Women of Paradise

Abdullah bin 'Abbas (one of the companions of prophet Muhammad (s)) narrated that one day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) drew four lines on the earth and asked his Companions if they understood what these lines stood for. They respectfully replied that he knew better. He then told them that these lines stood for the four foremost ladies of the universe. They were Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint Imran, the mother of the Prophet Issa and 'Asia bint Muzahim (the wife of the Pharaoh).

KHADIJAH BINT KHWAYLID (RA)

Khadijah was born in Makkah in the year 556 CE. Her mother's name was Fatimah bint Zayd, and her father's name was Khuwaylid bin Asad. He was a very popular leader among the tribe of Quraysh, and a very prosperous businessman. Khadija married three times and had children from all her marriages.

It is commonly agreed that she first married Abu Hala Malak bin Nabash and second 'Atiq bin 'A'idh bin 'Abdullah Al-Makhzumi. With her first husband she had two sons, who were named Hala and Hind. Abu Hala Malak died before his business became a success. With her second husband Atiq, Khadija had a daughter named Hindah. This marriage also left Khadija as a widow. She came to be known by various names among Quraysh: Ameer’at Quraysh (Princess of Quraysh), al-Tahira (The Pure One) and Khadija Al-Kubra (Khadija the Great). It is said that she fed and clothed the poor, assisted her relatives financially and provided marriage portions for poor relations. Khadija was said to have neither believed in nor worshipped idols, even before the message of Islam which was not common for pre-Islam Arabian culture.

Khadija became an extremely successful merchant. It is said that when the Quraysh's trade caravans gathered to embark upon their summer journey to Syria or winter journey to Yemen, Khadija's caravan equaled the caravans of all other traders of the Quraish put together.

Khadija did not travel with her trade caravans; she employed others to trade on her behalf for a commission. Her policy was to employ hardworking, honest and distinguished managers to deal on her behalf as a lot depended on the integrity of the employees who traveled far and wide on her behalf. She exported her goods to far away markets like Syria, and her managers bought goods from those markets to be sold at home.

Khadijah had heard of the integrity, honesty and principled behavior of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and sent a job offer to him to head her trading caravans. He gladly accepted the offer and started working for her. Khadijah sent him on a business trip to Syria along with one of her trusted servants Maysarah.

Upon returning, Maysara gave accounts of the honorable way that Muhammad had conducted his business, with the result that he brought back twice as much profit as Khadija had expected. Maysarah also relayed that on the return journey, Muhammad (s) had stopped to rest under a tree. A passing monk, Nestora, informed Maysara that, "None but a prophet ever sat beneath this tree." Maysara also claimed that while he stood near Muhammad (s) as he slept, he had observed a cloud above that would protect him from the heat and glare of the sun.

She was deeply moved and impressed by his honesty and truthfulness and started thinking of sending marriage proposal to Muhammad (SAW).His noble character was the reason for why she pursued him.

Marriage to Muhammad

Khadija entrusted a friend named Nafisa Bint Manbah to approach Muhammad (SAW) and ask if he would be interested in marriage. Muhammad (SAW) told Nafisa that he could not afford marriage because he had no money to support a wife. Then she asked him if he would be willing to marry a beautiful lady from a noble and wealthy family, who was inclined towards marriage with him and who can provide for herself. He asked whom she was referring to; when he learnt her identity he said that he was willing, provided she was willing to marry him. Khadijah' was overjoyed.

The two uncles of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Hamzah and Abu Talib approached her uncle, 'Umar bin Asad, with the formal proposal. It was accepted and the two families began preparing for the wedding. Halimah As-Sa'diyyah who nursed the Prophet in his infancy was specially invited for the wedding and traveled to Makkah from her village. When she left after the festivities, Khadijah presented her with household goods, a camel and forty goats as an expression of gratitude to the lady who had taken such good care of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in his infancy.

The Prophet (s) was then twenty-five years of age and Khadijah was forty years old.

Khadijah was very blessed in the marriage, and had six children. The first born was a boy named Qasim, who lived only two years. Then she gave birth to her daughters Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatima; and lastly, Abdullah who also passed away in childhood.

The four daughters grew up to be faithful and courageous daughters of Islam. The first three daughters died during the lifetime of Muhammad (s) and his beloved daughter Fatimah lived just six months after he passed away.

Becoming the First Musim

When Muhammad reported his first revelation from the Angel Gabriel (Jibril), Khadija was the first person (besides the prophet himself) to convert to Islam.

Khadija was supportive of his prophetic mission, always helping in his work, proclaiming his message and belittling any opposition to his prophecies. It was her encouragement that helped Muhammad (s) believe in his mission and spread Islam. Khadija also invested her wealth in the mission.

