Muhammad's Career and Marriage with Khadija

Like common people, Muhammad also worked. When he was a child, he used to work as a shepherd to goats owned by Bani Sa’ad with salary of some qirath. He changed his profession when he was an adolescent, from a shepherd to a trader.

At the age of 25, Muhammad traded to Syam (Now Syam consists of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Iraq). Muhammad would sell goods belonging to Khadijah binti Khuwailid, a highly rich and respectable woman amongst The Quraish.

Whenever Muhammad did a transaction, he would always explain the thing the way it was. He was just an honest seller to everyone; he never lied, never cheated, not once. Because of his honesty and humbleness, and attractive personality, the goods he brought were always sold out.

Khadijah as the business owner was amazed by this fact. She then sent his maid named Maisarah to accompany Muhammad for the next trading trip. Khadijah ordered Muhammad to run her funds to trade in Syam again, but this time Khadijah promised him a bigger share for him. Muhammad agreed, and without he knowing it, he was under the monitor of Maisarah.

Muhammad went home to Mecca with great and satisfying result of profit. Khadijah was, again, astonished by his good work. Her sympathy for Muhammad grew greater after Maisarah told everything she monitored during their trip to Syam. Amongst them are Muhammad’s noble attitude, creative ideas, polite speech act, and the trustworthy way of selling.

Khadijah felt like she found a soul mate she had been looking for. At that time, however, many leaders of Quraish and noblemen intended to marry her, and she always refused. Khadijah finally shared her feeling of pride and impressions about Muhammad to one of her friends called Nafisah bint Munabbih. Nafisah immediately met Muhammad to deliver Khadijah’s proposal of marriage.

At first, Muhammad felt he had nothing to offer. He knew he was just an ordinary young man, not a nobleman, not even a leader of Quraish. He was just a usual man. No more. But Khadijah through Nafisah’s mouth insisted that she was serious about him, thus finally Muhammad agreed to marry Khadijah.

Muhammad then went to some of his uncles to talk about this matter. The Bani  Hasyim Famiily met Khadijah’s uncle to make an official proposal of marriage to Khadijah. The marriage was held two months after Muhammad’s homecoming from Syam, with the dowry of 20 young camels. Khadijah was 40 and Muhammad was 25 years old when they got married.

Muhammad never married another woman until Khadijah died. All of his children were born by Khadijah except Ibrahim. Muhammad’s children are Qasim, Zainab, Ruqayyah, Ummu Kultshum, Fathimah, and Abdullah (well-known as At-Thayyib and At-Thahir). All of Muhammad’s sons died when Muhammad was still alive, while his daughters stayed alive until their migration to Medina. Muhammad’s daughters died when their father was still alive except for Fathimah. Fathimah stayed alive and finally died 6 months after her father’s death.