Khadijah
bint Khuwaylid
Narrated Abu Hurairah: Jibril (Gabriel) came to the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Allah's Messenger!
This is Khadijah, coming to you with a dish having meat soup (or some food or
drink). When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (Allah) and on my
behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a palace made of Qasab in
Paradise, wherein there will be neither any noise nor any toil, (fatigue,
trouble, etc.)." [Al-Bukhari]
'Abdullah bin 'Abbas narrated that one day the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) drew four lines on the earth and asked his
Companions if they understood what these lines stood for. They respectfully
replied that he knew better. He then told them that these lines stood for the
four foremost ladies of the universe. They were Khadijah bint Khuwaylid,
Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint Imran, the mother of the Prophet Issa and
'Asia bint Muzahim (the wife of the Pharaoh).
She was the first person to have an abiding faith in the
utterances of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to accept Islam
as her religion and her way of life. She was blessed with the distinction of
having been greeted with Salam (greetings) by Allah and the Angel Jibril.
Khadijah was born in Makkah in the year 556 CE. Her
mother's name was Fatimah bint Zayd, and her father's name was Khuwaylid bin
Asad. He was a very popular leader among the tribe of Quraysh, and a very
prosperous businessman who died while fighting in the famous battle of Fujjar.
Khadijah thus grew up in the lap of luxury. She married Abu Halah Malak bin
Nabash bin Zarrarah bin At-Tamimi and bore him two children, Halah and Hind.
She wanted to see her husband prosper and financed him in setting up a big business.
But unfortunately he passed away. Some time later the young widow married
'Atique bin 'Aith bin 'Abdullah Al-Makhzumi, and she had a daughter by him as
well named Hindah, but the marriage soon broke up on grounds of
incompatibility. After this all her attention was devoted to the upbringing of
her children, and building up the business she inherited from her father. Her
astuteness and business ability made her business one of the most widespread
businesses among the Quraysh.
Her policy was to employ hard working, honest and
distinguished managers to deal on her behalf as a lot depended on the integrity
of the employees who traveled far and wide on her behalf. She exported her
goods to far away markets like Syria, and her managers bought goods from those
markets to be sold at home.
Khadijah had heard of the integrity, honesty and
principled behavior of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and sent a
job offer to him to head her trading caravans. He gladly accepted the offer and
started working for her. Khadijah sent him on a business trip; her old and
trusted slave Maysarah being delegated to accompany and serve him.
Maysarah was impressed by the Prophet's integrity,
strength of character, adherence to principles, his amicable dealings and his
business abilities. On the way back from Syria, the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) lay down under a tree to rest for a while. Nestora, a
Jewish monk, noted for his knowledge of religion and for his insight saw him
and asked Maysarah who he was. Maysarah told him all about Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) and his reputation for honesty and intelligence. Nestora
then told him that this man would be elevated to Prophet hood in the future, as
no man had ever rested under that particular tree but Prophets.
Tradition has it that Maysarah also saw two angels
bearing a cloud over Prophet's head to protect him from the glare and heat of
the sun.
When he returned home Maysarah reported to Khadijah all
that had taken place on the trip to Syria. She was deeply moved and impressed,
and started thinking of proposing marriage to Muhammad. But how could she
express her thoughts to him? She already rejected several proposals of marriage
from men belonging to some of the noblest families of the Quraysh. How would
her tribe react? What would her family say? And what was more, would her
proposal be acceptable to this young, yet unmarried man of the tribe of
Quraysh?
As she pondered over these questions and debated within
herself, one night she dreamt that the shining sun had descended from the
heavens into her courtyard, radiating her home. When she woke up she went for
the interpretation of this wonderful dream to her cousin, Waraqah bin Nawfal, a
blind man noted for his skill in interpreting dreams, and for his depth of
knowledge, particularly of the Torah and the Injil. When he heard her dream, he
gave a serene smile, and told her not to worry, as this was a very promising
dream. The glorious sun she saw descending into her courtyard indicated that
the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) whose advent had been predicted
in the Torah and the Injil was to grace her home and she would gain from his
presence in her life.
After this meeting with Waraqah she became stronger in
her desire to marry Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). One of her very
close friends, Nafisah bint Manbah knew of her inclination and she went to
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and requested his permission to ask
him a very personal question. When he said he had no objection, she asked why
he had not yet got married. He said he did not have the financial resources.
