KHADIJAH{RADI  ALLAHU ANHA}- MOTHER OF THE  FAITHFUL.

 Khadijah { Radi Allahu Anha} was the daughter of  Khuwaylid  bin Asad . her mother  was  Fatima bint Zai'bah. Khadija had a sister  called Hala bint Khuwaylid  . Hala had a son  called  Abul As , who was  one of the important  men of Makkah  in wealth and  dignity .

 Khadijah- a tradeswoman  of Makkah:

 Khadijah {R} was a  widow  and being  a  tradeswoman  of  Makkah , ran a large  trade  of her own . her business  was so  thriving  that she used  to take men  to carry  things  to  Syria  for sale .

  She  had  heard  of the prophet's truthful  ways  and she knew  well that  Muhammad Peace be upon Him  was a man  of an  honest  character .One day she  called Him  to ask Him  to  go  to Syria  to sell her  goods. She promised  to pay him  more than  She paid  other . Muhammad peace be upon Him  agreed  and Maysarah , Khadijah's  slave  went with him to help . The Prophet  travelled  to Syria  and sold  everything he had  br0ught  and  bought  all that Khadijah had  asked Him  to  buy . On coming back to Makkah , Maysarah told  all about the trip  to Khadijah. He told her  how  gently  and honest  Muhammad peace be upon Him  had been. Khadijah was  gently  impressed  and she , who  had refused  the   offer  of marriage  from  many of the noblemen  of Makkah.  Offered  herself  in marriage  to the Prophet, and he married  her . This marriage took  place  in the year  596, some  fifteen  years before  the Quran began  to be sent down to the messenger  of Allah. The  Prophet was  twenty five  at the time  and Khadijah was forty .This marriage  meant a great  deal to the  Prophet  and  he did not  take  other wife  so long  as Khadijah {R} Lived .

 

 In time of  distress:

  For many years after  his Marriage , Muhammad  peace be upon him  used to spend  days  in the hilly  country  round  Makkah , sometimes  with his family  but  often  alone .

 Khadijah  stood by him in times of  distress , comforted  him and gave  the support  he needed . When the angle  Jibreel  came  to the Prophet  for the  first  time in the cave  on the  Mount  Hira, he was  greatly  shaken  by the  strange  experience . With his heart  trembling ; he returned  to Khadijah and said : Warp me up . Warp me up . What happened  to me ? Indeed , I was  afraid  I should have died , It was  Khadijah {R} who  comforted  him saying : No it will not be so, I swear by God , he will never  make  you sad. Foe indeed you  are kind to your relatives , you speak the truth, you are faithful  in trust, you spend your wealth in good works, you are  very hospitable , and  you help your fellow men; She  then took him to her cousin  called  Waraqah who was  a  well- read  old man. On hearing  everything  that had happened  Waraqah said : it is the angle  Jibreel that came  to you. You will be the prophet;

 The first woman to accept Islam :

 The  first woman  to accept Islam was Khadijah  {R} She was the first person  to accept  and believe as true  what the  Prophet had  brought  from Allah ,and she was the faithful  support  to the Prophet in Islam . The marriage  brought  great happiness  to both of them . Khadijah was  the  mother of all  the Prophet's  children  except Ibrahim, namely  al Qasim , after  whom the Messenger  of Allah was  known as Abul Qasim, Abdullah, Zaynab,  Umm Kulsum, Ruqayyah, and  Fatimah.May Allah be pleased  with them all .

  The prophet's affection  for Khadijahtul- Kubra:

 Our Prophet  Muhammad  peace be upon him  loved  Khadijah {R} dearly  It is the difficult  for us to imagine  how deeply  it must have  cut into the heart  of the Prophet . When he lost  her by  death. She had stood  by the Prophet  in all  his joys  and  sorrow for about  twenty five years .

 Muhammad Peace be upon Him  ever  retained  his affection  for Khadijahtul - Kubra. A Hadith  has  it  that Allah's  Messenger  had  given her  glad  tidings  of a jewelled  place in paradise . It was the  practice  of the Prophet  after  the death of Khadijah, that whenever  a sheep or goat would be  slaughtered , he would send pieces  of them as presents  to Khadijah's  female  friends .  The prophet would then praise  her and  say she was  so and so and  I had children by her .

 Once Ayesha  {R} asked  the prophet , Why  do you mention  that old  woman who  has long been dead ?The Prophet's look change  at this remark  and he said : She was the  one who believed  in me  when anyone  else  refused , she accepted  me as  Prophet  when others believed me , when people  denied  help, she  spent  her wealth for me;. A Hadith  has it :

 Khadijah, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam the mother  of Isa , and  Asiyah , the  wife of  Pharaoh , where  the four  greatest of Women.

 Once  Hala bint Khuwaylid , the sister of  Khadijah, while  in Madinah  came  to see the Prophet. Her voice  very much resembled  that Khadijah's . When the  Prophet heard the  her calling . He was moved  with emotions . He spoke  out : O Allah, It is Hala bint Khuwaylid , Ayesha  {R} narrates :  I was  never so Jealous  of any one of the Prophet's wives  a iwas of  Khadijah, although I never saw her, Hala had accepted  Islam and she lived until after the  death of Khadijah.

 The  Necklace  of  Khadijah{R}.

 When the  prisoners  of the battle  of the Badr  were brought , Abul As  was also  among them . He was  son of Hala and had been married  to Zaynb {R}, the daughter  of  the  Prophet , at the suggestion  of Khadijah .Abul As  had still not accepted  Islam, when taken  prisoner . When the Makkans  sent to ransom  their captives , Zaynab also sent a some of Money  and with it  she  sent a  valuable  necklace  which Khadijah had  given her  on her marriage  to Abul As . The sight of the necklace  of  Khadijah  moved  the Prophet  with emotions . It brought him the memories  of her . He said : If you feel  you may allow  her captive  husband  to return  to her  along with  her money  and  the  necklace .  The People at once  agreed  and  Abul A's  was set free.

 In fact Khadijah  ,   Rdi Allahu Anha  was  the greatest of Women .