The Noble Prophet (S) married al-Sayyida Khadijah al-Kubra when he was twenty-five and she was forty years old; and some have said that she was twenty-six years old1 or twenty-eight years old2. It is claimed that she had been married twice before, yet others have opined that she was a virgin when she married the Prophet (S)3, but this is not the opinion of the majority [of historians].

The marriage of the Prophet (S) to al-Sayyida Khadijah was not like the common marriages that took place in those days. Rather, it is considered to be one of a kind because this blessed matrimony was not the result of costly gifts and extravagant expenses, and there was no material incentive or any other similar objective which is often the case in marriages of great personalities that are contracted for political [or other expedient] motives.

In fact, there was no match between the Prophet (S) and al-Sayyida Khadijah as far as economic status is concerned, for the Prophet (S) used to live under the patronage of his poor uncle Abu Talib, while al-Sayyida Khadijah was the wealthiest and most affluent woman in Makkah, So, there was a world of difference between his lifestyle and hers.

Nevertheless, al-Sayyida Khadijah had learnt or heard that the Prophet (S) had a bright future and would one day be a great leader. It was probably her slave Maysarah, who told her about what happened to the Prophet (S) during his trip to Syria as a trader in Khadijah’s caravan. Maybe the words that the monk Dir Busri had spoken about the Prophet near Syria had somehow reached her. This is when she decided to propose the idea of marriage and opening up to the Prophet, she requested him to seek her hand in matrimony from her father Khuwaylid (or from her uncle according to another account).

The Prophet, however, preferred to marry a poor lady whose lifestyle matched his own. He thus apologized to Khadijah and held back from carrying out her request for this reason. But the clever, wise, and magnanimous lady, al-Sayyida Khadijah, replied saying that she had gifted herself to the Prophet (S) So, how could she not give away her wealth for him and put it under his control?

She asked the Prophet (S) to send his uncles to her father Khuwaylid with the marriage proposal. The Prophet (S) brought this unique message to his uncles, and his aunts were overcome by astonishment when they heard this news from him - Indeed, it was strange!

A lady who was So, rich that hundreds of workers and employees were sustained by the blessing of her wealth, and her business thrived in both winter and summer between Yemen and Makkah, and between Makkah and Syria; a lady who had received marriage proposals from chiefs and noblemen and had rejected them; such a lady was ready to gift herself to a poor young man who lived under the patronage of his uncle Abu Talib!

[They asked themselves:] Do you think Khadijah has truly offered herself to the Prophet (S)? Is there any truth to this news? Safiyyah Bint ‘Abd al-Muttalib (the aunt of the Prophet (S)) stood up and proceeded to the house of Khadijah to investigate. She found that they had already started making preparations for the wedding ceremony.

Al-Sayyida Khadijah At The Gates Of Prosperity

Safiyyah returned to her sisters (the aunts of the Prophet) and informed them about the veracity of the news. They all began rejoicing with a jubilation that was mixed with astonishment, bewilderment, and amazement.

Khadijah’s hand had been sought by the Arab chieftains and noblemen, but she had turned all of them down because she did not consider them appropriate suitors. So, what had made her choose this poor man as her husband - a person who possessed neither worldly wealth nor the smallest parcel of land? How surprising!

The Prophet’s uncles went to Khadijah’s house and sought her hand in marriage from her father Khuwaylid, or her uncle, who refused at first but later agreed.

Additionally, it was necessary to offer an amount of dowry that was befitting the status of Khadijah, So, how would he acquire such an amount? And from where? And who would give this dowry?

Then al-Sayyida Khadijah once again overcame this obstacle and gave a gift of four thousand dinars to the Prophet, telling him to keep that as her dowry and give it to her father Khuwaylid.

In another narration, we find that it was Abu Talib who paid the dowry from his own wealth.

If al-Sayyida Khadijah believed in [lofty ideals and] values and was ready to sacrifice material wealth in order to attain [true] nobility, her father did not espouse the same ideals; and it is not uncommon to find a big difference between the beliefs of a father and that of his son or daughter.

This dissimilarity in thinking is present between different classes of [related] individuals - between siblings, between husband and wife, and even between parent and child.

This type of undertaking was Indeed, very rare and surprising, for it was unheard of among the Arabs for a woman to give a dowry to her husband. It is not surprising then, that Abu Jahl was overcome with jealousy and said: “O People, we have seen the men giving dowry to women, but we have never seen women giving dowry to men!”

Abu Talib answered him angrily: “What does it concern you, O ignoble man? A person like Muhammad deserves to be sought and given, whereas a person like you gives gifts that are not accepted!” Or he said: “If they were like this nephew of mine, the men would be sought with the most expensive sums and highest dowries, and if they are like you, they would not be married unless they gave the highest dowries.”

The blessed wedding took place in the best possible manner and the Prophet moved into al-Sayyida Khadijah’s house. These were the happiest days of Khadijah’s life because she had attained her greatest aspiration and realized her sweetest dream.

Al-Sayyida Khadijah bore male children, all of whom died in infancy, and she gave birth to four daughters: Zaynab, Umm Kulthum, Ruqayyah and Fatimah al-Zahra. Fatimah was the youngest and had the loftiest status and highest rank.

There is a difference of opinion among the historians and traditionists (muhaddithun) about the first two daughters. Some said that they are not the Prophet’s daughters, but the fact is that they were his daughters from his own loins4, and we shall elaborate upon this later God-willing5.

• 1. Cd. Muhammad Ridha Imami Khatunabadi (d. 1135 A.H.), Jannat al-Khulud.
• 2. Muhammad Baqir Ibn Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi (d. 1110 A.H.), Bihar al-Anwar al-Jami’ah li Durar al-Akhbar min al-A’immat al-Athar, vol. 16, p. 12.
• 3. Cf. al-Baladhuri and Abu al-Qasim in their respective books, al-Murtadha in al-Shafi, Abu Ja’far in al-Talkhis and Ibn Shahrashub in al-Manaqib.
• 4. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 1, p. 16.
• 5. We have taken the details of al-Sayyidah Khadijah’s wedding from the sixteenth volume of al-Majlisi’s Bihar al-Anwar.