The Early Youth of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)

Muslim History Series | Article #3

After the death of his grandfather ‘Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was placed in the care of his uncle, Abu Talib. He was eight years old. This would be the man who raised him into adulthood, protected him for decades, and stood by him even when the entire Quraysh leadership turned against him. Abu Talib was not wealthy, but he had honor. He fulfilled his duty to his nephew without hesitation.

Life in Abu Talib’s Home

Abu Talib had many children and limited resources. Despite this, he welcomed the Prophet into his home with affection. The Prophet lived among his cousins and worked to help support the household from an early age. He developed a close bond with Abu Talib and treated him with respect for the rest of his life. Throughout this period, there are no recorded incidents of the Prophet ever being involved in the idol worship, drinking, or immorality common in Makkah. His behavior remained clean and consistent with fitrah.

The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) began working as a shepherd, tending sheep on the outskirts of the city. This was considered low-status work. Most people in Makkah saw shepherding as something for the poor or for outsiders. He did not complain. He worked quietly and learned through experience. According to ‌Sahih al‑Bukhari (Hadith 2262 and 3406), the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said, “Allah did not send any prophet but shepherded sheep,” and when asked, “Were you a shepherd?” he replied, “There was no prophet who was not a shepherd.” This role taught him patience, responsibility, and leadership without needing to command with force. He learned how to lead by care, not fear.

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His First Trade Journey to al-Sham (Greater Syria)

Around the age of twelve, the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) joined his uncle Abu Talib on a trade journey to the region known at the time as al-Sham. This was the Arabic name for Greater Syria, which included modern-day Syria, Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon. The area was under Byzantine rule and was a major hub for trade between Arabia and the Roman world.

This was the Prophet’s first time traveling outside the Arabian Peninsula. The caravan passed through a town called Busra, located in the southern part of what is now modern-day Syria. There, they encountered a Christian monk named Bahira, who lived in a monastery near the route used by trading caravans.

According to early seerah sources such as Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham, Bahira noticed something unusual about the young boy. He observed signs that matched what Christian scriptures described about a future prophet. Some narrations mention that a cloud gave him shade as he walked and that a unique mark between his shoulders caught the monk’s attention. These are reported in early biographies, but the authenticity of some details is debated.

Bahira then warned Abu Talib that the child would one day have a major mission and that he could be in danger if others recognized who he was. He strongly advised Abu Talib to protect him and return him to Makkah.

Authenticity Note: While the Bahira story appears in early seerah books, it is not found in Sahih Bukhari or Muslim, and the chain of narration is weak. Veins of Truth includes such reports only for historical context, with clear notes, so readers can learn what is well-authenticated and what may be folklore or hearsay. Our mission is to examine everything with evidence and transparency.

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This image is a hypothetical representation of Makkah’s society during that time. Out of respect, the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) is not shown in this image. The people in the image are general example of society based on what is known from historical records.

Makkah’s Society and His Quiet Resistance

During the Prophet’s youth, Makkah was known for being a central hub of trade, tribal politics, and poetry. Caravans regularly passed through, and merchants from across Arabia and beyond came to buy and sell goods. The city held a strong tribal structure where family status determined influence. Honor was deeply valued, but morality was often missing.

At the same time, Makkah was filled with idolatry, injustice, and exploitation. Almost every tribe had its own god or idol, and they brought these idols to the Kaʿbah, which had once been a monotheistic sanctuary built by Ibrahim (A.S). By the time of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) , the Kaʿbah had become a place of polytheistic rituals. According to authentic reports, there were 360 idols placed around and inside the Kaʿbah. These idols were made of wood, stone, copper, or gold, depending on the wealth of the tribe that placed them. Some were small and symbolic. Others were large statues.

The Quraysh were in charge of maintaining the Kaʿbah and hosting pilgrims, but their motivations were not religious. They used the Kaʿbah to gain tribal prestige and profit from visitors who came to worship idols. They sold idols, guided rituals, and made money through trade during the pilgrimage seasons. Religion became a source of business.

Makkah’s elite normalized other forms of corruption as well. Gambling and drinking were widespread, and so was interest-based lending, which kept the poor in debt. Infanticide especially the burial of infant girls was practiced by some tribes out of fear of poverty or shame. Slavery, tribal warfare, and injustice toward women, orphans, and outsiders were all part of the social order.

The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) grew up in the middle of this. He saw the idol worship, the dishonesty in trade, the mistreatment of the weak, and the culture of arrogance but he never participated in any of it. There is no authentic report of him ever bowing to an idol, ever drinking alcohol, ever gambling, or joining any pagan festival. He stayed away from everything that involved shirk or corruption.

Some early seerah books, like the work of Ibn Ishaq reported by Ibn Hisham, mention that the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) once tried to attend a celebration but fell asleep before it began. However, this story is not found in any authentic hadith collection like Sahih al-Bukhari or Sahih Muslim. Scholars classify it as weak (da‘if) due to missing or unverifiable chains. While it’s often used to show that Allah protected the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) even before revelation, it should be understood as a weak narration, not a confirmed historical event.