How Did the Prophet (PBUH) Marry Khadijah (May Allah Be Pleased With Her)?
كيف تزوج الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم من السيدة خديجة رضي الله عنها؟
When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) returned to Mecca from his trade trip, and Khadija saw a profit and blessing in her money that which she had not seen before, and her hire, Maysara, told her about the qualities of the Prophet pbuh which he had seen during the trade trip, his honesty and wisdom, she spoke with her friend Nafisa bint Minya about her feelings towards the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so Nafisa went to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), suggesting to him to marry Khadija, so he accepted, and spoke to his uncles. His Uncles went to Khadija’s uncle and asked for her hand in marriage. Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) was forty years old, and he did not marry another woman until she died
عندما عاد الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى مكة ، ورأت خديجة في مالها من الامانة والبركة مالم تر قبل هذا ، وأخبرها غلامها ميسرة بما رأي فيه من فكر راجح ، ونهج أمين ، فتحدثت مع صديقتها نفيسة بنت منية ، بما في نفسها من ناحية الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم، فذهبت نفيسة إلى الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم، تفاتحه أن يتزوج خديجة ، فرضي بذلك، وكلم أعمامه، فذهبوا إلى عم خديجة وخطبوها إليه ، وتم الزواج، وكان عمر الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم، خمسة وعشرون عاما ، وكان عمر خديجة رضي الله عنها أربعين عاما، ولم يتزوج عليها حتى ماتت.
1. Maysarah's Glowing Testimony of Nobility | شهادة الغلام ميسرة بصدق وأمانة المصطفى
Upon returning from the Syrian trade caravan, the biographers report that Khadijah's servant Maysarah recounted remarkable observations of Muhammad: his spotless honesty in weights and transactions, his courteous manners, his refusal to swear by idols, and the miraculous cloud that shaded him.
إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ (سورة القصص: 26)
حين رجعت قافلة الشام، يروي أهل السير أن الغلام ميسرة نقل إلى سيدته خديجة مشاهداته المبهرة عن محمد ﷺ: أمانته المطلقة في البيع والشراء، ورفضه الحلف باللات والعزى، وغمامة كانت تظله، فامتلأ قلبها إعجاباً وتوقيراً له.
2. Khadijah Initiates the Marriage Proposal | السيدة خديجة تبادر بطلب الاقتران الشريف
Khadijah, renowned as At-Tahirah (the Pure) and sought after by the wealthiest nobles of Quraysh, was moved by character above wealth. She shared her intention with her trusted friend Nafisah bint Munyah, who approached Muhammad and proposed the marriage.
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا (سورة الروم: 21)
كانت خديجة سيدة نساء قريش وتلقب بـ "الطاهرة"، وتنافس سادات مكة على خطبتها فاعتذرت، لكنها رغبت في محمد لأمانته وشرف خلقه؛ فأسرت لصديقتها نفيسة بنت منية برغبتها، ففاتحت النبي ﷺ فرحب بالزواج.
3. Formal Engagement and Abu Talib's Sermon | الخطبة الرسمية وخطبة أبي طالب البليغة
Muhammad informed his uncles Abu Talib and Hamzah, who formally went to Khadijah's guardian (her uncle Amr ibn Asad or cousin Waraqah). In his wedding oration, as the biographers report it, Abu Talib praised Muhammad, declaring: "No youth of Quraysh can be weighed against Muhammad except that he surpasses him in nobility and virtue."
وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً (سورة الروم: 21)
مضى النبي ﷺ مع أعمامه أبي طالب وحمزة لخطبتها رسمياً؛ وألقى أبو طالب خطبة بليغة شهد فيها بنبل ابن أخيه قائلاً: "إن محمداً ممن لا يوزن به فتى من قريش إلا رجح به شرفاً وفضلاً وعقلاً".
4. Twenty-Five Years of Monogamous Devotion | ربع قرن من الوفاء والحب والزواج الأحادي
Muhammad married Khadijah at age twenty-five while she was forty. Their marriage lasted twenty-five harmonious years until her death. The Prophet married no other woman while Khadijah was alive, cherishing her as his greatest earthly confidante and partner.
هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ (سورة البقرة: 187)
تم الزواج المبارك وعمر النبي ﷺ خمس وعشرون سنة، وعاشت معه خديجة ربع قرن في مودة وصفاء لم يتزوج عليها غيرها قط حتى توفيت، فكانت حصنه الداعم وملاذه الروحي في أحلك أوقات البعثة.
5. Her Pivotal Role at the Advent of Revelation | نصرتها الحكيمة للمصطفى عند مطلع الوحي
When revelation descended upon Muhammad in Cave Hira, Khadijah was the first human being to believe in him. She comforted his trembling heart with the famous words: "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you, for you maintain ties of kinship, speak the truth, and support the afflicted."
يُثَبِّتُ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ (سورة إبراهيم: 27)
أثبتت خديجة عظمتها حين نزل الوحي في غار حراء، فكانت أول من آمن به وثبّتت فؤاده بكلماتها الخالدة: "كلا والله لا يخزيك الله أبداً، إنك لتصل الرحم وتصدق الحديث وتحمل الكل وتعين على نوائب الحق".
Scholarly Insight: The marriage of Prophet Muhammad and Khadijah stands as an eternal standard of marital mutual respect, where character and spiritual integrity outweighed material wealth. Read more in the tafsir of Surah Ar-Rum.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
How did Khadijah become interested in marrying Prophet Muhammad?
She was impressed by his exceptional honesty, moral integrity, and commercial success reported by her servant Maysarah.
Who acted as the intermediary to propose the marriage?
Nafisah bint Munyah, a trusted close friend of Khadijah.
How old were Prophet Muhammad and Khadijah at the time of their marriage?
The Prophet was twenty-five years old, and Khadijah was approximately forty years old.
Did the Prophet marry any other woman while Khadijah was alive?
No, he remained devoted solely to Khadijah until her passing twenty-five years later.
Prepared by Eng. Ghada Homad, founder of IslamFAQ, researched and written in consultation with qualified scholars, reviewed by Professor Khaled Jassem Al-Houli, Associate Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Politics, Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, University of Kuwait. Read more about the authors and this project →