Deconstructing Orientalist’s Misrepresentations in the Khadija-Prophet Muhammad Conjugal Narrative
Keywords:
Khadija, political ascendancy, orientalists, mutual respect, misrepresentationsAbstract
The divine message of Prophet Muhammad has precipitated an impactful transformation in human civilization, universally promoting humanity regardless of religious, cultural, or racial attachments. As a unique figure in human history, the enduring legacy of the Prophet has greatly contributed to the socio-spiritual growth of mankind. However, despite his model personality, he has been distorted by different adversaries such as orientalists, who employ diverse devices to defame his reputation. This paper, therefore, aims to specifically examine the orientalist misrepresentations surrounding the Khadija-Prophet Muhammad marital narrative, which has reinforced a false tale that has sowed doubt among Muslims, especially women, regarding the moral decorum and behavioural integrity of Prophet Muhammad. The research employs a historical methodology to trace the narrative of the marital relationship between the Prophet and Khadija while utilizing an analytical method to examine the orientalist agenda that have been spread to foster unjustified scepticism within the Muslim community. The study reveals that the age disparity between the Prophet and Khadija was not as pronounced as overstatedly depicted by Orientalist scholars, which later gained currency among Muslim historians and their writings. Additionally, the research exposes how orientalists have promulgated an inappropriate narrative representing Khadija as an affluent widow who exercised financial control over the Prophet, which insinuates a patron-client relationship. This paper concludes that the union between Khadija and the Prophet was an honest partnership, preceding his prophethood and political ascendancy. By recommending, this research issues a clarion call to Muslims, especially their intellectuals and scholars, to mobilize their resources and expertise to vindicate the integrity of their religion and the exemplary character of the Prophet against orientalist misrepresentations.
Downloads
References
1. Aïmeur, E., Amri, S., & Brassard, G. (2023). Fake news, disinformation and
misinformation in social media: A review. Social Network Analysis and Mining,
13(1), 30.
2. Akhtar, S., Akbar, R., Shah, S. F. A., & Naeem, M. (2021). The style of Seerah
Nigari: As Islamic historiography and the hostile & biased attitudes of Western
thinkers and orientalists regarding Seerah - A critical analysis of Orientalist‟s books.
Habibia Islamicus (The International Journal of Arabic and Islamic Research), 5(2),
31–43.
3. Al-Asqalani, A. A. (1997). Fathul Bari bi Sharhi Sahih Bukhari (9th ed.). Darul
Mahrifah.
4. Al-Asqalani, A. bn Hajar. (852). Fathul Bari. Al-Maktabatu Salafiyyah.
5. Al-Maidani, H. A. (2000). Ajnihatul Makri Thalathah wa Khawafiha (8th ed.). Darul
Qalam.
6. Al-Nabawiyyah, Al-Sirah. (n.d.). Al-Sirah Al-Nabawiyyah (Ibn Hisham).
7. Alghamdi, S. G. (2020). Orientalism and its challenges: Feminist critiques of
Orientalist knowledge production.
8. Ameli, S. R., Marandi, S. M., Ahmed, S., Kara, S., & Merali, A. (2007). The British
media and Muslim representation: The ideology of demonisation. IHRC.
9. Darsey, J. (1999). The prophetic tradition and radical rhetoric in America. NYU
10. Elimam, A. S. (2019). Media, translation and the construction of the Muslim image: A
narrative perspective.
11. Hazzan, M. K. (2023). Deception in the era of digital technologies and the distortion
of reality and facts: An X-ray of Nigerian peculiarities. E-Learning and Digital
Media, 20(6), 563–578. https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530231193865
12. Islam, M. T. (2019). The impact of social media on Muslim society: From Islamic
perspective. International Journal of Social and Humanities Sciences, 3(3), 95–114.
13. Islamic Cleric Claims That Prophet Mohammed Had a Sugar Mummy During His
Time. (2024, December 4). Intel Region.
14. Jarir, At-Tabari, M. B. (1993). Tarikhu Tabari. Darul Kutubil Ilmiyyah.
15. Kazi, N. (2021). Islamophobia, race, and global politics. Rowman & Littlefield.
16. KUR‟ÂN‟IN, METİNLEŞME SÜRECİ BAĞLAMINDA. (n.d.). The comparison of
the Orientalistic views in the context of the textualization process of the Qur‟ān.
17. Lin, L. (2006). The legacy and the future of Orientalism. In Paradoxical Citizenship:
Edward Said (p. 129).
18. Mufti, A. R. (2010). Orientalism and the institution of world literatures. Critical
Inquiry, 36(3), 458–493.
19. Nigosian, S. A. (2004). Islam: Its history, teachings, and practices. Indiana University
Press.
20. Richardson, D. (2008). The secrets of the Koran: Revealing insights into Islam’s holy
bible. Gospel Light Publications.
21. Riyadi, A., Saerozi, S., & Savitri, F. M. (2021). Women and the Da‟wah movement:
Historical analysis of the Khadijah RA‟s role in the time of Rasulullah SAW. Ilmu
Dakwah: Academic Journal for Homiletic Studies, 15(1), 43–62.
22. Robinson, F. (1996). The Cambridge illustrated history of the Islamic world.
Cambridge University Press.
23. Said, E. W. (1977). Orientalism. The Georgia Review, 31(1), 162–206.
24. Salloomi, A., & Abd Allah, M. (1996). Kitab Al Tabaqat Al Kubra of Muhammad Bin
Sa’d (d. 230/844). University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
25. Salvatore, A. (1994). The making (and unmaking) of political Islam. European
University Institute.
26. Sbaihat, A. (2022). Khadijah‟s image in 19th century Orientalism. Al-Jami’ah:
Journal of Islamic Studies, 60(2), 399–426.
27. Sidorov, V., & Melnik, G. (2021). Media destruction of the spiritual values of society
(based on the materials of the experts‟ round table). Медиаобразование, 1, 125–133.
28. Tibi, B. (2012). Islamism and Islam. Yale University Press.
29. Walusimbi, A. (2023). The biography of Lady Khadija and its legal and moral
implications on Muslim women in the 21st century. Journal of Islamic Studies and
Arabic Language, 2(2), 95–104.
30. Weil, G. (1843). Mohammed der Prophet, sein Leben und seine Lehre: Aus
handschriftlichen Quellen und dem Koran: Mit Beilagen und einer Stammtafel.
Metzler.
31. Zeitlin, I. M. (2007). The historical Muhammad. Polity.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Nurudeen Hanafi Olushola (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
CC Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0
