Life-of-Muhammad

8Life of Muhammad saSyria, but also to the integrity and efficiency of itsleader. She interrogated her slave, Maisara, on thissubject, and Maisara supported her view and told herthat the honesty and sympathy with which this youngleader of the caravan had managed her affairs would notbe shown by many persons. Khadija ra was muchimpressed by this account. She was forty years of ageand had already been widowed twice. She sent a womanfriend of hers to the Prophet sa to find out whether hewould be persuaded to marry her. This woman went tothe Prophet sa and asked why he had not married. TheProphet sa replied he was not rich enough to do so. Thevisitor suggested whether he would agree, if a rich andrespectable woman were found whom he could marry.The Prophet sa asked who this woman could be, and thevisitor said she was Khadija ra . The Prophet sa apologized,saying that Khadija ra was too highly placed for him. Thevisitor undertook to deal with all difficulties. In thatcase, said the Prophet sa , there was nothing for him tosay but to agree. Khadija ra then sent a message to theProphet's sa uncle. Marriage between the Prophet sa andKhadija ra was settled and solemnized. A poor manorphaned in, childhood had his first peep intoprosperity. He became rich. But the use he made of hisriches is an object-lesson to all mankind. After themarriage Khadija ra felt that she was rich and he waspoor and that this inequality between them would notmake for happiness. So she proposed to make over herproperty and her slaves to the Prophet sa . The Prophet sa ,making sure that Khadija ra was in earnest, declared thatas soon as he had any of Khadija's ra slaves, he would setthem free. And he did so. Moreover, the greater part ofthe property which he received from Khadija ra hedistributed among the poor. Among the slaves whom hethus set free was one Zaid ra . He appeared to be moreintelligent and more alert than others. He belonged to arespectable family, had been kidnapped as a child andsold from place to place until he reached Mecca.