Khadija binti Khuwaylad

Khadija binti Khuwaylad (also written as Khadijah) was a woman of Mecca from the Quraysh tribe, of the Banu Asad clan. She was known for her merchant business, which she financed and through which she employed men to conduct trade between the Levant and Yemen. She was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad and is considered in Islamic tradition to be the first person to accept the message he brought.

Early Islamic historical sources—including biographies and books on early male and female figures—present Khadija as using her wealth and social standing to support the initial stages of the message. Detailed accounts concerning historical events and figures in these sources vary.

Background and business

Khadija was the daughter of Khuwaylad ibn Asad. She possessed wealth that she had inherited or accumulated through commerce, and she employed men to lead merchant caravans on the established trade routes of Arabia. The business arrangement was a mudaraba (partnership contract): she provided capital, and the trader received a share of the profits. Muhammad worked for her in this capacity before their marriage.

Marriage

Following that journey, Khadija proposed marriage. According to historical accounts, she was his only wife during her lifetime. They had children, said to include al-Qasim, Abdullah, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah; some of the sons died in infancy.

Role in early Islam

When Muhammad announced that he had received a revelation, Khadija became the first person to believe, and she consulted with her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal to seek his judgment. She remained with the besieged group during the Quraysh boycott of Banu Hashim. She died two or three years before the migration to Medina; Islamic tradition calls that year and the year of the death of Abu Talib the 'Year of Sorrow.'

Legacy

Muslims refer to Khadija by honorific titles such as 'Umm al-Mu'minin' (Mother of the Believers) and 'al-Kubra' (the Great). Her name is used for schools, hospitals, and institutions throughout Somalia and other Muslim countries, making it one of the most common girls' names.