Khadija Bint Khuwaylid - Marriage To Muhammad

Marriage To Muhammad

Khadija was from a noble family and at the time of Muhammad, she was a widow. Khadija was a very wealthy woman from inheriting the business her father created, and continuing to work to create a successful business. For this reason, many men wanted her hand in marriage. However, Khadijah refused to marry any of them.

After Muhammad returned from Syria, Khadijah's servant told her how well Muhammad had conducted her business in Syria. Khadijah became impressed and it was said that Muhammad was the most honest person she had ever met. It is understood that after hearing all the good news from Maysarah and pondering the idea of offering a marriage proposal to the young Muhammad, Khadijah had a dream that would bring her to her final decision. In this dream Khadijah describes that the sun had come from the heavens into her courtyard, fully illuminating her home. This dream startled Khadijah and again she sought the wisdom of her cousin Waraqa b. Naufal. After listening to her dream Waraqa assured her there was no reason to be alarmed, and that the dream was very promising. He assured her that the sun was an indication of the Prophet, and that he would grace her home ultimately enriching her life with his presences.

Khadija entrusted a friend named Nafisa to approach Muhammad and ask if he would consider marrying Khadijah. Muhammad was generally regarded as a kind and handsome man so it would have been seen as an honor for any woman to marry him. After first hearing the proposed marriage Muhammad was resistant because he was concerned that he would not have the proper means to support a wife. However, Nafisa pursued the topic asking him if he would consider marriage to a woman who had the means to provide for herself. Muhammad agreed to come meet with Khadijah and after the two met they agreed they both should consult with their uncles on the marriage, and would make decisions based on the wisdom of the uncles. On both sides the uncles agreed upon the value of this marriage, and Muhammad's uncles accompanied him to make a formal request to marry Khadijah. It is still argued if only Hazmah bin 'Abdul-Muttalib or only Abu Talib or both uncles accompanied Muhammad in asking for Khadijah's hand in marriage. After receiving a formal proposal from the family of Muhammad Khadijah's uncle accepted the proposal and the plans for the wedding began. The couple would be married monogamously for twenty-five years, and conceive six total children during the marriage. (Sources disagree about number of children had, al-Tabari cites eight children total but most sources only identify six conceived children).

The couple had a son by the name of Qasim, who died before his second birthday (hence one of Muhammad's titles Abu Qasim, which translates to father of Qasim). However, afterwards Khadijah gave birth to their daughters Zainab bint Muhammad, Ruqayyah bint Muhammad, Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad, Fatimah and last son Abdullah. The second son Abduhllah was known as at-Tayyib (the Good) and at-Tahir (the Pure) because he was born during the Prophethood. Unfortunately, Abdullah much like his brother before him would die very young.

In addition to the children that Khadijah and Muhammad conceived two other children lived in the household with them. The first being Ali bin Abu-Talib, the cousin of Muhammad, who was the son of Abu-Talib, Muhammad's uncle, who raised Muhammad as his own when his mother passed. Abu-Talib was under financial hardship, attempting to meet the needs of his children but found himself unable to do so. In order to help alleviate some of the financial stress that Abu-Talib was under Muhammad and Khadijah offered to take in Ali. The second child to live in the household was Zayd bin Haruthah. Zayd came to find a place in the home of Khadijah after being attacked on a journey with his mother to visit family and being sold into slavery. Muhammad became deeply attached to Zayd after the death of al-Qasim, and when Zayd's father came to claim him and return him home Muhammad protested and decided that it should be the decision of Zayd to choose if he wanted to return home with his father or stay with Khadijah and Muhammad. Zayd decided to remain with Khadijah and Muhammad based on the kindness that they had shown him while he lived with him, and after this decision Muhammad took Zayd on as his own son.

The practice of monogamy was highly uncommon for the time period during which the couple were married. However, it can be speculated that Muhammad remained monogamous during his marriage to Khadija because she held an esteemed position in society and could demand loyalty from Muhammad. This monogamous marriage contrasts with Muhammad's later practice of taking multiple wives after Khadijah died at the age of sixty-five. It has been recorded that many wives were envious of the admiration and loyalty Muhammad maintained for Khadijah even after her death, one of the most envious being Muhammad's youngest wife, Aisha.