The life of Muhammad (peace be upon him)

5-Marriage and Friendship

Muhammad ﷺ experience of trading, together with his excellent reputation, drew him to the attention of Khadijah, a beautiful and wealthy widow belonging to a family of merchants. Khadijah employed Muhammad ﷺ to take her goods to trade in Syria.

Muhammad ﷺ handled the trading very well, and brought back more profits than Khadijah had ever made before.

Also, Khadijah's servant, Maysarah, who accompanied Muhammad ﷺ to Syria, had come to admire and respect him greatly, and give a glowing report to her mistress about what a superior person Muhammad ﷺ was.

Muhammad's refined speech and looks had made a profound impression upon Khadijah, and she wanted to marry him. When Khadijiah conveyed through her friend, Nufaysah, Muhammad ﷺ having great respect for Khadijah, happily said yes. The marriage was a joyful one.

They were well suited for each other, and were blessed with six children, two boys and four girls. Sadly, however, both sons died at an early age.

Khadijah was not only Muhammad's ﷺ wife, but also his friend and helper, and, later, his first disciple. When the Quraysh's persecution of the Prophet ﷺ was its height, just before Muhannad's decision to leave Makkah Khadijah died. It was a terrible loss for Muhammad ﷺ.

In the years after Khadijah's death, Muhammad ﷺ married other wives. He had only one more child, by the last of these wives, a son named Ibrahim, who also died in infancy.

SPEAKING THE TRUTH

The prophet Muhammad ﷺ once remarked with great wisdom that you should always tell the truth, because that leads to a life of virtue, and that you should stay away from people who tell lies, because that leads to a life of evil. Indeed, the noblest quality in a man or woman is honesty. It shines forth, showing purity of soul. One who tells lies mars his inner self and sinks deeper and deeper into evil. The Prophet ﷺ observed: "The best utterance to me is that of truth. The trader who is truthful and trustworthy will be raised on Doomsday along with the Prophets." (al-Bukhari)

ZAYD IBN HARITHA

Zayd was travelling with his father, Haritha, when their caravan was attacked. He was dragged away to a bazaar and sold there as a slave. The person who bought him, Khadijah, thought he would be useful to her husband, Muhammad ﷺ. But the Prophet ﷺ did not like the idea of slavery, so when the boy's father Haritha came to Makkah and begged him to give him back, saying that he would pay whatever he wanted, the Prophet ﷺ told him that he did not want any compensation. If Zayd wanted to go with him, he could take him.

Much to Harirtha's surprise, Zayd said that he had been shown so much love by the Prophet ﷺ that he preferred to stay with him. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then took Zayd to the Kabah, and in the presence of Zayd's father and uncle, announced to everyone that this boy was now his son. Haritha and his brother went away happily, knowing that Zayd was in good hands.