THE STORY OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD - Muhammad's Trading Business and Marriage with Khadijah the Great Rich Businesswoman

Muhammad lived his young life hard and full of hard work. He fulfilled his life needs by pasturing the goats of the people of Mecca to get wages. His uncle, Abu Talib, lived in poverty and had many children. He hoped that Muhammad could provide additional sustenance for his family from the wages of herding goats. At that time there was a wealthy and respectful businesswoman named Khadijah binti Khuwailid hiring the Quraysh to carry out her trade. She is from Banu Asad. He runs his business with some of his trusted people. Her business continued to grow to become a big business at that time. In her business, Khadijah implemented a profit sharing system.

At the age of twenty-five, Muhammad ran a trading business by selling merchandise belonging to Khadijah. Muhammad was known as someone with honesty and always behaved well towards anyone. This indeed made Khadijah increasingly interested in working with him. Khadijah offered him to bring her merchandise and sell it in the land of Sham. Muhammad accepted the offer. Khadijah handed over the best merchandise that was never given to other traders. Khadijah also included a male slave named Maisarah to accompany and assist Muhammad's work. Muhammad and Maisarah left for Sham to bring and sell Khadijah's merchandise. He carried out the mandate with a sense of responsibility and thoroughness.

With his honesty and intelligence, Muhammad was able to trade Khadijah's goods better. The way he trades generates profits that are greater than what others have done before. Maisarah was amazed by Muhammad's character and abilities so that he felt respect for him. They also bought merchandise in the land of Sham to take home.

After finishing trading in the land of Sham, Muhammad returned to Mecca by bringing a lot of profits from the sale. Khadijah increasingly admired Muhammad's personality and his ability to do business. Maisarah also said that Muhammad had a noble personality and character, always acted honestly, and the intelligence he saw while with Muhammad.

Surah Al Baqarah verse 275:

ٱلَّذِينَ يَأۡكُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْ لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ ٱلَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ مِنَ ٱلۡمَسِّۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡبَيۡعُ مِثۡلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْۗ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡبَيۡعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْۚ فَمَن جَآءَهُۥ مَوۡعِظَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمۡرُهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَنۡ عَادَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ  ٢٧٥

275.  Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, "Trade is [just] like interest." But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allah. But whoever returns to [dealing in interest or usury] - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.

                                                                                      

Khadijah felt that she had found the right person to live with. As a well-respected rich woman, she has often been proposed by many leaders and tribal leaders who want to make her a wife. But Khadijah did not accept all the offer of marriage. Basically, Khadijah was sure they were proposing to her only because of her abundant wealth. Finally Khadijah told her heart to her friend, Nafisah bint Maniah. After hearing this, Nafisah immediately met Muhammad and begged him to be willing to marry Khadijah. Muhammad was willing to obey this wish and immediately told his uncles about it. So his uncles immediately met Khadijah's uncle who named Umar bin Asad and proposed to her to the Muhammad. According to a history, Khadijah's father had died before the Fijar war.

After all agreed, a marriage  between Muhammad and Khadijah was held which was attended by Banu Hashim and the leader of the Mudhar tribe. At that time, Rasulullah was 25 years old, while Khadijah was 40 years old. Even though it is quite old, Khadijah is a dream woman, both in terms of heredity, wealth and thought.

Surah Ar Rum verse 21:

وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنۡ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا لِّتَسۡكُنُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَكُم مَّوَدَّةٗ وَرَحۡمَةًۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ  ٢١

21.  And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.

According to a history, their marriage dowry is twenty female camels. Khadijah is the first wife of Rasulullah. He did not marry anyone until Khadijah died. All the children of Rasulullah were from Khadijah, except Ibrahim from Mariah Al-Qibtiyah. The first child of the Prophet was named Qasim, so he also held the title Abul Qasim. Then Zainab, Rukiah, Umi Kulthum, Fatimah, and Abdullah. All boys died when they were little. All the girls had witnessed the prophethood of Muhammad. They all embraced Islam.

Reference:

·         Mubarakfuri, Syekh Shafiyyur-Rahman, and Haidir, Abdullah (Translator). 2005. Sejarah Hidup dan Perjuangan Rasulullah. Riyadh: Kantor Dakwah dan Bimbingan bagi Pendatang Al-Sulay.

·         Haekal, Muhammad Husain, and Audah, Ali (Translator). Sejarah Hidup Muhammad.

·         Al-Mubarakfuriyy, Syeikh Safy Al-Rahman. Seerah Nabawiyyah, Al-Raheeq Al-Makhtum.