women slaves were used to satisfy sexual desires. The children born of such
unions were also treated as slaves. Women-slaves who
became mothers remained slaves. In terms of civilization
and social advance the Arabs were a very backward
people. Kindness and consideration to one another were
unknown. Woman had the worst status possible. Still
the Arabs possessed some virtues. Individual bravery,
for instance, sometimes reached a very high level. It was among such people that the Holy Prophetsa of
Islam was born. His father ‘Abdullah had died before his
birth. Accordingly, he and his mother Amina had to be
looked after by the grandfather, ‘Abdul Muttalib. The
child Muhammadsa was suckled by a countrywoman
who lived in a place near Ta’if. It was a custom in Arabia
in those days to hand over children to women in the
country, whose duty was to bring up the children, to
train their speech and to give them a good start in bodily
health. When the Prophetsa was in his first year*
, his
mother died while travelling from Medina to Mecca and
had to be buried en route. The child was brought to
Mecca by a woman-servant and handed over to the
grandfather. When he was in his eighth year, his
grandfather also died, after which Abu Talib, his uncle,
became his guardian, this being the wish expressed in a
will by the grandfather. The Prophetsa had two or three
opportunities to travel out of Arabia.