Progressive(ly) Dishonest: The Lies Of Progressive Muslamic Academia

 “Islam and Women” (and every possible tangent that has the potential to fall within this category) is an eternally hot topic, regularly pontificated about by traditional Islamic teachers, the average Muslim layperson, and a special breed of folks that make up progressive Muslim academia. How each group handles the subject, and their impact on wider Muslim discourses, is worth a thesis in its own right; this essay will focus specifically on progressive Muslim academia and the unfortunate trend of intellectual dishonesty that they repeatedly utilize in order to further their own agenda. In particular, we will examine an excerpt from Aisha Geissinger’s paper “Female Figures, Marginality, and Qurʾanic Exegesis in Ibn al-Jawzī’s Sifat al-Safwa,” and the blatantly twisted interpretation of an anecdote featuring the famed Tabi’iyyah scholar Hafsah bint Sireen  as a case study.

Geissinger claims to delve into the issue of women’s tafseer of the Qur’an (or lack thereof) by highlighting four anecdotes mentioned within the classical scholar Ibn al-Jawzi’s book “Sifat al-Safwa.” The second incident that she relays is about Hafsah bint Sireen , and an interaction that she had with several male students; she then goes on to supply her commentary, as follows:

“Āṣim al-Aḥwal said: We used to visit Ḥafṣah bint Sīrīn. She had put on her over-garment [jilbāb] like this, and veiled her face with it.

So we said to her: “May God have mercy on you! God has said, ‘No blame will be attached to older women who are not hoping for marriage, if they take off their garments, without flaunting their charms …’ [Q. 24:60] – meaning, the jilbāb.”

He [ʿĀṣim] said: Then she replied, “Is there anything after that?” We answered, “‘… but it is preferable for them not to do this.’” And she responded, “This is the evidence for [wearing] the jilbāb.”54

Here, we have the recounting of an incident between Asim ibn Ahwal (the narrator), his unnamed male companions, and the scholar Hafsah bint Sireen . Before delving into Geissinger’s interpretation of the entire scenario, readers should be aware of the following information regarding Hafsah bint Sireen . Hafsah bint Sireen was a significant scholar of the Tabi’een; her father was a freed slave of the great Companion Anas ibn Malik , and thus Hafsah’s family was blessed to have a mawla-relationship with him. Hafsah and her brother Muhammad became known for their knowledge, with Hafsah herself being highly regarded for her knowledge of the Qur’an and ahadith. Many other scholars and students of knowledge would visit with her, seeking knowledge and the wisdom she had to impart. 

Iyaas ibn Mu’awiyyah said: 

“I did not meet anyone whom I can prefer over Hafsah.” He was asked: “What about Hasan al Basri and Muhammad ibn Sireen?” He said: “As for me I do not prefer anyone over her. She learnt the Qur’an by heart when she was twelve years old.” [Al Mizzi, Tahdheeb al-Kamaal, xxxv. 152]

Hishaam ibn Hassaan said:

“I saw Al-Hasan (Hasan al Basri) and (Muhammad) ibn Sireen, and I did not see anyone that I thought was cleverer than Hafsah.” [Sifah As-Safwah, Dhikr Al Mustafiyaat min A’abidaat al Basrah, Vol 2, Page 709]

Hishaam narrates that when Ibn Sireen (her brother) would find something difficult and ambiguous (ashkala ‘alayhi) regarding the Qiraa’ah (recitation), he would say, “Go and ask Hafsah how to recite.” (Sifah As-Safwah, Dhikr Al Mustafiyaat min A’abidaat al Basrah.)

All of this is necessary to keep in mind as one reads Geissinger’s interpretation of the entire scenario. She says:

“This anecdote (hereafter “the Ḥafṣah’s veil anecdote”) attributed to ʿĀṣim al-Aḥwal (d. ca. 141/758), a freedman and ḥadīth transmitter,55 presents a group of pious men in Basra who were in the habit of coming to see Ḥafṣah bint Sīrīn, perhaps in order to hear aḥādīth or inspiring words.56 

This anecdote places their perceptions at the forefront rather than hers. Through ʿĀṣim’s voice and accompanying gesture (“She had put on her over-garment like this”), the reader/audience is shown Ḥafṣah as these men see her – an older woman wearing a jilbāb that she has wrapped in such a way that her face is covered. The men disapprove, and confidently correct her by quoting part of Q. 24:60. By so doing, they imply that there is no reason for her to wear a jilbāb at her age, much less veil her face. Given her family’s slave past,57 the suggestion is not only that she is being unnecessarily stringent, but as well that she is giving herself airs as she even exceeds what is required of elite freeborn older women.58”

Thus far, the reader/audience has been primed to perceive Ḥafṣah solely through the men’s eyes, to unreflectively adopt the men’s gaze and its presumed religious authority as their own. But when she responds by posing a question that indirectly points to their failure to quote the entire verse, the reader/audience begins to suspect that Ḥafṣah knows more than they had assumed. The men reply by reciting its concluding portion, in this way indirectly conceding that their understanding of this verse is partial at best. Finally, Ḥafṣah is granted the last word, and with it she turns the tables on them (as well as on the reader/audience), asserting that its concluding words vindicate her sartorial choice.

It is fascinating, in a twisted sort of way, just how Geissinger has chosen to set the stage for readers. She frames the situation as one where the men somehow have the upper hand, and that they “disapprove” of how she is covering herself in front of them. Additionally, she insinuates that this has something to do with Hafsah’s status as coming from a family of freed slaves – and that these men look down upon her for it, and (in reference to some academic debates regarding hijab vis-a-vis slave women and free women) that they feel that she does not have the right to be observing jilbab in such a way.

