Khadijah bint Khuwalid has a very high status in Islam. Khadijah (ra) is referred to as the “Mother of the Believers” and one of the four “ladies of heaven” and rightly so as Khadijah (ra) was the first one to believe in our beloved prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) message of Islam, and the first to follow in the way of Islam. To have full faith that her blessed husband was a truthful and fully developed soul, strong in their belief and so to accept this new way of being, must have felt like the only way to be for Khadijah.
I think there has to be a tremendous amount of trust and confidence in another being to be able to believe and start living a life according to their message, but as Khadijah (ra) (was a developed person, her understanding of things would have been more advanced as well and our beloved prophet was only truth so Khadijah believed and followed Islam wholeheartedly.
Khadijah (ra) was the daughter of Khuwaylid Ibn Asad who was a member of the Quraysh tribe and a successful merchant. Khadijah (ra) had been married twice before her marriage to the prophet. Khadijah was married but lost both her husbands. Khadijah (ra) had children from her previous marriages too and had six children with Muhammad (PBUH) Two sons and four daughters.
Being a widow is difficult in any era but this did not deter Khadijah (ra) from becoming a very successful merchant, the most successful of that time in fact. Whilst Khadijah did not travel herself for her business she employed men to travel to Syria, Makkah and Yemen to sell the products of furniture, silks and pottery.
This blessed woman had the courage to run a business 1400 years ago and hired only men of a very high standard never compromising her principles or integrity. Khadijah (ra) broke the stereotypes of Islam, she was an independent courageous woman who realised that Muhammad (PBUH)was the perfect partner for her and approached him for marriage. When the prophet (PBUH) replied they could not support her well financially, she declared that she had more than enough to support them both. Khadijah was older than Muhammad (PBUH) and a widow.
Khadijah (ra) broke a lot of stereotypes about Islam. Being a widow, and a mother and proposing to a younger partner demonstrates the advancement of thought of the beloved Khadijah (ra). However, her gentle persona and sheer determination resulted in her marriage to our beloved Prophet I find this both motivating and inspiring and this also offers the opportunity to realise that there are no particular criteria for a successful match for marriage. The prophet's acceptance confirms that it is the wish and compassion that makes a marriage as successful as Khadijah and Muhammad's (pbuh) marriage.
Khadijah (ra) supported Islam to rise in the community and was the backbone pillar for Muhammad (PBUH) She was a truly profound woman loving and passionate about the message of Islam standing side by side in the prophet's difficult times helping him both emotionally and financially. Whilst the prophet was married to Khadijah, (ra) he was in a monogamous loving relationship with her for 25 years, until her passing on.
Reading about Khadijah (ra) I cannot help but want to delve further into her personality this amazing woman teaches us women of today so many lessons.
Khadijah (ra) was a highly intuitive, pious, modest and courageous woman. Khadijah (ra) relinquished her riches and spent her wealth on the poor and to orphans, to the widows and the sick. She helped poor girls get married and provided their dowry.
Khadijah(ra) had such an impact on Muhammad's life she was a loving partner in every way, emotionally, and financially and supported the prophet in spreading the word of Islam. So much so that on her demise the prophet experienced a year of sorrow. After her passing it is mentioned that Hazrat Aisha asked the prophet about Khadijah and the prophet mentioned “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” (Al-Bukhari).
To this day it humbles me and makes me proud to be a Muslim woman as our beloved Khadijah (ra) was a torchbearer for Islam and an inspiration to try and follow in the best way we can.
May Allah bless Khadijah's (ra) soul who showed us women the way of Islam.
Ghazala Saleem
