Khadijah ؓ — the Prophet’s ﷺ first wife, the first believer, and the great support of his mission — is one of the most remarkable women in history. Her life holds profound lessons: in faith, love, support, strength, and standing by the truth when it costs everything.
This piece builds on our earlier one: The Mothers of the Believers: Wives of the Prophet ﷺ — here we go deeper and more practical.
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ؓ — the Prophet’s ﷺ first wife, the first person to believe in his message, and the great support of his mission in its hardest early years — is one of the most remarkable women in the whole of human history, and one of the most beloved figures in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ loved her deeply, honoured her memory all his life, and Allah ﷻ sent her greetings of peace through Jibril (Bukhari 3820). Among the Mothers of the Believers, Khadijah ؓ holds a special place, and her life — as a successful, dignified woman of Makkah; as the first to believe and to support the Prophet ﷺ; as his beloved wife and the mother of most of his children; and as a pillar of strength in the years of persecution — holds profound lessons for every believer, woman and man alike. Her example teaches faith, love, loyal support, strength, dignity, and standing by the truth when it costs everything. To reflect on the lessons of Khadijah’s ؓ life is to draw from the example of a woman whom Allah ﷻ honoured, whom the Prophet ﷺ loved above all, and whose faith, support, and strength are a model for us all — one of the greatest women ever to live, and a Mother of the Believers whose life speaks to the heart of every believer.
Who Khadijah ؓ Was
To draw the lessons of Khadijah’s ؓ life, it helps first to know who she was and what she did. First, a woman of dignity, success, and good character before Islam: Khadijah ؓ was a noble, successful, and dignified woman of Makkah — a respected merchant of good character and standing, known for her nobility and virtue, called “the pure one” (al-Tahirah) even before Islam. Second, she recognised and married the Prophet ﷺ for his character: she recognised the trustworthiness and noble character of Muhammad ﷺ (before prophethood), employed him, and, impressed by his honesty and character, proposed marriage to him — a marriage of deep love and partnership. Third, she was the first to believe: when the revelation came and the Prophet ﷺ returned to her, shaken, from the cave of Hira, Khadijah ؓ was the very first person to believe in him and his message — the first Muslim, before anyone else. Fourth, she comforted and reassured him at the first revelation: at that overwhelming first revelation, she wrapped and comforted him, and reassured him with words of profound faith and insight: “never! By Allah ﷻ, Allah ﷻ will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kin, help the poor and destitute, serve your guests generously, and assist those stricken by calamity” (Bukhari 3) — and took him to Waraqah, who confirmed his prophethood. Fifth, she supported him with her wealth, self, and steadfastness: through the early years of the mission and the persecution, Khadijah ؓ supported the Prophet ﷺ with her wealth, her comfort, her counsel, and her unwavering steadfastness — standing by him through the hardest years, including the boycott. Sixth, she was his beloved wife and the mother of his children: she was the Prophet’s ﷺ only wife during her lifetime, the mother of most of his children (including Fatimah ؓ), and his deeply beloved companion — and he never forgot her. Seventh, she was honoured by Allah ﷻ and the Prophet ﷺ: Allah ﷻ sent her greetings of peace through Jibril, and gave her glad tidings of a house in Paradise (Bukhari 3820); and the Prophet ﷺ counted her among the best of women (Bukhari 3815) and honoured her memory all his life. So Khadijah ؓ was a woman of dignity, success, and good character; who recognised and married the Prophet ﷺ for his character; who was the first to believe; who comforted him at the first revelation (Bukhari 3); who supported him with her wealth, self, and steadfastness; who was his beloved wife and the mother of his children; and who was honoured by Allah ﷻ and the Prophet ﷺ (Bukhari 3820) — a life full of lessons for every believer.