Consider, instead, the following framework, which is a far more accurate depiction of the story: the interaction between Hafsah and the men who came to visit her was reflective of students visiting their older teacher, as was (and is) common amongst scholars and students of knowledge. Clearly, they visited her often and had a good relationship with her; one could even venture to characterize their relationship as her being maternal or grandmotherly with these younger men. It is precisely because they had a positive and comfortable relationship with Hafsah that they felt confident enough to tell her that she did not have to cover herself in front of them; undoubtedly, in the heat of Basra, they recognized that she was likely uncomfortable to be covering herself with an additional layer, and covering her face as well in front of them. Rather than looking down on her, or presuming that they knew better than her, they spoke from a place of consideration; they wanted her to feel comfortable and relaxed. By quoting the ayah about the rukhsa (exception) regarding jilbab for older women, they demonstrated their level of comfort with her and their fondness for her. Hafsah’s familial background plays no role whatsoever, except to emphasize her scholarly lineage as a student and mawla of Anas ibn Malik ; this connection raises her in the sight of other scholars and her students, rather than being a negative factor.

Hafsah  in turn, reminded her younger students of the rest of the ayah, emphasizing that despite knowing about the exception afforded to her, she chose to pursue the more pious action: that is, to maintain her jilbab around them. As well, this was evidence of how she, a female scholar, understood the aayaat of hijab and chose to implement it, versus the constant claims that only male scholars weighed in on hijab and its rulings. This also demonstrates Hafsah’s own standing as a scholar, and how she chose to educate her students in this moment. She not only displayed her own knowledge of the fiqhi rulings of hijab and jilbab, but also highlighted the aspect of ihsaan (excellence) with regards to how a Muslim should conduct themselves. Even when given a legally mandated exception, Hafsah chose to continue observing jilbab with her male students due to the Qur’an’s conclusion that to do so is spiritually better (for the older women being addressed by the aayah). 

Though Geissinger claims that “the reader/audience has been primed to perceive Ḥafṣa solely through the men’s eyes, to unreflectively adopt the men’s gaze and its presumed religious authority as their own…” the truth is that she alone is the one priming the reader / audience to view the story from such a perspective. Nowhere in Asim al-Ahwal’s words can one find the presumption of religious authority from the men; indeed, the very context of the anecdote proves the exact opposite: that in this situation, Hafsah bint Sireen  is the elder scholar, the one with whom presumed religious authority lies. The men are her younger students, coming to sit at her feet and learn from her. When Geissinger goes on to say “when she responds by posing a question that indirectly points to their failure to quote the entire verse, the reader/audience begins to suspect that Ḥafṣah knows more than they had assumed,” she betrays her own – and the presumed audience’s – ignorance: the assumption that Hafsah  is not as religiously knowledgeable, or superior to, the men visiting her. Rather, anyone with an inkling of Hafsah’s status and merits as a scholar would immediately know and assume that in this story, her knowledge will become even more evident. Geissinger concludes by saying

“Finally, Ḥafṣa is granted the last word, and with it she turns the tables on them (as well as on the reader/audience), asserting that its concluding words vindicate her sartorial choice.”

Again, the framing here is strange – Hafsah is not ‘granted’ the last word; rather, she powerfully demonstrates her knowledge and provides an impactful teaching moment to her students. Unfortunately, Geissinger also simplifies and dismisses the entire issue at hand as that of a “sartorial choice,” when it is anything but a mere question of dressing. Instead, Hafsah’s decision to observe jilbab in front of her students is one that reflects a sense of higher spiritual conduct, out of the sincere and ardent desire to please her Creator. 

From beginning to end, the story of Hafsah bint Sireen’s jilbab is reflective of the powerful history of female Islamic scholarship, of the legal rulings and spiritual lessons derived from this teaching moment, and of an example of the classical tradition of interplay between Islamic scholars and their students. Geissinger’s choice to dishonestly represent and frame the characters and the events that took place is both unethical and unsurprising. Indeed, it is to be expected from the progressivists who make up the bulk of Muslamic academia, who have a long track record of twisting classical texts and historical context to make up a version of Islam and Islamic scholarship that suits their own particular world views. 

While this essay has looked at only one excerpt from a single paper, it is a glaring example of the intellectual dishonesty at play not just in Geissinger’s work, but in the vast majority of literature penned by progressive Muslamic academics. For the average Muslim – and the more-than-averagely-educated Muslim – who may find themselves delving into many popular books on Islam and gender written by well-known progressive academics, it is necessary to read the literature with a critical lens. It is all too easy to fall for the literary sleights of hand and twisted takes of our Islamic history, leading us to erroneously believe in the alternative facts of progressive Muslamic academia. 

What is deeply unfortunate is that while the various subjects of discussion regarding Islam and women are absolutely worth examining in greater detail, progressivists do us a disfavour in the way they choose to approach the topic. Rather than adhering to standards of academic honesty, and thus benefiting the wider Muslim discourses, they have chosen to undermine the very foundations of our exemplary history of Islamic scholarship. In order for us to genuinely address the valid questions and issues that exist within our communities, we must begin with a foundation of sincerity towards Allah , and a dedication to seeking the Truth in an honest manner, without projecting our own biases and agendas insofar as is humanly possible. 

Noblewoman, Outcast, Queen: The Story of Khadijah (Part 5)

The first few days and months after the initial Revelation were full of wonder and awe for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). Eyes sparkling, hearts filled with faith, Khadijah and Muhammad (PBUH) woke up every morning with renewed purpose, a sense of clarity and inner peace.

