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Top 10 Interesting Facts about Khadīja bint Khuwaylid

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid was the first wife and considered to be the first follower of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

She was obedient to her husband, Muhammad, and was the first to accept his faith, Islam. Muhammad narrated how he met Angel Gabriel (Jibril), an experience that Khadija believed in and immediately followed what her husband told her.

Khadija was the daughter of Khuwaylid ibn Asad, a leader of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca, and a successful businesswoman in her own right.

Khadija was a very successful merchant. It is said that when the Quraysh’s trade caravan travelers gathered to embark upon their summer journey to Syria or winter journey to Yemen, Khadija’s caravan equaled the caravans of all other traders of the Quraysh put together. 

1. She was a Philanthropist

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid was the first wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad Photo by Guillaume Rouillé –

Khadija was given many honorifics, including ‘The Pious One’, ‘Princess of Quraysh’ or Ameerat-Quraysh, and Khadija the Great or Khadija al-Kubra.

It is said that she fed and clothed the poor, assisted her relatives financially, and provided marriage portions for poor relations. 

It is said that she fed and clothed the poor, assisted her relatives financially, and provided marriage portions for poor relations. Khadija was said to have neither believed in nor worshiped idols, which was atypical for pre-Islamic Arabian culture.

2. She Never Worshipped Idols

Khadija was said to have neither believed in nor worshiped idols, which was atypical for pre-Islamic Arabian culture.

3. She Hired a Co-worker

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Khadija did not travel with her trade caravans; instead, she employed others to trade on her behalf for a commission.

In 595 Khadija needed a co-worker for a transaction in Syria. She hired Muhammad ibn Abdullah, then 25 years old, for the trade in Syria, sending word that she would pay to double her usual commission.

4. Muhammad was once in her Caravan

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With the permission of Abu Talib ibn Muttalib, his uncle, Muhammad was sent to Syria with one of Khadija’s servants. This caravan experience earned Muhammad the honorifics of al-Sadiq meaning the Truthful and al-Amin meaning the Trustworthy or the Honest.

She sent one of her servants, Maysarah, to assist him. Upon returning, Maysarah gave accounts of the honorable way in which Muhammad had conducted his business, bringing back twice as much profit as Khadija had expected.

5. Her Business as a Merchant

Khadija was a very successful merchant. It is said that when the Quraysh’s trade caravan travelers gathered to embark upon their summer journey to Syria or winter journey to Yemen. 

Khadija’s caravan equaled the caravans of all other traders of the Quraysh put together. Khadija was given many honorifics, including The Pious One, Princess of Quraysh as Ameerat-Quraysh, and Khadija the Great meaning Khadija al-Kubra.

6. Khadija Never Travelled with her Caravans

Khadija did not travel with her trade caravans; instead, she employed others to trade on her behalf for a commission.

In 595 Khadija needed a co-worker for a transaction in Syria. She hired Muhammad ibn Abdullah, then 25 years old, for the trade in Syria, sending word that she would pay to double her usual commission.

7. Her Marriages

Khadija married three times and had children from all her marriages. While the order of her marriages is debated, it is generally believed that she first married Atiq ibn ‘A’idh ibn’ Abdullah Al-Makhzumi.

Her second marriage was to Malik ibn Nabash ibn Zargari ibn at-Tamimi. To Atiq, Khadija bore a daughter named Hindah. This marriage left Khadija a widow.

With Malik, she had two daughters, who were named Hala and Hind. Malik also left Khadija a widow, dying before his business became a success. Khadija, subsequently proposed to Muhammad.

8. Her Unique Marriage to Muhammad

Khadija entrusted a friend named Nafisa to approach Muhammad and ask if he would consider marriage. 

When Muhammad hesitated because he had no money to support a wife, Nafisa asked if he would consider marriage to a woman who had the means to provide for herself.

Muhammad agreed to meet with Khadija, and after this meeting, they consulted their respective uncles. The uncles agreed to the marriage, and Muhammad’s uncles accompanied him to make a formal proposal to Khadija.

It is disputed whether it was Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib, Abu Talib, or both who accompanied Muhammad on this errand. Khadija’s uncle accepted the proposal, and the marriage took place.

At the time of the marriage, Muhammad was around 25 years old and Khadija was either 28 or 40 years old. Muhammad and Khadija were married monogamously for 25 years. After her death, Muhammad took on other wives.

9. She accepted Islam from Muhammad

According to the traditional Sunni narrative, when Muhammad reported his first revelation from the Angel Gabriel (Jibril), Khadija was the first person to accept Al-Haqq The Truth, which means she accepted Islam.

After his experience in the cave of Hira, Muhammad returned home to Khadija in a state of terror, pleading for her to cover him with a blanket.

After calming down, he described the encounter to Khadija, who comforted him with the words that Allah would surely protect him from any danger, and would never allow anyone to revile him as he was a man of peace and reconciliation and always extended the hand of friendship to all.

According to some sources, it was Khadija’s cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who confirmed Muhammad’s prophethood soon afterward.

Khadija was supportive of Muhammad’s prophetic mission, always helping in his work, proclaiming his message, and belittling any opposition to his prophecies.

It was her encouragement that helped Muhammad believe in his mission and spread Islam. 

Khadija also invested her wealth in the mission. When the polytheists and aristocrats of the Quraysh harassed the Muslims, she used her money to ransom Muslim slaves and feed the Muslim community.

In 616, the Quraysh declared a trade boycott against the Hashim clan. They attacked, imprisoned, and beat the Muslims, who sometimes went for days without food or drink. Khadija continued to maintain the community until the boycott was lifted in late 619 or early 620

10. Interesting Scenario around Khadija’s Death

Khadija tomb.jpg Photo by Unknown author –

Khadija died in Ramadan of the year 10 after the Prophethood. On November 619 CE. Muhammad later called this tenth year the ‘Year of Sorrow’, as his uncle and protector Abu Talib also died at this time.

Khadija is said to have been about 65 years old at the time of her death. She was buried in Jannat al-Mu’alla cemetery, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Another report from Muhammad bin Ishaq says that ‘Abu Talib and Khadija bint Khuwaylid died in the same year.

This was three years before the emigration of the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) to Medina. Khadija was buried in al-Hajun. The Messenger of Allah buried her in her grave. She was 40 years old when the Messenger of Allah married her.

In the years immediately following Khadija’s death, Muhammad faced persecution from opponents of his message and also from some who originally followed him but had now turned back.

Hostile tribes ridiculed and stoned him. Muhammad migrated to Yathrib otherwise called Medina after Khadija’s death.