By Rumki Chowdhury
As it is May, International Muslim History Month, I felt that there is no better way to begin this series of articles in celebration of IMHM than with the first person to accept Islam or the first Muslim woman ever in our Islamic history: Khadijah bint رضي الله عنها (May God be pleased with her). She was also known by her tribe, the Quraish, as “The Pure One,” “The Princess of Quraish” and “The Princess of Mecca” because she was rich, because she came from a long line of nobility and because of her charitable nature.
Khadijah رضي الله عنها was believed to be born around 555 CEor 556 CE. Her first husband had passed away, making her awidow and a single mother of two. She then remarried, but separated from her second husband due to incompatibility. Consequently, she received many marriage proposals from noblemen, but she refused them in order to focus on raising her children: two sons from her first marriage and a daughter from her second. Not only was she a full–time and single mother of three, but also, she was a full–time import–export businesswoman, managing her own employees in one of the most successful companies in Makkah. Khadijah رضي الله عنها was the most successful CEO of her time and Makkah was the hub of trading, possibilities and profitability!
Back then, there were no signed contracts or any formal kind of officiality other than one’s word. The same went for “word of mouth” when it came to references. Khadijah رضي الله عنها had only heard about the trustworthy and honest Prophet Muhammad ﷺ so she offered him a position as the leader of her trading caravans. He happily accepted her offer. Little did Khadijah رضي الله عنها know that she would be so impressed by her new employee’s endeavors and manners that she would make him yet another offer: marriage. She proposed to him and it was definitely a big decision considering the Prophet ﷺ had never been married before and was much younger than she. In fact, the Prophet ﷺ was just 25-years–old and Khadijah رضيالله عنها was 40-years–old at the time that they were married. He said, Yes! Well, actually, he said something along the lines of him being willing to marry her if she was willing to marry a man of his poor stature. That was not an issue as Khadijah رضي اللهعنها provided for the Prophet ﷺ who also loved her wholeheartedly.
Together, they had six children: Zainab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, Fatimah رضي الله عنها , Qasim and Abdullah. In all of these blessings that came into their lives, the Prophet ﷺ felt avoid. It was then that Islam completed him. This happened following one of his trips to Cave Hira, where the Angel Jibril(Gabriel) commanded and coerced the illiterate Prophet ﷺ to miraculously read the first words of the Quran. When the Prophet ﷺ told Khadijah رضي الله عنها about his experience, she believed him and encouraged him to believe in such signs. This response is what made her the first person to accept Islam as her religion. As a result, together, they had to face many life–threatening hurdles from not only the enemies of Islam, but also from the loss of their two sons. Moreover, together, they had done hijrah (migration) to Al–Madinah. Khadijah رضي الله عنها financed the spread of Islam, spending most of her wealth onfood, water and other supplies for Muslims. Eventually, she had lost everything and was on the brink of starvation before her death. She was an excellent companion of the Prophet ﷺ . When Khadijah رضي الله عنها died at the age of 65, the Prophetﷺ dug her grave and buried her, himself. They were blissfully married, monogamously, for 25 years.
According to hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said, “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 سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى blessed me with children.”
Khadijah رضي الله عنها was a powerful, noble and wealthy business woman, loving mother, supportive wife, dedicated to the greater good and the spread of Islam. The Angel Jibril said to the Prophet ﷺ, “O Allah’s Messenger! This is Khadijah, coming to you with a dish having meat soup for some food or drink. When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord(Allah) 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.”
Sources:
Encyclopedia.
https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/khadijah
Al-Mubarakpuri, Sheikh Safiur-Rahman; Ghadanfar, Mahmood Ahmad. Great Women of Islam. Darussalam: Saudi Arabia, 2001.
About the Author
Rumki Chowdhury is Editor of World Hijab Day Organization. She is an award-winning published author. She has an MA in English Literature from Queen Mary University of London, a BA in English Writing from William Paterson University of New Jersey and an English Subject Teaching Degree from Gävle Högskolan in Stockholm, Sweden. She speaks Bengali and Swedish fluently! She has years of experience in the media and publishing worlds. Rumki lives with her husband and their three daughters.
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