BIOGRAPHY : THE FIRST MUSLIMAH ( NANA KHADIJAH [RA] )

 

WHO IS NANA KHADIJAH (RA)?

Her name is Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ibn Asad ibn Abdul Uzza ibn Qusayy, She belonged to the clan of Banu Hashim of the tribe of Banu Asad. She was a distant cousin of her husband the Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah (SAW). Her father was a rich merchant and successful businessman, Nana Khadijah (RA) inherited vast wealth and business talent from her father. It is said that when the Quraysh’s trade caravan gathered to embark on their lengthy journey in the summer and winter, Khadijah’s caravan equaled the caravan of all other traders of Quraysh. She used to feed and clothe the poor, assist her relatives financially, and even provide for the marriage of those of her kin who could not otherwise have had means to marry.

 Nana Khadija (RA) earned two titles: The princess of Quraysh and The pure one due to her virtuous character.

HER MARRIAGES

Nana Khadijah (RA) married twice before she got married  to the prophet (SAW). Her first husband was Hind ibn Zar’ah (Abu Halah) and her second husband was Ateeq  ibn ‘Aa’ith. They both belonged to Banu Makhzoom, They both died during war , After which she never married again till she met the Prophet Muhammad(SAW). It happened that Khadijah (RA) wants to employ a merchant that will help her trade her goods in Busra and she wants  someone that she can trust, She employed the Prophet (SAW) after hearing how honest and trusted he is by the people of Makkah whom then called him by the name of ‘Al Amin’ ( the trusted). The Prophet ( SAW) Embarked on a  business trip for Nana Khadijah (RA) together with Maysarah her errand boy. When they came back, Maysarah narrates all the good behaviors of the prophet to his mistress whom was astonished by the profit she generated. Nana Khadijah (RA) eventually fall in love with the Prophet (SWA) proposed to marry him with the aid of her friend, Nufaysah or Nafisa bint umayyah, they finally got married. According to many scholars, their marriages lasted for 25 years.

BECOMING THE FIRST MUSLIMAH

About 15 years after their marriage, the Prophet was meditating in the cave of Hira when the Angel Jibriel (RA) came to him with the first revelation, He hold him tight by the chest and instruct him to read, he repeated thrice and the Prophet   replied to him that he cannot read, he red to him the five first verses of the Surah  Al Alaq. The prophet ran out of  the cave panicked and went home straight to his wife , Nana Khadijah (RA) comfort her husband and  took him to see her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal who was a monk and can read in hebrew. Waraqah ibn Nawfal informed Nana Khadijah (RA) that it is the same angel that was sent to Prophet Musa (RA) and if it happened that he Waraqah ibn Nawfal is alive to the prophethood of Muhammad (SAW) he will surely support him. Eventually, Waraqah ibn Nawfal passed away and after a year , Angel Jibriel (AS)  came with another revelation to the Prophet(SAW) confirming his Prophethood. The Prophet went to his wife again and told her, Without any hesitations, Nana Khadija (RA) believed the prophet and Became the first MUSLIMAH.

 

HER CHILDREN

Nana Khadija (RA) have children from her late husbands. By her first husband, She gave birth to a son who was named after his father  ‘Hind’,he became a great sahabi, He participated in both battle of Uhud and Badr.After him, Khadijah (RA) gave birth to other two sons ; At-tahir and Halah who is not well known by historian while some argued that he is her stepson.

      By her second husband, there are many controversies but the famous or the most agreed upon is that she  bore him a daughter named Hindah.

      Nana Khadijah(RA) and the Prophet (SAW) have six children, four girls namely; Zainab, Umm Khulthum, Rukayyah and fatimah. The other are two boys namely; Al Qaseem and Abdullah.

 

THE YEAR OF SORROW

The year of sorrow is the year Nana Khadijah(RA) died. Prophet Muhammad's uncle Abu Talib also died that year, The Prophet (SAW) called that year the Year of Sorrow, It is known in Islamic history as the Year of Sorrow to this day.

 She was 65 years old, and she and Muhammad(SAW) had been partners for 25 years. Khadijah(RA) is recognized as a great woman. Muhammad revered Khadijah's memory the rest of his life, and consistently held her up to both men and women as a model of intelligence, virtue, courage, and devotion to family and to Allah. During the 25 years of their marriage, the Prophet(SAW) remained married only to Khadijah (RA). After Khadijah died, Muhammad(SAW) had numerous wives at once as it was the custom of that time.