FOLLOWING EVERY BREATH THE PROPHET TAKES

Khadija always followed every breath the Messenger took and felt the excitement of catching and acting upon his feelings. One day, she witnessed the Prophet treating Zayd, one of her servants, with care and special consideration, realizing the high merit in Zayd’s character. She immediately made a gift of Zayd to her husband so that he would have a good servant. When young, Zayd was carried off into slavery during a tribal war. It was a few years after Khadija’s nephew had bought Zayd and given him to Khadija that Zayd’s family found out where Zayd was and went to the Prophet to demand Zayd’s return. The Prophet then called for Zayd and offered him a choice, “If you want, you can stay with us, but if you wish, you may go with your father.”51 Unhesitatingly, Zayd chose to stay with the Prophet, who freed and adopted Zayd as his son. Thus, Zayd preferred eternal freedom to the happiness and warmth of his family’s home. Like Khadija, Zayd ibn Haritha was one of the pioneers who realized that the path to follow passed through this blessed house.

Undoubtedly, Khadija would always stand by her husband, sharing with him her inner beauty. She would be a source of consolation to him during times of strife. Through every outrage and persecution heaped upon him by the Quraysh, Khadija was his dearest companion and helper.52

51 Ibn Sa’d, ibid., 3/42.

52 Ibn Hajar, ibid., 7/604.