Born 68 years before the Hijra to Khuwaylid bin Asad and Faatimah bint Za`idah, Khadeeja Bint Khuwaylid has won fame within her tribe, Qureish, for her intelligence, chastity, and prudence until people began to call her "Al Tahera" or "the pure one."

Very little is known about her childhood; however, by the time the name of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) started to shine, she was a successful businesswoman, who made her wealth through exporting and importing via camel caravans to and from Syria. She was the mother of two sons by a former marriage, one of whom died at the Battle of al-Jamal.

The news that Mohammed (PBUH) was known for his honesty has reached Khadija. At the same time, Mohammed's uncle suggested to him that he should try to work for her as a supervisor of the caravans. Eventually, Khadeeja approved him and offered that he accompanies her caravans and is in charge of the whole operation. In return, she would give him more than she used to give to the other traders. Mohammed accepted and went over to Ash-Sham, where he made sure that the goods he sold brought the highest prices, and the goods he bought cost the least. His profits were doubled and consequently his wages were doubled.

Khadeeja's servant, Maysarah, who accompanied the caravan, told her a lot about the character of the prophet, praising his noble temper, integrity and honesty. Then she suggested marriage to him, through one of her friends. Mohammed mentioned that to his uncles and received their encouragement and blessings. So the two married. She was 40 years old and he was 25 years old. In fact, she was his first wife, and he never married any other woman during her life time. She gave him 6 children: Al-Qaasim, Abdullah, Zaynab, Ruqayya, Umm Kulthum, and Fatima Al Zahraa.

When Mohammed (PBUH) was informed by Jibril that God has chosen him as a messenger, she was the first to believe in Allah and His Messenger; she was the first to believe in what the Almighty dictated to him and filled him with self confidence. She stood by him and supported the da`wah (the call to Islam) and she made him overcome his grief and sufferings over the initial reaction of his people towards the new religion.

The first time the Angel came to him while he was in seclusion in the cave of Hiraa where he used to worship Allaah continuously for many days before his desire to see his family ends his solitude. The angel asked him to read. The Prophet replied, "I do not know how to read."

The Prophet explained later: "The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more." He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, "I do not know how to read." This was repeated three times, and then the Angel said: "Read in the name of your Lord, who has created all, who has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous." Then Mohammed (PBUH) went to Khadeeja shouting: "Cover me! Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was over, and after that he told her everything that had happened and said: "I fear that something might happen to me."

Khadeeja replied: "Never! Allaah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your Kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones."

The Messenger of Allaah and Khadeeja continued to pray in secret as long as Allaah willed. Afeef Al-Kindi told an interesting story: "I came once to Mecca as a merchant. I went to Al- Abbas bin `Abdul-Muttalib. While I was at his house, I looked at the Ka`ba and saw a young man approaching until he was close to the Ka`ba. He raised his head toward the sky and faced the Ka`ba while standing. Then a youth came and stood on his right. It did not take long before a woman came and stood behind them. Then the young man bowed. The youth and the woman followed. Then the young man raised his head, and the youth and the woman did the same. The young man went on with his prayer.

I told Al Abbaas that I see a great man. He said: "This is a great matter. Do you know who this young man is?" I said: "No, I don't know." He said: "This is Muhammad bin Abdullah, my nephew, and the youth is his cousin Ali. Do you know who this woman is?" I said: "I don't know." He said: "This is Khadeeja bint Khuwaylid, the wife of my nephew. This nephew of mine who you see has reported to us that his Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and that He has ordered him to embrace this religion that he is following. I swear by Allaah that I do not know of anyone else on earth who is following this religion other than those three." `Afeef said: "I wanted to be the fourth one of them."

And the Messenger of Allaah used to honor his wife and cherish her. And he used not to disagree with her before he received revelation. Then he used to remember her a lot after her death, and he didn't get tired of praising her. One day, Aaisha, his most favourite wife, after Khadeeja, got jealous, and said to the Prophet: "Verily, Allaah has given you better than that old woman." Mohammed became angry and said: "No, by Allaah, I swear that Allaah has never given me better than her. She was the wife who believed in me when everyone else disbelieved in me. She affirmed my truthfulness when everyone else accused me of lying. She supported me with her money when everyone else deprived me. And Allaah provided me with children through her when no other woman has given me children." In fact, the Prophet became so angry at what I said until his forehead trembled. So Aisha said to herself: "O Allaah, if his anger abates, I will never again say anything that belittles Khadeeja like I said."

Aaisha also said: "I was never jealous of any of the other wives of the Prophet like I was jealous of Khadeeja (radiyallaahu`anha). And I have not seen her, but the Prophet used to remember her a lot. Sometimes, he would sacrifice a sheep, then cut its limbs and send them to Khadeeja's friends. So sometimes, I would say to him: "It is as if there was no other woman in the world other than Khadeeja." So he would say: "How can I forget her?" Most likely, he would not to leave the house before mentioning Khadeeja and praising her.

Khadeeja the Mother of the Believers, died helping the Messenger of Allaah in conveying the call to Islaam. She died three years before the migration (Hijra) to Al Madina at the age of sixty five. The Prophet (sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam) then buried her with his own hands. Her death was a great misfortune for the Prophet who never forgot her nor overcome his grief over his great loss.