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Khadijah (al-Kubra)

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Religious Figure

The Resume

    (555-620)
    Born in Mecca, Hejaz, Saudi Arabia
    Khadīja bint Khuwaylid
    Known as 'Mother of Believers' and 'The Pure One' (al-Tahira)
    First wife of The Prophet Muhammad
    Widow of a wealthy merchant; become prosperous in the management of the family business
    According to Sunni texts, was the first convert to the religion of Islam (of either gender), and the first follower of Muhammad

Why she might be annoying:

    Her name roughly translates to 'premature daughter.'
    She was about 40 when she married Muhammad (who was nearly 25 at the time).
    Some have pointed to her bearing Muhammad six children as an indication that she may have been younger when she married him.
    She married three times and had children with each husband.
    She gave her first two sons unusually feminine names for the period; Hala ('Halo') and Hind ('strong woman').
    She came into contact with Muhammad during a business transaction, and decided on marrying him before even meeting him face-to-face.
    Muhammad's youngest wife, Ayesha, was quoted admitting to have been jealous of her memory (after her death, Muhammad still couldn't stop thinking about her).
    Like her more famous husband Islamic law forbids her from being depicted in secular artwork (although guidelines are a little less strict where she's concerned).

Why she might not be annoying:

    Her father was a successful carpet merchant who was taught her to be a shrew businesswoman.
    After being widowed twice, she turned down countless marriage proposals from wealthy suitors.
    She took over her late husband's conglomerate, managing it through her uncle, Abu Talib (it thrived under her).
    She first became endeared with Muhammad after learning of his stellar character and his skills in managing caravan trade routes.
    Their marriage was monogamous for the 25 years they were joined in wedlock (only after her death did The Prophet become a polygamist by taking multiple wives).
    That she was financially well off and chose for her suitor a man who admitted to not being able to financially provide for a wife was all the more remarkable.
    She was historically known to have financially helped orphans/widows, in addition to supporting poor members of her family.
    She was her husband's rock when he first began experiencing his revelations from the Angel Gabriel (culminated into the Holy Qur'an); comforting and encouraging him when no one else believed him.
    Her death was believed to have been the result of an economic boycott waged by the Meccans against the Muslim, eventually leading to the Hirjah pilgrimage to Medina (at almost 65, the strenuousness of the journey and near-starvation proved too much to handle).
    Islamic teachings claim that upon her death, she was greeted with 'Salam' by God and the Angel Gabriel themselves when she ascended to Heaven.
    The Prophet Muhammad later named her among the four greatest women of mankind (alongside his youngest daughter, Fatima; The Virgin Mary, and Moses' adopted mother, Asiya).
    If the idea that Muhammad's own wife was a strong, independent, free-thinking woman doesn't necessarily kill the widely held belief that Islam glorifies the oppression of women, at the very least it challenges/weakens the notion.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


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Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 37 Votes: 51.35% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 32 Votes: 78.12% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 77 Votes: 58.44% Annoying