Khadija bint Khuwaylid

Khadija bint Khuwaylid was a central figure in early Islamic history.

She was a member of the aristocratic Quraysh clan in Mecca. Khadija was an exceptionally successful merchant in her own right. Her trade caravans were so large that some accounts claim they equaled the combined caravans of all other Quraysh traders. She was known for a noble personality and great generosity. She provided food and clothing to the poor and helped relatives with marriage portions. Many people gave her honorific titles, such as "Khadija the Great" or "Princess of Quraysh." Interestingly, she was said to have neither believed in nor worshipped idols. This was unusual for the pre-Islamic Arabian culture of her time.

Khadija's business activities eventually led to her marriage to Muhammad. Because she did not travel with her caravans, she employed others to manage them. She hired Muhammad to manage a trade caravan to Syria. She offered him double her usual commission to handle the transaction. She also sent her servant, Maysarah, to assist him. Upon their return, Maysarah reported that Muhammad conducted business with great honor. He brought back twice the profit Khadija had expected. This experience earned Muhammad the titles al-Sadiq, meaning "the Truthful," and al-Amin, meaning "the Trustworthy."

There are different traditions regarding Khadija's marital history before Muhammad. Sunni Muslim tradition suggests she married three times before him. She is said to have married Atiq ibn 'A'idh ibn 'Abdullah Al-Makhzumi and later Malik ibn Nabash ibn Zargari ibn at-Tamimi. From these marriages, she had a daughter named Hindah and two sons named Hala and Hind. However, a Shia version of the history suggests she was a virgin when she married Muhammad. This version notes that some believe the children attributed to her were actually those of her sister, Hala. Regardless of the tradition, Khadija held a very high social and intellectual status.

After observing Muhammad's character, Khadija proposed marriage to him. She used a friend named Nafisa to approach him with the idea. Muhammad initially hesitated because he lacked the money to support a wife. Nafisa suggested he consider a woman who could provide for herself. Muhammad agreed to meet her, and their respective uncles later approved the union. At the time of the marriage, Muhammad was likely between 22 and 25 years old. Sources disagree on Khadija's age, with some stating she was 40 and others saying she was 28.

Khadija and Muhammad had several children together. While different sources list different numbers, most identify six children. They had two sons, Qasim and Abd Allah, and four daughters, Zaynab, Ruqayya, Umm Kulthum, and Fatima. Both sons died during their childhood. Khadija's household also included other individuals, such as Ali ibn Abi Talib and Zayd ibn Harithah. Zayd was a boy from the Kalb tribe who had been sold into slavery. He lived in the household for several years before choosing to stay with the family after his father arrived in Mecca.

Khadija holds a vital place in Islam as the first convert. When Muhammad experienced his first revelation from the Angel Gabriel, he returned home in terror. Khadija comforted him and told him that Allah would protect him. She was the first person to accept his message of Islam. She supported his prophetic mission with both her emotional encouragement and her vast wealth. When the Quraysh harassed the early Muslims, Khadija used her money to ransom slaves and feed the community. She even maintained the community during a harsh trade boycott by the Quraysh that lasted until late 619 or 620.

Khadija passed away in November 619, during the month of Ramadan. This occurred approximately ten years after Muhammad's prophethood began. Her death, occurring in the same year as the death of Muhammad's uncle Abu Talib, led Muhammad to call the period the "Year of Sorrow." She was buried in the Jannat al-Mu'alla cemetery in Mecca.

Muslims honor her as one of the "Mothers of the Believers." She is also ranked among the four greatest women of the world. This group includes her daughter Fatima, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Asiya, the wife of the Pharaoh.