Sayyidah Khadijah bint Khuwaylid

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Sayyidah Khadijah bint Khuwaylid

Name and lineage

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ibn Asad ibn ‘Abdul ‘Uzza ibn Qusayy. Qusayy is the forefather of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Khadijah radiya Llahu ‘anha, from the wives, has the second closest ancestry to the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam through his father. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not marry any other woman from the progeny of Qusayy except Sayyidah Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan radiya Llahu ‘anha.^[1]

Sayyidah Khadijah radiya Llahu ‘anha was renowned as the noblest in ancestry, the highest in nobility, and the wealthiest woman from the Quraysh. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam married her when he was twenty-five years old, after Abu Halah Nabbash ibn Zurarah al Tamimi^[2], the ally of the Banu ‘Abdul Dar.

Sayyidah Khadijah radiya Llahu ‘anha believed in the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and assisted him in his mission. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam affirmed that she is the most virtuous of all the women of the world.^[3] She bore all the Prophet’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam children except Ibrahim radiya Llahu ‘anhu, whose mother was Sayyidah Mariyah radiya Llahu ‘anha. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not take any other wife during her lifetime. She passed away three years before the Hijrah.

 

Merits and Status

1. She is from the forerunners to embrace Islam: she is the very first person to bring faith in what Allah revealed. She thus receives her reward and the reward of all those who embraced Islam after her.^[4]

2. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not take any other wife during her lifetime. She thus remained the only wife of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam for twenty-five years.

3. The love which the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had for her was a special gift from Allah, which Allah bestowed upon His Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Thus, loving her is a virtue.^[5]

4. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would talk of her often, praise her, enumerate her virtues, and maintain ties with her friends. Sayyidah ‘Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha states:

 

ما غرت للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على امرأة من نسائه ما غرت على خديجة لكثرة ذكره إياها وما رأيتها قط

I never became envious of any of the Prophet’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam wives as I was envious of Khadijah, on account of how frequently he would talk about her; and I never saw her.^[6]

 

5. She was the best of all the women of the Ummah of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Al Bukhari reported with his chain of narration from Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu that he heard the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying:

 

خير نسائها مريم وخير نسائها خديجة

The best woman of her time was Maryam and the best woman of her time was Khadijah.^[7]

 

6. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala sent greetings to her and gave her glad tidings of a Palace in Jannat, where she will neither hear any noise nor experience any fatigue. Al Bukhari and Muslim narrate with their respective chains from Sayyidina Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu:

 

أتى جبريل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال يا رسول الله هذه خديجة قد أتت معها إناء فيه إدام أو طعام أو شراب فإذا هي أتتك فاقرأ عليها السلام من ربها ومني وبشرها ببيت في الجنة من قصب لا صخب فيه ولا نصب‏

Jibril came to the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and said, “O Messenger of Allah! This is Khadijah coming to you with a dish containing 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 Jannat made from a gigantic hollowed pearl, in which there will neither be noise nor toil.”^[8]

 

7. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala blessed the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam with children from her, and he was not granted any children from his other wives. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

 

ورزقني الله منها الولد ولم يرزقني من غيرها

Allah granted me children from her and He did not grant me children from others beside her.^[9]

 

NEXT⇒ Sayyidah Saudah bint Zam’ah

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^[1]  The ancestry of Sayyidah Umm Habibah radiya Llahu ‘anha meets with that of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam at ‘Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy, while the ancestry of Sayyidah Khadijah radiya Llahu ‘anha meets with that of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam at Qusayy. As for the other Ummahat al Mu’minin, their ancestry meets with that of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam after Qusayy: at Murrah, Ka’b, Lu’ayy, Khuzaymah, Ilyas, and Mudar.

^[2]  Some historians says that his name was Malik, some say Hind, others say Zurarah ibn Nabbash, while others say Nabbash ibn Zurarah; and Allah knows best. [Translator’s note.]

^[3]  She is the most virtuous of all women of her time. She is from the four most superior women, namely: Asiyah bint Muzahim—the wife of Firoun, Maryam bint ‘Imran, Khadijah, and Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anhunna.

^[4]  This is owing to the fact that she is the first woman to accept Islam. Whoever initiates a good practice will receive his reward coupled with the reward of all those who practice upon it. The one who points out a good action is like the one who carries it out, with regards to reward. Whoever calls towards guidance will receive a reward equal to the reward of all those who followed it, without their reward being diminished in the least. Study further details of this issue in Fath al Bari, chapter on the virtues of Khadijah; al Tahtawi: Nihayat al Ijaz fi Sirat Sakin al Hijaz; and Sharh al Nawawi li Sahih Muslim.

^[5]  Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2435. In the hadith, the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam says, “Her love was nurtured in my heart by Allah Himself.” Contemplate over how Allah nurtured her love in His Messenger’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam heart.

^[6]  Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2435.

^[7]  Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 3815.

^[8]  Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 3820.

^[9]  Al Tabarani: Al Mu’jam al Kabir, vol. 23 pg. 13.