When the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ descended from the Cave of Ḥirāʾ on the first night of revelation — trembling, uncertain, asking to be covered — he went to Sayyidatuna Khadījah al-Kubrā رضي الله عنها. She was the first human being to hear the news that would change the world. She was the first to believe. She was the one who said, in the most celebrated act of spousal support in the entire Sīrah: “By Allāh, Allāh will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your relatives, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously, and assist those struck by calamity.” These words, preserved in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, are among the most cited in the Islamic tradition.
Her Titles
Sayyidatuna Khadījah رضي الله عنها carries several titles. She is al-Kubrā — the Great — distinguishing her from others of the same name. She is Ummunā — Our Mother — as one of the Mothers of the Believers. She is al-Ṭāhirah — the Pure One — a title given to her by the Makkans before Islām in recognition of her character. And in the estimation of scholars who have written about the women of the Prophetic household ﷺ, she is among the very greatest.
The Love That Outlived Her
Sayyidatuna Khadījah رضي الله عنها died during the years of persecution in Makkah. The Prophet ﷺ grieved her so deeply and visibly that the year of her death is called ʿĀm al-Ḥuzn — the Year of Grief. After her death, the Prophet ﷺ continued to honour her memory with a tenderness that sometimes prompted Sayyidatuna ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها to express jealousy of a woman who had been dead for years. He would slaughter a sheep and distribute its meat to her friends. He would speak of her with unmistakable love.
“She Believed in Me When No One Else Did”
When Sayyidatuna ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها expressed this jealousy, the Prophet ﷺ responded with one of the most moving testimonies in the Sīrah: “She believed in me when no one else did. She considered me truthful when others denied me. She supported me with her wealth when others withheld from me. And Allāh gave me children through her, not through others.” This statement — recorded in Musnad Aḥmad and classical biographical sources — is the Prophet’s own definition of what her love for him meant: belief, support, and sacrifice, maintained through the most difficult years of his prophetic mission.
Her Place in the Ahl al-Bayt
Sayyidatuna Khadījah رضي الله عنها is the mother of Sayyidah Fāṭimah al-Zahrāʾ رضي الله عنها — making her the maternal grandmother of Sayyiduna al-Ḥasan and Sayyiduna al-Ḥusayn رضوان الله عليهما. The prophetic lineage that continues to this day passes through her. To love the Ahl al-Bayt is inseparable from loving the woman who made the prophetic family possible.
Why is Sayyidatuna Khadījah called the first believer?
Because she was the first human being to accept Islām — the first to hear the Prophet’s ﷺ account of revelation and say, without hesitation: I believe you. This occurred on the very first night of revelation when the Prophet ﷺ returned from the Cave of Ḥirāʾ. Her immediate belief is preserved in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī.
Why did the Prophet ﷺ continue to honour Sayyidatuna Khadījah after her death?
Because her support during the most difficult years of his mission — her belief, her financial sacrifice, her constant presence — left a debt of love and gratitude he honoured for the rest of his life. He told Sayyidatuna ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها directly: “She believed in me when no one else did.”
What is the relationship between Sayyidatuna Khadījah and Sayyidah Fāṭimah?
Sayyidatuna Khadījah رضي الله عنها is the mother of Sayyidah Fāṭimah al-Zahrāʾ رضي الله عنها — and through Fāṭimah, the grandmother of Sayyiduna al-Ḥasan and Sayyiduna al-Ḥusayn رضوان الله عليهما. The entire prophetic lineage that continues today passes through her.