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Marriage of the Prophet (s) with Khadija (a)

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Marriage of the Prophet (s) with Khadija (a)
Date10 Rabi' al-Awwal, 25 Am al-Fil/595 (15 years before Bi'tha)
LocationMecca
CauseKhadija's interest in the Prophet's honesty and good character
ParticipantsProphet Muhammad (s), Khadija (a)

The Marriage of the Prophet (s) with Khadija (a) refers to the matrimonial union between Prophet Muhammad (s) and Khadija (a), which took place approximately 15 years before the Bi'tha (mission) of the Prophet (s). According to the most famous opinion, the Prophet (s) was 25 years old and Khadija (a) was 40 years old at the time of marriage.

The acquaintance between the Prophet (s) and Khadija (a) occurred following Khadija's trade journey to Sham (Syria); the Prophet (s) traded with Khadija's capital during this journey, and upon his return and after Khadija learned of his honesty and good character, she became interested in marriage. Some sources have considered Khadija's wealth as the motive for this marriage, but researchers consider this view inconsistent with the Sira of the Prophet (s) and Khadija's direct proposal.

The Prophet (s) and Khadija (a) had three children named Qasim, Fatima al-Zahra (a), and 'Abd Allah. Some sources also consider Zaynab, Ruqayya, and Umm Kulthum as daughters of the Prophet (s), while Shi'a scholars believe that Khadija (a) had not married before the Prophet (s) and these three were her adopted daughters.

According to historical sources, Khadija's Mahr (dowry) was reported to be twelve uqiyya, twenty young camels, or five hundred dirhams.

First Marriage of the Prophet (s)

Khadija (a) was the first wife of the Prophet (s)[1] and lived with him for twenty-five years.[2] Their marriage is considered to have taken place about 15 years before the Bi'tha, or slightly earlier.[3] According to some reports, this marriage took place on 10 Rabi' al-Awwal of the year 25 Am al-Fil, and Abu Talib recited the marriage sermon.[4]

Mahr

It is stated in Ansab al-Ashraf by al-Baladhuri (d. 279/892) that the Prophet (s) set twelve uqiyya (each uqiyya equal to forty dirhams) as Khadija's Mahr.[5] Other sources mention the Mahr as twenty young camels[6] or five hundred dirhams.[7] Al-Fadl b. al-Hasan al-Tabrisi (d. 548/1153) also considered this amount for the Mahr of all the wives of the Prophet (s).[8]

Khadija's Proposal and Motive for Marriage

The acquaintance between the Prophet (s) and Khadija (a) occurred during Khadija's trade caravan to Sham. The Prophet (s) traded with Khadija's capital at the suggestion of Abu Talib and Khadija's invitation.[9] Maysara, Khadija's servant, spoke of the Prophet's honesty and good character to Khadija after returning from the journey.[10] Khadija became interested in the Prophet (s) and sought his opinion about marriage through intermediaries. The Prophet (s) agreed, and Abu Talib and Hamza b. Abd al-Muttalib proposed to Khadija on behalf of the Prophet (s) from her uncle 'Amr b. Asad.[11]

According to another narration, Khadija (a) herself directly proposed to the Prophet (s) after the caravan returned from Sham, stating that she desired this union due to his kinship, trustworthiness, good character, and truthfulness.[12] Some sources also mention a woman as an intermediary for this marriage.[13] Some sources have narrated a story that Khadija used wine to gain her father Khuwaylid's consent for this marriage.[14] Researchers consider this narration fabricated and state that if it were true, the marriage should have been declared void at that time.[15] It is also suggested that these narrations might have been fabricated by the enemies of Banu Fatima, as the Shi'a Imams were born from this marriage.[16]

Some have considered Khadija's wealth as the motive for this marriage, while some researchers consider this view inconsistent with the Sira of the Prophet (s) and Khadija's direct proposal to the Prophet (s).[17] Abbas Zaryab Khoei (d. 1373/1994), a researcher of Islamic history, also believes that the inclination of a woman like Khadija (a) to marry the Prophet (s) indicates his prominent social status and reputation for trustworthiness and honesty.[18]

Age of the Prophet (s) and Khadija (a) at Marriage

According to the famous opinion of historians, the Prophet (s) was 25 years old[19] and Khadija (a) was 40 years old[20] at the time of their marriage. However, historical sources mention Khadija's age between 21 and 46 years[21] and the Prophet's age between 21 and 37 years.[22] Sayyid Ja'far Shahidi (d. 1386 Sh/2008), a Shi'a historian, suggested that considering the number of children, Khadija's age might have been less than 40 years.[23] Also, according to Sayyid Ja'far Murtada al-'Amili (d. 1398 Sh/2019), a researcher of Islamic history, most historians have confirmed the age of 28 for Khadija (a) at the time of marriage.[24]

Had Khadija (a) Married Before the Prophet (s)?

