Story No. 142 – Hazrat Khadijah bint Khuwaylid’s business proposal

Hazrat Khadijah bint Khuwaylid’s business proposal Hazrat Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, who was an honorable wealthy woman, used to put her wealth at the disposal of others who traded for her and received wages in return for their services.

 

As Hazrat Mohammed’s (saw) fame for honesty, virtue and trustworthiness spread throughout Arabia and reached Hazrat Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, she started seeking his cooperation. Then she made this proposal to him: ‘I will put at your disposal some property plus a servant, Mysara, and pay you more than others’.

 

Being well aware of his uncle’s financial problems due to his old age, low income, and large family, Hazrat Mohammed (saw) accepted Hazrat Khadijah bint Khuwaylid’s offer.

 

Hazrat Khadijah, the daughter of Khuwaylid, was a lady of supreme character. Moreover, at that time, it was common amongst Arabs to disrespect women and kill their daughters. In such a period however, Hazrat Khadijah bint Khuwaylid was famous for titles such as “the pious” or “the Lady of the women of Quraish”. Though she was forty years old, her enormous wealth, popularity, and prestige had led many wealthy and powerful Quraish to court her. But she did not accept any of them as her husband and avoided marriage, for she knew well that they either were interested in her wealth or were men whose character she detested. Other narrators, however, record that Hazrat Khadijah bint Khuwaylid was younger at the time of marriage.