35fo Uawing the path of sp iritual initiation. In this respect, Khadijah is a sign
of God's presence at the heart of Muhammad's trial; she is to the Pro phet
r.,'luhammad's spirirual experience what Ishmael and Hagar were to
Abraham's tri al. Both women and the son were the signs sem by the One
to manifest His presence and His support in their trial, so that they should
never doubt Him. Khadijah was to be the first to accept [slam, and
throughout the firs! tcn years of Muhammad's mission, she was to remain
at his side, an unfailingly faithful companion. T his woman's role in the
Prophet's life was tremendous. She was, for twenty-five years, his o nly
wife, whose presence alone protected the Prophet but who also under-
went with him rejection by hi s kin, persecution, and isolation.^16 H e loved
her so much. T his was so o bvious that, many years after Khadijah's death,
Aishah- who later married the Prophet-was to say that KJ1adijah was
the only woman of whom she had evcr been jealous. Khadijah received
the good news of his election by God; she was a woman, independent,
dignified, and respected, then a wife, strong, attentive, faithful, and confi-
dent; she was a pious Muslim, sincere, deter mined, and enduring.
,Muhammad, the LaSt Prophet of the One, was not alone, and one of the
dearest signs of God's bount), and love for him was a woman in his life,
his wife.
A Revela ti on, Tru ths, a Book
God had manifested Himself. The first Revelations oriented the Pro phet's
conscio usness toward His supreme, educating presence, since He con-
stantly spoke to him as RobbH/e, Muhammad's Educator, his Lord. The
Angel Gabriel had uansmitted the fir st fundamentrus o f the message and
of th e recognition of God-the essence of faith- while expressing th e
centrality of knowledge (reading and writing) aUied to good behavior. The
announcement of good tidings was ruso accompanied by a warning about
others' futute opposition to Muhammad, for never did a person of truth
appear on earth without giving rise to a fury of hatred, lies, and calumny.
Even some of his own kin, who had loved him, came to hate him so much
as to want to kill him.
The Angel Gabriel appeared to him several rimes. The Prophet was
later to repon that the angel so metimes appeared to him in his angelic