Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (Arabic: خديجة بنت خويلد) or Khadījah al-Kubra (Khadijah the Great) [2] 555 – 22 November 619 CE) was the first wife and follower of the Islamic Prophet (Arabic: نَـبِي, Prophet) Muhammad. She is commonly regarded by Muslims as the "Mother of the Believers". Khadijah is regarded as one of the most important female figures in Islam, like her daughter, Fatimah. Muhammad was monogamously married to her for 25 years. After the death of Khadijah, Muhammad re-married.
Khadijah was the closest to Muhammad and he confided in her the most out of all his following wives. It is narrated in many hadiths that Khadijah was Muhammad's most trusted and favorite among all his marriages. It is narrated in Sahih Muslim: The messenger of Allah said: "God Almighty never granted me anyone better in this life than her. She accepted me when people rejected me; she believed in me when people doubted me; she shared her wealth with me when people deprived me; and Allah granted me children only through her."[3] ‘A’ishah narrated of Muhammed and Khadijah in Sahih Bukhari: "I did not feel jealous of any of the wives of the Prophet as much as I did of Khadijah though I did not see her, but the Prophet used to mention her very often, and when ever he slaughtered a sheep, he would cut its parts and send them to the women friends of Khadijah. When I sometimes said to him, "(You treat Khadijah in such a way) as if there is no woman on Earth except Khadijah," he would say, "Khadijah was such-and-such, and from her I had children."[4] It is also narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: "The best of its women is Khadijah bint Khuwailid, and the best of its women is Maryam bint ‘Imran."[5] Muhammad said about her "She believed in me when the whole world refuted me and she attested to my veracity when the whole world accused me of falsehood. She offered me compassion and loyalty with her wealth when everyone else had forsaken me."
Khadijah was the first female and person to become a follower of Muhammad. Muhammad was married to her until her death and Khadijah was the only wife to be married to Muhammad in monogamy, thus sometimes regarded as Muhammad's most beloved. She is regarded as one of the most important women in Islam, and in terms of the progression of Islam, the most important out of all of Muhammad's wives.
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 and second Malik ibn Nabash ibn Zarrara ibn at-Tamimi.[13] To her second husband she bore two sons, who were both given what were usually feminine names,[14] Hala and Hind. He died before his business became a success.[15] To husband Atiq, Khadija bore a daughter named Hindah. This marriage also left Khadija as a widow.[16]
Khadija became a very successful merchant. It is said that when the Quraysh's trade caravans gathered to embark upon their summer journey to Syria or winter journey to Yemen, Khadija's caravan equalled the caravans of all other traders of the Quraysh put together.[17] She was known by the by-names Ameerat-Quraysh ("Princess of Quraysh"), al-Tahira ("The Pure One") and Khadija Al-Kubra (Khadija "the Great").[18] It is said that she fed and clothed the poor, assisted her relatives financially and provided marriage portions for poor relations.[18] Khadija was said to have neither believed in nor worshipped idols (Taghut), which was atypical for pre-Islamic Arabian culture.[19] According to other sources, however, she kept an idol of Al-‘Uzzá in her house.[20]
Khadija did not travel with her trade caravans; she employed others to trade on her behalf for a commission. In 595 Khadija needed an agent for a transaction in Syria. Abu Talib ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib recommended her distant cousin Muhammad ibn Abdullah. The experience that Muhammad held working with caravans in his uncle Abu Talib's family business had earned him the honorific titles Al-Sadiq ("the Truthful") and Al-Amin ("the Trustworthy" or "Honest").[21] Khadija hired Muhammad, who was then 25 years old, sending word through her kinsman Khazimah ibn Hakim[citation needed] that she would pay double her usual commission.[22]
She sent one of her servants, Maysarah, to assist him. Upon returning, Maysarah gave accounts of the honorable way that Muhammad had conducted his business, with the result that he brought back twice as much profit as Khadija had expected. Maysarah also relayed that on the return journey, Muhammad had stopped to rest under a tree. A passing monk, Nestora, informed Maysarah that, "None but a prophet ever sat beneath this tree."[23]
Khadija then consulted her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal ibn Asad ibn 'Abdu'l-'Uzza.[23] Waraqah said that if what Maysarah had seen was true, then Muhammad was, in fact, the prophet of the people who was already expected. It is also said Khadijah had a dream in which the sun descended from the sky into her courtyard, fully illuminating her home.[15] Her cousin Waraqah told her not to be alarmed, for the sun was an indication that the Prophet would grace her home.[15] At this, Khadija considered proposing marriage to her agent.[24] Many wealthy Quraysh men had already asked for her hand in marriage,[15] but all had been refused.[25]
Muhammad and Khadija were married monogamously for twenty-five years. This monogamous marriage contrasts with Muhammad's later practice of polygyny after Khadija's death. Muhammad's youngest wife, Aisha, would later be jealous of the affection and loyalty that Muhammad maintained for Khadija even after her death.[28]
Khadijah was the closest to Muhammad and he confided in her the most out of all his following wives. It is narrated in many hadiths that Khadijah was Muhammad's most trusted and favorite among all his marriages. It is narrated in Sahih Muslim: The messenger of Allah said: "God Almighty never granted me anyone better in this life than her. She accepted me when people rejected me; she believed in me when people doubted me; she shared her wealth with me when people deprived me; and Allah granted me children only through her."[3] ‘A’ishah narrated of Muhammed and Khadijah in Sahih Bukhari: "I did not feel jealous of any of the wives of the Prophet as much as I did of Khadijah though I did not see her, but the Prophet used to mention her very often, and when ever he slaughtered a sheep, he would cut its parts and send them to the women friends of Khadijah. When I sometimes said to him, "(You treat Khadijah in such a way) as if there is no woman on Earth except Khadijah," he would say, "Khadijah was such-and-such, and from her I had children."[4] It is also narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: "The best of its women is Khadijah bint Khuwailid, and the best of its women is Maryam bint ‘Imran."[5] Muhammad said about her "She believed in me when the whole world refuted me and she attested to my veracity when the whole world accused me of falsehood. She offered me compassion and loyalty with her wealth when everyone else had forsaken me."
