The story of Sayf ibn Dhi-Yazan and his learning about the Prophet when the Prophet was 7 years old

When Seif ibn thi Yazin Al-Himyary conquered Abyssinia, Arab delegations and their nobles came to congratulate him. A delegation from Quraysh which included Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashem, Prophet Muhammed’s grandfather, was with the Arab delegations. Abdul-Muttalib had brought Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) with him on the trip.

They went to visit the king in his palace called Ghumadan and asked permission to meet him. They were allowed to enter and Abdul-Muttalib congratulated him. After the delegations had congratulated the king, Seif ibn thi Yazin called Abdul-Muttalib to talk to him in private, bringing him close to where he was sitting. Seif said, “Oh Abdul-Muttalib, I will tell you some information I have which I would never tell anyone else. However, I noticed that you have good morals, so I will tell you the information for you to take care until Allah allows a particular time to come, as Allah has assigned this to be a very important matter. If a baby is born with a mole between his two shoulders, he will be a leader that will lead the people until the Resurrection Day arrives.

And this person, when he will be born or if he has already been born, will be an orphan, losing his father and mother, and his grandfather and his uncle will look after him. Although there are many like that, Allah will definitely send him. And He will make him have supporters who will cherish his close followers and humiliate his enemies, and liberate the best of lands, confront all people, refute false religions, break the idols and make people worship the Most Merciful. His words will include rulings and standards, the matter he brings will be wise and just, he will order people to do good and do good himself, and prohibit them from doing bad and also remove evil.” Then he said, “I swear by the house (the Kaaba), and its surrounding stones.”

Abdul-Muttalib said, “Oh King, I used to have a son who I loved very much and was very close to, so I married him to a noble member of a noble tribe. His wife was called Ameena bint Wahab ibn Abd-Manaf. They had a young boy who has a mole between his two shoulders and has all the signs you mentioned; his father and mother died, and I and his uncle take care of him.”

Ibn thi Yazin said, “This is what I told you, so take care of your son and protect him from the Jews as they are his enemy, but Allah will not let them hurt him. Hide what I told you from the group who are with you as I cannot guarantee that their desire for leadership will not overtake them. This is because I found in the recited book and the knowledge it contains that Yathrib will be the place he will immigrate to and the city where he will be victorious. But for my fear of his health and worry that he will have difficulties, I would have told people about him and made all the Arabs follow him. However I give you this responsibility (to make Arabs follow him), as I am not sure those with you will be able to fulfill it.”

Then he ordered that each one of their men be given ten slaves, ten coloured female slaves, five pounds of silver, two Yemeni cloaks and a pouch filled with perfume. Then he ordered that Abdul-Muttalib be given ten times this amount, and said, “Tell me how you are managing after one year.” But Ibn thi Yazin died before the year finished.

Maybe what Ibn thi Yazin told Abdul-Muttalib was one of the reasons that made Abdul-Muttalib treat Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) very well and one of the reasons he would tell his children when they moved Prophet Muhammed away from where Abdul-Muttalib used to sit when Prophet Muhammed was young, “Leave my son alone. By Allah, he is special.” [Signs of Prophethood written by Al-Mawardy in The Garden of Light and Assessing Gems in the Biography of the Chosen Prophet].