Ummul Momineen Hz. Khatijat-ul-Kubra Rz

Hazrath Khatijatul Kubra RZ was the first spouse and the best companion of Prophet Mohammed PBUH. She was the first person to believe in the Prophethood of Mohammed PBUH.

Hazrath Khatijatul Kubra was born to the most flourishing & popular merchant of Arabia, Khoovailid, 68 years before hijri. Khoovailid brought up her daughter with lots of love & care. She was given in marriage to a rich aristocrat, who did not survive for a long time. Even her father expired in a short while, and she continued to look after her father & husbands business.

Khadijah earned three titles: Ameerat-Quraish (Princess of Quraish) and al-Tahira (the Pure One), and Khadija Al-Kubra (Khadija the Great) and was said to have had an impeccable character.

Her renown for business dealings caused many highly respected Arabian men to seek her hand in marriage. However, by 585, Khadijah remained unmarried

Khadijah did not travel with her trade caravans; she relied on others to trade on her behalf, which she compensated with commissions. Prophet Mohammed PBUH used to travel with his uncle Abu Talib on business trips and had become popular for his honesty & integrity. When Hz Khatija heard about this young Him PBUH, she sent an offer to him through Khazimah ibn Hakim, to take her merchandise to other places and sell. Prophet Mohammed PBUH accepted the offer and started to market her merchandise in various places. In Basra He PBUH sold all her merchandise in Basra at twice the price and returned to Mecca with huge profits. Maisarah a servant of Hz Khatija who had accompanied Prophet Mohammed PBUH narrated the success stories to her. She was much impressed and pleased with his honest dealings, and decided to marry him. She sent the Matrimonial Proposal to his Uncle Abu Talib. She was 40 years old at this point of time.

Initially Abu Talib hesitated for this proposal, as Prophet Mohammed PBUH was just 25 years old. And 15 years younger than Hz Khatija. But due to Her Noble & Chaste character, he accepted the proposal and arranged the Marriage between Prophet Mohammed & Hz Khatija. Abu Talib, Muhammad's uncle, who delivered the marriage sermon.

When the first revelation came to Prophet Mohammed PBUH, He reached home in a disturbed state and called for his devoted wife. Seeing his condition she came running and covered him in a blanket. Prophet Mohammed described everything about the revelation at the cave-HIRA. Prophet Mohammed PBUH feared that his time has come, and was very much worried. Hz Khatija consoled Him and said “Please do not panic, Allah will not destroy you because you help the poor and the needy, assist those in tight corners, always speak truth and very hospitable”

She narrated this to her parental cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who was a pious & devoted Christian. He informed her that Muhammad has achieved prophethood soon after his vision of the angel, whose mention was made in the Sacred Books. He also said that he will be troubled by his own people and he would help Prophet Mohammed if he remain alive when such a time comes. Hearing this Khadijah did not hesitate to embrace Islam at all, trusting to her husband's teachings and his Prophethood.

Her soul departed on the 10th of Ramzan 619 AD. The year of her death is known as the Year of Sorrow, because of the devastation that it caused him and it was also the same year in which his uncle and guardian Abu Talib died. Her grave can be found in Jannatul Mualla in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Many scholars place the events of the Year of Sorrow in 619, prior to hijra.

Once during a meeting there was a reference to the sacred spouses of the Prophet. When the name of Hz Khatija mentioned, with tearful eyes the Prophet PBUH Commented “There is no comparison to Khatija, she acknowledge Me when everyone was rejecting me. She sacrificed all her assets for the cause of Allah and supported Islam”

Today is the Urs of Ummul Momineen Hz. Khatijat-ul-Kubra Rz.

Allahu Aalam,

by Inayath ulla Khan, Mandya.