The first woman to follow the religion of Islam was Khadijah ul-Kubra’. Every Muslim knows who she was and what a role-model she was and continues to be. We also know that she was according to the Prophet (saw), one of the four greatest women from among the whole earth.
Khadijah was born in the year 555 C.E. (Christian era). Her parents were Khuwailid and Fatimah bint Zaidah. By the time she reached the age of forty she had attained quite a reputation for herself. She was known as a wealthy, noble, fine-natured business woman.
Khadijah heard about Mohammed’s (saw) reputation for being an honest and upright young man. She sent him a proposal to ask him to handle some of her business affairs. On the return from one trip to Syria, he reported a profit that doubled that which anyone else had done for her. Needless to say, that impressed her greatly!
Khadijah’s satisfaction with her new employee was soon to turn into love. Despite their age difference of 15 years, she desired to marry him. She confided this desire to he friend, Nufaysah, who in turn approached Mohammed (saw). This confused him. How could such a noble woman, who had turned down the marriage proposals of the noblest and wealthiest Quraysh men, desire to marry him?! Mohammed uncle Abu Talib and Khadijah’s uncle ‘Umar ibn Asad sat down to arrange the completion of the marriage. Little did any of them know just what the future had in store for this new couple!
Allah bestowed upon them six children. They were given two boys, Qasim and ‘Abdullah, but neither survived infancy. They were also given four daughters, Zainab, Ruqaiyyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah.
Mohammed would often go to Mount Hira for meditation. On returning one day, Khadijah could see he was quite shaken and upset. She inquired about this and he told her what had happened. She found out that today had been unlike any other in that, today, he had been given revelations from God! He had thought that he was possessed and was going mad. Khadijah tried to console her terrified husband by saying:
“Rejoice, O son of my uncle, and be of good heart. Surely by Him in whose hand is my soul, I have hope that you will be the prophet of this people. You have never done any wrong to anyone. You are kind to others and you help the poor. So Allah will not let you down.”
He then asked for a blanket and she quickly fulfilled his request. Shortly thereafter, he fell asleep. when Mohammed woke, Khadijah took him to her cousin, Waraqah bin Nawfal. He was Christian and quite knowledgeable of the scriptures of the Torah and Bible. He confirmed Mohammed’s prophethood and said:
“This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel Gabriel) whom Allah had sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out.”
Just a few months later Gabriel came again and ordered him to start warning the people. Khadijah supported him in this by financially supporting the family and his teaching. She was also content to raise the children and handle the family affairs so that he could preach.
During the next 10 years, she proved herself to be a loving wife. She supported him when nobody else would. She consoled him when rough time hit them. She comforted and encouraged him when the Quraish did all they could to stop him from preaching. She remained the only wife of Mohammed until her death at the age of 65. She died on 10 Ramadan 620 C.E. in the 10th year of prophethood. Long after her death, Mohammed remembered and honored her often.
There is a lesson in Khadijah’s life. She accepted and started working for the religion of Islam after the first revelation. This not only made her the first Muslim but also a role-model for women today. She led the example of a good, loving wife. She also showed us how to forget the desires of this life and work only for the good of Islam. Khadijah truly was a righteous woman.
Source:Islam for todday
How I wish the women of today could be like her. But alas, they are exactly the opposite. Once they earn more than their husbands, then the whole neighbourhood community will know that she is the owner of the money and the husband is nothing.
They totaly lose respect for their husbands and start looking down upon them.
May Allah forgive us and grant us knowlegde.
Sister you are right,this is really very sad women were supposed to be copying or living the life stytle of the Prophet's wives as they are the good examples of how wives should treat their husbands,and learn more on how they were committed to religious affairs, good manners, bringing up children etc. If we can recall of what has been said in an article we will find that this lady (Khadijah, ra) was a successful woman in her life, she never used her richness to disobey her husband,to the contrary she used it to serve the mission of her suband. May Allah be pleased with her, and guide her fellow women by granting them with knowledge and piety inshaallah,ameen.
All women are supposed to copy what this beloved mother (RA)did during her life.She could do business and contribute funds to various islamic activities.She could confort her husbanda(SAW).She could give advice to the prophet and all these.May all our beloved women study this mother of muslims and amend for the benefit of islam inshaallah.
They were supposed to live that way unfortunately they tend to turn a blind aye and follow the life style of a western woman claiming that this is the way how civilized woman should live. What they forget is that this campaign is being promoted and encouraged by enemies of Islam just to make sure that our sisters in Islam know less about the teachings of Islam, they way how they were suppose to live with their husbands, and how they can be good contributors to religious affairs and so forth. My appeal to our sisters in Islam is,you must be careful about this foreign behavior/teachings that aims to astray you from the real way of life,for you to overcome this conspiracy you should read and know how was the life style of these wonderful exemplary women (the wives of the Prophet Muhammad pbuh) used to lead for the sake of hereafter and nothing else.