Part 89

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Henceforth, the noble, Prophet started a new life, full of blessings and hardships. He told his wife that the time of sleep and comfort was over. Khadija, then, began to summon people to Islam beside her husband. The first fruits of their work were her slave Zayd and her four daughters (may Allah be pleased with them all).

Afterwards, the Muslims suffered many different kinds of chastisement. But khadija was as steadfast as a mountain. She put before her eyes Allah's statement:

When Allah took the soul of her two young sons: al-Qasim and ‘Abdullah she kept patient. She also saw the first martyered woman in Islam (Sumayyah) when she suffered the deathly trials at the hands of the tyrants.

She bid farewell to her daughter, Ruqayyah when migrating to Abyssinia with her husband, Uthman ibn 'Affan, to escape the torture of Quraish and to preserve her belief.

She witnessed and lived in all hard times, full of hardships and struggle without being desperate. She, all the time, kept before her eyes Allah's saying:

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Ye shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in yourselves; and ye shall certainly hear much that will grieve you, from those who received the Book before you and from those who worship partners partiently, and guard against evil, then that indeed is a matter of great resolution. ?

Before all of this, she witnessed her truthful and kind husband suffering several types of trials while summoning to Allah. However, he kept patient seeking Allah's reward. The more trials, the more patience and steadfastness. He refused all luring offers when the bidders tried to entice him from the belief. Furthermore, he swore an oath in one such situation by saying:

"By Allah, my uncle, had they put the sun on my right hand and the moon on left to leave this matter, I would not have left it until Allah disclosed His will or I die."

Thus, this striving mistress, Khadija followed her husband, Allah's Messenger (pbuh) in belief and perseverance. When the people of

Quraish boycotted Muslims to besiege them politically, economically and socially, she stood by Muslims in Abu Talib's valley leaving her house to stay there for three years. The items of this boycott was written in a scripture and was hanged in Kaba She patiently endured the sufferings of such siege with the Messenger and his followers. She gave all what she had in this trial though she was sixty-five.

Three years after the siege Abu Talib died followed by Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her), three years before Hijra (immigration to Madina). The Prophet suffered many afflictions after the death of Khadija who was his truthful minister.

The righteous soul went to her Lord after the end of her lifespan. She was really an excellent example in the field of the call to Allah and striving for His cause. She was a wise wife who gave all what she had to please Allah and His Messenger. Therefore, she deserved to be greeted by Allah and be informed that she would have a house in paradise. The Prophet (pbuh) said,

"The best of women in it (Paradise) is Mariyam bint “Imaran. The best of women in it is Khadija bint Khuwailid.”

May Allah be pleased with Khadija bint Khuwailid, a chaste mistress,

loyal wife, truthful and the striving believer in the cause of belief with all what she had of worldly benefits. May Allah give the best reward.

She was Sawda bint Zam‘a Ibn Qays Ibn ‘Abd Shams Ibn * Abdul of Banu Amir, Quraish. Her mother was ash-Shamus bint Qaus Ibn Zayd Ibn Amr of Banu an-Najjar.

She was a noble and venerable lady. She first married as-Sakran Ibn Amr, the brother of Suhail Ibn ‘Amr al-Amiriy whom she accompanied when emigrating to Abyssinia among the eight people of Banu ‘Amir who left their homes and their properties and crossed the sea to escape torture and preserve their religion. No sooner was her affliction in Abyssinia over than her husband died and she became a widow.

The Prophet (pbuh) sympathized with this faithful widow immigrant. Therefore, as soon as Khawla bin Hakim mentioned her before him, he offered to help and stand by her especially because she grew old and needed someone to look after her. In the books of the prophetic biography it was narrated that none dared to speak to the prophet about marriage after the death of Khadija, who alone believed him when the people rejected him. She enriched him, when he was poor and from her did Allah grant him his offspring.

After such grief, Khawlah went to the Prophet (pubh) and leniently said, "Would you not marry Messenger of Allah?" He sadly answered, "Who could replace Khawlah?"

She said, "Whoever you like a virgin or non-virgin. He said, "Who is the virgin?" She answered, "The daughter of the one you love most, ‘Aisha bint Abi Bakr.”

