Khadeejah(RA) a woman endowed with sound judgement and intelligence wanted to perform a test which would cause the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم to be convinced that the one who was coming to him was not a devil, but an angel and so she said to the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم: O my cousin! Can you inform me when this comapnion of yours[(i.e. Gabriel(AS)] comes to you?" He said: "Yes." She said: "Then when he comes, inform me." Later, when Gabriel(AS) came to the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم as he had done previously, he called out to Khadeejah(RA): "O Khadeejah! Gabreil (AS) has come to me." She said: "Stand up, mu cousin and sit on my left thigh." The Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم did so and she asked him: "Do you see him?" He replied: "Yes." She said: "Then turn and sit on my right thigh." The Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم did so and she asked : "Do you see him?" He replied:"Yes" Then she removed her head covering while the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم was sitting on her lapt and she asked him: "Do you see him?" He said: "No." She said: "O my cousin! Be firm and rejoice, for by Allah, it is an angel, not a devil."
(This was narrated by Ibne Hisham from Ibn Is haq who is weak and in addition, it contains an unknown narrator in the chain,therefore it is weak)
Khadeejah(RA) believed in the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم and in the Message he brought and Allah lightened for His Propehtصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم thereby his burden; when ever he heard anything which he disliked from the disbelievers and it saddened him, Allah would relieve him of it when he returned to Khaddejah(RA) and she would stengthen him, alleviate his burden and make light of people's opposition.
Khaeejah's Jihad:
At the start of the Prophetic Mission, the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم preached to his close kin and those whome he trusted among the people, but after three years of preaching, Allah commanded him to preach openly and to call all of the people to the worship of Allah, the Most Hight, saying:
[red] فَٱصۡدَعۡ بِمَا تُؤۡمَرُ وَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ[red] [red]Therefore proclaim openly (Allâh's Message - Islâmic Monotheism) that which you are commanded, and turn away from Al-Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, and disbelievers, etc. - see V.2:105).[red]
That is, be open in your call to Allah. The Prophet صَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم obeyed the Command of his Lord and called upon the people to worshipAllah, the most High and to abandon the worship of idosl, which can neither harm nor benefit, and to make clear to them that they were no more than stones made by their hands. The disbelievers were affronted by the Message the Prophet صَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم preached to them and they rejected it and expressed enmity towards Messenger of Allah صَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم, inciting the foolish among them against him, belied him, inflicted farm on him and accused him of being a poet, a magician, a soothsayer and a madman. They also threw filth on him while he was prostrating.
When Quraish realized that opposing the Prophet صَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم was of no use and that the number of Muslims was increasing, they began to inflict the severest of punishments on the weak Muslims, such as Bilal, Ammar and his father, Yasir and his mother, Summayah, Suhaib Ar-Rumi and others (RA). Each tribe attacked the Muslims among them, imprisoning them and torturing them by beating, depriving them of food and drink and by palcing them on the sand of makkah when the sun was extremly hot. Indeed, they even killed some of them, such as Sumayyah-- who was murdered by Abu Jahl, the enemy of Allah, mayAllah's Curse be on him. In these difficult circumstances, Khadeejah(RA) was the best of supporters to the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم, strengthening him, encouraging him, supporting him with her ideas, her wealth and her sincere affection. When the Messenger of Allah صَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم observed the harm being inflicted on his Companions, he said to them: "If you were to leave for Abyssinia, you would find there a king in whose land no one is treated unjustly and it is a land of sincerity. You could stay there until Allah makes a way out for you from the oppression you are being subjected to here." So a number of Muslims migrated to Abyssinia and found safety in the land of the Kind Abrahah. When Quraish saw that the Companions of the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم had settled in a land where they were safe and that the number of Muslims was increasing, they decided to order a social, political and economic boycott of the Muslims. During this boycott, Khadeejah (RA) undertook a jihad of another kind.
