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The woman we’re going to talk about is one of the best women of the paradise, and she is as great as the mother of Isa (AS), Maryam (RA). Interestingly, we don’t know what she looked like—her face, skin colour, hair, or anything else.
But what we do know for sure is that she was the lady of many ‘firsts’. She was the first person to accept Islam, the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the first one to believe in his prophethood, and the list goes on. She is none other than Khadija Bint Khuwaylid (RA), the mother of believers (Ummul Mumineen).
Keep reading to know more about Lady Khadija’s (RA) life, her character, and her role in the Prophet’s (PBUH) life.
Lady Khadija (RA) was the daughter of Khawaylid ibn Asad and Fatimah bint Za’ida. She came from a noble and wealthy tribe of the Quraysh. We all have heard that she was a successful businesswoman. After her father's death, she took charge of the family trading business. She managed and expanded the business with her great wisdom.
With the profits she made, she helped the poor, orphans, needy, and widows. Due to her integrity, she was highly respected in Makkah (Mecca). She also earned the title 'Al-Tahir' (the pure) because of her good character.
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Even before marrying our beloved Prophet (PBUH), she was married twice and then, widowed. Despite that, many men wanted to marry her as she was well-respected and noble, but she declined them.
We all are familiar with the famous story of how our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Khadija (RA) got married. Let me take you back to the beginning.
Once lady Khadija (RA) heard about a man who was known as Al-as-Sadiq (the most truthful) and Al-Amin (the most trustworthy) in Makkah (Mecca). He was none but Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). She wanted to do some business with him. She managed to appoint him and sent one of her servants, Maisarah, with him to handle the trade.
When the caravan returned, it brought back great profits, and Maisarah shared stories of the Prophet's character and honesty. Khadija (RA) was deeply impressed by his honesty. It was not just his business acumen that drew her in, but the purity of his soul.
While there are many reasons for marrying the Prophet (PBUH), for her at that time, the main reason was his trustworthiness and nobility. According to some narrations, Khadija (RA) spoke to her close friend, Nafisa bin Munabey, about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who then conveyed the marriage proposal to him (Sirah Halabiyih, vol.1).
At that time, Khadija (RA) was fifteen years older than the Prophet (PBUH) who was not rich. Despite these differences, they got married.
Lady Khadija (RA) had great value in the eyes of our beloved Prophet (PBUH) to the extent that he didn't marry a second woman while she was alive. They shared an incredible relationship whereby both of them supplemented and complemented each other.
They had six children, two of them were boys (Qasim and Abdullah) who passed away at a very early age and four daughters named Ruqayyah, Zainab, Umm Kulsum, and Fatima (RA), who is known as one of the women of paradise. However, after fifteen years of marriage, their world was about to change.
If we can call any home the cradle of Islam, it was her home. Now, there's a backstory to it (well-known to everybody), so let's look into it deeper.
Muhammad (PBUH) came to his wife while his heart was beating so fast after the incident happened in the cave where Angel Jibril came to him with the first revelation. You can imagine the feeling, the fear he could’ve been experiencing. He said to her, ‘Cover me, cover me.’ She covered him with a blanket. He told her about the incident that happened in the cave of Hira. She didn’t express any doubt even for a second in what the Prophet (PBUH) told her.
Now look at the way she supported the holy Prophet (PBUH) (Subhan Allah) and reassured him with these words:
"Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your Kith and kin, help the poor and the needy, serve your guests generously and help those beset by difficulties."
(Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 1)
Immediately, she took him to her cousin Waraqah bin Naufal (the man with great knowledge of the Gospel). She knew that he was the best person to get the support needed at the moment. He confirmed that the same angel brought God’s words to Prophet Moses (Sahih Bukhari, 3392).
Here started the journey of the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH), and Lady Khadija (RA) became not only the first woman but the first ever human on the earth to embrace Islam (What an honour!). Such a great honour comes with greater responsibilities.
She had to go through famine and had to give up everything for only one reason: to support her husband and his duty to spread the word of Islam. She trusted and supported our beloved Prophet (PBUH) so much in this regard. Aisha (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said of Khadija (RA),
“She believed in me when no one else did, she embraced Islam when people disbelieved me, and she helped and comforted me when there was no one to lend me a helping hand.”
(Bukhari)
There’s something very unique about her that no one had. Once, the Prophet (PBUH) was at home and Angel Jibril came and said to him that Khadija (RA) was coming to him with food and drink, and he had to tell her the following:
“When she comes to you, offer her greetings from her Lord, the Exalted and Glorious, and on my behalf and give her glad tidings of a palace of jewels in Paradise wherein there is no noise and no toil.”
(Sahih Muslim, 2432)
She was so special that she earned the greetings from the greatest, Allah Almighty. Another fact about her is that she is the best among the women in this nation. Ali (RA) narrated that he heard the Prophet (PBUH) saying,
"Mary, the daughter of Imran, was the best among the women (of the world of her time) and Khadija is the best amongst the women (of this nation).”
(Sahih Muslim, 3432)
When the mother of believers (Ummul Mumineen) died, our Prophet (PBUH) himself dug the grave and smoothed the earth on her grave after the burial. Her death brought great sorrow and pain to him. In the same year, he lost his guardian uncle Abu Talib (RA). Both of them were his primary shields and closest friends. He was so grief-stricken after their deaths that he named the year 'Aam-ul-Huzun' (the year of grief).
Even after her death, our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had never-ending love and respect for Lady Khadija (RA). She was his first love whom he loved dearly.
Whenever someone mentioned her, he would become upset. Once Hala bint Khawaylid, the sister of Khadija (RA), asked the Prophet's (PBUH) permission to enter. On that, he remembered the way Khadija RA) used to ask permission and that upset him (Sahih Al-Bukhari).
He used to remember her so much that Aisha (RA) would get jealous. He would even send food and support to friends and relatives of Khadija (RA), out of love for her.
Aisha (RA) narrated,
“I never felt so jealous of any woman as I did of Khadija, though she had died three years before the Prophet married me, and that was because I heard him mentioning her too often…”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, 6004)
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As we reflect on her life, it becomes clear why she gained the honour of being Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) first wife, becoming the first person to accept Islam, and the first to know about his prophethood. It doesn’t end here. She was also our Prophet’s (PBUH) first love, his intimate friend, and his biggest supporter.
She is a great example for us Muslims today. We have a lot to learn from her story no matter our role—be it as a spouse, a parent, or a friend—we have the power to make a difference. In short, her life story invites us to reflect on how to lead with kindness in our lives and support those we love.
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