Pebbles under her feet are worth more than the pearls on paradise’ shore, writes Jaihoon in a tribute to Lady Khadijah, the wife of Prophet

It was mid
Of the day, and
Earth had turned
To oven’s clay

Even the young
Became exhausted
White-bearded men
In shade rested

But an Old Lady
Is on her way out
Giving a deaf ear
To the sun’s shout

With her is a pack
Of bread
Made for her
Solitary Beloved

She headed towards
A cave-mount
Where he sat
In moments silent

He was loved and
Respected by all
Yet he disagreed
With their ways of idol

He was in pursuit
Of the Ultimate Truth
Nothing else could
Quench his thirst

He spent days
And months alone
An inner voice
Called him to the One

She defied her age
As she climbed up
Her feet and head
Wearied not a bit

She was a merchant well-known
Many trade-caravans did she own

She believed as much
In his pursuit, and-
When Truth revealed
She readily mirrored

She fed and cared
For the Himalaya of Light
And down flowed the Ganges
With rays of Change

She was the pillar
Who supported the Sultan
When he had neither
Army nor any weapon

She was his confidence
And courage
Although she was elder
To him in age

Noble souls like hers-
Make Lord’s creations worth

The pebbles under
Her feet:
Worth more than
The pearls on paradise’ shore

With love and wealth
For His beloved
The old lady Merchant
Purchased the paradise

Dec 11 2011.

The term OLD lady is based on the following incident reported by Al-Bukhari:
“I was never, jealous of any of the Prophet’s wives (pbuh) except Khadija because the Prophet frequently remembered her. One day, he remembered her, therefore I said, What do you do with an old woman, and Allah favored you with someone better than her (meaning herself)’? The Prophet (pbuh) said, “No, by Allah! He does not give me a better one than her. She believed me while people disbelieved. When they called me a liar, she alone remained true. She enriched me when people deprived me. Allah has favored her with my offspring, and from nobody else.