Who was Khadija bint Khuwaylid (RA), and why does her name hold such a special place in Islamic history? She was a respected merchant of Makkah, the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and the one who stood beside him on the night the first revelation came. The authentic hadith record that Jibreel (AS) conveyed a greeting of peace to her from her Lord, along with glad tidings of a house in Paradise. This article walks through her story using Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim for what is firmly reported, and notes where the details come from the later biographical tradition (sirah).
Watch the full video: अल्लाह ने ख़ुद जिन्हें सलाम भेजा | हज़रत ख़दीजा (रज़ि.) की पूरी कहानी | Hazrat Khadija RA Story on the Ruhani Dua YouTube channel.
Quick facts about Khadija (RA)
| Full name | Khadija bint Khuwaylid (RA) |
| Tribe | Quraysh, Makkah |
| Known as | Umm al-Mu’minin (Mother of the Believers); a successful merchant |
| Marriage to the Prophet ﷺ | c. 595 CE according to many reports; her age at marriage is reported differently by historians |
| Death | c. 619 CE, in the tenth year of prophethood, remembered as the Year of Sorrow |
| Children with the Prophet ﷺ | Zaynab, Ruqayya, Umm Kulthum, Fatima (RA), and sons who died young, according to the sirah tradition |
A successful businesswoman of Makkah
Khadija (RA) was born into a respected family of the Quraysh. According to the sirah accounts, she was a capable merchant who hired trustworthy men to trade on her behalf. The Prophet ﷺ was known in Makkah for his honesty, and she is reported to have engaged him to carry her goods on a trade journey, accompanied by her servant Maysara. Historians differ on some details, such as her exact age and how many times she had been married before, so it is best to hold these specifics lightly and focus on what is agreed: she was a noble, wealthy, and respected woman.
The marriage
According to many reports, Khadija (RA) sent a trusted friend to ask whether the Prophet ﷺ would consider marriage, and the families agreed. Historians generally place the marriage around 595 CE, when the Prophet ﷺ was in his mid-twenties. She remained his only wife for the rest of her life, a marriage of roughly a quarter of a century.
The night of the first revelation
The most important moment in her story is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari. Aisha (RA) narrated that before revelation began, the Prophet ﷺ would spend time in devotion in the cave of Hira and return to Khadija to take provisions. Then the truth came to him suddenly in the cave. He returned home trembling and said to Khadija, asking to be covered. After his fear passed, he told her what had happened and said he feared for himself.
Her reply is one of the most quoted in the seerah. She reassured him that Allah would never disgrace him, and she described his character: he kept good relations with his relatives, helped the poor and the needy, honoured his guests, and assisted people struck by calamity (Sahih al-Bukhari 3). She then took him to her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal, as recorded in the same hadith.
Khadija (RA) said: “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3)
Notice what she based her reassurance on: his known character. Her certainty came from years of living beside him and seeing his honesty and kindness.
The greeting from her Lord
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari that Jibreel (AS) came to the Prophet ﷺ and said that Khadija was coming with a vessel of food or drink. When she arrived, the Prophet ﷺ was to convey to her a greeting from her Lord, and give her the good news of a house in Paradise in which there would be neither noise nor toil (Sahih al-Bukhari 3820; also in Sahih Muslim 2432). The wording of the house varies between narrations: some say it is made of Qasab, others describe hollow pearl.
A report adds that when the greeting was conveyed, she replied that Allah Himself is As-Salam, and sent peace upon Jibreel and upon the Prophet ﷺ. Scholars explain that she did not say “peace be upon Him” about Allah because He is the Source of Peace. This is an honour that the sources attach to her specifically.
Her rank among the women of the world
Ali (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said the best of the women of her time was Maryam, and the best of the women of her time was Khadija (Sahih al-Bukhari 3815; also reported in Sahih Muslim). The chapter heading in Sahih al-Bukhari for this hadith speaks of the Prophet’s marriage to Khadija and her virtue.
Years of hardship and the Year of Sorrow
The Makkan years after revelation were hard for the early Muslims. According to the sirah tradition, a social and economic boycott was imposed on the Prophet’s family and supporters, and they were confined to the valley known as Shi’b Abi Talib. Historians report that the strain affected Khadija’s health. She passed away around 619 CE, and her death, together with the death of Abu Talib, made that year known as the Year of Sorrow. The Prophet ﷺ was reportedly around 49 years old at the time. Sources differ on her exact age at death, with figures such as 52 and 65 mentioned, so we leave it as uncertain.
The Prophet ﷺ continued to remember her with love for the rest of his life. Aisha (RA) reported that she felt no jealousy toward any wife as she did toward Khadija, because the Prophet ﷺ mentioned her so often (Sahih al-Bukhari).
A Quranic reflection on provision and care
The Quran reminds the Prophet ﷺ of Allah’s care for him over the years. Surah Ad-Duha, ayah 8, says that Allah found him in need and made him self-sufficient. Some scholars and writers connect this care with the support he received in his life, including through his marriage, but the ayah itself does not name anyone, so we mention it only as a reflection on Allah’s provision.
وَوَجَدَكَ عَآئِلًا فَأَغْنَىٰ
“And He found you poor and made you self-sufficient.” (Surah Ad-Duha 93:8)
Lessons for us today
- Trust character over circumstances. Khadija (RA) reassured the Prophet ﷺ by recalling his good deeds, not by guessing the future.
- Support is a form of worship. Her steady companionship in the hardest hour shows how much a calm, believing presence can matter.
- Use wealth and ability for good. She was a successful merchant, and the sources remember her generosity.
- Small, loving acts are remembered by Allah. In the hadith, she was greeted while bringing food to the Prophet ﷺ.
Frequently asked questions
Was Khadija (RA) the first person to accept Islam?
Many reports in the sirah tradition say she was the first to believe in the Prophet ﷺ. Her immediate reassurance in the hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari 3 shows her early and firm trust in him. Because the exact order of the first believers is discussed in the biographical sources, the safest statement is that she was among the very first and is widely remembered as the first.
Did Allah really send salaam to Khadija (RA)?
Yes, this is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari 3820 and Sahih Muslim 2432: Jibreel (AS) asked the Prophet ﷺ to convey a greeting to her from her Lord and to give her glad tidings of a house in Paradise.
Why is it called the Year of Sorrow?
It is the name given in the Islamic tradition to the tenth year of prophethood, c. 619 CE, in which both Khadija (RA) and the Prophet’s uncle and protector Abu Talib passed away. The loss of Abu Talib’s clan protection made life in Makkah harder for the Prophet ﷺ.
Read more:
- Prophet Ibrahim (AS): The Story of Allah’s Khalil in the Quran
- Al-Kindi (Alkindus): The Philosopher of the Arabs Who Cracked Secret Codes
Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari 3; Sahih al-Bukhari 3815; Sahih al-Bukhari 3820 and Sahih Muslim 2432 (see sunnah.com search: Khadija); Quran 93:7-11 (quran.com).
Discover more from ImranJalna
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Leave a Reply