Khadijah bint Khuwaylid رضي الله عنها was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the first person to embrace Islam. She was a distinguished woman of Quraysh, known for her nobility, purity and intelligence, and her support formed a cornerstone of early Islam, while her character and sacrifice are regarded by the scholars as an example for all Muslims.
Her lineage and status in Mecca
Khadijah رضي الله عنها came from Banu Asad, a branch of Quraysh. Her father, Khuwaylid ibn Asad, was a respected leader in Mecca, and she inherited his commercial spirit and his reputation. In the years before the revelation she was known as at-Tahirah, that is, the pure woman.¹
She was a successful businesswoman and possessed extensive trade caravans travelling to ash-Shaam and Yemen. Many prominent men sought to marry her on account of her honour, status and wealth, but she turned them away.
Her marriage to the Prophet ﷺ
Khadijah رضي الله عنها hired the Prophet ﷺ, then still a young and honest merchant, to accompany her caravan. Her servant Maysarah observed his honesty, trustworthiness and modesty during the journey and reported back to her.²
Impressed by his character, she proposed marriage to him through a relative. He ﷺ was twenty-five years old and she was forty, and the marriage lasted until her death, throughout which period the Prophet ﷺ married no other woman.³
The first believer
When the revelation descended in Ghar Hira and the Prophet ﷺ returned home, frightened and trembling, Khadijah رضي الله عنها received him with calm and reassurance. She spoke the famous words:
“By Allah, He will never disgrace you. You maintain the ties of kinship, help those in need, give to the poor, honour your guests and support the oppressed.”⁴
She believed in him without hesitation, and thereby she became the first Muslim, even before Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, ‘Ali رضي الله عنه and Zayd رضي الله عنه.⁵
Her role in early Islam
Khadijah رضي الله عنها stood unwavering beside the Prophet ﷺ during the first years of revelation, in which hostility, mockery and isolation steadily increased. She used her wealth to support the Muslims, her home as a refuge, and her social standing to ward off pressure from Quraysh.
During the boycott in Shi’b Abi Talib she suffered alongside the family of the Prophet ﷺ, despite her age and her riches, and she gave up everything and sacrificed her health for the cause of Allah ﷻ.⁶
The Prophet ﷺ remained faithful to this memory throughout his life. He often spoke of her, sent gifts to her family, and said:
“Allah gave me no better wife than her.”⁷
Khadijah رضي الله عنها is among the four best women of all time:
- Maryam bint ‘Imran عليها السلام
- Asiyah, the wife of Fir’awn عليها السلام
- Khadijah bint Khuwaylid رضي الله عنها
- Fatimah bint Muhammad رضي الله عنها