After a while the Prophet (pubh) asked, "Who is the non-virgin? She replied, "Sawda bint Zam‘ah (may Allah be pleased with her)." Then, the Prophet (pbuh) betrothed ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and married Sawda who remained his only wife for about three years until he married ‘Aisha. All the people of Makka wondered how the prophet would get married to such an old widow who lost all her beauty! How could she succeed, the mistress of Quraish?

As a matter of fact, Sawda or any other wife could not succeed Khadija. But this was a kind of charity and mercy from the Prophet of mercy (pbuh).

Sawdah served the household of the Prophet and his daughters. She pleased the Prophet's heart and helped him go on calling for Allah. Three years later, ‘Aisha, Hafsa, Zaynab, Umm Salama and others came to the Prophet's house as wives. Then, Sawdah realized that the Prophet (pbuh) had only married her out of sympathy, after her husband's death. She knew this fact clearly when the Prophet (pbuh) wanted to kindly separate from her to release her of such critical position. Being informed of the Prophet's intention of divorce, she felt that as if she was living in a nightmare. Therefore, she entreats the prophet, by saying, O Messenger of Allah, hold me. By Allah, I did not seek to have a husband but I just hope that Allah may resurrect me as your wife on the Day of Judgement." Thus she (may Allah be pleased with her) preferred the Prophet's desire and granted her night to ‘Aisha to please the Prophet's heart. The Prophet (pbuh) responded to her noble feelings. Then Allah revealed,

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amicable settlement between themselves, and

Sawadah remained in the Prophet's house thankful and grateful to Allah that He inspired such solution to her in order to be with the best of Allah's creatures and to be mother of the faithful and a wife of the Prophet in Paradise.

She (may Allah be pleased with her) died at the late years of “Umar's era. ‘Aisha, the mother of the faithful kept on remembering her favor as saying,

"No woman I would like to imitate her save Sawdah bint Zam’ah who said when she grew old, "O Messenger of Allah I granted my day to ‘Aisha.

But she has some kind of harshness." (Reported by Muslim)

‘Aisha Bint Abu Bakr

She was a teacher of men, bint as-Siddig, the Prophet's caliph, Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah Ib Abu Quhafah, Uthmen Ibn ‘Amir of the Quraish, Makkan, Mother of the Faithful, and the wife of the noble Prophet (pbuh). She was the closest wife to the Prophet and the daughter of the closest man to him._' Her innocence was revealed from the top of the seven heavens.

She showed the world how the woman could be more knowledgeable than men, politician or warrior fourteen centuries ago. She was not a university graduate and did not study at the hands of orientalists or westemists.

Rather she apprenticed and graduated in the prophetic school, the schoo! of faith and knights. From the tender years of her age the shiekh and the most pious of Muslims, her father Abu Bakr as-Sidiq brought her up. Then the Prophet (pbuh) the best and the most honorable creature look after her when she was a youth. Therefore, she aquired a great deal of knowledge that was transmitted over the centuries.

What she left of literature or legal opinions is now studied in many universities all over the world. Further her complete works could be points of study for any one who is interested in the Arab and Muslim history.

The Prophet (pbuh) married her according to Allah's command. ” He (pbuh) betrothed her and Sawda at the same time but he married the latter who stayed with him for three years until he got married to ‘Aisha in Shawwal after the battle of Badr. The young bride, then, moved to the new house of the Prophet, which consisted of a room beside the mosque and was built of clay and palm-trees. The room was furnished with a mattress of palm-leaves beneath which there was nothing but a

‘amr Tbn al-As related that he asked the Prophet (pbuh), “Who do you love most, O messenger of Ailah? He replied “Aisha. “Who is from among men? 2aishah related that the Prophet (pbuh) said to me, “You were shown to me ina

dream. An angel brought you to me, wrapped in a piece of silken cloth and said to me, “This is your wife.” 1 removed the piece of colth from your face, and there you were. I said to myself, “If it from Allah, then it will surely be.” [Reported by alBukhari and Muslim]

mat. As for the door it was just a curtain of hair. In such a modest room “Aisha started her marital life which became the speech of the world.

As awife of the Prophet (pbuh), ‘Aisha adopted a great position. She became a model for all women anywhere and in any time she was an ideal wife. She relieved the Prophet's grief when suffering the hardships of life and the da’ wah.

She endured poverty and hunger with the Prophet (pbuh). It is related that they spent two or three months without cooking. All what they feed on were just dates and water.