How Many Children Did the Prophet (PBUH) Have, and What Were Their Names?
كم عدد أولاد الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وأسماؤهم؟
All the children of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were from Sayyida Khadijah except Ibrahim, who was born to Mariyah the Copt; the first of the children of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was Al-Qasim (which was why he was called Abu al-Qasim), then they had Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, Fatimah and Abdullah, and Abdullah was called al-Tahir al-Tayyib. His sons all died when they were young, while all the daughters lived to witness Islam and they embraced it and emigrated, but they all died during the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), except Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, who died six months after his death.
كل أولاد الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم من السيدة خديجة ما عدا إبراهيم من ماريا القبطية، أول أولاد الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم: القاسم وبه كان يكنى، ثم زينب ورقية، وأم كلثوم وفاطمة وعبد الله، وكان عبد الله يلقب بالطاهر الطيب. ومات بنوه كلهم في صغرهم، أما البنات فكلهن أدركن الإسلام فأسلمن وهاجرن، إلا أنهن أدركتهن الوفاة في حياة الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم، سوى فاطمة رضي الله عنها لحقت به بعد موته بستة أشهر.
1. The Seven Children of the Prophet | عدد أبناء النبي وأسماؤهم الشريفة
The scholar's list gives seven children: three sons and four daughters. Ibn Kathir shows that the early authorities differ on the count and the order: Ibn Ishaq names al-Qasim, al-Tayyib, al-Tahir, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatimah as Khadijah's children, while al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar says that al-Tayyib and al-Tahir are both names of one son, Abdullah, which gives seven with Ibrahim.
عدّ الشيخ سبعة أولاد: ثلاثة بنين وأربع بنات. وقد بين ابن كثير اختلاف المتقدمين في العدد والترتيب؛ فعدّ ابن إسحاق من ولد خديجة: القاسم والطيب والطاهر وزينب ورقية وأم كلثوم وفاطمة، وقال الزبير بن بكار: عبد الله هو الطيب وهو الطاهر، فيكونون سبعة مع إبراهيم.
2. The Mothers of His Children | أمهات الأولاد: السيدة خديجة ومارية القبطية
Ibn Ishaq says Khadijah bore all his children except Ibrahim, whose mother was Mariyah the Copt, sent to him, Ibn Hisham adds, by al-Muqawqis, the ruler of Alexandria. Ibrahim was born in Medina.
قال ابن إسحاق: ولدت خديجة لرسول الله ﷺ ولده كلهم إلا إبراهيم، فأمه مارية القبطية التي أهداها له المقوقس صاحب الإسكندرية كما قال ابن هشام، وولد إبراهيم بالمدينة.
3. The Early Passing of All Three Sons | وفاة البنين صغاراً والحكمة الإلهية في ذلك
All his sons died in childhood, as the scholar says: al-Qasim, after whom he was called Abu al-Qasim, and Abdullah in Mecca, and Ibrahim in Medina. Asked about Ibrahim, the Companion Ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "He died young. Had it been decreed that there would be a prophet after Muhammad, his son would have lived, but there is no prophet after him" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6194).
مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّـهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ (سورة الأحزاب: 40)
مات بنوه كلهم صغارًا كما في جواب الشيخ: القاسم وبه كان يكنى، وعبد الله بمكة، وإبراهيم بالمدينة. وسئل الصحابي ابن أبي أوفى عن إبراهيم فقال: مات صغيرًا، ولو قضي أن يكون بعد محمد ﷺ نبي عاش ابنه، ولكن لا نبي بعده (صحيح البخاري 6194).
4. The Four Noble Daughters and Their Marriages | بناته الأربع الشريفات وبناء الأسر الطاهرة
His daughters all lived to see his mission, accepted Islam and emigrated with him, as al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar says and the scholar's answer agrees. Zaynab was married to Abu al-As (may Allah be pleased with him), the father of her daughter Umamah (Sahih al-Bukhari 516), and Fatimah to Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) (Sahih al-Bukhari 3729).
أدركت بناته البعثة فأسلمن وهاجرن معه كما قال الزبير بن بكار وفي جواب الشيخ. وكانت زينب زوجة أبي العاص وابنتهما أمامة (صحيح البخاري 516)، وكانت فاطمة زوجة علي بن أبي طالب (صحيح البخاري 3729).
5. Maternal Continuation Through Fatimah az-Zahra | بقاء النسل النبوي الشريف في ولد فاطمة
Only Fatimah outlived him: Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said she lived six months after the Prophet ﷺ (Sahih al-Bukhari 4240). Her sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them both) are the ones he called "the masters of the youth of Paradise" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3768, graded sahih by al-Albani).
إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ (سورة الكوثر: 3)
لم يعش بعده من ولده إلا فاطمة؛ قالت عائشة: وعاشت بعد النبي ﷺ ستة أشهر (صحيح البخاري 4240). وابناها الحسن والحسين هما اللذان قال فيهما: «الحسن والحسين سيدا شباب أهل الجنة» (جامع الترمذي 3768، صححه الألباني).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
How many children did Prophet Muhammad have?
Seven in the scholar's count: three sons and four daughters. Some early authorities, quoted by Ibn Kathir, count al-Tayyib and al-Tahir as separate sons.
What were the names of his sons?
Al-Qasim, Abdullah, and Ibrahim.
What were the names of his daughters?
Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah.
Did any of his children outlive him?
Only his youngest daughter, Fatimah az-Zahra, outlived him, passing away six months after his death (Sahih al-Bukhari 4240).