The revelation started with the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم in the form of dreams which came true, then he began to crave solitude. It is reported on the authority of Urwah bin Az-Zubair from Ayesha(RA) that the commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah's Messengerصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم was in the form of good dreams which came true like bright daylight, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hira where he used to worship (Allah alone) continuously for many days before his desire to see his family. He used to take with him food for the stay and then come back to (his Wife) Khadeejah(RA) to take his food again till suddenly, the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم replied: "I do not know how to read." The Prophet added: The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied: "I do not know how to read." Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied: "I do not know how to read." Thereupon he caught me third time and pressed me, then he released me and said:
[red]اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ[red] [red]Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists),He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood),Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Surah Alaq Ayat1-3[red]
Then the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم fled from the cave, but when he was halfway down the mountain, he heard a voice in the heaven saying: "O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of Allah and I am Gabriel." He looked upwards and sawGabriel(AS) in the form of a man, putting his feet on the horizon. He said: "O Muhammad! you are the Messenger of Allah and I am Gabriel." he stopped and looked at him, but Gabriel(AS) neither advanced not retreated. The prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم turned his gace from the horizon, but no matter which way he looked, he saw him. So he returned to Khadeejah(RA) in a state of fright, his heart trembling with fear, and said: "Wrap me up! Wrap me up!" So they wrapped him up until the terror had departed from him, then he informed Khadeejah(RA) of what had happened and said to her: "I was afraid for myself>" She said: "No! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, helpl the poor and needy, serve your guests generously and assist those afflicted by calamity who deserve to be helped." After hearing the story of what had happened from the messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم, Khadeejah(RA) took him to her cousin Warqah bin Nawfal bin Asad bin Abdul-Uzza, who during the pre-Islamic Period had become a Christian and used to write in Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadeejah(RA) said to Warqah: "Listen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!" Warqah asked: "O my nephew! What have you seen?" The Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم described what he had seen. He said: "By Him in Whose Hand is the sould of Warqah, An-Namus Al- Akbar (The angelGabriel) who used to come to Moses has come to him. I wihs I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out." The Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم asked: "Will they drive me out?" Warqah replied in the affirmative and said: "Anyone who brought something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out, I would support you strongly." But after a few days Warqah died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while."
The Messenger of Allah صَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم Marries Khadeeja (RA): The Messenger of Allah صَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم returned from Ash-Sham, having sold the goods he had taken with him and bought the things he required and when he came to Khadeeja(RA) and she sold the things he had brought, she found that her profits were double what they normally were. Maisarah informed her of the good character he had observed in the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم and he informed her also of what the monk had said and how the clouds had sheltered him from the fierce heat of the sun. Khadeejah (RA) was a resolute, intelligent and noble woman when she heard what Maisarah had to say, she sent a message to the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم, saying: "O, cousin! I have conceived a desire to marry you, due to your kinship, your nobility among your people, your trustworthiness, your good character and your truthfulness. When Khadeejah(RA) offered herself in marriage to the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم, she was the noblest and richest of the women of Quraish and all of the men among her people were keen to marry her- if only they could have found a way to do so. After Khadeejah(RA) had presented her proposal to the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم, he informed his uncles of what she had said and they agreed to his marriage with her, then his uncle, Hamzah went to the house of Khuwailid bin Asad, her father-and made the proposal of marriage to her. The marriage then took place and the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم presented her with a dowry of twenty camels. She was the first woman the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم had married and he did not marry any other until after her death. His age when he married her was twenty-five years, while she was forty years old. Their marriage was a blessed one and the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم was an exemplary husband, loyal and kind, he treated his wife well and was very affectionate towards her. He never disagreed with her in anything which she liked. She was also an exemplary wife, loyal and eager to provide ease and repose for her husband and to please him. She was devoted to obeying and serving the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم and providing all means of assuring his happiness and comfort. She used to serve the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم herself and would not delegate this task to anyone else. Evidence for this is found in the Hadith of Abu Hurairah(RA), in which he said: Gabriel came to the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Khadeejah has come and brought you a vessel containing broth or food or a drink. When you see her, convey to her salutations of peace from her Lord and from me and give her the glad tidings of a house in Paradise made from a hollowed out pearl, in which there is neither noise nor fatigue." (Reported by Al-Bukhari 3820, Muslim, Ibne Majah and Ahmad). She provided the greates and most wonderful example of her love for her husband and her desire to please him, when she observed that he loved her slave, Zaid bin Harithah and she gave him to him as a gift. Also, when she realized that he wanted to bring one of his nephews 'Ali bin Abu Talib(RA)' to live with him, she welcomed the idea and provided a place for him to stay near to the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم. The Children Khadeejah (RA) Bore to the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم: This fine family lived peaceful and happy life and Allah showered many blessings on them. These blessing were completed by the birth of their children; Khadeejah(RA) bore the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم sons and daughters; indeed, all of his childern were from her- except Ibraheem, whose mother was Mariah, the Copt-they were: Al-Qasim- his eldest son from whom he took his agnomen, 'Abdullah who was his second son, At-Tayyib who was also known as At-Tahir. Ruqayyah- his eldest daughter, Zainab his second daughter, Umm Kulthum who came after Zainab and Fatimah, his youngest daughter (RA). All of his male children from Khadeejah (RA) died before Islam, as for his daughters, they all lived to see the advent of Islam and they believed and migrated with him to Al-Madinah. Uthman bin Affan(RA) married Ruqayyah and then Umm Kulthum(RA) after the death of the former, but after some time, she was also taken by Allah, Fatimah (RA) married 'Ali bin Abu Talib(RA)' and she bore him Al-Hassan and Al-Husain (RA).
