Some people enter history quietly and then change everything. Khadija bint Khuwaylid (رضي الله عنها) was one of them. Long before Makkah heard a single verse of the Qur’an, she was already known across Quraysh as a woman of character, wealth and wisdom. And when the most frightening night of the Prophet’s ﷺ life arrived, she was the one who steadied him, believed him and stood beside him.
In this article we walk through her story slowly and honestly: who she was, how she met the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, why she is called the first believer, and what her life still teaches us as Muslims. Everything here is drawn from the Qur’an, authentic hadith and the classical books of Seerah, and where scholars differ, we say so plainly.
Note:
Whenever the Prophet’s name is mentioned we say ﷺ (Ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam), and for Khadija we say رضي الله عنها (Raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā, “may Allah be pleased with her”).
Table of Contents
Who Was Khadija bint Khuwaylid (RA)?
Khadija was born in Makkah around 555 CE into the Banu Asad, one of the respected clans of Quraysh. Her father, Khuwaylid ibn Asad, was a merchant and a man of standing, and her mother was Fatimah bint Zaʾidah. She grew up in a trading city where reputation was everything, and hers was spotless.
In the days of Jahiliyyah, people called her al-Ṭāhirah (the pure one) because of her modesty and conduct. Later generations know her as Khadija al-Kubra (Khadija the Great), and the Muslim community honours her as Umm al-Muʾminīn, a Mother of the Believers.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Khadija bint Khuwaylid ibn Asad (خديجة بنت خويلد) |
| Born | Makkah, around 555 CE (about 68 years before the Hijrah) |
| Titles | al-Ṭāhirah, Khadija al-Kubra, Umm al-Muʾminīn |
| Husband | The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (her first marriage to him, and his first wife) |
| Children with the Prophet ﷺ | Qasim, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, Fatimah and ʿAbdullah |
| Passed away | Ramadan, 10th year of Prophethood (about three years before the Hijrah) |
| Buried | Al-Ḥajūn (Jannat al-Muʿallā), Makkah |
A Businesswoman Before Her Time
It surprises many readers that one of the most honoured women in Islam was also one of the most successful traders of her age. Khadija did not travel with the caravans herself. Instead she hired trustworthy men to trade with her capital and paid them a share of the profit. Historians report that her merchandise was so great that it could rival that of many other traders put together.
But wealth never made her proud. She fed the poor, supported relatives and helped orphaned girls and widows marry with dignity. She also stayed away from the idol worship around her, which was rare in her society. For a Muslim reader, this is already a lesson: a woman can earn, lead and trade honourably, and Islam never saw those things as opposed to piety.
The Trip to Syria
Around the age of twenty-five, Muhammad ibn ʿAbdullah ﷺ was already known in Makkah as al-Amīn (the Trustworthy) and al-Ṣādiq (the Truthful). When Khadija heard about his reputation, she asked him to take her goods to Syria, and she sent her servant Maysarah with him.
The journey went extremely well. The profit was greater than anyone expected, but what truly moved Khadija was what Maysarah told her afterwards: the young man’s honesty, his humility and his gentle manners with everyone. According to Ibn Isḥāq, those reports made a deep impression on her.
The Blessed Marriage
Khadija then did something bold for her time. Through her friend Nafīsah bint Munyah, she let the Prophet ﷺ know that she would welcome a marriage proposal. After the families spoke, the marriage took place, and the Prophet ﷺ moved into her home.
Scholars mention two views about her age. The majority say she was around forty, while some reports say she was about twenty-eight. Either way, the marriage was built on respect, trust and shared values rather than on status or money, and the seerah books describe it as a deeply loving partnership that lasted about twenty-five years. By the well-known account, the Prophet ﷺ did not marry anyone else while she was alive.
She was the one who believed in him when others denied him, who comforted him when others turned away, and who supported him with her own wealth when others held back.
Meaning of the Prophet’s words about Khadija, reported in Musnad Aḥmad
Her Family: A Home of Mercy
Khadija’s home was a warm and busy household. Alongside her own children, it also welcomed ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (the Prophet’s young cousin) and Zayd ibn Ḥārithah, who was later raised by the Prophet ﷺ with great love.
| Child | Brief note |
|---|---|
| Qasim | The eldest son; he passed away in early childhood, which is why the Prophet ﷺ was called Abu al-Qasim. |
| Zaynab | Married Abu al-ʿĀṣ ibn al-Rabīʿ; she migrated to Madinah. |
| Ruqayyah | Married ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (RA); she migrated to Abyssinia and later Madinah. |
| Umm Kulthum | Married ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (RA) after the passing of her sister Ruqayyah. |
| Fatimah | Married ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (RA); the Prophet’s ﷺ lineage continued through her sons al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn. |
| ʿAbdullah | Known as al-Ṭayyib and al-Ṭāhir; he also passed away in childhood. |
Good to know:
Early historians differ slightly on the exact number and order of the children. Most scholars agree that the Prophet ﷺ had four daughters with Khadija, and that all of his surviving children were from her, except Ibrahim, who was born to Māriyah (RA).
The Night of Hira: The First Believer
This is the part of her story that every Muslim should know by heart. In the cave of Hira, the angel Jibrīl (AS) came to the Prophet ﷺ with the first revelation. Shaken and overwhelmed, he hurried home and asked Khadija to cover him.
She did not panic, and she did not doubt him. According to the hadith in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, she reassured him with a list of his own character: he honoured family ties, he carried the burdens of the weak, he helped those in need, he welcomed guests generously and he stood beside people in hardship. A person like that, she told him, would never be abandoned by Allah.