When the disbelievers saw that Islam was attracting more and more followers in spite of all their tactics, they decided to declare an open and total political and economic boycott of the clan of Banu Hashim. The Prophet (s), along with Abu Talib and clan members of Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib were forced to withdraw from Makkah and live in She’b Abi Talib, which was a subsection of one of the gorges that ran down to Makkah. This boycott was so severe that innocent children faced starvation and hunger, and adults survived eating the leaves of trees. Yet the firm followers of Muhammad (s) did not turn away from their true religion. Khadijah who had been brought up in luxury in her wealthy father's home now faced the economic hardships with patience and courage. Khadijah's nobility of character and conduct pleased Allah, so much that He sent special greetings for her through Angel Jibril.

Her Death

Khadija (ra) died shortly after the boycott was lifted. She is said to have been about sixty-five years old at the time of her death. She had been Muhammad (s)’s wife, companion in faith and most reliable support for over 25 years.

The prophet (s) honored Khadija even after her death. If a gift was sent to him, he would send a share to women who had been Khadija's friends.

Ibn Kathir, the Islamic scholar and commentator on the Qur'an, writes in his book Wives of the Prophet Muhammad (s):

“Khadija had been the first to publicly accept Muhammad (s) as the Messenger of Allah, and she had never stopped doing all she could to help him. Love and mercy had grown between them, increasing in quality and depth as the years passed by, and not even death could take this love away. Muhammad (s) never stopped loving Khadija, and although he married several more wives in later years and loved them all equally, it is clear that Khadija always had a special place in his heart.”

Aisha, one of the wives of the prophet (s), asked him once if Khadija had been the only woman worthy of his love. Muhammad (s) replied: "She believed in me when no one else did; she accepted Islam when people rejected me; and she helped and comforted me when there was no one else to lend me a helping hand." It had been related by Abu Hurairah that on one occasion, when Khadija was still alive, Jibril came to Muhammad (s) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, Khadija is just coming with a bowl of soup (or food or drink) for you. When she comes to you, give her greetings of peace from her Lord and from me, and give her the good news of a palace of jewels in the Garden, where there will be neither noise nor tiredness." After Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib, and his first wife, Khadija, had both died in the same year, he and his small community of believers endured a time of great hardship and persecution at the hands of the Quraish. Indeed the Prophet (s), who was now fifty years old, named this year 'the Year of Sorrow'.

ASIYA BINT MUZAHIM

Asiya (Arabic: آسية), also known as Asiya bint Muzahim, is revered by Muslims as one of the greatest women of all time. She was the wife of the Pharaoh (in Arabic pronounced "Fir'awn"), who reigned during Prophet Musa’s time.

Asiya's greatness is in the fact that although she was the wife of one of the most Powerful, arrogant and tyrant rulers of Egypt, she was able to see and accept the truth in message of Prophet Musa (as). For her, wealth, beauty or status was not the main criterion of human excellence; she realized that without faith in one true God, a human being has nothing. Asiya bint Muzahim had declared her faith in the message of God after witnessing the miracle of Musa (as) in the Court of Pharaoh; and after witnessing the death of another believing, woman under torture. The Qur'an chronicles her as a great person and she is respected all the more by Muslims as she was married to one of the most evil men in history, but never lost faith in God and remained steadfast in prayer and belief. Pharaoh tried to turn her away from the God and sought her mother's help. But Asiya refused to reject the one true God. On Pharaoh's order, she was tortured to death.

The holy Qur'an has presented Asiya bint Muzahim as one of the best role models for women.

And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe, the wife of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are Zalimoon (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers in Allah). [66:11]

According to a Hadith, she will be among the first women to enter Paradise because she accepted Musa’s monotheism over Pharaoh's beliefs.

In this lady, we see the example of supreme sacrifice. By marrying Pharaoh, Asiya bint Muzahim became the Queen of Egypt, she gained everything that she wanted in this worldly life from the materialistic point of view: the best of clothes, food, palaces, jewels, servants and maids, etc. But she sacrificed all that to be closer to Allah. And that is why we see her included by the Prophet in the list of the four women who attained the level of perfection.

FATIMA BINT MUHAMMAD

She was the youngest daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). She was born in Makkah a few years before her father was granted Prophethood. Following the birth of Fatimah, she was personally nursed, contrary to local customs where the newborn were sent to "wet nurses" in surrounding villages. She spent her early youth under the care of her parents in Mecca in the shadow of the tribulations suffered by her father at the hands of the Quraysh.