Kadeejah Bint Khuwailid (RA): She was the Leader(Sayyedah) of the women of the worlds in her time, Khadeejah bint Khuwailid bin Asad Bin 'Abdul-Uzza bin Qusai bin Kilab Al-Qureshiyyah. Her father was one of the chiefs of Quraish, one of its notables and a prominent leader. Proof of this lies in the fact that he was a member of delegation that was sent by Quraish to Yemen, to congratulate the Arab King, Saif bin Dhee Yazin, when he achieved victory over the Abyssinians and expelled them from his land. As for her mother, she was Fatimahbint Za'ad bin Al-Asamm, whose genealogy connected with that of the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم through their grandfather, Lu'ayy bin Ghalib. Khadeejah(RA) was born 68 years before the Hijrah,i.e. approximately fifteen years before the Year of the Elephant, which was the year in which Abrahah, the Abyssinian ruler of Yemen attacked the Ka'bah and Allah sent against him His army which consisted of flock of birds and destroyed them all. Khadeejah (RA) was born in the house of nobility, power and leadership and she grew up moulded by an environment of high morality. She was a firm and resolute woman, possessing intelligence and wisdom, being known by the people of the Jhailiyyah as At- Tahirah. Her First Marriage:- Khadeejah (RA) married Abu Halah bin Zurarah At-Taimi. Abu Halah died during the Jahiliyyah, but before he died, his wife, Khadeejah(RA) bore him a son named Hind, who embraced Islam and was a good Muslim. He was a Copmanion of the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم, who took part in the Battle of Badr and he was a literate and eloquent man (RA). Khadeejah (RA) alsobore Abu Halah another son, Halah bin Abu-Halah, who was also a comapnion. After Abu Halah died, she married 'Ateeq bin A'iz, the leader of Banu Makhzum and she bore him a daughter whose name was Hind, who also embraced Islam and was a Comapnion of the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم. So all of Khadeejah's sons and daughters embraced Islam- mayAllah be pleased with them all After the death of Ateeq, many men from among the notables and leaders of Quraish proposed marriage to Khadeeja(RA), due to her morality,her superior intelligence, her nobility among her people and her wealth, but she preffered to occupy herself with the task of bringing up her children and pursuing her business interests. The Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم Sets Out On A Business Trip For Khadeejah (RA):- Khadeejah (RA) heard about the superior morality of the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم and she was informed by many of his truthfulness, his trustworthiness and his noble character, so she sent a message to him, requesting him to sell her goods in Ash-Sham and she offered him a higher rate than she gave to the other traders. The Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم accepted Khadeejah's proposal and set out on the journey to Ash-Sham, taking her goods with him, along with her slave, whose name was Maisarah. As they approached Ash-Sham, the Prophetصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم descended and sat in the shade of a tree near the hermitage of a monk, who came out and asked Maisarah: "Who is this man who is sitting under that tree?" Maisarah replied: "He is a man from Quraish, from the people of Sacred Precincts." The monk said to him: "No one has ever sat beneath that tree except a Prophet." Maisarah also observed that at midday, when the heat was excessive, a cloud would appear and shade the Messenger of Allahصَلَی اللہ عَلَیہِ وَآلِہ وَسَلّم
