Islam – مدینہِ ثانی

The great Muslim lady Hazrat Khadijah (RA) passed away on 10th Ramadhan in the tenth year of Hijrah, 620 CE, at the age of 65.
Her death was a great loss to the Prophet (PBUH). The Holy Prophet (PBUH) was grieved to the extent that he declared the year of death of Hazrat Abu Talib (RA) and Hazrat Khadija (RA) as Aam- ul-Huzn i.e. the year of mourning.
Sayyiduna Rasoolullah’s (PBUH) marriage with Sayyidah Khadija (RA) took place about fifteen years before the beginning of the Revelation, he being 25, and she was 40. She was a rich widow and ran a large trade of her own. It was she who offered herself in marriage to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who was associated with her in trading ventures. From the time of her marriage with the Holy Prophet till her death, over a period of twenty years, she gave her husband ease of circumstances, and deep love and devotion.
Rasul Allah(PBUH) said: “She believed in me when none else did. She embraced Islam when people disbelieved me. And she helped and comforted me when there was none else to lend me a helping hand.”
“Never was I jealous of any of the Prophet’s wives”, said Sayyidah Ayesha (RA) “but Khadija, although I never saw her. Her sweet memory never blurred in the Prophet’s heart.
Once I hurt his feelings on this issue and he replied gravely,
‘Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta’ala has blessed me with her love.’
Sayyiduna Khadija (RA) bore the Beloved (PBUH) six children, the first born was named Sayyiduna Qasim (RA), after whom, according to Arab custom, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) received the Kunya “Abul Qasim” or “the father of Qasim”, then were born Sayyiduna Abdullah (RA). All of them passed away in their infancy. Amongst the daughters Sayyidah Ruqayya (RA) was the eldest, then came Sayyidah Zaynab(RA), Sayyidah Umm Kulthoom (RA) and the last and best known of them was Sayyidah Fatima (RA).
In the absence of this Bibi’s sacrifices, Islam would not have achieved its fanfare. Hazrat Khadija was born in Makkahh. She was the daughter of Khuwayled bin Asad bin Abdul Uzza bin Qusayy. Qusayy was the common progenitor of her line as well as the line of Muhemmed Mustafa (PBUH) of the clan of Bani Hashim, and the future Prophet of Islam. She thus belonged to a collateral branch of the Bani Hashim. Next to Bani Hashim itself, her family was the noblest and the most honorable in all Arabia. Her family was distinguished not only by its opulence but also by the content of its character. Khadija’s mother had died in or around AD. 575; and Khuwayled, her father, died in or around A.D. 585. Upon his death, his children inherited his fortune, and divided it among themselves. Wealth has its own perils. It can tempt one to live a life of idleness and luxury.
There are four women who enjoy supremacy over other women and one of the great personalities out of them is Hazrat Khadija tul Kubra (S.A.) on whose honour and supremacy an Ayah of Holy Quran stand witness that says: Rasool, We found you poor, then we made you wealthy. Khadija tul Kubra (R A) was great Mohsina-e-Islam on which Quran also stands witness.
This great woman has the honour of being the first Musaddiqa-e-Paighambar (PBUH), her wealth and sacrifices of her offspring helped Islam to a great extent as she utilised all her wealth all around to dissemination of Islam.
He said Hazrat Khadijas (R.A.) home had become a shelter not only for Rasool (PBUH) but for all Muslims. Hazrat Khadija tul Kubra (RA) had been the protector and defender of Paigham-e-Risalat in the initial and most difficult era of Islam. The Seerat-e-Khadija (RA) is the beacon of light for women at large in every era.
Before Islam, Khadija was the Princess of Makkah. When the sun of Islam rose above the horizon, Allah was pleased to make her the Princess of Islam also. Allah was also pleased to make her the Mother of the Believers, as He says in His Book: The support that Khadija gave to the Muslim community in Makkah, was indispensable for the survival of Islam. Her support to the Muslim community guaranteed its survival when it was in a state of blockade. In this sense, she was a maker of history -the history of Islam.