Lessons from Her Life
Khadijah’s ؓ life holds profound lessons for every believer, woman and man alike — and drawing them enriches our own faith. First, the strength and priority of faith: Khadijah ؓ was the first to believe, recognising and embracing the truth immediately — teaching us the strength, clarity, and priority of faith, and the honour of being foremost in it. Second, loyal support of the truth and of one’s spouse: she supported the Prophet ﷺ and his mission with everything she had — her wealth, comfort, counsel, and steadfastness — teaching us loyal, wholehearted support of the truth and of one’s spouse, especially in hardship. Her example is a model of the supportive, believing spouse and the loyal supporter of a righteous cause. Third, strength and steadfastness in adversity: she stood firm through the hardest years of persecution and the boycott, a pillar of strength for the Prophet ﷺ — teaching us steadfastness, patience, and strength in adversity, and the value of being a source of strength for others. Fourth, comforting and reassuring others in distress: her comforting of the Prophet ﷺ at the overwhelming first revelation — wrapping him, reassuring him, and pointing to his good character as proof of Allah’s ﷻ care (Bukhari 3) — teaches us how to comfort and reassure those in distress with faith, wisdom, and love. Fifth, dignity, virtue, and good character: her nobility, virtue, and good character, honoured even before Islam, teach us the value of dignity and good character. Sixth, recognising and valuing good character: her recognition of the Prophet’s ﷺ character, and her valuing it in choosing him, teaches us to recognise and value good character and trustworthiness above worldly considerations. Seventh, the honour of a righteous woman: Khadijah’s ؓ immense honour — greeted by Allah ﷻ, promised a house in Paradise (Bukhari 3820), counted among the best of women (Bukhari 3815) — teaches the great honour and rank a righteous, believing woman can attain, and the esteem Islam gives such women. Eighth, the beauty of a loving, faith-based marriage: the deep love, loyalty, and partnership between the Prophet ﷺ and Khadijah ؓ — and his lifelong honouring of her memory — teach the beauty of a loving, faith-based marriage and the loyalty of remembering those who stood by us. And ninth, using one’s blessings in the way of Allah ﷻ: her use of her wealth and standing in the support of the truth teaches us to use whatever blessings we have — wealth, position, ability — in the way of Allah ﷻ and in support of the good. So the lessons from Khadijah’s ؓ life — the strength and priority of faith, loyal support of the truth and one’s spouse, strength and steadfastness in adversity, comforting others in distress (Bukhari 3), dignity and good character, recognising and valuing good character, the honour of a righteous woman (Bukhari 3820), the beauty of a loving faith-based marriage, and using one’s blessings in the way of Allah ﷻ — are a rich model for every believer, woman and man alike.
Learn who Khadijah ؓ was — the first believer and great support. Know the remarkable life of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ؓ: a noble, successful, dignified woman of Makkah, known for her virtue as “the pure one” even before Islam; who recognised and married the Prophet ﷺ for his noble character; who was the very first person to believe in his message; who comforted and reassured him at the overwhelming first revelation, pointing to his good character as proof of Allah’s ﷻ care (Bukhari 3); who supported him with her wealth, self, and unwavering steadfastness through the hardest years; who was his beloved wife and the mother of most of his children; and whom Allah ﷻ greeted with peace through Jibril and promised a house in Paradise (Bukhari 3820). One of the greatest women ever to live.
Draw the lessons of her faith, support, and strength. Take from Khadijah’s ؓ life its profound lessons: the strength and priority of faith (she was the first to believe); loyal, wholehearted support of the truth and of one’s spouse, especially in hardship (she supported the Prophet ﷺ with everything she had); strength and steadfastness in adversity (she stood firm through persecution and the boycott); comforting others in distress with faith and love (Bukhari 3); dignity and good character; recognising and valuing good character above worldly considerations; and using one’s blessings — wealth, position, ability — in the way of Allah ﷻ. Her example teaches faith, love, loyal support, strength, dignity, and standing by the truth when it costs everything.
Take her as a model — for women and men alike. Take Khadijah ؓ as a model for your own life, whether you are a woman or a man, for her lessons speak to every believer. Let her faith inspire the strength and priority of your own; her loyal support inspire your support of the truth and those you love; her steadfastness inspire your patience in adversity; her comforting of the Prophet ﷺ inspire how you reassure those in distress; her dignity and character inspire your own; and her honour — greeted by Allah ﷻ, promised Paradise (Bukhari 3820), counted among the best of women (Bukhari 3815) — inspire you to the honour a righteous, believing life can attain. Learn her life, love her as the Prophet ﷺ loved her, and draw from her example, one of the greatest ever to live.
Khadijah ؓ — the Prophet’s ﷺ first wife, the first believer, and the great support of his mission — is one of the most remarkable women in history, and her life holds profound lessons: in faith, love, support, strength, and standing by the truth when it costs everything. Learn who Khadijah ؓ was (the first believer and great support, who comforted him at the first revelation, Bukhari 3, and whom Allah ﷻ greeted with peace, Bukhari 3820); draw the lessons of her faith, support, and strength; and take her as a model, for women and men alike. Her life — as a woman of dignity and virtue, the first to believe, the loyal support of the Prophet ﷺ through the hardest years, his beloved wife, and one honoured by Allah ﷻ with peace and a house in Paradise — teaches the strength and priority of faith, loyal support of the truth and one’s spouse, steadfastness in adversity, comforting others in distress, dignity and good character, and using one’s blessings in the way of Allah ﷻ. So reflect on her example, love her as the Prophet ﷺ loved her, and draw from the life of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ؓ — one of the greatest women ever to live, a Mother of the Believers whom Allah ﷻ Himself honoured — the faith, love, support, and strength that make her life a model for every believer, and an inspiration to stand by the truth, as she did, when it costs everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Khadijah ؓ?
