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Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb

550 – 629

Foster-mother and wetnurse of Muhammad

Wet nurse
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About Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb

Lived 550 – 629 (aged 78–79). Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb was a wet nurse.

Halima bint Abi Dhu'ayb al-Sa'diyya was the foster-mother of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Halimah and her husband were from the tribe of Sa'd b. Bakr, a subdivision of Hawazin (a large North Arabian tribe or group of tribes).

Relationship with Muhammad Aminah bint Wahb, the mother of Muhammad, was waiting for the arrival of the Banu Sa'd; the women within the tribe of the Banu Sa'd were foster mothers. They would take the children of Mecca to the desert and teach them classical Arabic and other skills; in return, they would receive a salary from the family of the child in Mecca. Halimah's husband was al-Harith bin Abdul Uzza and his nickname was Abu Kabsheh. Halima's father was Abu Dhu'ayb Abd Allah bin Harith bin Shejna Saadi, from the tribe of Saad bin Bakr bin Hawazin. Her son was named Abdullah, while the daughters were named Unaysa and Hudhafa. While traveling to Mecca, she was unable to feed her child because her she-camel stopped lactating. In Mecca, all those looking for foster children rejected taking care of the half-orphan Muhammad because they feared not getting paid since his father was dead. Halimah felt sad that every woman in her tribe had received a child except her. So she told her husband al-Harith: "By God, I do not like the idea of returning with my friends without a child; I will go and take that orphan." Her husband agreed. Immediately after accepting him, blessing came to her and her family. Her husband's flock during a time of great famine was healthy and producing milk while the rest of the people's flocks were dying. Years later, after Muhammad married Khadijah, Halimah went to him in Mecca and complained about the hardships of the times. Muhammad talked about her with Khadija and Khadija gave her some sheep and camels. After the advent of Islam, Halima joined Muhammad and along with her husband converted to Islam The remains of the place she used to live in and where Muhammad grew up still stand today.

Family tree indicates that the marriage order is disputed Note that direct lineage is marked in bold.

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Important facts

Born
550
Birth century
Died
629, Medina
Occupation
Wet nurse
Also known as
Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb Abdullah ibn Al-Harith ibn Shagna ibn Jaber ibn Razam ibn Nasera ibn Faseya ibn Nasr ibn Sa'ad ibn Bakr ibn Hawazen ibn Mansour ibn Ikrima ibn Khasfah ibn Qays ibn 'Ilan, Halimah al-Sa‘diyah

People in Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb?

foster-mother and wetnurse of Muhammad

When was Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb born?

Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb was born in 550.

When did Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb die?

Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb died in 629 in Medina.

What was Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb's occupation?

Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb was a wet nurse.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb

· Wikidata: Q1110872

· DBpedia: Halima bint Abi Dhu'ayb

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb. https://biography.guide/halimah-bint-abi-dhuayb/

MLA: "Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/halimah-bint-abi-dhuayb/.

Chicago: "Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/halimah-bint-abi-dhuayb/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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