Then she asked him if he would be willing to marry a beautiful lady from a
noble and wealthy family, who was inclined towards marriage with him. He asked whom
she was referring to; when he learnt her identity he said that he was willing,
provided she was willing to marry him. Khadijah' was overjoyed.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was then
twenty-five years of age and Khadijah was forty years old. (According to one
tradition, she was twenty-eight). The two uncles of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) Hamzah and Abu Talib approached her uncle, 'Umar bin
Asad, with the formal proposal. It was accepted and the two families began preparing
for the wedding. Halimah As-Sa'diyyah who nursed the Prophet in his infancy was
specially invited for the wedding and traveled to Makkah from her village. When
she left after the festivities, Khadijah presented her with household goods, a
camel and forty goats as an expression of gratitude to the lady who had taken
such good care of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in his infancy.
Khadijah was very blessed in the marriage, and had six
children. First two sons, Qasim and 'Abdullah; then followed the daughters,
Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatimah. It was a very happy, peaceful and
content household, but Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) felt
something was missing, and he was extremely restless. He would retire for a
month once a year to the cave of Hira to dedicate himself entirely to prayer
and meditation. One day he felt the presence of another being who held him in
his arms in a tight embrace. Then he loosened his hold and asked him to read;
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) answered that he was illiterate. But
the person repeated the same act and the phrase again and again. Then finally
he read these Ayat which are the first revelation of the Quran. They are from
Surah Iqra or Al-'Alaq.
"Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all
that exists). He has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most
Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which
he knew not." [Noble Quran 96:1-5]
Then the being disappeared. This was such an awesome
experience that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned home
sweating and shaking. He called out to Khadijah asking her to cover him with a
sheet or a blanket. When he had calmed down to some extent, he told his wife
that he feared for his life, and narrated the whole incident to her. Khadijah,
a picture of loyalty and serenity consoled him saying that Allah would surely
protect him from any danger, and would never allow anyone to revile him as he
was a of man of peace and reconciliation and always extended the hand of
friendship to all. He never lied, always hospitable, carried the burdens of
others and helped those who were in trouble. These soothing and encouraging
words of sympathy and understanding from Khadijah gave him immeasurable
strength and confidence. She then took him to meet her cousin, Waraqah bin
Nawfal, who immediately guessed the identity of the being in the Cave of Hira
as the Angel Jibril the Messenger of Allah who had visited Moses as well.
Waraqah who was very old wished that he could live to see the time when the
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) would be forced into exile
by his people. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was very surprised
and asked if his people would really do this to him. Waraqah assured him that
it was typical of human beings that they would never appreciate or follow a
Prophet who rose among them. Waraqah added that he wished he were alive at that
time and be able to help him. He added that if what he had been told were true
then surely it meant that her husband was the Prophet of Allah (peace and
blessings be upon him) whose advent had been mentioned in the scriptures.
The four daughters grew up to be faithful and courageous
daughters of Islam. They all migrated to Al-Madinah, with the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him).
Zaynab was married to Abu 'Aas bin Rabi'ah, Ruqayyah was
married to 'Uthman. When she passed away he married her sister Umm Kulthum;
Fatimah was married to 'Ali bin Abi Talib. The first three daughters died
during the lifetime of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his
beloved daughter Fatimah lived just six months after he passed away.
When the disbelievers saw that Islam was attracting more
and more followers in spite of all their tactics, they decided to declare an
open and total political and economic boycott of the tribe of Banu Hashim. This
took place in the seventh year after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) declared himself the Messenger of Allah. This is also known in Islamic
history as the Shi'ab Abi Talib.
It was so severe that innocent children faced starvation
and hunger, and adults survived eating the leaves of trees. Yet the firm
followers of Muhammad did not turn away from their true religion and they came
out of the ordeal stronger and purer than before.
Khadijah who had been brought up in luxury in her wealthy
father's home now faced the economic hardships with patience and courage, which
are a necessary part of any siege. Khadijah's nobility of character and conduct
pleased Allah, so much that He sent special greetings for her.
Khadijah was the ideal wife and mother. The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) lived in her house which became a blessed
place due to his presence and the fact that Jibril (peace and blessings be upon
him) came often to visit him there with Quranic revelations. It became the
centre of Islam, where all the Companions male and female visited often to
partake of the hospitality of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his
wife.
