Anecdotes from the Life of the Prophet Muhammad
by Mumtaz Ahmad Faruqui
His Respect for his Wet-Nurse
1. Once, while the Prophet was distributing meat, there came a woman who desired to see him. The Prophet met her and showed her every respect. He spread his own sheet for her. The narrator says that when he asked the people who that woman was, they said that she was the wet-nurse of the Prophet.
2. It is related that amongst the prisoners taken after the battle of Hunain was a woman name Shima. She came forward and told the Prophet that she was his foster-sister (the daughter of his wet-nurse). The Prophet failed to recognise her, and asked for proof. She exposed her waist and showed him his teeth marks on her back; for in childhood they used to play together and once in play he had bitten her. When the Prophet saw that he smiled and at once said:
“Please, stay with us, and we will do all we can to make you comfortable.”
She and her friends were, of course, set free and allowed to go home with presents.