When she was five, she heard that her father had become Rasul Allah, the Messenger of God. His first task was to convey the good news of Islam to his family and close relations. They were to worship God Almighty alone. Her mother Khadija, who was a tower of strength and support, explained to Fatimah what her father had to do. From this time on, she became more closely attached to him and felt a deep and abiding love for him. Often she would be at Iris side walking through the narrow streets and alleys of Makkah, visiting the Kabah or attending secret gatherings of the early Muslims who had accepted Islam and pledged allegiance to the Prophet.

HER TITLES:

Fatimah is given many titles by Muslims to show their admiration of her moral and physical characteristics. The most used title is "al-Zahra", meaning "the shining one", and she is commonly referred to as Fatimah Zahra. She was also known as "al-Batul" (the chaste and pure one) as she spent much of her time in prayer, reciting the Qur'an and in other acts of worship.

She fought like a courageous little tigress to defend her father and protect him. She would stand in front of him to shield him from the attacks of his bitter opponents like Abu Jahl, Utbah and Shaybah.

On one occasion, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went into the sanctuary of Makkah with some of his companions and started to pray, the disbelievers had just then sacrificed a camel. The filth and bowels of the camel were lying there, when a horrible idea came to Abu Jahl. He asked who among his friends would like to lift all that filth and pile it on the back of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) 'Uqbah bin Abi Mu'it, the lowest of the low among his friends, said he would perform the task. And he lifted up the bloody filthy mess and piled it on the Prophet's back while he was in the act of prostrating before Allah. All of them then broke into peals of uncontrollable devilish laughter. When news of this act reached Fatimah, she rushed to the sanctuary. Removing with her little hands the impurity, furious at the brutal treatment given to her beloved father, she scolded the disbelievers. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished his prayers, he lifted his hands in supplication and appealed to Allah to hold these men, Abu Jahl bin Hisham, Shaybah bin Rabi'ah, Uqbah bin Abi Mu'it and Umayyah bin Khalaf, in His relentless grip. The men became very nervous because they knew that any supplication made at the sanctuary in Makkah is never rejected by Allah Almighty. And the Prophet's prayers were answered.

When Fatimah was eighteen years old, prominent personalities started proposing for her, but the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said he was waiting for a sign from Allah. Ali, Prophet’s cousin, also had a desire to marry Fatimah. When he went to see the Prophet (s), he could not vocalize his intention but remained silent. Muhammad understood the reason for his being there and prompted Ali to confirm that he had come to seek Fatimah in marriage. Ali answered that he had. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked Fatimah what she thought of the proposal. She started to weep silently. He then told her that 'Ali was a learned, kind-hearted and brave young man. Fatimah accepted her father's decision. He then asked 'Ali if he had some money for the dowry. 'Ali replied that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had seen his life from the cradle and knew his financial position very well. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him where his shield was, and said that would be the dowry for Fatimah. 'Ali sent it to the market with his slave to be sold and got four hundred Dirhams for it. This he gave to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who asked him to keep the money and buy some things for the house. Some basic things were purchased for the house to which 'Ali and Fatimah moved after their marriage. A bed, a pillow filled with the leaves of dried date palm, a plate, a glass, a water bag and a grinding stone, these were the few things with which the daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set up her new home. The house that was available was quite a distance from the Prophet's Mosque. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wished his daughter could live closer to him, so that he could see her daily. When one of the Companion Harithah bin Nu'man Ansari, came to know of this he approached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) very respectfully, saying he had a number of houses close to the Prophet's Mosque and he was welcome to choose any one of them. This would make that particular house dearer to him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was very moved by this offer and chose one for Fatimah. Ali and Fatimah moved in and started the routine of daily life. It was usual for her to grind the wheat, fetch water from the well and cook their meals.

Since she was not very healthy, Fatimah used to get very tired with all this hard work. Fatimah went to see her father and request him for some help. He told her that he would give her something much better than a slave girl. And he taught her some phrases in praise of Almighty Allah. These, he said, were better than any maid. And he taught her to recite thirty-three times Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah), thirty-three times Alhumdulillah (All praise is for Allah), thirty-four times Allah-u-Akbar (Allah is the greatest).

Fatimah spent her entire life as a pious servant of Allah, always patient and grateful to Allah (SWT), there was not a word of complaint from her, however difficult the circumstances. There are many reports of the hard and difficult times which Fatimah had to face. Often there was no food in her house. It is reported that the Prophet (s), out of hunger, and not finding food at any of his wives’ houses, approached Fatimah's house. She had no food either. When he eventually got some food, he sent two loaves and a piece of meat to Fatimah. At another time, he went to the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari and from the food he was given, he saved some for her. Fatimah also knew that the Prophet was without food for long periods and she in turn would take food to him when she could. Once she took a piece of barley bread and he said to her: "This is the first food your father has eaten for three days." The world and its attractions held no charm for her. In the battles she was at the front nursing the wounded and the sick. When her father was injured in the battle of Uhud, it was she who burnt a part of a straw mat and used its ashes to stem the flow of blood. There is a narration in Sahih Al-Bukhari that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked at one occasion, whom he loved best in the world. He named his youngest daughter, Fatimah.