However, they also knew that they could not keep this incredible message of beauty and spiritual revolution to themselves. “Yaa ayyuhal mudaththir! Qum fa anthir!” The Words of Allah were a clear command: “O you who covers himself, arise and warn!” (Qur’an 74:1-2)

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) knew that they had a great task ahead of them. Nonetheless, they also knew that they needed to be careful – though simple, the message of Islam was also one that would be extremely difficult for their society to accept.

Belief in Allah alone, worshiping Him alone and without partners, was what every soul inclined towards, but the people of Makkah – and indeed, all of Arabia, and the world at large – had been so spiritually corrupted that they would react with anger and violence in response.

The logical thing to do, then, would be to first approach those whom they knew would most recognize the truth of the message. Even in the spiritual wasteland that was Makkah, there were individuals who stood apart as those who found themselves averse to idol-worship. Of those people were, of course, their own family –their children.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Khadijah gathered their daughters and spoke to them quietly of what had occurred – would they believe their father and worship their Lord with true sincerity and faith?

Without hesitation, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and even young Fatimah declared their belief in Allah as their only God, and Muhammad as His Messenger. Having grown up witnessing the excellence of their father’s character, and knowing within themselves that the idol worship around them was something they could never accept, they immediately accepted Islam.

Ali ibn Abi Talib and Zaid ibn al-Haarith, also members of Prophet Muhammad’s household, were also of the first people to say the shahaadah. They too had grown up watching him and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), whether it was when they would seek solitude for worship in the cave of Hiraa, or when they spent their daily lives trying to improve the world around them.The message that Muhammad (PBUH) came with was clear, simple, and rang true: how could they deny it?

Thus began the time of the ‘secret’ da’wah – when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), began to speak to those closest to them about the radically beautiful message of Tawheed (oneness of God).

In small, quiet gatherings in their homes, the first group of believers submitted themselves to their Lord, seeking His pleasure and living in obedience to Him. Abu Bakr, Lubabah bint al-Haarith, Bilal ibn Rabah, Sumayyah bint Khabbaab – these were just some of the earliest believers, those whose hearts were already inclined towards the truth, who found inward serenity and strength in their belief in Allah alone.

Meanwhile, , the great angel Jibreel) himself came to Muhammad (PBUH) to teach him: to reveal the Divine Guidance, to provide spiritual comfort, to purify himself physically and to rise, bow, and prostrate in the most perfect form of worship ever to be taught to humankind… and the first person to hear the words of Allah being recited in the voice of His Messenger, with his strength and faith, with his beauty and conviction, was Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her).

Noblewoman, Outcast, Queen: The Story of Khadijah (Part 4)

“Read!”

An otherworldly voice thundered, calling into Mount Hiraa’ – where Muhammad (PBUH) raised his head in shock and terror to bear witness to that which only a select few had ever seen before.

“Read!” Six hundred wings buffeted the horizon, fashioned from pure Noor (light), almost too beautiful and too overwhelming to look at directly.

“Read! Read, in the Name of your Lord!” A powerful command from above the seven heavens, impossible to resist, demanding submission from the most perfect of all Allah’s Creation, he who was created solely to obey and to guide others to obedience.

With these words brought from the Lord of the Worlds by His angelic messenger Jibreel (peace be upon him) to the most perfect of all creation, Muhammad ibn Abdullah was transformed into the Seal of Prophethood.

And yet… and yet, he was still human.

His entire body trembling with the weight of Divine Revelation, Prophet Muhammad sought sanctuary in the home and arms of his beloved. “Zammilooni, zammilooni!” he called out to Khadijah . “Cover me up!”

Immediately perceptive, Khadijah wrapped him in a cloak and held him until his shaking ceased. Desperately, he told her what had just transpired, his eyes dark with anxiety over his own sanity.

Khadijah’s steadiness never wavered. “No, by Allah!” she said fiercely. “Rejoice! Allah will never disgrace you, for you uphold the ties of kinship, you speak only the truth, you protect the poor and the destitute, host your guests with generosity, and support those who have been struck by calamity.”

Her words, though merely human and not divine, were both comforting and reassuring. Nor were her statements hollow – as the single person who knew Muhammad (PBUH) best, who lived with him during times of both ease and hardship, she spoke only with the utmost honesty.

It was Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) who took the initiative to seek further answers to the questions raised by this extraordinary incident. Who was the otherworldly creature? What was the meaning of his visit?

She knew that the best person to ask would be her elderly relative, Waraqah ibn Nawfal – the monotheistic scholar with whom she had previously studied. Despite his blindness and old age, his mind was as sharp as ever. Listening to Muhammad relate his story in detail, Waraqah nodded in recognition.

“Indeed, this is the same angel who used to visit Musa (peace be upon him),” he confirmed. “Would that I were stronger, and that I would live to see the day your people drive you out.”

“They would drive me out?” Muhammad (PBUH) questioned in disbelief. Waraqah nodded again. “Yes. Whomsoever has brought forward a message such as yours in the past was treated with hostility and hardship. Should I live to witness the day that you declare your Prophethood, I will be of those who stands with you and supports you.”

Muhammad (PBUH) himself could scarcely believe that he had been visited by the ethereal messenger of Allah; truthfully, he doubted his own sanity. Seeing the uncertainty in his eyes, Khadijah clasped his hands in her own and said, “I swear by Allah that you are the Messenger of Allah.”

Laa ilaaha illAllah, Muhammadun RasulAllah. (There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).

In a humble home in Makkah, between husband and wife, the nubuwwah (prophethood) was established upon the greatest man to ever live; first shahaadah was declared upon the tongue of one of the greatest women… and thus began a new era that would forever change the world.

