Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (Arabic: خديجة بنت خويلد) was a leading figure in seventh‑century Mecca. Born around 555 CE into the Quraysh tribe, she became a successful merchant and financier. In Islamic tradition she is celebrated both for her commercial acumen and for her role in the earliest years of Islam. She is widely remembered by the honorific titles Khadijah al‑Kubra and Umm al‑Mu'minin ("Mother of the Believers").

Background and economic activity

Khadijah inherited and managed a substantial trading enterprise that arranged caravans and commercial partnerships across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. Her position in Meccan society brought wealth and influence. Accounts describe her as employing traders and agents; these commercial ties are said to have brought her into contact with a younger merchant, Muhammad, whom she later married.

Marriage to Muhammad and early support

Khadijah is traditionally recognized as the first wife of Muhammad and as a devoted partner throughout his early prophetic mission. She is commonly identified as the first person to accept his revelations and to support him emotionally and materially when he began proclaiming his role as a prophet (prophethood). Contemporary and later accounts emphasize that her encouragement and resources were crucial during the formative period of the Muslim community.

Children, family, and personal life

Khadijah and Muhammad had several children. Sources typically list their offspring as:

  • Qasim (son, died in childhood)
  • Zainab (daughter)
  • Ruqayyah (daughter)
  • Umm Kulthum (daughter)
  • Fatimah (daughter, mother of later lineages)
  • Abdullah (also known as al‑Tāhir/al‑Tayyib in some accounts, son who died young)

Many narratives stress that Khadijah and Muhammad shared a long, monogamous marriage until her death; she is often portrayed as a source of comfort and counsel.

Religious importance and legacy

In Islamic tradition Khadijah occupies a central spiritual place: she is commonly described as the first convert to Islam and as the earliest and most steadfast supporter of Muhammad. Her financial backing helped sustain the small community of early believers. Her life is commemorated across Muslim communities for piety, loyalty, and charity. She also serves as a model of female leadership in commerce and faith in the pre‑Islamic and early Islamic eras.

Death and historical remembrance

Khadijah died in Mecca around 619 CE, a year later referred to in many Muslim sources as the "Year of Sorrow," when Muhammad also lost other close relatives. After her death she has been remembered in both Sunni and Shia traditions as a foundational figure; her memory continues to be invoked in religious texts, biographies, and devotional practice. For further reading, see general biographies and specialized studies on early Islam and the life of Muhammad's first wife.

Notable facts:

  1. She was a successful merchant before her marriage.
  2. She is widely regarded in Islamic tradition as the first person to embrace Muhammad's message.
  3. Her title Umm al‑Mu'minin reflects her elevated status among Muhammad's followers.

Scholars continue to examine Khadijah's economic and social role and how early Muslim sources constructed her image; she remains an important figure in studies of gender, commerce, and religious history in late antiquity Arabia. For introductions and primary source references consult introductory biographies and survey works on early Islamic history (Arabic spelling and sources, prophetic context).