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ؓ was the Prophet’s ﷺ first wife, the first person to believe in his message, and the great support of his mission in its earliest, hardest years — one of the most remarkable women in history and one of the most beloved figures in Islam. She was a noble, successful, and dignified merchant of Makkah, known for her virtue and called “the pure one” even before Islam. She recognised the noble character of Muhammad ﷺ, married him, and became his deeply beloved wife and the mother of most of his children (including Fatimah ؓ). When the revelation came, she was the first to believe, and comforted and reassured him at that overwhelming moment (Bukhari 3). She supported him with her wealth, self, and steadfastness through the years of persecution. Allah ﷻ sent her greetings of peace through Jibril and promised her a house in Paradise (Bukhari 3820), and the Prophet ﷺ honoured her memory all his life.
Why is Khadijah ؓ so honoured in Islam?
Because of her extraordinary faith, support, and character, and the honour Allah ﷻ and the Prophet ﷺ gave her. She was the first person to believe in the Prophet ﷺ — the first Muslim — and she supported him and his mission with everything she had: her wealth, comfort, counsel, and unwavering steadfastness through the hardest years of persecution. She comforted him at the overwhelming first revelation with words of profound faith (Bukhari 3). Allah ﷻ Himself honoured her: He sent her greetings of peace through Jibril, and gave her glad tidings of a house in Paradise (Bukhari 3820). The Prophet ﷺ counted her among the best of women of all time (Bukhari 3815), loved her deeply, and honoured her memory all his life, even after her death. So Khadijah ؓ is so honoured because of her foremost faith, her total support of the truth, her noble character, and the unique honour Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ bestowed on her — one of the greatest women ever to live.
What can we learn from Khadijah ؓ?
Profound lessons for every believer, woman and man alike. The strength and priority of faith — she was the first to believe, recognising the truth immediately. Loyal, wholehearted support of the truth and of one’s spouse, especially in hardship — she supported the Prophet ﷺ with everything she had. Strength and steadfastness in adversity — she stood firm through persecution and the boycott. Comforting and reassuring those in distress with faith and love — as she comforted the Prophet ﷺ at the first revelation (Bukhari 3). Dignity, virtue, and good character. Recognising and valuing good character above worldly considerations — she chose the Prophet ﷺ for his character. The great honour a righteous, believing woman can attain (Bukhari 3820). The beauty of a loving, faith-based marriage. And using one’s blessings — wealth, position, ability — in the way of Allah ﷻ. Her life is a rich model of faith, love, support, strength, and standing by the truth.
Was Khadijah ؓ the Prophet’s ﷺ only wife?
During Khadijah’s ؓ lifetime, she was the Prophet’s ﷺ only wife — he did not marry anyone else while she was alive, and their marriage lasted about twenty-five years until her death. It was a marriage of deep love, loyalty, and partnership, and she was the mother of most of his children, including Fatimah ؓ. It was only after Khadijah’s ؓ death (in the “Year of Sorrow,” along with the death of his uncle Abu Talib) that the Prophet ﷺ married his later wives — the other Mothers of the Believers — for reasons including support, alliance, teaching, and care for widows, in the years that followed. The Prophet ﷺ never forgot Khadijah ؓ, honouring her memory all his life, keeping ties with her friends, and speaking of her with deep love — so much so that ‘Aishah ؓ said she was never jealous of any of his wives as she was of Khadijah ؓ, for his constant loving remembrance of her (Bukhari 3818).
How did Khadijah ؓ support the Prophet ﷺ?
In every way — she was the great support of his mission in its hardest early years. She was the first to believe in him, giving him the support of unwavering faith when others rejected him. She comforted and reassured him at the overwhelming first revelation, wrapping him, calming him, and reassuring him with words of profound faith: “never! By Allah ﷻ, Allah ﷻ will never disgrace you…” pointing to his good character as proof of Allah’s ﷻ care (Bukhari 3), and taking him to Waraqah, who confirmed his prophethood. She supported him with her considerable wealth, spending it in the way of the mission. She gave him comfort, counsel, and a loving home. And she stood by him with steadfast strength through the years of persecution and the boycott, a pillar of support when the mission was at its most difficult. Her total support — of faith, comfort, wealth, counsel, and steadfastness — makes her a model of the loyal, believing supporter of the truth, and of a supportive, loving spouse.