Noblewoman, Outcast, Queen: The Story of Khadijah (Part 3)

Time passed, and the young man of twenty-five whom Khadijah married became a father of four daughters, adopted father to Zaid ibn Haarith– and increasingly sorrowful.

Khadijah and Muhammad (PBUH) were both witness to the raging violence of their society. Horrified, they held their daughters tightly as they saw others around them bury infant girls alive; with aching hearts, they watched women being abused, wars declared over petty tribalism, racism and classism used as excuses to enslave and torture those unable to defend themselves.

Though they did whatever they could to fight against the overwhelming oppression around them, they both felt a devastating weight on their consciences.

Entrusting in Khadijah’s efficient management of her business, Muhammad began to withdraw from society and seek solitude. Outside of the city’s vicious constraints, he ascended to the mountain that would later be known as Jabal Noor (the Mountain of Light), and began to seclude himself in the cave of Hiraa’.

Tears running down his cheeks silently, Muhammad (PBUH) turned to his Lord in anguish, seeking a salve to his broken heart.

Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) understood exactly what her husband was going through. She herself had spent time with scholarly relatives like Waraqah ibn Nawfal, questioning the bizarre ritual worship of idols, unsatisfied with polytheism and feeling her heart yearning towards Allah alone.

She too was sickened by the crimes committed on a daily basis by her own people; she too felt that there was something deeply wrong with the society in which she lived.

Wordlessly, Khadijah packed food, drink, and clothing and pressed them into her husband’s hands. She knew how desperately he needed the solitude of Hiraa’; indeed, there were times when she entrusted her children with the other adults in her household, and accompanied him.

Together, in a silence that held more love than any words ever could, Muhammad and Khadijah would worship their Lord, surrendering themselves to His Divine Wisdom.

Nonetheless, as a mother and a businesswoman, Khadijah  was aware of her other responsibilities and returned home. Ensuring that her husband was comfortable, she turned her attention to raising her daughters.

Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with them) were girls who embodied the best of their parents’ qualities: intelligence, compassion, excellence of character, and a purity of faith. Khadijah was determined to nurture her daughters into women of integrity, able to make their own decisions without being pressured or swayed by popular opinion.

Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) was a woman who was so much more than ‘just’ a wife or a mother. To her, there was no contradiction in running her company and ensuring its success, and in being a supportive wife and involved mother. Instead, the same principles, determination, and values that had made her such a prominent businesswoman were the same ones that guided her through marriage and motherhood.

Caring for her husband did not make her somehow weak or diminutive; financially supporting him did not make him inferior in her eyes, but was a choice she made freely and out of fierce love for the man whom she recognized as unlike any other she had ever met.

Loving Muhammad (PBUH) was the greatest thing that had ever happened to Khadijah– and he felt the same way about her. They supported each other in what was important to them, and they actively encouraged each other to seek out and do what was right. Together, they were the best version of themselves, not just towards each other but to all those around them.

In a partnership of minds and hearts, Khadijah and Muhammad  embodied what it meant to transform love into action… and for those actions to have the power to change the world.

Noblewoman, Outcast, Queen: The Story of Khadijah (Part 7)

For seven years, Muhammad (PBUH) dedicated every day of his life to calling his people – and strangers as well – to the message of Islam. For seven years, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) stood at his side, worshipping Allah, teaching Islam, and enduring the suffering that was being inflicted upon every new Muslim.

Already, so much had befallen the Messenger of Allah and his fledgling Ummah: the mockery of Qurayshi society, labeling him a madman and a magician; the birth – and death – of a son, Abdullah; the constant torture of the most vulnerable Muslims, such as Sumayyah bint Khayyat and her family; the emigration of a significant number of believers, including Prophet Muhammad’s own daughter Ruqayyah and her husband, Uthmaan ibn Affaan.

Negotiations and assassination attempts were plotted against Muhammad (PBUH), and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) was keenly aware of every difficulty and every challenge that her husband faced.

Prophet Muhammad and Khadijah remained steadfast and unwavering in their faith, and the Muslims around them drew inspiration from their strength. No matter how sustained the harassment or how intense the persecution, the believers refused to turn back on their religion. The pagans of Makkah grew steadily more frustrated and angrier. If physical torture and public humiliation of the individuals known to be Muslims would not deter Muhammad (PBUH) from his mission, they would have to resort to more creative methods.

In a society formed upon both social strata and economic placement, the Quraysh realized that they would need to put pressure on those two aspects of Muhammad’s life.

Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib, the two clans related directly to Prophet Muhammad by blood, had already made clear that their tribal affiliations meant that they extended their support and protection to him. When they refused to back down from their position, the remaining tribes of Makkah banded together and lay down an ultimatum: either they surrender all support to Muhammad entirely, or they would suffer as a whole, Muslim or not.

Tribal pride ran deep and strong in Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib, and they refused to accept the terms laid out by the rest of  Quraysh. The response came, swift and harsh: an immediate social and economic boycott of the two clans, compounded by exile to a barren area of land known as Shi’b Abi Talib.

In this moment, Khadijah’s life changed more drastically than it ever had before: not only had her social status been impacted dramatically, but now her financial status was as well. Once the greatest businesswoman of Makkah, admired for her acumen and sought after for her beauty, intelligence, and elite standing, Khadijah was now rendered destitute, homeless, and starving.

The exile and boycott were brutal: no one from Makkah was allowed to visit the exiles, not even if they were relatives; no food was permitted to pass through the area. When basic staple foods such as grain ran out, the exiles were forced to resort to eating leaves from the trees in order to keep from dying. The cries of starving children and weeping elders could be heard in Makkah itself, and yet the Quraysh refused to relent from their vile pact.

