Women in Islam

It can be hard for young Muslim teenagers to find a role model whom they can connect with through Islam, however there are so many great and honourable women, who played pivotal roles in the history of Islam, that we can look up to.This series, consisting of short pieces dedicated to a key woman in Islam, hopes to shed some light on the characteristics and attributes of women that we should aspire to learn from and connect with in our busy lives.

This piece is about the Prophet ﷺ first wife, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, who is described as the best woman of her time and one of the 4 women who perfected the faith.

She belonged to the clan Banu Hashim of the tribe Banu Asad and she was a well known, wealthy business woman. It is said that, during trade missions, Khadijah’s caravans equaled all of the Quraish’s traders caravans combined. She was known as Ameerat Quraish, Princess of Quraish, and at-Tahira, the Pure One and she had a reputation of being kind, caring and honourable, but also smart and firm in her business. For example, she used to feed and clothe the poor, financially assist families and even those who couldn't afford to marry. As a result, she was highly respected by most people of the time for having such a virtuous character.

It is clear to see why she had so many marriage proposals from men of high status at the time however, Khadijah was reluctant to marry again, after being widowed twice; both her husbands, Hind ibn Zar’ah, whom she had a son with, and Ateeq ibn Aa’ith, are reported to have died as a result of the many brutal wars happening in Arabia at the time. However, this changed when she heard of the Prophet ﷺ. After he represented Khadijah on a business expedition, she was informed by a servant of hers, Maysarah, who accompanied and assisted the Prophet ﷺ about his honest and truthful character. So, after learning more about him, Khadijah herself initiated the proposal.

Throughout their marriage, Khadijah provided the Prophet ﷺ with love, tranquility, loyalty and support emotionally, religiously and financially. She stood by him to pray throughout the

night and brought him food during his periods of seclusion at Mount Hira, which could go on for months. When the revelation came to the Prophet ﷺ, she immediately took what he said as truth as she had complete faith in him, especially when no-one else did.

What can we learn from Khadijah today?

Throughout her life she demonstrated resilience and determination by being a thriving businesswoman in a society dominated by men. She is a prime example of how women are able to work successfully in a competitive field. She was respectful and charitable to those in need and her marriage to the Prophet ﷺ is also something to look up to; both the Prophet ﷺ and her relied and supported each other wholeheartedly; it was a balanced marriage where they unconditionally loved and learned from each other. Furthermore, she also proved that marriage is possible for everyone, regardless of circumstance. Khadijah was twice widowed and she was twice the age of the Prophet ﷺ when they married. Unfortunately, this would stop a lot of people today from marrying someone but it wasn't an issue for the Prophet ﷺ and Khadijah. She overcame many tough obstacles in her life but she was victorious in the end due to her determination, compassion, confidence and her honourable personality.