Chapter 5: Marriage to Khadījah and Rebuilding the Ka‘bah
A blessed home, and the day his wisdom saved Makkah from war
© 2026 Sheikh Mohamed Fawzy. All rights reserved. Version 1.7
Who was Khadījah?
Noble
Khadījah bint Khuwaylid was from a noble family of Quraysh.
A businesswoman
She was wealthy and sent her goods with traders to al-Shām.
Wise and pure
She was known for her intelligence and good character.
She hired the young Muḥammad ﷺ to trade with her goods. When she saw his honesty and character, she wished to marry him.
From Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm. The extra wonders reported from the trip to al-Shām are left out, as they come through weak reports.
A blessed marriage
He was 25
Shortly after returning from al-Shām, he married Khadījah. His uncles arranged the marriage.
She was 40
according to Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm.
They lived together about 25 years, until her death in the Year of Sorrow (Chapter 13).
“The best of its women”
He never forgot her — even many years after she died:
A beautiful lesson in loyalty (wafā’): he kept honouring her friends long after her death.
Their children
Allah gave them six children, according to Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm:
Both sons died as little children. The four daughters grew up, accepted Islam and made the Hijrah. All of them died in his lifetime except Fāṭimah.
A son, Ibrāhīm, was born much later in Madinah from Māriyah; he also died as a baby.
“Allah will never disgrace you”
Fifteen years later, when the first revelation came and he was afraid, Khadījah comforted him with words that describe the man she knew:
Family
He kept ties with relatives.
The weak
He carried their burdens.
The poor & guests
He gave and he hosted.
Hard times
He helped when disaster struck.
The full story of this moment is Chapter 6. Here, focus on the qualities: who knows a man better than his wife?
Quraysh rebuild the Ka‘bah
When he was 35, a flood damaged the Ka‘bah, and its walls were weak. Quraysh decided to rebuild it — and agreed to use only money earned in a good way. But that money was not enough, so they built it smaller than Ibrāhīm’s foundations:
The curved low wall today, called al-Ḥijr or al-Ḥaṭīm, marks the part they could not build. Ask: why would they refuse bad money even for the Ka‘bah?
He carried stones with his own hands
Even before he was a Prophet, Allah protected his modesty. The young man who would one day teach the world ḥayā’ (modesty) was already living it.
Explain the context gently: men carried heavy stones on their shoulders, and some folded their waist-wraps under the stones as padding. Allah did not allow the Prophet ﷺ to be uncovered.
Who will place the Black Stone?
When the walls reached the place of the Black Stone, every clan wanted the honour of putting it back. They argued until they almost fought. Then they agreed: the first man to come in through the gate will judge between us. The first one to come in was the Prophet ﷺ. They said: “This is al-Amīn!” — and they accepted his judgement.
Let students suggest solutions before pressing the button. His solution gave every clan a share of the honour — and left no one defeated.
Why was it such a good solution?
Everyone won
Every clan held the cloth, so every clan shared the honour.
No one lost face
No clan was placed above another, so no one wanted revenge.
Trust made it work
They accepted his judgement because they already trusted him: “This is al-Amīn.”
Next time two friends argue, look for the solution where both keep their dignity.
What we learn
Loyalty
He honoured Khadījah’s memory and her friends for the rest of his life.
Only good money
Quraysh refused unclean wealth even to build the Ka‘bah — how much more should we?
Wisdom and trust
His honesty made people accept his judgement, and his wisdom stopped a war.
Quick quiz
The world was ready — and at forty, the revelation came
ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam ﷺ