‘Abdullah is extant and has been published. [46], The same has been mentioned by Dr. Akram Diya al-‘Umri[47] and Dr. Yasir Qadi[48]. Among those who have popularized this opinion are Dr. Hamidullah and Dr. Akram Diya al-‘Umri. Their marriage took place in 595 AD; 15 years before his Prophethood. وكانت خديجة أسن مني بسنتين. It’s pretty ignorant to claim that a woman after 40 has some biological limitations to bear children. Lady Khadijah got married by her own option and freedom, turning her back to the traditions of her age that it was man who would propose to woman and not vice versa. With the permission of Abu Talib ibn Muttalib, his uncle, he was sent to Syria with one of Khadijah's servants. [30] When Muhammad hesitated because he had no money to support a wife, Nafisa asked if he would consider marriage to a woman who had the means to provide for herself. This is not to suggest that women above forties appeared like girls but perhaps this is one reason it was not considered weird or abnormal to marry older women. 1. We and the scholars around us [all] say that Khadija was born fifteen years before the Event of the Elephant and when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married her she was forty years old.[21]. It is, therefore, clear that among the well-known scholars only al-Hakim (d. 405/1015) preferred the Twenty-Eight year opinion over the Forty-Year opinion whereas contemporaries and teachers of authorities like al-Waqidi (d. 207/737) and al-Baladhuri (d. 279/892) and many subsequent scholars of note clearly preferred the Forty-Year opinion. Among the orientalists, Montgomery Watt (d. 2006) says: The age of Khadijah has perhaps been exaggerated. "Is it, really?" Another Narration states Hisham bin Muhammad bin al-Sa’ib reports from his father Muhammad bin al-Sa’ib al-Kalbi from Abu Salih that Ibn ‘Abbas said: At the time of marriage with the Messenger of Allah, Khadija was twenty-eight years old. Prophet Muhammad (saw) was 50 years old at the time of Hazrat Khadija’s death. [24][25][26][27], However, some sources also claim that she was around the age of 25-28 or 30 by others. Historical sources mentioned her age when she married the Prophet (s) to be 25, 28, 30, 35, 44, 45 or even 46. By the time she married the Holy Prophet sa, she was 40 years old. أخبرنا المنذر بن عبد الله الحزامي عن موسى بن عقبة عن أبي حبيبة مولى الزبير قال: سمعت حكيم بن حزام يقول: تزوج رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – خديجة وهي ابنة أربعين سنة ورسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – ابن خمس وعشرين سنة. Khadijah (RA) was a source of immense love, strength, and comfort for … The Sunni scholar Yusuf ibn abd al-Barr says: "His children born of Khadīja are four daughters; there is no difference of opinion about that. two children attributed to Khadijah were the children of Hala, Khadija's sister. Hind bint Atiq. Marriage to the Holy Prophet sa. أخبرنا مغيرة بن عبد الرحمن الأسدي عن أهله قالوا: سألنا حكيم بن حزام أيهما كان أسن رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – أو خديجة. In terms of explicit narrations the Twenty-Eight-Year opinion is based on the following two accounts. The Shi'i scholar Abu'l-Qasim al-Kufi writes: When the Messenger of Allah married Khadijah, then some time thereafter Halah died leaving two daughters, one named Zaynab and the other named Ruqayyah and both of them were brought up by Muhammad and Khadijah and they maintained them, and it was the custom before Islam that a child was assigned to whoever brought him up.[53]. Abd-Allah was known as at-Tayyib ("the Good") and at-Tahir ("the Pure") because he was born after Muhammad was declared a prophet by the Angel Gabriel as a direct message from Allah. Khadijah's father, Khuwaylid ibn Asad, was a merchant[3] and leader. At that time she was a very rich widow. فقال: كانت خديجة أسن منه بخمس عشرة, Muhammad bin ‘Umar [al-Waqidi] reported that Mughira bin Abdul Rahman al-Asadi narrated from his family, who said: We asked Hakim bin Hizam who was older, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) or Khadija? [11] Honorifics associated with Khadijah included, “Ameerat-Quraysh (“Princess of Quraysh“),” “The Pious One,” and “Khadijah Al-Kubra (“Khadijah the Great”).”[12] It is said that she fed and clothed the poor, assisted her relatives financially and provided marriage portions for poor relations. