Khadeejah bint Khawaylid

Details

Category: Female Personalities

Written by Super User

Narrated Abu Hurairah, Jibraeel came to the Prophet pbuh and said, “oh Allah’s messenger! This is Khadeejah, 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, 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 (trouble)” [Al Bukhaari]

‘Abdullah bin Abbas narrated, that one day the prophet drew four lines on the earth and asked his companions if they understood what these lines stood for. They respectfully replied that he knows better. He then told them that these lines stood for the four foremost ladies of the universe. They were khadeejah bint Khawaylid, Faatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint Imraan, the mother of the Prophet Eesa, and Aasiyah bint Mazaahim, the wife of the Pharoah.

The first named has the distinction of being the mother of all the believers, the second Faatimah, the daughter of the prophet was given the glad tidings that she would be the leader among the women of paradise. Maryam, the pure and chaste is the only woman to have given birth to Eesa, without having been touched by any man. ‘Aasiyah, the long suffering and righteous wife of the evil firawn who prayed for Allah to build a house next to Him in Jannah, and died with a vision of Jannah, whilst undergoing immense torture by her husband.

’Aaisha narrates that whenever the Prophet pbuh talked about Khadeejah, 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 missed her when he was blessed with a better, younger wife by Allah. This displeased him, but forbearing as he was, he 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.”

* Born in Makkah in the year 556 CE. Her mother’s name was Faatimah bint Za’ed, and her fathers, Khawaylid bin Asad, a very popular leader amongst the Quraish, and a very prosperous businessman who died while fighting in the famous battle of the Fujjaar.

Khadeejah grew up in the lap of luxury. She married Abu Haalah Malak Bin Nabash bin Zarrarah bin At-Tamimi. She bore him two children, Haalah, and Hind. She financed her husband into setting up a big business, but unfortunately he passed away. Some time later, the young widow married ‘Atique bin ‘Aith bin ‘Abdullah Al-Makhzomi, and had a daughter by him, named Hindah. But the marriage soon broke up on grounds of incompatibility.

Business Life:

The reports of the seerah (Prophet’s biography) indicate that Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid (may Allaah be pleased with her) was a determined and intelligent woman, and she was also rich and had several kinds of trade. The men of her people were keen to marry her. She did not engage directly in trade herself, rather she used to employ men to work on her behalf.

Being single and having children, her attention was set to these two priorities. She built up the business inherited from her father; her astuteness and business abilities made her one of the most influential and powerful business owners amongst the Quraish. She had a network of people working for her, and was a hardworking and successful lady, at the same time, not forgetting the children under her responsibility. Such was the character of Khadeejah bint Khawaylid! Her business depended on her employees traveling far and wide on her behalf, selling and trading. She exported her goods to places like Syria. Makkah, where Khadeejah was located was the center of trade routes and trade fairs, thus a very profitable market for Khadeejah’s expanding business.

Khadeejah had heard of the integrity and honesty of Muhammad pbuh, who was not yet a Prophet, but was working with his uncle Abu Taalib in business. She offered him a job in her business, and with acceptance, he began working for her. On a remarkably successful business trip Khadeejah sent Muhammad and her slave Maisarah to accompany him to, Maisarah returned with some astounding scenes he witnessed on this journey. On their way back form Syria, the Prophet lay down underneath 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 Maisarah who he was. Maisarah told him all about Muhammad and his reputation for honesty and intelligence. Nestora then told him that this man would be elevated to Prophethood in the future, as no man had ever rested underneath that particular tree but Prophets.
Some traditions tell us that Maisarah saw two angels bearing a cloud over the Prophets head to protect him from the glare and heat of the sun.

When Maisarah returned home, he reported all that had happened to Khadeejah, plus the points that he was particularly impressed and completely won over by the Prophet’s integrity, strength, adherence to principles, amicable dealings, and business abilities.

Khadeejah too was deeply impressed, but how could she possibly propose to a man when she had already rejected several proposals of marriage from men belonging to some of the noblest families of the Quraish, how would her tribe react, what would her family say, and moreover, would this young noble man even accept her proposal?

One night, Khadeejah 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 Nofal, a blind man noted for his skill in interpreting dreams, and for depth of his knowledge, particularly of the Tauraat [torah] and injeel [gospel]. When he heard her dream, he told her this was a very promising and pleasant dream. The glorious sun she saw descending into her courtyard indicated the prophet whose advent had been predicted in the Torah and the injeel was to grace her home, and she would gain from his presence in her life.

After this meeting with Waraqah, her desire to marry Muhammad increased. One of her very close friends Nafeesah bint Manbah knew of her inclination. One day she told Khadeejah that what was bothering her was not a major problem. She went immediately to Muhammad and requested his permission to ask him a very personal question. When he said he had no objection, she asked him why he hadn’t yet got married. He said he didn’t have the means to, financially. She asked him, if he would be willing to marry a beautiful lady from a noble and wealthy family, who was inclining towards marriage with him. The prophet was at the time, 25 years of age, and Khaadeejah was 40. the two uncles of the Prophet Hamzah and Abu Taalib approached her uncle, ‘Umar bin Asad, with the formal proposal. It was accepted and the wedding date was fixed. .

