'A'ishah: the mother of the believers

When the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, emigrated from Makkah to Al-Madeenah he was accompanied by Abu Bakr may Allah be pleased with him, ('A'ishah's father) who had the most knowledge about the Quraysh -both the good and bad aspects. He was a well-known honorable merchant to whom people came to seek and gain more knowledge.

'A'ishah's mother may Allah be pleased with her, was called Umm Rummaan bint 'Umayr bin 'Amer coming from the sons of Al-Haarith bin Ghanam bin Ka'ab, and she was among the first group who embraced Islam. She had been married to 'Abdullaah bin 'Abdul-Asad before she married Abu Bakr, and she had a son from her first husband called At-Tufayl, and she gave birth to 'A'ishah and 'Abdur-Rahmaan from Abu Bakr may Allah be pleased with him. She emigrated to Al-Madeenah after the establishment of Islam there. When she died, Abu Bakr may Allah be pleased with him, said: "O Allah! You know best how Umm Rummaan was hurt for Your sake and the sake of Your Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam."

The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to entrust 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her to Umm Rummaan's charge and say: “O Umm Rummaan, be kind to 'A'ishah and be mindful of me by this kindness.”

In fact, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to love the clean and pure household of Abu Bakr may Allah be pleased with him, because the man of the house -- Abu Bakr -- was a man who needed no introduction; his character and lineage were not something to inquire about.

The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, thought about proposing to 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her, for marriage when Khawlah bint Haakim Al-Aslamiah may Allah be pleased with her, said to him: “What do you say about marrying 'A'ishah the daughter of Abu Bakr?”; he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam then moved his head in the affirmative, saying yes. Then Khawlah went to Umm Rummaan to tell her the news and said: “O Umm Rummaan, you cannot imagine how Allah has blessed your house!”

Khawlah may Allah be pleased with her said: “The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sent me to seek 'A'ishah for marriage.” Umm Rummaan may Allah be pleased with her, said: “Wait for Abu Bakr, he is coming soon.”

When Abu Bakr may Allah be pleased with him came back, Khawlah told him the news and he said: “Is she suitable for him? She is his niece.” Khawlah then went back to the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and told him what Abu Bakr had told her, and he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Go back and tell Abu Bakr that he is my brother in Islam and I am his, and his daughter is good enough for me.”

Abu Bakr thought deeply about this and then went to Mut'am bin 'Uday, who had proposed 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her for marriage to his son Jubayr. These people were still disbelievers. When Abu Bakr may Allah be pleased with him entered their house, they said: “O son of Abu Quhaafah, we fear that if our son married your daughter 'A'ishah, then she would convince him of Islam and we do not want this to happen.”

Abu Bakr may Allah be pleased with him, did not answer, but on the contrary he was very pleased with that. In this way he was freed of their promise and he could give his full agreement for the blessed marriage.

'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her, narrated how she became married to the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu '‘alayhi wa sallam, and said: “The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came to our house, and many people gathered there to meet him. Then my mother came to me while I was playing, she took me to the door where the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was sitting. I was so embarrassed and I melted in shyness.

Then my mother put me beside the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said: “This is your wife, may Allah bless her for you, and bless you for her.” People then left the room, and at that night nothing was slaughtered for me and I was nine years old at that time.” Although she was young, she was a mature girl who had reached puberty. People described 'A'ishah on her wedding day and said: “She was a nimble, wide-eyed bride, with curly hair and a shiny face.”

Whereas Khadeejah may Allah be pleased with her, was already a wise and mature woman when she married the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her, was a spirited young girl who still had a great deal to learn when she married the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. However, she was very quick to learn, for she had a clear heart, a quick mind and an accurate memory. She was not afraid to talk back in order to find out the truth or make it known, and whenever she beat someone else in argument, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would smile and say: “She is the daughter of Abu Bakr!”

Moosaa bin Talhah may Allah be pleased with him once said: “I have not seen anyone more eloquent than 'A'ishah.” 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her, became so wise that one of her contemporaries used to say that if the knowledge of 'A'ishah were placed on one side of the scales and that of all other women on the other, 'A'ishah's side would outweigh the others. She used to sit with the other women and pass on the knowledge that she had received from the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. She was a source of knowledge and wisdom for both women and men long after the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, died and as long as she lived. Abu Moosaa may Allah be pleased with him once said: “Whenever a report appeared doubtful to us (the Companions of the Prophet) and we asked 'A'ishah about it, we always learned something from her about it.”

In addition to being extremely intelligent, 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her, became a very graceful young woman. When she first came to live in the Prophet's household as a young girl, a strong and lasting friendship grew up between her and Sawdah, and Sawdah may Allah be pleased with her, took care of her along with the rest of the household. When 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her, grew up, Sawdah, who was by then an old woman, gave up her share of the Prophet's time in favor of 'A'ishah and was content to manage his household and be Umm al Mu’mineen 'The Mother of the Believers' -- a title of respect that was given to all the wives of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, which confirmed what the Qur'an clearly states that no man could marry any of them after they had been married to the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:

{The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves, and his wives are (in the position of) their mothers.} [Quran 33]

During the nine years that 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her, was married to Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, she witnessed many of the great events that shaped the destiny of the first Muslim community of Al-Madeenah al Munawarra: It was during the course of their marriage that the direction of the Qiblah was changed from Jerusalem to Makkah, thereby distinguishing the Muslims more clearly from Jews and Christians.

It was during the course of their marriage that she must have listened to many of the Jews, Christians and idol worshipers who came not to listen to the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, but to argue with him, in the hope that they could find a plausible excuse to justify their rejection of him. It was through exchanges such as these that 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her learned to distinguish what was true from what was false.

