Khadija the Great: An Icon for All Women
This Women’s History Month, as a Muslim woman I have been reflecting on the life and character of some of the most exemplary Muslim women from early Islam. I believe them to be exceptional role models for all women today.
Here I wish to highlight the life of one such woman who has always inspired me the most — Khadija, may God be pleased with her, the first wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. She is known as the most influential woman of her time, and is regarded as the ‘Mother of the believers’ by Muslims. She possessed remarkable qualities, had absolute trust in God, and made extraordinary sacrifices for her faith.
In today’s world, tainted by society’s stereotypes, it is often assumed that Islam has caused the oppression of Muslim women and denied them their freedom. However, it is the example of inspirational women like Khadija, whose lives have shown that such claims couldn’t be further from the truth. Khadija was an educated, successful businesswoman, the sole breadwinner of her family, and at one point, a working single mother — all of which is enough to refute the claim that Islam oppresses women.
Khadija was born to a noble family and her father was a successful merchant. After her father passed away, she took over the responsibility of managing his business. It is commendable that despite her working in a male-dominated society, she was able to fulfill the role of an influential businesswoman. She was honest and fair in her business dealings and thus, it was predominantly her honorable character which led her to become a wealthy and successful woman.
Most Arabs living at that time were poor, and knowing the condition of the people, Khadija took it upon herself to help in any way she could. She would not miss an opportunity to feed the hungry or provide for anyone in need. As a result of her pure and virtuous character, she earned the titles ‘At-Tahira,’ meaning the pure one, and ‘Khadija al-Kubrah,’ meaning Khadija the great.
Khadija was already twice widowed before she met the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. She had lost both her husbands to the wars that were inflicted upon Arabia at the time, and had no plans to marry a third time. In fact, she had turned down many marriage proposals that had been sent her way from highly respected men. Having gone through a difficult time as a widow and single mother, she did not succumb to this pressure and continued working hard to provide for her family with courage and patience.
Khadija became acquainted with the Holy Prophet Muhammad, when she hired him for one of her trade expeditions, which turned out to be a huge success due to his hard work and honesty. Witnessing the integrity and loyalty of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, Khadija was deeply moved by his noble character and eventually decided to send a marriage proposal to him. Despite the difference between their economic statuses as well as the difference in their age, none of these things mattered to Khadija.
Acquiring more wealth was not important to her either. After her marriage to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, Khadija ultimately chose to sacrifice a life of wealth and ease, for a life of simplicity and humility. She retired from her work and offered a large portion of her wealth to him. In turn, he distributed this wealth amongst the poor.
There are countless lessons we can learn from Khadija’s life. Firstly, her confidence and success throughout her work life is a reminder for Muslim women in particular, that Islam in no way prohibits women from achieving their ambitions, and they too have the ability to gain success like Khadija did. Secondly, with regard to her marriage with the Holy Prophet Muhammad, we learn that Khadija never let the difference in their economic status affect their relationship. Instead, she wholeheartedly assisted her husband financially. The basis of their marriage was beyond any materialistic or superficial gain. They lived a simple yet content life together.
Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of her life are the sacrifices she made after the Holy Prophet Muhammad received revelation from God and made the claim to prophethood. Unlike the majority of Meccans at that time, Khadija did not believe in, nor practiced idol worship. Therefore, she did not hesitate to accept her husband’s claim, and thus became the first person, and the first woman to embrace Islam. She assured the Holy Prophet Muhammad with conviction that God would never humiliate him and was certain that only a man of his character was worthy of receiving divine revelation.
Her strength, patience and courage during the early phase of Islam knew no bounds, as she stood by her husband and supported him through all trials, intense persecution and suffering, all for the sake of God and the Holy Prophet’s mission to spread the message of Islam. It is reported that by the time of her demise, 10 years after the Holy Prophet Muhammad began his mission, her entire wealth had already been spent in the cause of Islam.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad was devastated by Khadija’s demise. In their 25 years of marriage, she was his pillar of strength. He would reminisce fondly of her and would be overcome with emotion whenever he talked about her unique qualities. He is reported to have said,
“She believed in me when the whole world refuted me, and attested to my veracity when the whole world accused me of falsehood. She offered me compassion and loyalty with her wealth when everyone else had forsaken me.”
It is these words of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, which I believe, truly capture the essence of Khadija’s life. Her unwavering strength and patience during difficult times, her selflessness and generosity, and her complete trust in God’s will are indeed the exceptional qualities which not only set her apart from others, but make her a great role model for all women today, and for generations to come.
