In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Summary of the book:
"Ramadan:
Events and Lessons."
The passing of the Mother of the Believers,
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid,
may Allah be pleased with her.
The Date:
On the tenth of Ramadan,
in the tenth year of the Prophetic mission.
A wife is her husband's life partner
and his companion through all circumstances:
in ease and hardship,
in joy and sorrow,
in wealth and poverty,
and in hopes and pain.
Whenever a righteous man is blessed with a righteous wife,
how excellent a companion he has acquired,
and how wonderful a partner he has gained!
Our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
was among those for whom Allah chose
the very best and purest of women,
selecting for him from among them
the most pious and upright.
They were the finest wives for the finest of husbands,
and the best of women for the best husband.
Foremost among his pure wives was
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid,
may Allah be pleased with her.
Indeed, Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her,
is a role model for every Muslim woman,
from whom one should draw
lessons in purity and chastity,
in choosing a husband wisely,
in mastering the art of being a devoted wife,
in skillfully resolving a husband's troubles,
in knowing how to ease
his grief and worries,
and in understanding his background
to help him build his present
and his future.
She is an unmatched model of sacrifice
in championing the truth,
offering material and moral support
to the Islamic message,
and answering its call
without hesitation or dispute.
The life of our mother Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her,
is a rich source
of righteousness for the believing woman.
It is an academy
from which one can graduate with distinction,
mastering how to be a righteous wife,
an inspiring caller to the faith,
an ascetic worshipper,
and a woman who dedicated her wealth
to championing the truth and its people.
The Merits of Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her:
First:
Noble lineage and ancestry,
wealth, honor, and beauty.
Second:
Sound judgment and manifest wisdom.
Third:
Sacrificing her wealth to champion the truth.
Fourth:
Her immense love for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
and prioritizing his pleasure.
Fifth:
Chastity and purity;
even in the pre-Islamic era, she was known as "the Pure One."
Many of the chieftains of Quraysh sought her hand in marriage,
yet she declined them all,
as if searching for a long-sought ideal
she could not find among them,
until she found it in Muhammad ibn 'Abdillah.
For Allah had reserved her for him,
and reserved him for her.
Her Virtues:
First:
She was the very first responsible person
to believe in the prophethood of our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, without exception.
Second:
She was given the glad tidings of Paradise
while she was still walking on the earth.
Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that he said:
Gabriel came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
here is Khadijah coming to you,
carrying a vessel of seasoning, food, or drink.
When she reaches you,
convey to her greetings of peace from her Lord and from me,
and give her the glad tidings of a palace in Paradise made of hollow pearls,
wherein there is neither noise nor fatigue."
Third:
She received greetings of peace from Allah and from Gabriel,
as attested by the preceding hadith of Abu Hurayrah.
Fourth:
She is among the best women of the worlds.
On the authority of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him,
the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"The best of its women is Mary,
and the best of its women is Khadijah."
Indeed, some narrations state that she is the best woman of this Ummah.
'Ammar ibn Yasir, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Khadijah has been favored over the women of my Ummah
just as Mary was favored over the women of the worlds."
Fifth:
All the children of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, were from her,
except for Ibrahim.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"She was such and such,
and she bore my children."
The Noble Prophet's Reciprocation of Gratitude:
First, he did not take another wife until she died.
Second, his immense love for her
and never forgetting her excellence;
he, peace and blessings be upon him, said regarding her:
"I was indeed blessed with her love."
'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated:
Whenever the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, mentioned Khadijah,
he would praise her in the most magnificent manner.
She said: "One day, I became jealous
and said: 'How often you remember that toothless old woman,
when Allah has replaced her for you with someone better than her!'
He said: 'Allah has not replaced her with anyone better than her.
She believed in me when the people disbelieved,
she verified my truthfulness when the people accused me of lying,
she supported me with her wealth when the people deprived me,
and Allah blessed me with her children
while denying me the children of other women.'"
Third, his profound grief over her passing, as will be discussed.
Fourth, her memory was never erased from his heart or mind.
'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated:
Halah bint Khuwaylid, Khadijah's sister, sought permission to enter
upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and he recognized Khadijah's manner of asking permission,
which moved him deeply, and he exclaimed:
"O Allah, let it be Halah bint Khuwaylid!"
I became jealous and said:
"Why do you remember an old woman from among the elders of Quraysh,
toothless and long deceased,
when Allah has replaced her for you with someone better?"
Fifth, his kind treatment of her friends out of loyalty to her.
'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated:
"I was never as jealous of any of the Prophet's wives
as I was of Khadijah, though I never saw her.
But the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to mention her often,
and he would sometimes slaughter a sheep, cut it into pieces,
and send them to Khadijah's friends.
I would sometimes say to him: 'It is as if there were no other woman in the world
except Khadijah!'
and he would reply: 'She was such and such,
and she bore my children.'"
The Sorrowful Event and Its Date:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
enjoyed immense blessings in the embrace of Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her,
finding in her company solace and serenity,
soothing comfort against the flames of sorrow,
and noble support through life's hardships;
she was the delight of his eyes and a sanctuary of happiness and peace.
Yet death is an inevitable truth and an unalterable decree;
thus, death visited Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her,
in the month of Ramadan, after ten days had passed,
in the tenth year of the Prophetic mission,
though some say earlier.
This event had a painful impact on the soul of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
for he lost a strong arm that supported and empowered him,
an embrace that had comforted and sheltered him,
and a beloved companion who had stood by him in ease and hardship
for twenty-five years.
What intensified this sorrow
was its proximity to the passing of his uncle, Abu Talib,
who had been his external protector among the people,
while the mother of his children, Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her,
was his internal pillar of support.
Among the lessons of this event:
First, no matter how strong and enduring the bonds of love may be,
death must inevitably sever them;
love whomever you will, for you will surely part with them.
Yet for the believer, this is a station of immense reward through patience and acceptance.
Second:
Grief that is free from words and deeds contrary to patience
carries no sin,
for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him,
showed profound sorrow at the loss of Khadijah.
Third:
Grief is greatest over the loss of one whose life was an abundant spring
overflowing with goodness and generosity
bestowed upon others.
Fourth:
The death of a righteous wife
remains a deep wound in a husband's soul,
rekindled by memories
and revived by familiar sights and sounds.
Fifth:
All that our mother Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, offered
in supporting and aiding the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and her profound righteousness and goodness,
compel us to hold her in ever greater esteem, love, and praise—
may Allah be pleased with her.
Ramadan: Events and Lessons.