the womb of his mother.

Muhammad (P.B.U.H) was born 52 or 55 days after the event of the year of Elephant. His mother had dreamt an angel telling her that the baby to be born had been named Ahmad. Thus she named him Ahmad, while AbdulMuttalib named his grandson Muhammad (P.B.U.H). According to the report of Abul-Fida, when the people asked Abdul-Muttalib as to why he gave his grandson a new name, setting aside all the names current in his family, he replied:

"It is because I have a longing that my grandson should be praised and commended by one and all in the world."