She then took him to her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, a learned man who knew the earlier scriptures. Waraqah recognised the angel as the same one who had come to Mūsā (AS) and warned that the Prophet ﷺ would face rejection from his own people.
Standing With Islam in the Hardest Years
Belief was only the beginning. For about ten years Khadija lived through the most difficult stage of the call to Islam, and she gave everything she had to it. Her wealth helped support the early Muslims, and her calm presence gave the Prophet ﷺ a safe place to return to after being mocked and harassed.
When Quraysh declared a boycott against the Banu Hashim and the Muslims, she was already elderly. She still endured hunger, isolation and fear in the valley of Abu Ṭālib for around three years. Many scholars feel this hardship weakened her health, and she passed away soon after the boycott ended.
A Short Timeline of Her Life
- About 555 CE: Born in Makkah into the Banu Asad.
- About 595 CE: Marries the Prophet ﷺ after the trip to Syria.
- 610 CE: Becomes the first person to accept Islam after the first revelation.
- 616–619 CE: Endures the boycott of the Banu Hashim with the Prophet ﷺ.
- Ramadan, 10th year of Prophethood: Passes away in Makkah and is buried at al-Ḥajūn.
The Year of Sorrow (ʿĀm al-Ḥuzn)
Within a short time, the Prophet ﷺ lost both his beloved wife and his protective uncle, Abu Ṭālib. Because of this double loss, the tenth year of Prophethood came to be known as the Year of Sorrow. After Khadija’s death, the opposition in Makkah grew sharper, and not long after came the painful journey to Ṭāʾif and then the Isra and Miʿraj.
The Prophet ﷺ himself descended into her grave and laid her to rest. At that time the funeral prayer had not yet been prescribed. She was around sixty-five years old according to the commonly reported account.
What the Qur’an and Sunnah Say About Her Status
The Qur’an calls the wives of the Prophet ﷺ the mothers of the believers (Surah al-Aḥzāb 33:6), and Khadija is the very first of them. The hadith literature adds many sayings about her virtue:
- Among the best women. The Prophet ﷺ said that the best of women (in her own time) was Maryam bint ʿImrān, and the best of women (in her time) was Khadija. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3815; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2430)
- Four perfect women. Ibn ʿAbbās (RA) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said it is enough for you from the women of the world to know Maryam, Khadija, Fatimah and Āsiyah. (Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī 3878)
- Salam from Allah. Jibrīl (AS) told the Prophet ﷺ to convey greetings of peace to Khadija from her Lord, along with the glad tidings of a house in Paradise made of hollow pearl, free from noise and exhaustion. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3820; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2432)
- Never forgotten. Years after her passing, the Prophet ﷺ still spoke of her with love. ʿĀʾishah (RA) said she had never felt as jealous of any wife as she did of Khadija, simply because he mentioned her so often. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3816)
- Kindness to her friends. When a sheep was slaughtered, the Prophet ﷺ would send portions to Khadija’s friends. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3818)
Reminder:
Hadith numbers can differ slightly between editions and translations. If you quote any narration, please check it in the edition you use before sharing.
Lessons From the Life of Khadija (RA)
It’s easy to admire someone from history and then close the book. Khadija’s life, though, speaks directly to Muslim families today. Here are the lessons that stand out most:
- Judge people by character. She chose the Prophet ﷺ for his honesty, not for his money or tribe.
- Be a source of calm. When fear came, she responded with reassurance and faith, not panic.
- Use wealth for good. Her business success became a means of supporting the truth and the vulnerable.
- Support your spouse with sincerity. A believing home can be the strongest shelter in a hard world.
- Stay patient through long trials. She endured years of pressure and a harsh boycott without complaint.
- Honour those who came before. The Prophet ﷺ remembered her faithfully, teaching us the value of loyalty and gratitude.
Frequently Asked Questions About Khadija (RA)
Who was Khadija bint Khuwaylid?
Khadija bint Khuwaylid (RA) was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, a respected businesswoman of Makkah, the first person to accept Islam and one of the Mothers of the Believers.
Was Khadija the first Muslim?
Yes. Scholars of Seerah agree that Khadija (RA) was the first person to believe in the Prophet’s ﷺ message, right after the first revelation in the cave of Hira.
How old was Khadija when she married the Prophet ﷺ?
Most scholars mention that she was about forty years old, while some reports say about twenty-eight. The Prophet ﷺ was around twenty-five at the time.
Why is the tenth year of Prophethood called the Year of Sorrow?
Because the Prophet ﷺ lost both his beloved wife Khadija (RA) and his protector and uncle Abu Ṭālib within a short time, which made the opposition in Makkah much harder.
Where is Khadija (RA) buried?
She is buried in the cemetery of al-Ḥajūn, also known as Jannat al-Muʿallā, in Makkah.
Final Thoughts
Khadija bint Khuwaylid (RA) never held a sword, never gave a public sermon in Makkah, and yet Islam’s story would be unimaginable without her. Her loyalty, intelligence and generosity prepared the ground for the first Muslim home. May Allah be pleased with her, elevate her rank in Jannah, and grant us the strength to follow her example in faith and character. Āmīn.
If this article helped you, share it with your family, and let us know in the comments which lesson from her life touched you the most.
Sources:
The Qur’an (33:6) · Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī · Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim · Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī · Musnad Aḥmad · Ibn Isḥāq / Ibn Hishām, Sīrat Rasūl Allāh · Ibn Saʿd, al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā · al-Mubārakpūrī, al-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm · Khadija bint Khuwaylid (Wikipedia, for general overview)
