Mishkat al-Masabih 30 Fine Qualities كتاب المناقب 198

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «خَيْرُ نِسَائِهَا مَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ وَخَيْرُ نِسَائِهَا خَدِيجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِدٍ» مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ قَالَ أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ: وَأَشَارَ وَكِيعٌ إِلَى السَّمَاء وَالْأَرْض

`Ali told that he heard God’s messenger say, “The best woman of her time was Mary daughter of `Imran, and the best woman of her time is Khadija daughter of Khuwailid.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version Abu Kuraib said that Waki pointed to the sky and to the earth[*]. *The tradition is usually understood as translated above, but the gesture of Waki suggests that he understood the words to be spoken in Khadija’s lifetime and meant Mary was the best in heaven and Khadija the best on earth.