Now aged herself, in her early sixties, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) nevertheless fought against the Quraysh and remained as spiritually strong as ever. Though her body weakened, her faith never did; her devotion to her Lord continued to shine from her eyes and lent fortitude to her limbs.

To her husband, to her daughters, to the Muslims around her, Khadijah provided ceaseless love and support. Her steadfastness in the face of adversity was both inspiration and comfort, a sign that one did not need to be the Prophet of Allah in order to exhibit such power of faith. Indeed, to the one who was the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), she was the source of constant reassurance and love.

Khadijah’s death

Three years of exile, however, took their toll. When the boycott was finally ended and Muhammad (PBUH) and his people were able to return to their homes in Makkah, the damage had been done. Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) had been rendered far too physically weakened by starvation and sickness.

In Ramadan of the tenth year of Muhammad (PBUH)’s prophethood, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid was chosen by Allah to return to Him.

Though the Messenger (PBUH) understood that every human being belongs to their Creator alone, he was still plunged into sorrow. He lost the woman who had, for twenty-five years, been the love of his life, the intellectual match to his sharp mind, the spiritual counterpart to his heart full of faith, the one whom he held and who held him in turn, and the mother of his children. The year of her death was forever known from then on as the Year of Grief.

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid was no ordinary person: she was the one whom Allah chose, above all others in existence, to marry the greatest of all His creation – Muhammad (PBUH). She was a woman whose role went far beyond merely that of a dutiful wife and mother; she was an individual imbued with truly extraordinary characteristics. Her intellect, her wisdom, her grace, her love, and beyond all else, her faith, set her apart from the entire world.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “The best of the world’s women is Mary (in her lifetime), and the best of the world’s women is Khadijah (in her lifetime).” (Bukhari)

“Sufficient for you among the women of mankind are Mariam bint ‘Imran, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad and Asiyah the wife of Fir’awn.” (Tirmidhi)

Forever after, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) never forgot the woman with whom he had spent the earliest days of marriage and fatherhood, the woman who had known him better than anyone else.

“Innee ruziqtu hubbahaa,” Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said solemnly. “Indeed, her love had been nurtured in my heart by Allah Himself.” (Muslim)

Truly, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid was the greatest woman who ever lived: a noblewoman of Quraysh, an outcast from Makkan society, and a queen of Paradise itself.

Noblewoman, Outcast, Queen: The Story of Khadijah (Part 6)

The first few months of the Da’wah – the call to Islam – were full of wonder and awe. The Divine Revelation came to Muhammad (PBUH) not only in Hiraa, but in the home of Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) herself: she was the first to hear the Words of Allah on the lips of His Messenger (PBUH), the first to prostrate herself at his side, the first to stand up in prayer behind him at night.

However, no Prophet or Messenger was sent to remain silent, or to keep his Message a secret from the masses. Though a small and dedicated group of believers had formed, devoted to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), they were still a tiny minority – certain friends and family members who were already inclined to the truth, whose intellects had already questioned the poisoned beliefs and moral standards of their society.

After three years of quietly spreading the message of Tawheed (the Oneness of God), Allah revealed the following verse to His Messenger (PBUH):

{And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred.} (Qur’an 26:214)

This was the command to announce Islam publicly, to declare it to his entire family – and to the Arab society at large. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the first to obey his Lord, no matter what the command, and so he fulfilled it immediately. The moment was a dramatic one, and life-changing for both Prophet Muhammad and his Companions, especially Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her).

One day, Muhammad (PBUH) ascended the mountain of Safa and called out to all of Makkah: “Yaa Sabahaa! O Bani Fahr! O Bani ‘Adi!” Alarmed, the tribesmen of Quraysh assembled before him, wondering what it was that was so urgent that Muhammad, the man whom they trusted above all others, felt compelled to gather them in such a manner.

“If I were to tell you that there were some horsemen in the valley planning to raid you, would you believe me?” Prophet Muhammad asked. Bewildered and already tensing at the implied warning, the people of Makkah confirmed their trust in him.

“Then know that I am a warner to you all, of a severe torment!” The people were silenced by shock. Raising his voice further, Prophet Muhammad spoke the words of his message – calling them all to believe in and worship Allah alone, to abandon the filth that permeated their lives, the injustice that they inflicted so cruelly and casually upon each other.

As Khadijah, her daughters, and the existing believers watched, Muhammad’s voice rang out over the hills and valleys of Makkah, reciting the Divine Words of their Lord in a way that made the earth itself tremble.

Yet the hearts of the Quraysh were harder than rocks that were scattered across the desert in which they lived. In a matter of moments, they turned on the man whom they had adored for forty years, and proceeded to try and destroy him and the message with which he came.

And Life Has Changed Forever…
From that moment on, Khadijah’s life was changed irrevocably: from a noblewoman of Quraysh, from one of its most admired and formidable businesswomen, she was now a social pariah. Her husband was reviled by the elites of society amongst whom she used to mingle so easily; derided as a madman, a soothsayer, or a crazed poet, he was mocked mercilessly.

Khadijah bore the burden of verbal and physical abuse as well, and was subject to the humiliation that her entire society inflicted with a particular vengeance upon her household.

Khadijah’s three eldest daughters were married, and the people of Quraysh thought it would be particularly effective to try and destroy their lives as well. Marriages were considered an integral part of social politics, and they gleefully considered the ramifications it would have upon Muhammad’s family if they managed to break up his daughters’ marriages.

