Beside Every Great Man is a Great Woman: An Analytical Study of a Hadith on the Prophet Muhammad’s Wife, Khadijah RA, as Narrated by Aisyah RA

Khadijah RA, the wife of Prophet Muhammad SAW, exemplifies the profound influence of women in fostering leadership, resilience, and spiritual growth. This study critically examines a hadith narrated by Aisyah RA, which highlights Khadijah’s unwavering support for the Prophet during the early years of his prophethood. Although awareness of women’s roles is growing, figures like Khadijah RA remain overlooked in global discourse. World narratives often sideline her contributions, leading to an imbalanced view of women’s roles. In Malaysia, her legacy is rarely integrated into leadership or character-building programmes. This gap also limits understanding of healthy marital communication, as communication anxiety has been shown to reduce marital satisfaction. Adopting a qualitative approach, the study employs thematic analysis of classical Islamic texts and scholarly interpretations to explore Khadijah’s role from historical, psychological, and counseling perspectives. Findings indicate that Khadijah’s emotional intelligence and steadfast faith played a crucial role in alleviating the Prophet’s distress and reinforcing his confidence in delivering the divine message. Additionally, the study identifies key counseling principles such as unconditional positive regard, empathy, and reassurance embedded in her interactions with the Prophet, highlighting the vital role of emotional support in marital relationships. The analysis underscores that strong partnerships built on trust and encouragement contribute to both personal and societal development. The study advocates for greater recognition of Khadijah’s legacy in leadership and counseling discourses, proposing that her qualities be integrated into modern frameworks to enrich both personal resilience and communal progress.