Main article: Children of Prophet Muhammad (s)

All the children of the Prophet (s) except Ibrahim were from Khadija (a).[25] Sources mention six children for them: Fatima al-Zahra (a), Qasim, 'Abd Allah, Zaynab, Ruqayya, and Umm Kulthum.[26] Some historical sources report that Khadija (a) had married twice before marrying the Prophet (s).[27] Based on this, Zaynab, Ruqayya, and Umm Kulthum are sometimes considered Khadija's daughters and the Prophet's adopted daughters. However, a number of Shi'a scholars believe that Khadija (a) was a virgin at the time of marriage to the Prophet (s),[28] and Zaynab, Ruqayya, and Umm Kulthum were the daughters of Khadija's sister, not Khadija herself.[29]

Notes

  1. ↑ Dīnawarī, Al-Maʿārif, 1992, p. 132.
  2. ↑ Āyatī, Tārīkh-i Payāmbar-i Islām, 1391 Sh, p. 57.
  3. ↑ Murādī, "Khadīja", vol. 22, under the entry.
  4. ↑ Maqrīzī, Imtāʿ al-asmāʿ, 1420 AH, vol. 1, p. 17.
  5. ↑ Balādhurī, Ansāb al-ashrāf, 1394 AH, vol. 1, p. 97.
  6. ↑ Āyatī, Tārīkh-i Payāmbar-i Islām, 1391 Sh, p. 56.
  7. ↑ Istarābādī, Āthār-i Aḥmadī, 1374 Sh, p. 72.
  8. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Iʿlām al-warā, 1376 Sh, vol. 1, p. 275.
  9. ↑ Ibn Saʿd, Al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā, 1410 AH, vol. 1, pp. 103–105.
  10. ↑ Ḥalabī, Al-Sīra al-Ḥalabiyya, vol. 1, p. 193.
  11. ↑ Ibn Saʿd, Al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā, 1410 AH, vol. 1, pp. 103–105; ʿĀmilī, Al-Ṣaḥīḥ min sīrat al-Nabī al-aʿẓam, 1427 AH, vol. 2, p. 189.
  12. ↑ Ibn Hishām, Al-Sīra al-Nabawiyya, vol. 1, p. 122.
  13. ↑ Ḥalabī, Al-Sīra al-Ḥalabiyya, vol. 1, p. 199; Subḥānī, Furūgh-i abadiyyat, 1385 Sh, vol. 1, p. 193.
  14. ↑ Ḥalabī, Al-Sīra al-Ḥalabiyya, 1427 AH, vol. 1, p. 193.
  15. ↑ Zaryāb Khūyī, Sīra-yi Ḥaḍrat-i Rasūl, 1388 Sh, p. 96.
  16. ↑ Zaryāb Khūyī, Sīra-yi Ḥaḍrat-i Rasūl, 1388 Sh, p. 96.
  17. ↑ Qadrdān Qarāmalikī, Pāsukh bi shubahāt-i kalāmī, pp. 33–34.
  18. ↑ Zaryāb Khūyī, Sīra-yi Ḥaḍrat-i Rasūl, 1388 Sh, pp. 95–96.
  19. ↑ Yaʿqūbī, Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī, vol. 2, p. 20; Bukhārī, Al-Tārīkh al-ṣaghīr, 1406 AH, vol. 1, p. 43; Ibn Hishām, Al-Sīra al-Nabawiyya, vol. 1, p. 121; Ḥalabī, Al-Sīra al-Ḥalabiyya, 1427 AH, vol. 1, p. 193.
  20. ↑ Balādhurī, Ansāb al-ashrāf, 1394 AH, vol. 1, p. 98; Ibn Saʿd, Al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā, 1410 AH, vol. 1, p. 105.
  21. ↑ Maqrīzī, Imtāʿ al-asmāʿ, 1420 AH, vol. 1, p. 17; Ṭahmāz, Al-Sayyida Khadīja, 1417 AH, pp. 37–39.
  22. ↑ Ṭahmāz, Al-Sayyida Khadīja, 1417 AH, p. 36; Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, Al-Istīʿāb, 1412 AH, vol. 4, p. 1818.
  23. ↑ Shahīdī, Tārīkh-i taḥlīlī-yi Islām, 1392 Sh, p. 42.
  24. ↑ ʿĀmilī, Al-Ṣaḥīḥ min sīrat al-Nabī al-aʿẓam, 1427 AH, vol. 2, p. 200.
  25. ↑ Dīnawarī, Al-Maʿārif, 1992, p. 132.
  26. ↑ Ibn Saʿd, Al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā, 1410 AH, vol. 1, p. 106; Bukhārī, Al-Tārīkh al-ṣaghīr, 1406 AH, vol. 1, p. 43.
  27. ↑ Dīnawarī, Al-Maʿārif, 1992, p. 133; Ḥalabī, Al-Sīra al-Ḥalabiyya, 1427 AH, vol. 1, p. 193.
  28. ↑ Ibn Shahrāshūb, Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib, 1412 AH, vol. 1, p. 206; ʿĀmilī, Al-Ṣaḥīḥ min sīrat al-Nabī al-aʿẓam, 1427 AH, vol. 2, pp. 207–213.
  29. ↑ Kūfī, Al-Istighātha, vol. 1, p. 68; ʿĀmilī, Al-Ṣaḥīḥ min sīrat al-Nabī al-aʿẓam, 1427 AH, vol. 2, p. 208.

References

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