Khadijah رضى الله عنها

Seek Knowledge from the Cradle to the Grave

When you set out and travel from the comfort of your home to seek knowledge in deen your heart finds strength. When with all your heart you listen attentively and seek to implement in your life the teachings of deen your Imaan finds strength. When you leave a place where people have gathered for good, and where Allah سبحانه وتعالى and his Rasul صلى الله عليه وسلم have been mentioned, you leave with inspiration, motivation and determination; the inspiration to improve in character, the motivation to progress with good deeds towards our ultimate abode, InshaAllah Jannah, and the determination to continue to seek knowledge.

Alhamdulillah, the experience of learning about The Mothers of the Believers; Khadijah رضى الله عنها at Al Kawthar Academy in Birmingham was extremely fruitful. MashaAllah, the turnout of sisters demonstrated the communities’ great desire to seek knowledge. When you enter the place the tranquility you find in places designated for deen and where there is abundant remembrance of Allah سبحانه وتعالى is immediately felt. May Allah سبحانه وتعالى reward all those involved in establishing Al Kawthar Academy.

I urge all readers to obtain the first of the series on The Mothers of the Believers: Khadijah رضى الله عنها, from Al Kawthar Academy when it becomes available. Our world today is very different to the world of the first of our Ummah but the unique way in which Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq explores the lives of the pious is always profitable, providing us with lessons and morals to enable us to learn and implement in our lives the teachings of our role models.

Here I will give a brief glimpse of some of the points made by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on our first Mother; Khadijah رضى الله عنها.

• Shaykh Abu Yusuf briefly explained the background of the marriage of Khadijah رضى الله عنها to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. She was fifteen years his senior, had been widowed twice and had three children, whereas the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was unmarried. After the marriage, the fifteen years before the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم received the revelation were beautiful and blissful years; both Khadijah رضى الله عنها and Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم were devoted to each other.
• Shaykh commented on how Khadijah رضى الله عنها was an honest, truthful, wise, noble, and intelligent woman; a woman of integrity who had detected certain qualities in the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم which had led her to propose to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. She was a chaste and pious woman; a woman of piety, purity, honesty and nobility. Even in her youth she was known as At-Tahira – the pure one.
• Khadijah رضى الله عنها was a businesswoman and administrated trade; her father was also extremely wealthy, whereas the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was poor and remained in poverty before and after prophethood during his entire life. Khadijah رضى الله عنها did not seek marriage for status, wealth, power or prestige but for the character of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. She disregarded the fact that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was fifteen years her junior, as she saw his qualities and characteristics.
• Shaykh explained how before the first revelation Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم would see clear, vivid dreams and became inclined to seclusion; traveling to the cave of Hira by foot and spending much time there in contemplation. He would take provisions with him and sometimes he would return for more provisions and sometimes he would not. Khadijah رضى الله عنها despite being fifty-five years old at the time would take provisions, due to her devotion, and walk over the rocky terrain of Makkah and climb up to the cave of Hira.
• After the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم received the first revelation and returned in shock and shivering, Khadijah رضى الله عنها comforted and consoled him. She remained silent, treated and tended to his needs first, soothed, comforted and cared for him. She made him comfortable until the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم himself spoke and explained to her what had happened.
• Shaykh stated how Khadijah رضى الله عنها was a pillar of strength and support for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم at the time of the initial revelation, and she showed an amazing display of intelligence.
• Shaykh mentioned how Khadijah رضى الله عنها was the first Muslim of Islam; of this ummah. She holds this unique status and honour in that the first Muslim was a woman and it was Khadijah رضى الله عنها. When no one was there, she was, and she was supportive, shouldered the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and strengthened him. When he was frightened she proved to be the one who soothed, reassured and comforted him. She supported the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in a way no man could.
• Khadijah رضى الله عنها also gave her entire wealth to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم; she gave the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم a free hand to spend the wealth as he wished – distributing it to the needy etc and she harbored no resentment.
• Khadijah رضى الله عنها voluntarily joined the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the Valley of Abu Talib during the boycott of the Muslims by the Quraish. Her sacrifices were unique and immense. She sheltered and shouldered the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and bore him all his children with the exception of Ibrahim.
• Shaykh stated how the ulema have said as Khadijah رضى الله عنها was the first Muslim she has set the example and standard, and initiated a beautiful practice of accepting Islam and so will receive reward for every Muslim until the day of yaum-al-qiyama, as whoever initiates a good practice receives reward for all those after them who continue the good practice.
• Khadijah رضى الله عنها enriched the Prophet though her wealth and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم dearly loved her and never forgot her sacrifice. He declared her to be the best of women in this ummah.
• Khadijah رضى الله عنها was also given salaams (greetings) from Allah سبحانه وتعالى and Jibrail عليه السلام as well as glad tidings of a house in Jannah of pierced pearls wherein there is no fatigue, no noise and no clamour. Shaykh explained that in Jannah a person always receives according to his or her deeds. Khadijah’s رضى الله عنها house on earth was unique and privileged as the first Muslim house. She held the first household, family and abode of Islam on earth and therefore she will be given a special house in Jannah. During her twenty-five years of married life Khadijah رضى الله عنها never angered the Prophet, she never raised her voice, she was a woman of solace, soothing and comfort, and she provided peace and an environment where there was no clamour. She never replied in an inappropriate manner and she provided tranquility and peace. She did not once tire, pressure, inconvenience, cause anxiety to or worry the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
• When people disbelieved in the message of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, Khadijah رضى الله عنها believed, when everyone else rejected she supported and accepted and when everyone shunned the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم she sheltered him.
• Khadijah رضى الله عنها gave the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم everything and in return he gave her everything. She never apposed him and he in return never apposed her. She never swayed in her support and was a woman of sacrifice, dedication and support.