Children:
Khadijah and Muhammad (peace be upon him) had 6 children:
First two sons, Qaasim and Abdullah, then followed the daughters, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Faatimah.  All four daughters migrated to Madinah with the Prophet. Zaynab married Abul ‘Aas bin Rabee’ah, and had 2 children, Ali and Umaamah. Zaynab died in 8 AH Ruqayyah first married ‘utbah ibn Abi Lahab. then he divorced her before consummating the marriage with her, when Allaah revealed the words, “Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab” [Soorat al-Masad, 111]. Then she married ‘Uthman and she migrated with him to Abyssinia, then to Madeenah. She fell sick at the time when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out for the battle of Badr, and he ordered ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) to stay with her, but he allocated him his share of the booty, and rewarded him for the battle as if he had been present. When the good news of the Muslims’ victory at Badr came, they had just finished burying her (may Allaah be pleased with her). She bore ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) 'Abd-Allaah who died when he was six years old. When she passed away, ‘Uthman married Umm Kulthum, who was First married to ‘Utaybah ibn Abi Lahab, who divorced her before consummating the marriage as his brother ‘Utbah did with Ruqayyah (may Allaah be pleased with her). She died in 9 AH, and did not have any children. Faatimah married ‘Ali bin Abi Taalib, her cousin in Safar 2AH. The eldest 3 daughters died during the lifetime of Muhammad, and his beloved daughter Faatimah lived just 6 months after he passed away. Their children were, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Umm Kalthoom and Zaynab.

The first son was named Qaasim, and hence the Prophet came to be known as Abul Qaasim [father of Qaasim]. The second son, ‘Abdullah, came to be known as Taahir [the pure], or Tayyab [the good]. Both died in their childhood. The Prophet Muhammad had a third son by Maria Qibtiyyah. He was called Ibraheem. He also died in infancy. When the Prophet saw Ibraheem dieing, he gently picked him up and said that he was helpless and could do nothing before the Will of Allah. “We know that death is inevitable, and is a fact of life. We also know that those who are left behind will catch up with those who hae gone ahead; if this were not so, we could grieve even more for Ibraheem. The heart mourns and the eye weeps, but it is not fitting that we utter words which might dispelase our Rabb, our Creator and Sustainer.”

At the time of Ibraheem’s death, a solar eclipse happened. The Arabs began associating the death with the phenomena of the solar eclipse. However immediately the Prophet addressed the masses by saying, “Solar and lunar eclipses are signs of Allah. They never occur because of the death of any human being. When you see any of these, offer salaah.”

The disbelievers began calling the Prophet the ‘Abtar’, the one who had no descendants, whose lineage was cut off, of course, due to none of the Prophet pbuh’s sons surviving until adulthood. But Allah is the all wise. And thus Allah revealed the beautiful verses of surah al Kauthar, the 108^th surah of the Holy Quran,
”Verily we have granted you al-Kauthar. Therefore turn in prayer to your lord and sacrifice. For he who hates you, he will be cut off.” [108: 1-3]

At this time Muhammad 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 answered he was illiterate. But the person repeated the same act and the phrase again and again. Finally, he read the aayaat, which are known as the first revelation of the Qur’an. They are from Surah Iqra, or ‘Al-Alaq’ of the Noble Qur’an. “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.” [96: 1-5]

Khadeejah was the one who comforted Rasulullah, who ran home shaking, in awe of the experience. She too, shocked by the state of her husband, peace be upon him, not knowing what had just happened to him, patiently and quickly covered him with a cloth, he lay down, and upon his relaxation after sometime, he narrated the entire scene to her. Khadeejah, 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 man of peace and reconciliation. She gave Muhammad words of encouragement and understanding, the purity and honesty of her words, soothed her husband, and gave him confidence to regain his strength and courage, to find out what happened. She then took him to meet her cousin, Waraqah, the same cousin who interpreted her dream for her before marriage to Muhammad. He immediately identified the ‘being’ that approached Muhammad as the angel Jibraeel, the same angel who visited Musa ‘Alayhi Salaam [Moses]. He said, if the description of what Muhammad saw is honest, then no doubt it meant, that Khadeejah’s husband was the Prophet of Allah, the last and final Prophet, whose advent had been mentioned in the scriptures. Waraqah who at the time was very old, told them that he wished he would live to see the time that Muhammad, as a Prophet, would be forced into exile by his people, so that he could help and assist him.
-----------
Talk about the boycott in the valley of abu talib

A companion of the prophet narrated that whenver any gift was brought to him, he would immediately send it to some lady who had been a friend of Khadijah. ‘Aaishah a favourite wife of Muhammad sas thar whenever a goat was slaughtered, the prophet would send some meat to kahdeejahs friends. When she remarked about this one occasion, he tol dher, “I have great regard for her friends, as she has  a special place in my heart.”

Hafsah bint ‘Umar

Juwairiyah bin Haarith
Umm Salamah
Zainab bint Jahash
Safiyyah bint Huyayee
Umm Habeebah Ramlah bint Abu Sufyaan
Maimoonah bint Haarith Al-Hilaaliah
Faatimah bint Muhammad
Faatimah bint Asad
Umm Roomaan
Sumayyah bint Khabaat
Umm Haraam bint Malhaan
Asma bint Abu Bakr Siddique
Umm Sulaim bint Malhaan Ansaariah
Umm ‘Ammaarah Naseebah
Ar-Rabee’ bint Ma’uwth
Faree’ah bint Maalik
Umm Hishaam bint Haarithah bin Nu’maan
Umm Salamah Asmaa bint Yazid bin Sakan Ansaariah
Umm Sa’d Kabshah bint Raafi’ Ansaariah
Umm Munthir Salmaa bint Qais
Umm Waraqah bint Abdullah bin Haarith Ansaariah
Umm Aiman

“oh wives of the prophet, you are not like any other women.” [33.32]

“allah wishes only to remove evil deed from you, o member of the famly [of the prophet], and to purify u with a thorough purification.” [33.33]

Al-Bukhaari entitled a chapter in his Saheeh: “The marriage of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to Khadeejah (may Allaah be pleased with her), and her virtues,” in which he narrated a hadeeth from ‘Aa’ishah who said: “I never felt jealous of any of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as I did of Khadeejah, although she died before he married me, because of what I heard him say about her.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3815.