Fatima binte Asad says: “When the last moments of Abdul Muttalib approached, he asked his sons, “Which of you would undertake the guardianship of Muhammad?” They said, “Muhammad is himself intelligent, and he should be given in the guardianship of one he prefers.”
Abdul Muttalib said: “O Muhammad, your grandfather is about to pass away, which of your uncles would you prefer to take care of you?” the Holy Prophet (S) glanced at all the uncles and then moved to His Eminence, Abu Talib. His Eminence, Abdul Muttalib said: “Abu Talib, I am aware of your honesty and trustworthiness you should be for Muhammad like I am. So Abu Talib brought the Holy Prophet (S) home.
Fatima binte Asad says that she looked after him and he addressed her as mother. We had some date trees in our courtyard and it was the first season of fruits. There were forty boys of the same age of the Prophet and they used to pick up the dates that had fallen from the trees. And they used to snatch dates from one another and fought among themselves. But I never saw the Messenger of Allah (S) taking away dates from any boy. I used to pick some dates for the Prophet and sometimes my slave girl used to so that.
One day, by chance, both of us forgot to pick the dates and the Prophet was asleep. The boys arrived and took away all the dates. I lied down and hid my face in shame. When the Prophet awoke, he went to the orchard and did not find a single date fruit and he returned from there. My slave girl said sorry that she had forgotten to pick the dates. The Prophet again went to the orchard and said to the tree: I am hungry.
I saw the tree bow down as if placing its head at the feet of the Prophet and he took as many dates from it as he wanted. The tree was overjoyed at this honor. Lady Fatima binte Asad says that she was astonished at this. His Eminence, Abu Talib arrived and I ran to open the door and narrated to him all that I had witnessed. Abu Talib said: Don’t be surprised at these miraculous acts, because he will be a prophet and a son will be born to you in your senior age who will be like him and who will be his successor and vizier. Twenty years after that, Amirul Momineen (a.s.) was born.