Women of Jannah

Khadija bint Khuwaylid

Khadija bint Khuwaylid

By Omar Suleiman at Quranweekly

The Prophet (SAWS) said that there is no doubt that Khadija radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anha (May Allah be pleased with her) was the best woman of her times. And she, along with her daughter, are amongst the four women that perfected their faith. SubhanAllah! So think about that.

This woman Khadija radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anha before the revelation of salaah (prayer), before the revelation of siyaam (fast), before the revelation of zakaah (charity) or hajj (pilgrimage), before the revelation of most of the rules and legislation, Khadija radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anha managed to perfect her iman. And you might wonder how is that even possible?

Its possible because the Prophet (SAWS) is the one who told us that “أكمل المؤمنين إيماناً أحسنهم أخلاقا” [‘akmal al mu’mineen eeman ‘ahsanahom akhlaaq]- the most perfect of the believers in their faith are the ones who have the best character.

And Khadija radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anha even before  Islam was known as “الطاهرة”[altaahirah] – the pure woman. And subhanAllah you see the marriage between her and the Prophet (SAWS).

She is the daughter of 2 royal people, Khuwaylid and Fatima, and she was a rich woman, very wealthy business woman. She had been married before to some of the leaders of Quraish but she became a widow both times and subhanAllah she wants to marry the Prophet (SAWS) who is 15 years younger than her. Why? Because she started to ask around about his character. She asked Maysadar, she asked Nafisah. She wanted to know what the Prophet’s (SAWS) character was like because she had seen so much honesty and truthfulness from him. And that was her reason for pursuing him in accordance with the command that would come later on, “إذا أتاكم من ترضون دينه وخلقه فزوجوه” [‘itha ‘ataakom man tardawn deenaho wa khuluqaho fazawwijooh] – if somone comes to you with good religion and good character then you marry that person, then you marry that person. Do not reject that person.

And subhanAllah at that time you didn’t have the revelation yet. you just had good character.

And that’s why the Prophet (SAWS) was pursued by her and that’s why rasoolAllah (SAWS) accepted this woman for marriage who was 15 years older than him and was a widow 2 times and had a son, Handab ibn Abi Hala and all that baggage that would keep people away from a divorcee or a widowed woman today. But subhanAllah they came together for character and that is why there is not a single narrated fight or argument between the Prophet (SAWS) and Khadija radiyaAllah ta’ala ‘anha. But rather their marriage was praised by all of the people of Mecca.

Now when RasoolAllah (SAWS) had bestowed upon him the love for isolation and seclusion and the Prophet (SAWS) started to go to mount Hira and started to contemplate. And subhanAllah for anyone who has been to Mecca you can see that Hira is an hour’s climb at least and that is with all the stairs and things of that sort nowadays. But imagine what it was like for the Prophet (SAWS) at that time to climb up there. And Khadija radiayAllah ta’ala ‘anha, she didn’t say to the Prophet “Why are you staying away from home? why are you spending weeks up there? and sometimes over a month?” In fact, she supported the Prophet (SAWS) in trying to find guidance and trying to find those answers.

By the time the Prophet (SAWS) is 40, she is 55 now. She is climbing up that mountain to take food to the Prophet (SAWS) and to comfort the Prophet (SAWS). And then when the Prophet (SAWS) comes down from Hira and he comes to Khadija radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anha with the famous words of “زملوني  دثروني” [zammilooni dathirooni]- embrace me, cover me up, seeking comfort in Khadija radiyaAllah ta’ala ‘anha, she didn’t say to the Prophet (SAWS), “maybe you shouldn’t be going out there so long. Maybe you should stay home more often. Maybe you shouldn’t have been out there in the first place.” Or, “you know I think you’re getting a little crazy on us.” She didn’t say, “I think that it must be some demons or something like that.” Rather, she would re-assure the Prophet (SAWS). She supported him emotionally and religiously here. Think about this. She says to the Prophet (SAWS), “والله لا يخزيك الله أبدا” [wallahi la yukhzeek Allah ‘abada] -Allah (SWT) will never disgrace you. Why did she say that Allah will never disgrace you? And she started to mention " because you uphold the ties of kinship, you’re good to you neighbors, and generous to them, you treat the orphans well, you take up the cause of the one who has been wronged."