However, their plans backfired – Abu’l ‘Aas ibn Rabee’, the husband of Prophet Muhammad’s eldest daughter Zaynab, refused point-blank to divorce his wife, whom he loved dearly. Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum, the younger daughters, were both married to sons of Abu Lahab, and were in fact divorced – but to their own relief, as their father- and mother-in-law were particularly venomous towards them.

Of course, Allah had something even better planned for them; shortly after, ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan – one of the greatest of Prophet Muhammad’s Companions, and one of the most modest, humble, and honest men of Makkah after Prophet Muhammad himself – proposed to Ruqayyah (may Allah be pleased with her). Thus, even in a time of trial and difficulty, there was still joy to be found.

But She Remains Strong
Despite it all, despite the agony of having to witness her loved ones publicly mocked and humiliated, despite experiencing her own sudden loss of social status and influence, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) remained strong. Her faith was unshaken, and each increasingly difficult test merely reinforced her belief in Allah and fortified her character.

She was, after all, not a fickle woman – her heart and her intellect were both refined, and once she knew within herself the Divine Truth, she could accept nothing else. No matter what pain others tried to inflict on her and her family, she would never give them the satisfaction of seeing her give up.

To her daughters, to the vulnerable new Muslims, and to her husband, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) was more than just a mother, a supporter, and a helper – she was a woman whose nobility shone at a time when her society cast her out. She spoke words of comfort and strength, provided a shoulder to lean on, and a heart to find joy in.

Khadijah was a woman unlike any other – a fact recognized not only by her husband and those around her, but by Allah and the angel Jibreel himself.

Once, as Jibreel visited the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), he paused and told Muhammad (PBUH), “Khadijah is approaching with food and drink. Convey to her salaam from Allah, the Most Glorious, and convey to her salaam from me, and give her glad tidings of a home in Paradise wherein there will be no loud noises or difficulty.”

“Allah Himself is as-Salaam, and peace comes from him. Salaam to Jibreel, the messenger of Allah. Salaam to you, and to all those listening, except for Shaytaan,” was Khadijah’s eloquent response… words as beautiful and full of wisdom as she herself.

Noblewoman, Outcast, Queen: Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (Part 2)

The marriage of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid to Muhammad ibn Abdullah (PBUH) was something unique to Qurayshi society.

Though it was not uncommon for widows and divorcees to remarry, there was still something very different about the older, wealthier, established woman choosing a young, impoverished merchant as her life partner.

Yet despite their outward differences of age and financial status, the two made a power couple unlike any other in Makkah.

Their marriage was more than a simple relationship – it was a partnership of true love and understanding, of a shared spiritual foundation based on belief and worship of the One True God, and a worldview that encompassed much more than their own household. What Muhammad (PBUH) and Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) shared was a true meeting of hearts and minds – and all of society benefited from it.

Muhammad (PBUH) was already known for his compassion towards the less privileged, as he was intimately familiar with their situations, and Khadijah was a woman of compassion as well as wealth.

Khadijah’s business thrived and flourished, due to both her excellent management as well as the barakah that accompanied Muhammad (PBUH) wherever he went.

The birth of their first daughter, Zaynab, was heralded with an influx of even more prosperity; immediately, they seized the opportunity to share it with those around them.

A Blessed Home

Although their household was growing steadily to encompass both Khadijah’s children from her previous marriages as well as their own four daughters, they never forgot that there were those around them who were less fortunate. Quietly, they ensured that widows and orphans were fed and clothed; that the poor and the needy would always find comfort at their doorstep.

It was quickly known that Khadijah’s home was more than just the residence of asSaadiq al-Ameen – it was also a place where no one seeking assistance would ever be turned away, or leave without a guarantee of security.

However, no marriage exists in a state of untroubled bliss. Though their four daughters were a source of joy for both Khadijah and Muhammad, they also experienced profound grief: the births and all-too-quick deaths of their two sons, al-Qaasim and Abdullah.

While other mothers sighed in exasperation at the antics of their toddlers, Khadijah found herself cradling her sons only long enough to lower them into their graves. She never heard their first words, the sound of their delighted laughter a memory that faded far too quickly.

Tracing the outline of their father’s features on their tiny faces, Khadijah mourned that she would never watch them grow into men as handsome, strong, and faithful as her beloved husband.

As a young father who adored his children, Muhammad (PBUH) was devastated each time. Yet with every passing year and test, Khadijah’s beauty – both inward and outward – simply deepened.

Witnessing her strength and dignity even at the greatest loss a mother could bear, Muhammad (PBUH) found himself falling in love with her even more deeply. Grief revealed just how profound her trust in Allah was; faith as pure and impenetrable as a diamond forged from the darkest of tests.

Husband and wife, mother and father, true believers in the One True God – Muhammad (PBUH) and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) held each for comfort in the depths of the night, their tears mingling as they sought solace from Allah.

Love in the Time of Quraysh

Love is a powerful theme that features throughout history, with the power to launch a thousand ships or destroy a country. Zainab, daughter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is an example of the strength of love and a Muslim woman’s patience and courage.

Although her story does not feature as prominently in Islamic history as some other companions such as her mother, Khadijah, or her step-mother A’ishah, she experienced one of the most difficult struggles faced by Muslim women: the battle between true love and spiritual conviction.

Zainab bint Muhammad (PBUH) was the oldest child of Muhammad ibn Abdullah (PBUH) and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her), born ten years before her father’s prophethood. Raised by the man known as as-Saadiq al-Ameen (the truthful and the trustworthy), and the woman famed throughout Makkah for her integrity of character and business acumen, Zainab grew to be a young woman who internalized the best of her parents’ qualities.

