The opening of the breast

An incident that Muslim relates from Anas: Gabriel came to the Prophet when he was a boy playing with other boys in the lands of Banu Sa'd. He split open his chest, took out a clot, and washed his heart in a gold basin with Zamzam water before returning it to its place ^{2 3}. The Sealed Nectar places it in the fourth or fifth year of his birth. After it, Halima became fearful for him and returned him to his mother ^{4 2}.

The author gives Muslim's narration from Anas ibn Malik (may God be pleased with him). Gabriel came to him while he was playing with the boys, took hold of him and threw him down, split open his chest, drew out the heart and removed from it a clot, saying that this was Satan's share of him. Then he washed it in a gold basin with Zamzam water, sealed it up again, and returned him to his place ^{2 3}. The boys ran to his foster mother saying that Muhammad had been killed, and they met him with his colour drained ^{2 3}.

The author says it happened in the fourth or fifth year of his birth, which is the view of most biographers. In a footnote he notes that the wording of Ibn Ishaq's narration implies it happened in the third year ^{4 5}.

After this incident Halima feared for the boy until she returned him to his mother. He remained with his mother until he reached six years of age ^{2 6 7}.

• The incident belongs to the reports of the unseen that the biographers relate in the form of narration. The museum relays it from the book and its hadith source, without verifying its meaning.
• On the year in which it happened, there is a disagreement, recorded above: the third year according to Ibn Ishaq's narration, and the fourth or fifth according to most biographers.