At a time when Mecca was known as the center of idol worship on the Arabian Peninsula, a household was built in which every brick bore the mark of faith. In this home, love was bound together: the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) found in his wife his first believer and most devoted helper, and Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) was raised in this household’s loving embrace. Khadijah (peace be upon her), with her wealth, and Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), with his sword, became the two steadfast pillars upon which the edifice of Islam stood firm.
Khadijah al-Kubra’s Maternal Role for Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him)
Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her) is regarded, in a sense, as the mother of the Twelve Imams, for Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) spent years in her household, raised and cared for under her guardianship, and the responsibility of raising him fell jointly to the Seal of the Prophets (peace be upon him and his family) and Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her).
The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) took Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) into his care when he was six years old — precisely the age at which Abu Talib had assumed responsibility for raising him. From that point until the beginning of the prophetic mission, Khadijah (peace be upon her) and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) undertook his upbringing, caring for him with a devotion that surpassed even what Abu Talib and Fatimah bint Asad had given him. [1]
After the Prophet’s marriage to Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her), he made known to her his deep affection for Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him). In response, Khadijah (peace be upon her) increased her own love for the master of the pious and strove to honor him: she adorned him in the finest manner, dressed him in fine garments, sent her maidservants to attend him, and had her servants assist him in his comings and goings. Seeing this, people would say: “He is the brother of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and the most beloved to him; he is the light of Khadijah’s eyes (peace be upon her), and every good fortune has been granted to him.” [2]
The Faith of Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her)
After the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) received the first revelation, Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her) believed in him without a moment’s hesitation, becoming the first woman to embrace Islam. She not only affirmed the Prophet’s message but supported him throughout every stage of his call, playing a vital role in comforting him amid the opposition of the polytheists. Through her unwavering faith, Khadijah (peace be upon her) supported the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) along the path of his mission and, as the first Muslim, became a model for others to follow. [3]
The First to Pray
In the days before the command to openly proclaim the faith was revealed, a scene of unity between the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and his earliest followers in prayer captured the bond between them.
While the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) was praying, Abu Talib entered and saw Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) standing beside him, following his lead. Seeing this, Abu Talib asked his own son Jafar, who was with him, to stand on the Prophet’s other side; so Jafar took his place to the left of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family), who then stepped forward slightly. From then on, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), Jafar, Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her), and Zayd ibn Harithah all prayed together behind the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) — until at last God revealed the verse: “So proclaim openly that which you have been commanded.” [4]
The First Pledge of Allegiance to the Wilayah
Before the mission of wilayah (guardianship) was formally proclaimed, in the intimacy of love and at the meeting point of prophethood and imamate, a great lady’s heartfelt testimony affirmed the rightful authority of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him).
Imam Musa ibn Ja’far [al-Kadhim] (peace be upon him) narrates from Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said to Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her): “O Khadijah! This is Ali, your master and the master of all believers, and their leader after me.” With firm faith, Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her) declared: “O Messenger of God! I affirm what you have said, and on the basis of this truth, I pledge allegiance to the master of the pious, and I bear witness to this station before God and in your presence.” [5]
The Exalted Station of the Prophet’s Two Companions
The lofty station of the Household of Revelation in upholding God’s religion, and their elevated rank before the Lord, was manifested through the unparalleled struggle of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) and the unstinting support of Khadijah al-Kubra (peace be upon her) in their companionship with the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family).
The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) said: “My religion [Islam] was established and made firm only through the wealth of Khadijah (peace be upon her) and the sword of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).” [6]
Reciting a verse of the Noble Qur’an, the Seal of the Prophets (peace be upon him and his family) affirmed Amir al-Muminin’s distinguished rank alongside the greatest women in history.
As he recited the verse, “Indeed, God has chosen you and purified you,” the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) said to Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him): “O Ali! The best women of the world are four: Mary, daughter of Imran; Khadijah, daughter of Khuwaylid; Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad; and Asiyah, daughter of Muzahim.” [7]
According to a narration from the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family), Tasnim is the most exalted drink of Paradise, a special portion of which is reserved for the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and his pure Household.
Regarding the words of God Almighty, “and it is mixed with Tasnim” (Qur’an 83:27), it is narrated that Tasnim is the noblest drink of Paradise, from which the friends of God — the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and his purified Household (peace be upon them), who are foremost among those brought near to God — drink. This refreshing beverage flows down from their most exalted stations. They are the Prophet of God (peace be upon him and his family), Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), the infallible Imams (peace be upon them), Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her), and Khadijah (peace be upon her). [8]
Amir al-Muminin’s Lament for His Two Companions
With profound sorrow and grief, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) described the loss of Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her), the first lady of Islam, and Abu Talib (peace be upon him), the chieftain of Mecca, as a calamity for the inhabitants of both heaven and earth.
In mourning Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her) and Abu Talib (peace be upon him), Amir al-Muminin Ali (peace be upon him) said: “O my eyes, let your tears fall, and may God be your helper, over the death of two whose like you will never see again — over the death of the chief and lord of Mecca and his great son [Abu Talib], and over the death of the leader of the women [Khadijah (peace be upon her)], that pure-natured lady whom God endowed with purity of character and abundant virtue, and who was the first to pray alongside the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family). The calamity of losing these two grieves the people of heaven even more than the people of earth. Thus I grieve for them as a mother grieves for her lost child. These two great souls supported the religion of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) for the sake of God, and stood firm against those who wrote a covenant for its destruction.” [9]
References:
[1] Al-Manaqib, vol. 2, p. 179
[2] Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 35, p. 39
[3] Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, vol. 1, p. 240
[4] Tafsir al-Qummi, p. 353; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 35, p. 80
[5] Tarafun min al-Anba’ wa al-Manaqib, p. 233; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 18, p. 233
[6] Shajarat Tuba, vol. 2, p. 233
[7] Al-Manaqib, vol. 3, p. 322
[8] Ta’wil al-Ayat al-Zahirah, vol. 1, p. 753
[9] Al-Sihah, vol. 1, p. 106; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 35, p. 143
