Khadija bint Khuwaylid (RA)

Who is Khadija bint Khuwaylid?

Khadija bint Khuwaylid is the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the first person to embrace Islam. A noble and successful businesswoman of Mecca, she was the Prophet's ﷺ devoted supporter and the mother of most of his children. She holds a place of immense honour as the very first believer and one of the greatest women in Islam.

The First to Believe

When the Prophet ﷺ received the first revelation in the cave of Hira and returned home shaken, it was Khadija who comforted, reassured, and immediately believed in him. She declared her faith before anyone else, becoming the first Muslim. Her steadfast support in the earliest, hardest years of the mission was a pillar of strength for the Prophet ﷺ.

A Marriage of Love and Support

The Prophet ﷺ married Khadija when he was twenty-five and she around forty, and remained devoted to her alone throughout their long marriage until her death. He cherished her memory for the rest of his life, and Aisha said she was never jealous of any wife as she was of Khadija, for the Prophet's ﷺ constant praise of her.

Her Honour in the Hadith

• The angel Jibril conveyed to the Prophet ﷺ greetings of peace from God to Khadija, and glad tidings of a house in Paradise (Bukhari 3820)
• The Prophet ﷺ said: "The best of its women is Khadija bint Khuwaylid" (Bukhari 3815)
• She is counted among the greatest women of all humanity

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Khadija so highly honoured?

Because she was the first to believe in the Prophet ﷺ, supported him with her wealth and unwavering loyalty in the most difficult years, and was praised by God and the Prophet ﷺ with glad tidings of Paradise.

What does Umm al-Mu'minin mean?

It means "Mother of the Believers," a title of honour the Quran gives to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, reflecting the reverence and respect due to them from the Muslim community.