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (Arabic: خَدِيجَة بِنْت خُوَيْلِد ‎, Khadījah bint Khuwaylid, born AD 555 – 22 November AD 619), commonly known as Khadija, was the first wife and first follower of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.Khadijah was the daughter of Khuwaylid ibn Asad, a leader of Quraysh tribe in Mecca, and a successful businesswoman in her own right. At the time of the marriage Muhammad was 25 years old and Khadijah was 40 years old. 3279, [27] Ibn al-Jawzi, Abu al-Faraj, al-Muntazam fi al-Tarikh, Beirut: Dar al-Kotob al-‘Ilmiya, 1992, Vol.2, 315, [28] Al-Jazari, Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghaba, Beirut: Dar al-Fekr, 1989, Vol.6, 80 No. Dealing with Revisionists' Contentions on the Age of 'Aisha, 3. How old was Khadijah bint Khuwaylid when she married the Prophet? وولدت قبل الفيل بخمس عشرة سنة وولدت أنا قبل الفيل بثلاث عشرة سنة. [15], She sent one of her servants, Maysarah, to assist him. [42] The signal omission of any comment on age of Khadija with these authors tells us that the comment with al-Baihaqi was not actually from Mus‘ab but from al-Baihaqi himself or at best his teacher Abu ‘Abdullah al-Hakim who we know opined thus, as already noted. But not because of that the Prophet Muhammad married her. A number of later scholars have quoted these lines from Mus‘ab’s nephew Zubair al-Bakkar (d. 256/870) and as a rule have nothing on the age of Khadija. The difference between the numbers of narrations for the two opinions is very significant. With the onset of modernity, the biographic details of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) have come under a lot of scrutiny along with, in some cases, attempts at revisionism. This was three years before the emigration of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to Madina. [19] According to some sources, it was Khadijah's cousin, Waraka ibn Nawfal, who confirmed Muhammad's prophethood soon afterwards.[36]. [47] Al-‘Umri, Akram Diya, al-Sira al-Nabawiya al-Sahiha, Madina: Maktaba al-‘Ulum wa al-Hikam, 1994, 113, [48] See his video lecture, “Seerah of Prophet Muhammed Episode 9 – Marriage to Khadija & Re-building Kaa’ba”, Time Slice 21:39 – 24:44, [49] Ahmad, Hakim Niaz, Kashf al-Ghumma ‘an ‘Umar Umm al-Umma – Tahqiq ‘Umar Aisha, Karachi: Mashkur Academy, n.d., Vol.2, 3-5, [50] Al-Baghdadi, Khatib, Tarikh Baghdad, Beirut: Dar al-Gharb al-Islami, 2002, Vol.15, 11, [51] Al-Jahiz, Abu ‘Uthman, “Fakhar al-Sudan ‘ala al-Bidan” included in Rasa’il al-Jahiz, Cairo: Maktabat al-Khaniji, 1964, Vol.1, 213; elsewhere al-Jahiz records statements suggesting that Arab women used to maintain good looks till they were well advanced in age, al-Mahasin wa al-Aḍdad, Beirut: Maktaba al-Hilal, 187. Thereafter Mariya bt. She chose Muhammad ibn Abdullah for the trade in Syria. Muhammad was monogamously married to her for 25 years. [13], Khadijah did not travel with her trade caravans; she employed others to trade on her behalf for a commission. More recently, popular speakers like Dr. Yasir Qadhi have suggested that her being twenty-eight at the time of the marriage is in fact the stronger opinion. After calming down, he described the encounter to Khadijah, who comforted him with the words that Allah would surely protect him from any danger, and would never allow anyone to revile him as he was a man of peace and reconciliation and always extended the hand of friendship to all. They were married for 25 years. It is narrated from multiple sources that he died at the age of 120 in the year 54 A.H.[12] This means he was thirteen years older than the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) which in turn proves that Khadija was fifteen years older than the Prophet (ﷺ) and, therefore, confirms the Forty-Year opinion. قال هشام بن محمد: نكح رسول الله ص خديجة، وهو ابن خمس وعشرين سنة، وخديجة يومئذ ابنة أربعين سنة. According to some Shi‘ite sources, Khadijah and Muhammad together had only one biological daughter, Fatimah. Then ‘Abdullah died. So, with lady Khadijah we begin our journey of discovering the personalities of the Prophet’s wives. Does the Qur’an say Torah was given for the Egyptians? The others either belonged to Khadijah's sister or were from a previous marriage and were treated by Muhammad as his own daughters. Khadijah was the daughter of Khuwaylid ibn Asad, a leader of Quraysh tribe in Mecca, and a successful businesswoman in her own right. Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) was never shy to go after what she wanted. All of the sons died in young age. Ibn Taymiyyah states: ومعلوم أن الواقدي نفسه خير عند الناس من مثل هشام بن الكلبي وأبيه محمد بن السائب وأمثالهما, It is known that for people al-Waqidi is better than Hisham bin al-Kalbi and his father Muhammad bin al-Sa’ib and the likes of them.