Khadijah bint Khuwaylid

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid was the first convert to Islam. She was also
the devoted wife of the Prophet Muhammad. The daughter of Khuwaylid
ibn Asad and Fatimah bint Za'idah, she came from the family of
Quraysh, Mecca's leading family. The Quraysh belonged to the Banu
Hasham clan of the Banu Asad tribe.
Khadijah was well-known in her community for her success in the field
of trade. By the time she met Muhammad, she was a wealthy
businesswoman who hadbeen widowed twice andhad borne several children.
Khadijah hired Muhammad to work for her on a specific trade endeavor
in Syria. Impressed with his honesty and trustworthiness, as well as
his successful conclusion of her business endeavors, Khadijah's
satisfaction with Muhammad's success soon turned into love. Although
she had refused previous proposals of marriage, she proposed to
Muhammad. At the time of their marriage, she was 40 years of age he
was 25. Together they had six children, four of whom survived past
infancy: Ruqayyah, Zaynab, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah.
Khadijah and Muhammadhad been married for fifteen years before he
received his first revelation and began preaching the religion that
was eventually to be called Islam. On the night he received his first
revelation, Khadijah was the one in whom he first confided. She
comforted and supported him, and it was she who sought advice from her
Christian cousin, who proclaimed that Muhammad's revelations were from
God. Although it was common practice amonst 7th century Arab men to
take multiple wives, Muhammad never took another wife in the nearly 25
years of his marriage to Khadijah. Khadijah has been a role model for
all Muslim women. Her marriage to Muhammad and the stories of their
relationship reflect love, loyalty, trust, and respect between two
individuals and partners.

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