When Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) reached twelve years of age, Abu Talib brought him on a trading trip to Sham.
They reached Busra and stopped near a monastery. In the monastery was a monk called Buheera, who had read the scriptures of the People of the Book and knew what they contained of signs and news. When Buheera looked from his monastery, he saw a cloud covering Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) from the sun. He left his monastery and went towards the caravan, although he had never left to meet them on any previous trip.
He looked at Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) until he could see the sign of prophethood between his shoulders. He also asked about what he was like when he was asleep and awake, and what the people told him agreed with what was written in the books he had. Moreover, he asked Abu Talib about Prophet Muhammed, to which Abu Talib replied, “Do you mean my son?” Buheera said, “Yes.” Abu Talib said, “He is my brother’s son. His father died before he was born.”
The monk said, “You speak the truth.” He then took Prophet Muhammed’s hand and said, “You must protect him from the Jews and Christians, as he is the leader of all the worlds, and he will be sent as a prophet for all the people. If they (Jews and Christians) know he is with you, they will kill him.”
Abu Talib and the elders of Quraysh asked him, “How do you know that?”
The monk said, “When you arrived at Al-Aqabah, there was no stone or tree which did not prostrate, and they do not prostrate to anyone except a prophet. I knew him from the seal of prophethood which is just below his shoulder blades and which looks like an apple. I also noticed that he was described in our books.” Then he invited them to his lodgings and asked Abu Talib to send Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) back and to not continue with him to Sham, for fear that the Romans and Jews would harm him. Therefore, Prophet Muhammed’s uncle sent him with some other youth to Mecca