[18]. They loved each other truly and deeply. Khadijah was the daughter of Khuwaylid ibn Asad, a leader of Quraysh tribe in Mecca, and a successful businesswoman in her own right. ‘Abdullah al-Zubairi related to us: First child of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was al-Qasim, next was Zainab, then ‘Abdullah, then ‘Umm Kulthum, then Ruqayya. [16], Khadijah married three times and had children from all her marriages. ‘Urwah reported: Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “I never felt so jealous about any woman as I did for Khadijah. ‘Abdullah al-Zubairi (d. 236/851) suggesting that he too preferred the Twenty-Eight opinion. [21] Ibn Sa’d, Muhammad, Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol.8, 13, [22] Al-Baladhuri, Ahmad bin Yahya, Ansab al-Ashraf, Beirut: Dar al-Fekr, 1996, Vol.1, 98, [23] Ibn Habib, al-Muhabbar, Beirut: Dar al-Afaq al-Jadida, n.d., 79, [24] Al-Maqdisi, al-Mutahhir, al-Bad‘ wa al-Tarikh, Port Said: Maktaba Thaqafa al-Diniya, n.d., Vol.4, 138 and Vol.5, 10, [25] Al-Mawardi, Abu al-Hasan, A’lam al-Nubuwwa, Beirut: Maktaba al-Hilal, 1409, 180, [26] Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Isti’ab fi Ma’rifa al-Ashab, Amman: Dar al-A’lam, 2002, 888 No. She was twenty-eight years old when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married her.[14]. A tradition with better credentials asserts that she was only three years older. Zayd was a slave in Khadijah's household for several years, until his father came to Mecca to take him home. 3rd - 5th grade. She was then sixty-five years old.[10]. ‘A’ishah reported that she was once irritated by Muhammad’s continued praise for Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her), so she complained, asking why he continued to remember an old lady who was not so beautiful, when God had replaced her … It is established that Khadija died in the tenth year after the Prophet’s proclamation of the message, twenty-five years after her marriage with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). [20] Ibn Kathir attributes to al-Waqidi the opinion that Khadija was forty-five years old, al-Sira al-Nabawiya, (Beirut: Dar al-Ma’rifa, 1976) Vol.4, 581. [22], Along with the narrators of the Forty-Year opinion, the scholars who preferred the Forty-Year opinion by either narrating only this or narrating this positively (bil-jazm) and the other(s) in a doubtful tone (sigha al-tamrid) include: Ibn Habib (d. 245/860)[23], al-Mutahhir al-Maqdisi (d. circa 355/966),[24] al-Mawardi (d. 450/1058),[25] Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (d. 463/1071),[26] Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597/1201),[27] Ibn al-Athir al-Jazari (d. 630/1233),[28] Ibn Sayyid al-Nas (d. 734/1334),[29] Ibn Jam’ah al-Kinani (d. 767/1366),[30] al-Maqrizi (d. 845/1441),[31] al-Malti (d. 920/1514),[32] and al-Zarqani (d. This is really a strange assertion on the part of Dr. Hamidullah as we have seen above both Ibn Habib and al-Baladhuri preferred the Forty-Year opinion over the Twenty-Eight Year opinion. Yet, that did not bother the Prophet (SAW) one bit. She had died three years before I married the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Yet no single word of comment occurs in the pages of Ibn Hisham, Ibn Sa’d, or at-Tabari.[44]. Khadijah was supportive of Muhammad's prophetic mission, always helping in his work, proclaiming his message and belittling any opposition to his prophecies. In recent decades, however, some scholars have articulated the opinion that she was in fact twenty-eight. ثم مات عبد الله. On the contrary, there are not many scholars who preferred the Twenty-Eight-Year opinion. [19], Two other children also lived in Khadijah's household: Ali ibn Abi Talib, the son of Muhammad's uncle; and Zayd ibn Harithah, a boy from the Udhra tribe who had been kidnapped and sold into slavery. One such controversy is surrounding the age of Khadija, the first wife of the Prophet, at the time of her marriage to him. She was 15 years older than Muhammad. All but one of the narrations for the Forty-Year opinion come through Muhammad bin ‘Umar al-Waqidi who, though severely criticized,[15] is known for his extensive knowledge and is recognized as indispensable when it comes to historical accounts about the biographic details of the companions and the campaigns of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Most of sources stated that Khadija (a) was 40 years old when she married the Prophet (s). Then ‘Abdullah too died. In the years immediately following Khadijah's death, Muhammad faced persecution from opponents of his message and also from some who originally followed him but had now turned back. While one does get the impression that the final part in the above quote relevant to our topic had also comes from Mus‘ab b. The first of the wives of the messenger of Allah as most of us know was Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her). 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