Narrated Ali: I heard the Prophet SAW saying, “Mary, the daughter of Imran, was the best among the women (of the world of her time) and Khadijah is the best amongst the women (of this nation).”

Sahih Al-Bukhari – Book 58 Hadith 164

 

Dear Readers,

 

 

We are pleased to bring you a very inspiring post on a most revered woman of Islam, Khadijah (ra).  If there is a woman to be emulated , Khadijah (ra) ranks at the top. She is the first of the Mother of Believers, the title of veneration and respect given to all the wives of the Prophet SAW, and has the unique position of not only being the first woman, but also the first person, to embrace Islam. In our recovery we take great inspiration from Khadijah (ra).

 

 

In My Recovery I’m Inspired by

Khadijah (ra)

 

People in the modern era have no choice but to be constantly bombarded by images of those who are famous for whatever reason. Many of these people, especially those famous from the movie or modelling industry, spend their lives working on their image as well as having other working on their photos to make them look as perfect as possible. This can strongly influence many people, particularly young and impressionable people, to believe that this is how everyone should look and feel inadequate that they don’t in fact look this way. In such an image, saturated world this can be difficult to avoid and as result millions of people all over the world developed eating disorders in order to cope with pressure they feel to look however they are being told they should look. Whilst they may have support from family or friends many men and women are made to feel guilty for their appearance and this is becoming an even more widespread issue with the prevalence of social media and the internet spreading these somewhat misleading images.

In Islam, Khadija (may god be pleased with her) is regarded as one the most important female heroines in history and the first wife of the Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him). She was his first follower and his wife for 25 years before her death. Her story is a truly inspiring one for millions around the world as she was a great role model for those who struggle with the many problems of today. Despite common misconceptions held by many, Khadija (ra) was 15 years older than her husband Muhammed (pbuh) and they were together monogamously for two and a half decades.

She is revered by so many today because of her piety and wisdom. The love that she and Muhammed (pbuh) shared is seen by most Muslims as the truest example of true love in history. There are lessons that can be learned from her life story which can be taken in by Muslims and non-Muslims alike to try and deal with personal problems in a positive and inspiring way due to her strength of character and her ability to find her true passion in life.

1. Have faith in yourself and those who you love – she was the first person on Earth to accept Muhammed (pbuh) as the prophet of God and went with his word because of the trust and love she felt for him. If you learn to relate to others this way then you will no doubt feel more positive about the world and have more faith in the goodness of the people surrounding you.
2. Take initiative – Khadija (ra) is a great example of a woman who wasn’t afraid go after what she wanted. This is especially exemplified as she was actually the one who asked Muhammed (pbuh) for them to be married and not leave it up to him to decide. Many women can feel pressured when trying to take initiative in their life and this should be a lesson that just going for it is better than never knowing what might happen.
3. Be generous – Khadija (ra) was one of Islam’s most generous heroes. Giving away her riches almost constantly to the sick, hungry, elderly and widowed as well as proving many women with dowries so they could be married. Bringing goodness into the lives of others can be a brilliant way invite more positivity into your own life.
4. Don’t be afraid of judgement – Muhammed (pbuh) was actually 15 years younger than his wife Khadija (ra) but this never bothered either of them due to the putiry of their love. If you are scared that people will judge you for a characteristic you have then ignore them.
5. Work hard – When Khadija’s (ra) father died she took over his commerce business which operated in a hugely extensive area. She was very talented and worked incredibly hard to grow this business. Failing after working hard is always better than never trying at all and beating an eating disorder is something which will require hard work.
6. Loyalty is key – When someone in your life is in need it is important to be by their side, this is something which Khadija (ra) exemplified totally in her belief of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). Finding in people in life worthy of your loyalty is invaluable.
7. Seize opportunities – The Opportunity to go on a journey or take on a challenge was something that Khadija (ra) never backed down from and this can be a great lesson when battling a tough personal problem.
8. Be a source of encouragement – In her life Khadija (ra) was a huge source of inspiration for many and if you are able to be this for even a small number of people then it will make you feel much better about your image.
9. Seek the quality in others – Khadija (ra) supposedly had many men campaign for her hand in marriage but she wasn’t truly in love with any of them as she wanted to seek her true love, something which can benefit those struggling with image a great deal.
10. Influence those around you positively – Doing good things for others as Khadija (ra) did so often will give you the image inside that you may crave on the outside.

It is very hard for those in the public spotlight to look and behave certain way with many of them such as Angelina Jolie or Janice Dickinson openly struggling with their own image. This poses the question of why we are all concerned with our image and not with the quality of our actions.