HER PASSING AWAY:

One morning, early in the month of Ramadan, just less than five month after her noble father had passed away; Fatimah woke up looking unusually happy and full of mirth. In the afternoon of that day, it is said that she called Salma bint Umays who was looking after her. She asked for some water and had a bath. She then put on new clothes and perfumed herself. She then asked Salma to put her bed in the courtyard of the house. With her face looking to the heavens above, she asked for her husband Ali.

He was taken aback when he saw her lying in the middle of the courtyard and asked her what was wrong. She smiled and said: "I have an appointment today with the Messenger of God."

Ali cried and she tried to console him. She told him to look after their sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn and advised that she should be buried without ceremony. She gazed upwards again, then closed her eyes and surrendered her soul to the Mighty Creator.

She, Fatimah the Resplendent One, was just twenty nine years old. Fatimah was survived by two sons, Hasan and Husayn, and two daughters, Zaynab and Umm Kulthum.

MARYAM BINT IMRAN

For women, for all time to come, Allāh has mentioned Maryam Bint `Imran, a pious woman from the Bani Israel, as an example serving to be a beacon of light highlighting positive feminine characteristics and modest character.

Her name is Maryam Bint Imran Ibn Mathan. During her lifetime, the Bani Mathan were the leaders of children of Israel. She came from the lineage of Prophet Dauood (as). Her mother’s name was Hannah bint Faqudh who was married to Imran, a leader of Israelites. They remained childless for many years, but they never lost hope that one day Allah (swt) would bless them with a child. She prayed and her request was granted. When she prayed, she intended to offer her child in the service of Allah’s house, the temple of Jerusalem (Bait Al-Maqdas).

She gave birth to a girl, and turned to Allah in prayer: “O my lord, I have given birth to a female child and Allah knew better what she bore”. She named her daughter Maryam. Maryam grew under Allah’s special protection and He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zakaria who was a prophet of Allah. Maryam’s earliest education was set at the place where her father used to lead the congregational prayer (i.e., before his death during her mother’s pregnancy with her). Islamic commentators on the life of Maryam describe her upbringing in Masjid al-Aqsa, “The Farthest Mosque”, which encircles the Dome of the Rock, a shared monotheistic holy site in Jerusalem. Allah made Maryam accompany the righteous people so that she would learn righteousness and knowledge.

She was one of the female worshippers known for her remarkable acts of worship, devotion and perseverance. Every time Zakaria entered her room to visit her, he found her supplied with sustenance and would find fruits of summer during winter and fruits of winter during summer. When Zakaria would ask, where did she get all this from? She would answer: “This is from Allah (swt). No doubt Allah provides to whom He wills without limit.”

She was chosen and purified by Allāh – chosen over women of all the worlds

The angels said: “O Maryam Behold, Allāh has elected you and made you pure, and raised you above all the women of the world. [al-Quran Chapter 3, Ayah 42]

She was told to be obedient towards Allāh; to prostrate and bow (in worship) along with the (other) worshippers. Maryam was chosen for devout worship during an era when only men did this – dedicated their lives to Allāh's worship - in the synagogue. As the first command to Maryam, she was commanded by Allah through the angels to increase acts of worship, humbleness, submission, prostration, bowing, so that she would acquire what Allah had decreed for her.

She was given glad tidings of offspring who would be honorable in the world and among Allāh's near ones in the hereafter. He would be Isa ibn Maryam, a prophet of Allah. She and her son were made a clear proof or sign for all the worlds. Her son spoke in his cradle and performed other miracles with Allāh's permission.

In Surah Al- Maidah, Allāh calls Maryam Bint `Imran a “Siddeeqa“, which means “a truthful woman who also confirms the truth of something; testifies that something is true“. By believing in Allāh's words and His Divine Books, she confirmed the truth of His scriptures, and proved that she confirmed them by dedicating her time to worship of her Creator.

Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said: “The greatest women (in her time) was Maryam (Mary), the daughter of Imran, and the greatest women (at the time of Prophet) is Khadijah, (his wife), the daughter of Khuwaylid.”

According to one Hadeeth, the Messenger of Allah Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said: Many men achieved full faith but from the women, Maryam (Mary) the daughter of Imran and Aasiya, the wife of Pharaoh, have achieved the fullness of faith.