Khadijah Believes: The First Muslim

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her) was not only the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ but the first person to embrace Islam, making her the first Muslim. Her immediate, unwavering faith upon hearing the first revelation set the foundational example of trust in Allah and His messenger.

The Moment of Revelation and Her Unshakable Faith

When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ received the first revelation from Allah through the Angel Jibril in the Cave of Hira, he returned to Khadijah trembling, saying, "Cover me, cover me." After he related what had occurred, Khadijah responded with words of absolute certainty, declaring her faith in his prophethood. This moment is recorded in authentic hadith, where she comforted him, saying: "No, by Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously, and assist the deserving and those who have been afflicted with calamities."

Her immediate belief was not a passive acceptance but an active, intellectual commitment. She understood that the message of tawhid (monotheism) he brought was the same as that of the prophets before him, and she recognized his impeccable character as proof of his truthfulness.

She Was the First Muslim: Textual Evidence from the Quran

The Quran commands the Prophet ﷺ to declare his role as the first of the Muslims: "And I have been commanded to be the first [among you] of the Muslims." Similarly, in another verse: "He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims." While these verses directly address the Prophet ﷺ, the scholarly consensus is that Khadijah was the first to actualize this command among the believers, preceding all others in her submission to Allah through the message of Islam.

The term "first Muslim" is understood by scholars such as Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani to refer to Khadijah among women, and indeed, she is universally recognized as the first person to accept Islam. Her precedence is not merely chronological but symbolic of the perfect receptivity to divine guidance. She did not hesitate, question, or demand proof. Her faith was instinctive, rooted in her knowledge of the Prophet's ﷺ uprightness and her own pure fitrah (natural disposition).

Her Role as Support and Comforter

Beyond being the first Muslim, Khadijah was the Prophet's ﷺ greatest human support in the early, difficult years of da'wah. The Prophet ﷺ would often remember her, saying: "She believed in me when the people disbelieved, and she trusted me when the people belied me, and she spent her wealth for me when the people deprived me." She used her wealth, status, and influence to protect him and the nascent Muslim community.

Her home became the first center of Islam, where the early Muslims gathered in secret to learn and pray. When the Quraysh intensified their persecution, it was Khadijah's steadfastness and her family's tribal protection that shielded the Prophet ﷺ. Her faith was not a private matter but a public fortress for the religion.

The Timing of Her Faith and the Early Muslim Community

The first revelation occurred when the Prophet ﷺ was forty years old. Immediately after, Khadijah accepted Islam. She was followed by ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (who was then a young boy living in the Prophet's household), Zayd ibn Harithah (his freed slave), and Abu Bakr al-Siddiq.

This sequence is critical. Khadijah’s precedence established that Islam is a faith of the home and heart before it becomes a public movement. Her example teaches that true belief begins with private conviction, expressed in the intimate circle of family. She did not need a miracle beyond the Prophet's ﷺ character. Her faith was a direct response to the truth, unmediated by political or social calculation.

Lessons from Khadijah’s Precedence

Khadijah’s being the first Muslim holds profound lessons. First, it underscores the dignity of women in Islam. A woman was the first to affirm the greatest truth in history, giving lie to any notion that women are secondary in matters of faith. Second, it emphasizes the role of wealth and social standing in supporting truth. She did not hoard her resources but spent them for Allah’s cause. Third, it teaches that true companionship in marriage is built on shared faith and mutual trust.

The Prophet ﷺ never forgot her. Years after her death, he would send gifts to her friends and speak of her with love. When ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked about her, he said: "She believed in me when the people disbelieved, and she trusted me when the people belied me, and she spent her wealth for me when the people deprived me, and Allah granted me children from her."

Her Legacy as the First Believer

Khadijah’s place as the first Muslim is a cornerstone of Islamic history. She is one of the four perfect women, according to the Prophet ﷺ, alongside Maryam, Asiyah, and Fatimah. Her faith was complete, her sacrifice total, and her reward immense. She set the pattern for all subsequent believers: to believe in the unseen, to support the truth with one’s full capacity, and to be the first in goodness.

As we reflect on her life, we are reminded that the first step of faith is often the hardest, yet it is the step that makes all later steps possible. She took that step without hesitation, and for that, she remains the mother of the believers and the first Muslim.

Sources

• Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 1, Hadith 3 — https://sunnah.com/bukhari/1/3
• Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 60, Hadith 50 — https://sunnah.com/bukhari/60/50
• Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 62, Hadith 12 — https://sunnah.com/bukhari/62/12
• Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 241 — https://sunnah.com/ahmad/6/241
• Quran 39:12 — https://quran.com/39/12
• Quran 6:163 — https://quran.com/6/163