Khadijah was the first female and person to become a follower of Muhammad. Muhammad was married to her until her death and Khadijah was the only wife to be married to Muhammad in monogamy, thus sometimes regarded as Muhammad's most beloved. She is regarded as one of the most important women in Islam, and in terms of the progression of Islam, the most important out of all of Muhammad's wives.
Before marrying Muhammad
Khadija's grandfather, Asad ibn ‘Abdul-‘Uzza, was the progenitor[clarification needed] of the Asad clan[6] of the Tribe of Quraysh in Mecca. Her father, Khuwaylid ibn Asad, was a merchant.[6] According to some traditions, he died c. 585 CE in the Sacrilegious War, but according to others, he was still alive when Khadijah married Muhammad in 595.[7][8] His sister, Umm Habib bint Asad, was the matrilineal great-grandmother of Muhammad.[9] Khadija's mother, Fatima bint Za'idah, who died around 575,[citation needed] was a member of the Amir ibn Luayy clan of the Quraysh[10] and a third cousin of Muhammad's mother.[11][12]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 and second Malik ibn Nabash ibn Zarrara ibn at-Tamimi.[13] To her second husband she bore two sons, who were both given what were usually feminine names,[14] Hala and Hind. He died before his business became a success.[15] To husband Atiq, Khadija bore a daughter named Hindah. This marriage also left Khadija as a widow.[16]
Khadija became a very successful merchant. It is said that when the Quraysh's trade caravans gathered to embark upon their summer journey to Syria or winter journey to Yemen, Khadija's caravan equalled the caravans of all other traders of the Quraysh put together.[17] She was known by the by-names Ameerat-Quraysh ("Princess of Quraysh"), al-Tahira ("The Pure One") and Khadija Al-Kubra (Khadija "the Great").[18] It is said that she fed and clothed the poor, assisted her relatives financially and provided marriage portions for poor relations.[18] Khadija was said to have neither believed in nor worshipped idols (Taghut), which was atypical for pre-Islamic Arabian culture.[19] According to other sources, however, she kept an idol of Al-‘Uzzá in her house.[20]
Khadija did not travel with her trade caravans; she employed others to trade on her behalf for a commission. In 595 Khadija needed an agent for a transaction in Syria. Abu Talib ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib recommended her distant cousin Muhammad ibn Abdullah. The experience that Muhammad held working with caravans in his uncle Abu Talib's family business had earned him the honorific titles Al-Sadiq ("the Truthful") and Al-Amin ("the Trustworthy" or "Honest").[21] Khadija hired Muhammad, who was then 25 years old, sending word through her kinsman Khazimah ibn Hakim[citation needed] that she would pay double her usual commission.[22]
She sent one of her servants, Maysarah, to assist him. Upon returning, Maysarah gave accounts of the honorable way that Muhammad had conducted his business, with the result that he brought back twice as much profit as Khadija had expected. Maysarah also relayed that on the return journey, Muhammad had stopped to rest under a tree. A passing monk, Nestora, informed Maysarah that, "None but a prophet ever sat beneath this tree."[23]
Khadija then consulted her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal ibn Asad ibn 'Abdu'l-'Uzza.[23] Waraqah said that if what Maysarah had seen was true, then Muhammad was, in fact, the prophet of the people who was already expected. It is also said Khadijah had a dream in which the sun descended from the sky into her courtyard, fully illuminating her home.[15] Her cousin Waraqah told her not to be alarmed, for the sun was an indication that the Prophet would grace her home.[15] At this, Khadija considered proposing marriage to her agent.[24] Many wealthy Quraysh men had already asked for her hand in marriage,[15] but all had been refused.[25]
Marriage to Muhammad
Khadija entrusted a friend named Nafisa to approach Muhammad and ask if he would consider marrying.[26] 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.[27] 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.[23] It is disputed whether it was Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib, Abu Talib, or both who accompanied Muhammad on this errand.[16] Khadija's uncle accepted the proposal, and the marriage took place.Muhammad and Khadija were married monogamously for twenty-five years. This monogamous marriage contrasts with Muhammad's later practice of polygyny after Khadija's death. Muhammad's youngest wife, Aisha, would later be jealous of the affection and loyalty that Muhammad maintained for Khadija even after her death.[28]
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