Khadijah bint Khuwaylid: The First to Believe
Sisters' Weekly, Part 1. The life of the first person to believe in Islam, in eighteen chapters, with the Qur'an, hadith and the early biographies referenced throughout.
Updated 25 October 2026
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About 1 hour 15 minutestime it takesKhadijah bint Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her) was the first person to believe in the message of Islam, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ for about twenty-five years, and the mother of all his children but one. Allah sent her greetings of peace through Jibril, and the Prophet ﷺ named her among the best women of Paradise.
This part follows her life in order, in eighteen chapters: her family and her people, Makkah in her youth, her first marriages and her trade, the journey of the Prophet ﷺ to Sham with her goods, their marriage and their home, their children, the cave of Hira, the night of the first revelation and her famous words of comfort, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, the first prayer, the years of hostility, the boycott in the valley of Abu Talib, the Year of Sorrow, what became of her daughters, the love the Prophet ﷺ kept for her after her death, and her rank in Islam. It ends with a timeline of her life.
Every statement carries its source beside it: the Qur'an by surah and ayah, hadith by collection and number, and the early biographies of Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Sa'd by name. Reports from the biographies are marked as such. Qur'an and hadith are given in English meaning.
How to use it well
- 1Her family and her people
Banu Asad of Quraysh, Waraqah, az-Zubayr and Hakim ibn Hizam.
- 2Makkah in her youth
The caravans of Quraysh, women in the Jahiliyyah, and the title at-Tahirah.
- 3A merchant of Quraysh
Her first marriages, and how she ran her trade.
- 4The trusted one
Al-Amin, and the journey to Sham with Maysarah.
- 5The proposal and their home
Why she chose him, the marriage, Zayd, 'Ali and Umm Ayman.
- 6Their children
Al-Qasim, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, Fatimah and 'Abdullah.
- 7Hira and the first revelation
"By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you," and Waraqah ibn Nawfal.
- 8The first to believe
The first prayer, and a house of the message.
- 9Hostility and the valley
Her daughters, the neighbours, and three years of boycott.
- 10The Year of Sorrow
Her death, and the loss of Abu Talib.
- 11Her daughters after her
Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatimah.
- 12A love that never faded
Halah, the necklace, and her rank in Islam.
What this part covers
- Her lineage, her family and the Makkah she grew up in.
- Her trade, her first marriages and her marriage to the Prophet ﷺ.
- The first revelation, her answer, and the visit to Waraqah ibn Nawfal.
- Ten years of the call: hostility, her daughters, and the boycott.
- Her death, her daughters after her, and her rank in Islam.
- A timeline of her life and a full list of sources.
Sisters' Weekly
Part 1. Follow the path to the other parts.
How to use it
A long read of about 25 pages. Read it over the week, two or three chapters a day, or in two or three sittings. It is written for adults, as a plain history, and works well read aloud in a sisters' circle. A new part of Sisters' Weekly comes out every Wednesday; Part 2 is Fatimah az-Zahra, her daughter.
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Khadijah bint Khuwaylid?
Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) was the first wife of the Prophet ﷺ, the first person to accept Islam, and the mother of his children al-Qasim, 'Abdullah, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatimah.
What did Khadijah say to the Prophet ﷺ after the first revelation?
She said: "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep the ties of kinship, you carry the burden of the weak, you give to those who have nothing, you honour your guests, and you help people through every hardship" (Sahih al-Bukhari 3).
Why is Khadijah among the women of Jannah?
The Prophet ﷺ said the best women of Paradise are Khadijah, Fatimah, Maryam and Asiyah (Musnad Ahmad 2668), and Jibril brought her greetings of peace from Allah with the glad tidings of a house in Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari 3820).
When did Khadijah pass away?
She passed away in Makkah three years before the Hijrah, in the year known as the Year of Sorrow (Sahih al-Bukhari 3896).
What is Sisters' Weekly?
A free read for sisters from Jamia Hafs, released every Wednesday, on faith, Islamic history and everyday life. Each part is a free PDF to read online or print.
Is it free to print?
Yes. Download the A4 or US Letter PDF and print or share it freely.
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