After the Hijrah (migration) of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) to Al-Madinah, the house was occupied by the brother of
'Ali. Later Mu'awiyah bin Abu Sufyan who transcribed some of the Divine
Revelations purchased this house and built a mosque. Thus the site of the house
of Khadijah became a place of prayer and worship for all time. She had been
used to praying two Rak'as of Salat (prayer), mornings and evenings with the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), even before prayers were made
compulsory by Allah. After accepting Islam she became more contemplative and
inclined towards worship; she found a blessed feeling of peace in prayer.
Afif Kindi relates that 'Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib was a
great friend of his and he used to visit him often in Yemen in connection with
his business in perfumes. On one occasion when they were standing and chatting
in Mina, they saw a handsome young man approach. He carefully washed his hands
and feet and then stood respectfully with his arms crossed on his breast. Soon
a dignified lady of noble bearing and a young handsome young lad joined him.
'Afif asked 'Abbas what they were doing and whether this was a new form of
exercise. 'Abbas replied that the youth was his brother 'Abdullah's son, and
the lady was his wife. She was a woman of great wealth and virtue, and an ideal
wife and mother. The lad was his brother Abu Talib's son. Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) had announced that he was a Messenger of Allah and had
started preaching a new religion called Islam. In due course 'Afif accepted
Islam, but he always regretted the fact that he had not joined the Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions in their prayers and
supplication on that memorable day in Mina, when he had first heard of Islam.
Khadijah passed away just three years before the Hijrah,
or the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) migration to Al-Madinah. She
died at the age of sixty-five, having given almost twenty-five years to
Muhammad and the cause of Islam. When Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon
him) saw her in the throes of death he consoled her saying Allah had so
ordained it, and that the thing she was dreading, would prove favorable for
her. Her eyes lit up and as she gazed at her beloved husband, her soul left its
earthly body.
Her grave was prepared at a place called Hujjun, near
Makkah. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) stepped into it to see that
everything was as it should be, and with his own hands lowered her gently into
it. Thus passed away the 'Mother' of all Muslims, the one who had sacrificed
her all for Islam, the lady who was the greatest supporter of Islam in its
earliest days. She who was the mother of Fatimah, the First Lady of Paradise,
the grandmother of the beloved grandchildren of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) Hasan and Hussein who are to be the foremost of the
youths in Paradise.
When she passed away, the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) was heartbroken at the loss of a dedicated companion who stood by him
during the most difficult period of his life.
One of the ladies of the Quraysh, Khawlah bint Hakim,
visited the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to console him, and saw
his state of depression and grief and remarked on it. He replied it was only
natural that he should be touched by her absence, as she had been a loving
mother to his now neglected children; she had been a loyal and sympathetic wife
who shared his secrets. It was only human and natural that he should feel her
loss as she was there for him during his most difficult times. Whenever he was
abused by the disbelievers she had provided moral support and unflagging faith.
A Companion of the Prophet narrates that whenever any
gift was brought to him he would immediately send it to some lady who had been
a friend of Khadijah. Ayshah, a favorite wife of Muhammad (peace and blessings
be upon him) says that whenever a goat was slaughtered the Prophet it would
send some meat to Khadijah's friends; when she remarked about this on one
occasion he told her, 'I have great regard for her friends, as she has a
special place in my heart.' Ayshah said she never experienced such a feeling of
natural feminine jealousy for any other wife of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) as she did for Khadijah. She also narrates that whenever
Muhammad spoke of her he would talk at great length and praise her qualities,
and pray for her forgiveness.
Ayshah narrates that whenever the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) talked about Khadijah, it was in terms of the highest
praise. One day her innate feminine envy overtook her sense of decorum and she
spoke in disparaging terms of her, wondering why the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) missed her when he was blessed with a better, younger
wife by Allah. This displeased him, but forbearing as he was, he just sighed
and answered,
"I have not yet found a better wife than her. She
had faith in me when everyone, even members of my own family and tribe did not
believe me, and accepted that I was truly a Prophet and a Messenger of Allah.
She converted to Islam, spent all her wealth and worldly goods to help me
spread this faith, and this too at a time when the entire world seemed to have
turned against me and persecuted me. And it is through her that Allah blessed
me with children."
As Allah says in Surah Al-Fajr in the Noble Quran that it
will be said to the pious believers:
"O the one in complete rest and satisfaction! Come
back to your Lord �
well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him)! Enter you then among My
(honored) servants, and enter you My Paradise." [Noble Quran 89:27-30]
Source:
"Great Women of Islam" - by Dar-us-Salam Publications