Khadijah the Magnificent

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Khadijah the Magnificent (may Allah be pleased with her) by Tayyiba Ahmad

Allah had chosen and moulded her heart to beat, with every moment, her requited love for the One who created and cherished her. For that love, she was able to see Allah’s beloved, may Allah’s peace be upon him. She heard about a Prophet that was to come, and whilst she did not know who, she was ready to sacrifice all that she had for the beloved of the All Merciful.

She had already married twice, with children, yet she still waited for a dream to be realised of her marrying the full moon that would become a home for her. Her cousin Waraqa bin Nawfal filled her heart and mind with tales and parables of the ancient scripture, the worship of the One True God and the succession of Messengers sent to assist. She waited for Ahmad, who was still yet unaware of the great mission he had been sent for.

Believing that Muhammad, the son of Abd-Allah may be this elect Prophet, she sent him on a mission of trade to Syria, accompanied by her trusty helper Maysara, who reported all he saw: the singular cloud that shielded his noble body from the sun’s intense rays; the trees whose bows enveloped this weary traveller and the solitary monk who witnessed manifest upon him the signs of Prophecy.

Upon the return of the Prophet ﷺ and his traveller friend, Maysara promptly informed Sayyidah Khadijah of all that he saw. Her heart was moved: this is the awaited Prophet. She requested, through her trustworthy friend Nafisa, a proposal of marriage to Muhammad and he acquiesced, his heart inspired by his Lord.

The wedding was celebrated throughout Mecca, the best of men for the best of women. As they welcomed each child into the family, their home was a cradle of love, mercy and affection. Sayyidah Khadijah was a pillar of support, a heart full of warmth and tenderness to the Prophet. When he returned from the cave of Hira in a bewildered state, he could only request for her to cover him with a blanket. She covered him with the certainty of his Prophethood. Returning to her advisor, Waraqa bin Nawfal, he affirmed the beginning of a new chapter in History, the Chapter signalling the completion of Allah’s message to this world.

She stood by him, with him and for him, when the call was in secret, when the call was made openly. She remained steadfast in her belief in him and her love for him. She endured financial and physical hardship, but her heart continually expanded in faith and loyalty. The Prophet ﷺ never forgot the sacrifices she had made. When love overwhelms the heart, the one who is beloved is remembered forever, engraved as a vivid memory, fresh, ready to be re-opened.

Even after her death and Victory came, he recalled her, pitching his tent near her resting place. She was great and because of her, she became one of the pillars of Islam. She supported Prophecy in its infancy when its new shoots needed the most care. She never lived to see its completion, but she had watered its very root, and poured upon it her love and compassion. For this we are eternally grateful. For this the Prophet ﷺ exclaimed, “She believed in me when others did not.”

She was distinguished by a greeting of Peace from her Lord, a promise of a house made from precious jewels in Jannah. She will always be remembered as Khadijah the magnificent, the perfect woman, a pure soul, the warm-hearted mother to her children and to all the believers, the best of the wives. She will always be remembered as Khadijah, the beloved of Muhammad ﷺ.