Our aim is to seek and endeavor to learn from Khadijah رضى الله عنها and undertake to dedicate ourselves to our deen, and attempt to achieve such piety, purity, and honesty.

In preparation

I begin in the name of Allah, The Merciful, The Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

InshaAllah the first of the series on ‘The Mothers of the Believers’ will begin on Sunday 24^th February 2008 by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq. Reading about the Mothers of the Believers has always been very inspirational for me and I feel this series will therefore be of an enormous benefit to me and many others. Throughout our journey of life we meet many people, some we look up to, some inspire us and some become our role-models. However, sometimes we become trapped in our own small worlds and we learn from only those within our vision. This series will inshaAllah enable us to go beyond our vision and learn from those who we never got to meet but who were open-hearted, courageous and strong in adversity; the mothers of the believers, the mothers of the faithful; our mothers from whom we can learn many great lessons. I would like to begin this blog by a summary of the lives of ‘Our Mothers’ in preparation, and in order to encourage us to learn more.

The lives of the Mothers of the Believers and the Pious Muslim Women at the time of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم should be an inspiration and stimulation for the hearts of Muslims today. Excelling in religious, social and political activities many received the glad tidings on this world that their destination would be paradise. They left for us the gift of example; integrity, loyalty, honesty and modesty. They are our example to show humanity the unique status of Muslim women in Islam.

Here I have written briefly about the pious characteristics and achievements of the Mothers of the Believers and pray the readers will be genuinely inspired to learn more about the lives of these great Muslim women and strive to reach such purity, serenity, tranquility and unity of heart.

Khadijah رضى الله عنها

The first wife of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. She was the first to accept Islam and supported the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم emotionally and financially. A successful businesswoman who endured economic hardship for Islam. Thus she was courageous, patient and supportive. She was the perfect wife who stood by her husband, was understanding, devoted, truthful and sacrificed her all for her imaan.

Saudah رضى الله عنها

When she entered the household of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم she provided support and love for the daughters of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. She was a generous, selfless lady of pure heart, free from envy and jealousy. Thus due to her humility and kindness when she became old she gave A’ishah رضى الله عنها the time allotted to her by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم .

A’ishah رضى الله عنها

She was one of the favourite wives of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. She was a kind and generous lady. A’ishah رضى الله عنها had a brilliant memory and was also very knowledgeable and wise. Many ahadeeth have been contributed by her and she was excellent in the commentary and interpretation of the Qur’an. Thus after the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم passed away the companions would often consult her on issues.

Hafsah رضى الله عنها

She spent her time in fasting and praying. She meticulously memorized every ayat of the Qur’an as and when they were revealed and was an excellent writer and orator.

Zainab رضى الله عنها

One of the first to accept Islam she devoted most of her time to prayer. Even before the advent of Islam she was a very generous lady and thus when she accepted Islam her contributions to charity increased.

Umm Salamah رضى الله عنها

She was also one of the first to accept Islam. Whilst emigrating to al-Madinah her family separated her from her husband and children and she bore this separation with great patience. She was always kind to neighbours and to the needy.

Zainab bint Jahash رضى الله عنها

She was a very modest and sympathetic lady who was devoted to prayer. She made all her decisions by turning to supplication and she was the most charitable.

Juveriah رضى الله عنها

Due to her acceptance of Islam her whole tribe was liberated from slavery and thus many consequently also accepted Islam. She also spent most of her time in prayer.

Saffiyyah رضى الله عنها

She was an intelligent and God fearing lady who was very generous and amicable. She spent most of her time in reading the Qur’an

Khadijah رضى الله عنها