The Holy Prophet (SA) said, “The best of the women of the world are four: Maryam bint Imran, Asiya bint Muzahim, Khadija bint Khuwaylid, and Fatima bint Muhammad.”
From them, the best is Lady Fatima al-Zahra (AS). It is important to learn about them because they are our role models.
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (SA)
Lady Khadijah al-Kubra was the daughter of Khuwaylid ibn Asad. She was a distant cousin of her husband, Prophet Muhammad (SA). There are different traditions about her age and whether or not she was married before she married the Prophet (SA).
Lady Khadijah’s father, like many other of the Quraysh, was a merchant. She inherited his vast wealth and business talents. It is said that when the trade caravans of Quraysh gathered to embark upon their lengthy journey, to Syria during the summer or to Yemen during the winter, Lady Khadijah’s caravan equalled the caravans of all the other traders of Quraysh put together.
Although the society in which Lady Khadijah was born had social evils, even then she earned two titles due to her honourable and virtuous character: Amirat Quraish, Princess of Quraish, and al-Tahira, the Pure One. She used to feed and clothe the poor, assist her relatives financially, and even provide for the marriage of those of her kin who could not otherwise have the means to marry. “Kubra,” the Great, is another one of her famous titles.
Unlike her people, Lady Khadijah never worshiped idols. Waraqah ibn Nawfal, her relative, had embraced Christianity and was a pious monk who believed in the Unity of Allah like the early Christians.
One year she employed Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah (SA), who was 25 years old, to accompany her caravans on their journey. Lady Khadijah gave one of her servants, Maysarah, to the Prophet (SA) as an assistant.
During the travel, a pious monk foretold Maysarah that Muhammad (SA) would be a prophet. He recounted this to Lady Khadijah and Waraqah upon their return. Lady Khadijah was so impressed with Muhammad’s qualities that she initiated the marriage proposal herself. The Prophet (SA) accepted and they were married.
Prophet Muhammad (SA) and Lady Khadijah (AS) had a blessed marriage, which lasted 25 years. Their sons, Qasim and Abdullah, died in infancy. Five years after the Prophet (SA) proclaimed his message, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (AS) was born. Prophet Muhammad (SA) never married another woman as long as Lady Khadijah was alive.
When Lady Khadijah (AS) was married, she was a very wealthy lady, but she gave all her wealth for Islam. In the Qur’anic verse mentioned, Allah tells the Prophet (SA) that He made him rich. Indeed, it was through the wealth of Lady Khadijah.
“Did He not find you needy, and enrich you (93:8)?”
When the couple had been married 15 years, Prophet Muhammad (SA) proclaimed his prophethood and Lady Khadijah was his strongest supporter. Lady Khadijah was the very first woman in the whole world to declare that Allah was One, and Muhammad was His Messenger to all mankind. She always believed in him and comforted him. The Prophet later said to his other wives, when they commented that he always remembered Khadijah, “She believed in me when no one else did; she accepted Islam when people rejected me; and she helped and comforted me when there was no one else to lend me a helping hand.”
The Arabs would be surprised when they would see a man praying facing the Ka’bah, with a young boy at his right side and a woman behind them. It was the first family of Islam: Prophet Muhammad (SA), Imam ‘Ali (AS) and Lady Khadijah (AS).
Lady Khadijah patiently bore the persecution her revered husband and his small band of believers faced from the polytheists and aristocrats of Quraysh. When it was time for her blessed daughter to be born, Lady Khadijah sent for the neighbouring Qurayshite women to assist her. They flatly refused, saying that she had betrayed them by marrying and supporting Muhammad. Lady Khadijah was worried, but then she saw four tall women with halos around their faces approaching her.
One of them said, “O Khadijah! I am Sarah, mother of Ishaq (Isaac). The other three are: Maryam, mother of Jesus, Asiyah, daughter of Muzahim, and Umm Kulthum, sister of Moses. We have all been commanded by Allah to put our nursing knowledge at your disposal.”
They all assisted Lady Khadijah until Lady Fatima (AS) was born.
A few years later, the Meccans economically and socially boycotted Prophet Muhammad (SA), the Bani Hashim, and the Muslims. They passed three difficult years in Shi’b Abi Talib, a valley between two mounts of Mecca. It was an extremely arduous time for all the Muslims, especially Lady Khadijah, who had grown up as the Princess of Arabia. During the siege, she had to endure not only the pangs of hunger and thirst, but also the extremes of heat in summer and cold in winter. Nevertheless, Lady Khadijah was always patient and comforted the others to remain steadfast.
Sadly, the exile took its toll on her and the beloved companion of Prophet Muhammad and the benefactress of Islam and the Muslims fell ill and died. The Prophet called that year “Am ul-Huzn, the Year of Sorrow.” In the same year that he lost his beloved wife, he also lost his brave uncle, Abu Talib.
During the years of the siege, Lady Khadijah used her wealth to buy the Muslims food, water and clothing. The great lady passed away on the 10th of Ramadan in the tenth year after prophethood. Alas, there was not enough money in the house to even buy her a shroud. She was buried in the cloak of her honourable husband in Jannat ul-Mu’alla, the cemetery in Mecca. Sadly, it was destroyed like her house, the house of revelation. Her sincerity, piety and sacrifice will always be remembered by the Muslims, just as the Prophet (SA) himself continued to remember her all his life.