Zainab (may Allah be pleased with her) married her maternal cousin Abu’l ‘Aas ibn Rabee’ before the onset of her father’s prophethood. They loved each other dearly, and their marriage was one of the happiest in all of Makkah.

The first year of Muhammad’s Prophethood was a difficult one for Zainab. She instantly believed in her father’s Divine Message, but unfortunately, Abu’l ‘Aas refused to accept Islam.

“How can you not believe in him?” Zainab asked, confused. “You know that he is as-Saadiq al-Ameen, the most honest and trustworthy!”

Abu’l ‘Aas admitted that it was fear of the people of Makkah that held him back from believing in the Messenger of Allah. “What will the people say about me? They will say, ‘he betrayed his tribe and his forefathers to please his wife!’”

For Zainab, whose love for her husband was matched only by the love for her father, this was a terrible blow.

Abu’l ‘Aas, wracked with guilt but unwilling to fight the collective anger of Quraysh, begged his wife, “Will you not excuse me and understand my situation?” Her heart aching with longing that her husband would understand and accept the spiritual purity of Islam, Zainab answered, “Who will excuse you and understand you if I don’t? I will remain at your side until you understand the truth.”

Years passed, and as the intensity of opposition towards Islam grew, so did Zainab’s grief at how her father and the early Muslims were treated. Her husband protected her from the punishment that the rest of her family faced, but it could not assuage the emotional pain.

Eventually, the command came from above the seven heavens that it was time for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to make hijrah to Madinah. Zainab was faced with the first, and one of the most difficult tests that she would have to go through. How could she choose between her father, the Messenger of Allah, and her husband, her one true love?

When she received permission from her father to stay in Makkah, her relief that she would not have to abandon her husband was coupled with the sorrow of having to part with her father, her sisters, and the remaining Muslims. Once again, despite being sheltered by her husband, Zainab felt the painful isolation of being the only Muslim living in Makkah.

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The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had emigrated to Medinah with the remaining members of his young Ummah… except for his daughter, Zainab. She had asked permission to stay behind in Makkah with her husband, Abu’l ‘Aas ibn Rabee’, who had sworn his loyalty and protection to her, and whom she could not bear to part with. For a little while, life was stable and, if not ideal, at least somewhat peaceful.

Soon enough, however, rumors of war began to spread. Within months, the Quraysh gathered a huge force and marched onto Badr – with Abu’l ‘Aas ibn Rabee’ amongst their ranks.

Tears streaming down her face, Zainab cried out to her Lord, “O Allah, I fear one day the sun may rise and my children become orphans, or that I will lose my father!”

When news of the Muslims’ victory at Badr came to Makkah, Zainab feared the worst. Was her father hurt? Was her husband dead? She soon learned that Abu’l ‘Aas had been captured as a prisoner of war. Overwhelmed with relief, but realizing that his fate was in the hands of the Muslims, she quickly decided to pay a ransom for his return. Wisely, she chose a wedding gift from her mother, Khadijah, and sent it to Madinah.

When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) received the ransom for Abu’l ‘Aas, he immediately recognized what his daughter had sent. Instantly, he was flooded with memories of his wife Khadijah, and his hands trembled with emotion as his Companions watched him in surprise.

Recovering himself, the Messenger of Allah turned to his Companions and asked, “Do you agree to this ransom?” Understanding that their Prophet wanted nothing more than to make his daughter happy, the companions readily agreed.

Before Abu’l ‘Aas returned to Madinah, Prophet Muhammad took him aside and quietly informed him that a command had come from above the seven heavens: Allah decreed that no Muslim woman was allowed to remain with her non-Muslim husband. Abu’l ‘Aas promised to send Zainab to Madinah, and left for Makkah.

Zainab’s joy at seeing her husband return safely was made bittersweet by the knowledge that she now had a great choice to make: obey Allah’s order and be reunited with her father and sisters, or defy her Lord’s command and remain with her beloved husband.

As difficult as the test was, for Zainab there was only one real option. How could she disobey Allah and risk His Anger, when all that truly mattered was His Pleasure?

Abu’l ‘Aas knew that it was time to fulfill his promise to The Prophet, but the pain of having to send his wife away was too great for him to take her himself. Instead, he had his brother, Kinaanah ibn Rabee’, to escort her to Madinah.

When Kinaanah and Zainab began to head for the outskirts of Makkah, the Quraysh understood what was happening. Angry and resentful from their bitter defeat at Badr, some of the young men of Quraysh refused to let their enemy’s daughter leave so easily.

Led by a man named Habaar ibn al-Aswad, they quickly overtook the two travelers and attacked them. A spear struck Zainab’s camel, and in its agony, threw her from her saddle. She fell to the ground, and the sight of blood soaking her skirts confirmed that she had just lost the child she carried in her womb.

Realizing that not only had his sister-in-law been attacked, but that she had just suffered a miscarriage, Kinaanah knelt before her, nocked an arrow to his bow, and threatened, “By Allah, any man who approaches will do so with an arrow in his chest!”

The young men of Quraysh withdrew sullenly, slowly and painfully, Zainab and Kinaanah returned to Makkah. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, a prominent leader amongst the Quraysh, and Zainab’s grand-uncle, came to quietly advise Kinaanah. “It is still too soon after our defeat at Badr for you to leave with this woman so publically. By Allah, we have nothing to gain by keeping her from her father and no revenge to be had, but if you travel so openly, it will be said that we have become weak. Wait a while, and then leave in secret.”

They waited long enough for Zainab to heal from her ordeal before embarking once again towards Madinah. This time, they were met with no opposition, and found Zaid ibn Harithah waiting for them on the outskirts of Makkah. As quickly as possible, Zainab followed Zaid ibn Harithah towards Madinah… and her father, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).

