Ummul Mu’minin Sayyidah Khadījah bint Khuwaylid
- Sayyidah Khadījah bint Khuwaylid ibn Asad was from the Banū Asad family, a noble family of Quraysh. Her lineage meets up with that of Rasūlullāh g at the fifth grandfather, Quṣay. [al-Bidāyah wal-Nihāyah]
- She was a woman of dignity and honour. During the days of Jāhiliyyah (pre-Islam), she was referred to as al-Ṭāhirah (the pure one). [al-Isābah]
- Despite her being twice widowed, she was sought in marriage by many of the elite in Makkah. She was a woman of distinction and prominence and was also referred to as “the leader of the women of Quraysh.” [al-Bidāyah wal-Nihāyah, al-Rawd al-Unuf]
- She was a successful business woman and would appoint reliable men to supervise the transportation and sale of her merchandise. It is the honesty, and trustworthy reputation, of Nabī Muhammad g that resulted in her making him a business partner. [al-Tabaqāt]
- Sayyidah Khadījah i later proposed to marry Nabī Muhammad g. Despite her being 15 years his senior, Nabī Muhammad g accepted the proposal and married her when he was 25 years old. [al-Bidāyah wal-Nihāyah, al-Rawd al-Unuf]
- Six children were born from this marriage, two sons and four daughters. Sadly, the sons all passed away in infancy. [Ibid]
- Sayyidah Khadījah i was the first to accept Islam and supported the call of Nabī Muhammad g physically, morally and financially. [al-Bidāyah wal-Nihāyah, al-Isābah]
- Nabī Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “The best woman of her time was Maryam bint ‘Imrān, and the best woman of her time was Khadījah bint Khuwaylid.” [Muslim]
- Nabī Muhammad (saw) did not take a second wife with Khadījah (R) as long as she was alive. [Muslim]
- Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah (R) said: “I was not envious of any of the wives of the Nabī (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), except Khadījah. I did not get to see her but the Nabī (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would remember her excessively. At times he would slaughter a sheep, divide it up into portions and send them to the friends of Khadījah. Once I said to him, ‘It is as if there was no woman in the world besides Khadijah!’ He replied, ‘she was (an) extraordinary (person) and I had children from her.’” [al-Bukhārī]
- Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah (R) reports that the angel Jibrīl (R) appeared before Nabī (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and said to him, “This is Khadījah. She has arrived with a container in which there is gravy, food or drink. When she reaches you, convey to her greetings (of peace) from her exalted and glorified Rabb and from me, and also give her glad-tidings of a house in Jannah made of jewels, in which there will neither be noise, nor toil.” [al-Bukhārī, Muslim]
- Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah (R) reported that Allah’s Rasūl (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) gave glad tidings to Khadījah bint Khuwaylid of a palace in Paradise. [Muslim]
- The Nabī (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) always remembered her and was reminded of her by the mannerisms of her family members. Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah (R) reported that Hālah bint Khuwaylid (sister of Khadījah) sought permission from Allah’s Rasūl (saw) to see him and he was reminded of Khadījah’s (manner of) asking permission to enter and (was overwhelmed) with emotions thereby and said: “O Allah, it is Hālah, daughter of Khuwaylid.” [al-Bukhārī, Muslim]
- When Nabī Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would retreat to the Cave of Hirā, and he would worship Allah for a number of days, Sayyidah Khadījah i did not stand in his way or complain. Rather, she sought his pleasure by preparing his provisions that would last him until his return. [al-Bukhārī]
- After the first encounter with Sayyidinā Jibrīl (AS) in the Cave of Hirā Nabī Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) rushed home and requested her to cover him. She comforted the Nabī of Allah g with the following words: “Never! By Allah, Allah will never put you to disrepute! You maintain family ties, help the weak, give to the poor, serve the guest and you help when natural calamities befall.” [al-Bukhārī]
- Sayyidah Khadījah i took Nabī Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) to visit her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who was well versed with the divine scripture. After listening to the experience of Nabī Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), he comforted him by informing him that Jibril (AS) was the angel who brought revelation to Nabī Mūsā (AS) as well. [al-Bukhārī]
- Sayyidah Khadījah i supported the cause of Islam financially and was subject to the atrocities of the Quraysh as well. She spent her wealth in order to secure whatever food she could for the Muslims during the years of the boycott
- Nabī Muhammad (saw) said of his beloved wife: “She accepted me (my message) when people rejected me, believed me when people belied me, supported me with her wealth when people deprived me and Allah granted me children from her and not from other women.” [al-Istī’āb]
- When Sayyidah Khadījah i passed away the Nabī (saw) grieved for her tremendously and when asked about it he said: “Indeed I grieve for her as she was the mother of my children and the one responsible in my home.” [al-Isābah]