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Weary, wounded, and heart-sore, Zainab bint Muhammad finally arrived in Madinah, to the overwhelming joy of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings be upon him), who rejoiced at the return of his eldest daughter. Zainab herself found comfort in being reunited with her father and sisters, but though her injuries had healed outwardly, the emotional ones took longer to fade away.

No one could take the place of Abu’l ‘Aas in her heart, and she spent her days quietly in the worship of Allah, begging Him to bring her husband back to her and guide him towards Islam.

Sometime later, Abu’l ‘Aas embarked on a journey with a merchant caravan, which was subsequently raided by a Muslim military unit. Once again a prisoner of the Muslim army, Abu’l ‘Aas was marched back to Madinah.

Zainab heard the news, and excited at the prospect of being reunited with her beloved, resolved once more to take action on his behalf.

Early one morning, the adhaan for salatul Fajr had been called, and the Muslims of Madinah were gathered behind The Prophet (PBUH) in preparation for prayer. Stepping forward amongst the lines of women, Zainab called out clearly, “O people! I have granted sanctuary to Abu’l ‘Aas ibn Rabee’!”

Stunned, the people remained silent and began their prayer. When the prayer was over, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) turned to the congregation and asked, “Have you all heard what I heard?”

They all nodded in confirmation.

The messenger of Allah  continued, “In the Name of the One in Whose Hands my soul is, I knew nothing of this until I heard what you heard. Every Muslim has the right to grant sanctuary, and have it honored by all Muslims.”

Abu’l ‘Aas was released into Zainab’s custody, but they were both warned that as they were no longer considered husband and wife by the Shari’ah, they had to keep their distance from each other.

In the meantime, Prophet Muhammad gathered the wealth that the Muslims had captured from Abu’l ‘Aas’ caravan and informed them, “I know of nothing but good from my son-in-law; he has never broken an oath and he has never lied. Will you agree to return his wealth to him?”

Eager to please their Messenger, the Companions agreed and Abu’l ‘Aas was given everything which he had in possession at the time of his capture.

The only thing Zainab wanted now was for her beloved to accept Islam and be her husband once again. She beseeched him constantly, but just as before, he quietly refused. With tears in her eyes, Zainab watched Abu’l ‘Aas pack his belongings and leave for Makkah. It was as though her heart was breaking all over again, as she watched the only man she had ever loved leave her for a third time.

Unbeknownst to her, Abu’l ‘Aas went to Makkah for only one purpose. He swiftly distributed the property he had on him to its rightful owners, and ensured that nothing stayed with him that did not belong to him.

“O people of Quraysh!” he announced in the public square. “Have I withheld the property or goods from you, that you entrusted me with?”

They all confirmed that they had received their property and that they trusted him fully.

“Then I declare Laa ilaaha illAllah, Muhammadun RasulAllah!” Liberated, he continued, “By Allah, nothing stopped me from accepting Islam in Madinah except that I feared you would believe that I became Muslim only to steal your money. Now that it has been returned to you, I am free to declare my Islam.”

Without delay, overwhelmed with excitement to be rejoined with the love of his life, Zainab, one final time, Abu’l ‘Aas returned to Madinah.

Breathless from the exertions of his journey, Abu’l ‘Aas immediately approached The Prophet and declared not only his Islam, but his desire to be Zainab’s husband once more.

Smiling, Prophet Muhammad took Abu’l ‘Aas to Zainab’s house so that he could ask her himself. The expression of delirious, joyous love on her face was all the answer they needed…

Epilogue

Zainab bint Muhammad (PBUH) spent the remainder of her life in Madinah with her husband, Abu’l ‘Aas, and her two children – Umamah, her daughter, and Ali, her son. Umamah was the first of The Prophet’s grandchildren, and deeply beloved to him.

Abu Qatadah narrates a hadith found in Bukhaari and Muslim that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to take Umamah bint Abi’l ‘Aas to the masjid with him, and lead the prayers while carrying her.

A’ishah narrates that one day, The Prophet (PBUH) received a gold necklace unlike anything they had every seen before. All the wives of The Prophet were gathered in one house, and Umamah was a young girl playing in the sand next to the house.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked his wives, “What do you think of this necklace?” They all replied that it was amazing and unlike anything they had seen before.

He then said, “I will put it on the neck of the one most beloved to me from Ahlul Bayt (his family).”

A’ishah says that “the world became dark” (she was afraid that he would give it one of his other wives rather than her,” and she was sure that the other wives felt the same.

He then called for Umamah and placed the jewelry around her neck, leaving everyone satisfied and happy.

(Al-Haythami in Al-Mujma’)

This was not the only time that he singled her out for gifts. At one time, an-Najaashi sent many precious gifts, amongst them gold rings and precious stones from Abyssinia. Using a stick (or his fingers), The Prophet touched them and called Umamah and told her “Beautify yourself with this, my daughter.”

Zainab bint Muhammad (PBUH) died in the seventh year after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, leaving behind her grief-stricken husband and her two children, Ali and Umamah.

After her death, they were both raised in the household of Allah’s Messenger and cared for by their aunt, Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with her). After the deaths of The Prophet, Fatimah, and eventually their father Abu’l ‘Aas as well, they were placed under the guardianship of azZubair ibn al-Awwaam. It is said that Ali ibn Abu’l ‘Aas was martyred in the Battle of Yarmouk; as for Umamah, she grew up to marry Ali ibn Abi Talib, during the khilaafah of Umar ibn al-Khattab.