As the prophetic guidance continued to be revealed through the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu '‘alayhi wa sallam, 'A'ishah's way of life, along with that of all the Muslims, was gradually reshaped and refined. It was during the course of their marriage that drinking alcohol was finally forbidden, it was made clear what food was allowed (Halal) and what was prohibited (Haram), it became necessary for women to wear the Hijab in public and while praying, guidance regarding how to fast was revealed, paying the Zakat became obligatory on all Muslims and all rites of Hajj were purified and clarified.

In fact, every aspect of life -- from birth to death and everything that happens in between -- was illuminated by the way in which the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam behaved. It was this way of behavior (the Sunnah), that 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her, helped to preserve and protect, not only by embodying it herself, but also by teaching it to others.

The life of 'A’ishah may Allah be pleased with her is proof that a woman can be far more learned than men and that she can be the teacher of scholars and experts. Her life is also a proof that a woman can exert influence over men and women and provide them with inspiration and leadership . Her life is also proof that the same woman can retain her femininity and be a source of pleasure, joy and comfort to her husband.

'A’ishah may Allah be pleased with her, spent her life with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, until he died in her lap, whereupon she said: “He sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, died between my chest and my neck, then I put his head on a pillow when people became very quiet while I was mourning and suffering deep sadness.”

She was Umm ‘Abdullaah, ‘A’ishah bint Abu Bakr ibn Abu Quhaafah. Her mother was Umm Roomaan bint ‘Aamir ibn ‘Uwaymir Al-Kinaaniyyah. ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, was born into a Muslim family four or five years after the beginning of the Prophethood of Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.

When her father emigrated with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to Al-Madeenah, he sent her ‘Abdullaah ibn Urayqit Al-Laythi with two or three camels so she could join him. Therefore, she emigrated with her sister, Asmaa’, her mother and her brother.

The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, married her almost ten months before Hijrah when she was six years old. He consummated his marriage with her in Shawwaal in the second year after Hijrah when she was nine years old. Before marrying her, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saw her in a vision. Jibreel (Gabriel), may Allah exalt his mention, came to him carrying her picture and said:“This is your wife in this life and in the Hereafter.” [At-Tirmithi] There is a narration in Al-Bukhaari and Muslim that conforms with this narration.

The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not marry a virgin other than her. This was a great honor that was conferred on her and she continued to boast about it all her life. She said to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: “O Messenger of Allah, Suppose you landed in a valley where there is a tree from which something has been eaten and then you found trees of which nothing has been eaten; of which tree would you let your camel graze?"He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said,"(I will let my camel graze) on the one from which nothing has been eaten before."[Al-Bukhaari]

She meant that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not marry a virgin except herself. She also said: “I was given nine (merits) that no other woman was given after Maryam bint ‘Imraan.” Then, she said: “The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, married no virgin other than me.”

‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, had a special place in the heart of the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that he shared with no one but her. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not conceal his love for her from anybody. Out of his love for her, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to drink from the place she drank from and to eat from the place that she ate from.

When ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, asked him: “O Messenger of Allah, whom do you love most?”He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied saying, “`Aaishah.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to joke and play with her and he sometimes used to race with her on his way to some of the battles. ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated an incident that indicates the kindness of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, towards her. She said: “By Allah, I saw the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, standing at the door of my room while the Abyssinians were playing with spears. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, screened me with his cloak so I could watch the spear-play over his shoulder. Then, he stayed there for my sake until I had seen enough.”[Ahmad]

Knowing that ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, had a special place in the heart of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, the people would choose the time when it was her turn for the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to be with her to offer their gifts as narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim, may Allah have mercy upon them. Out of his love for her, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked his wives to allow him to stay with ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, during his last days when he was very ill. She was famous for her extreme jealousy about the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that was clear proof of her strong love for him. She expressed this love when she said: “How could not someone like me feel jealous about someone like you (the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)?” [Muslim]

One day the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was with ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, and one of the Mothers of the Believers sent him food in a container. ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, broke the container (out of jealousy). Therefore, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, picked up the food while saying: “Your Mother felt jealous.” [Al-Bukhaari]

Whenever the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, married a woman, ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, used to rush and look at her to see whether the new wife would be a threat to her special place in the heart of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, or not. She felt very jealous of Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, because the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to mention her a great deal.

One night when the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, left for Al-Baqee‘ cemetery, ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, thought that he had gone to one of his wives. She felt jealous and followed him in order to know where he was going. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, blamed her and said to her:“Did you think that Allah and His Messenger would be unjust to you?” [Muslim]

Talking about her merits is interesting and lengthy. She used to fast and pray at night frequently and also used to do a lot of good deeds. She rarely had money because she used to give it away in charity. Once she gave one hundred thousand Dirham in charity.

The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, testified to this saying: “The superiority of ‘A’ishah to other women is like the superiority of meat and broth to other kinds of food.”[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] Another thing that indicates her virtue is the Hadeeth where the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to her: “O ‘A’ishah, this is Jibreel greeting you.”Then, she said, ‘May the peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him.’” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

In spite of her young age, she was intelligent and used to learn quickly. Hence, she memorized a great deal of knowledge from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and she narrated many of his Hadeeths. There is no woman in the Muslim nation who understands Islam better than her. This is supported by what Abu Moosa Al-Ash‘ari, may Allah be pleased with him, said about her: “Whenever we, the Companions of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, found a problem with any Hadeeth, we used to ask ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, and she always had knowledge of it.” [At-Tirmithi]

It was said to Masrooq, may Allah have mercy upon him, “Did ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, have sound knowledge about determining the prescribed shares of inheritance?” He answered, “Yes, I swear by Allah! I saw the great scholars from among the Companions of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asking her about determining the prescribed shares of inheritance.” [Al-Haakim]

Az-Zuhri, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “If the knowledge of the women of this Muslim nation, including the knowledge of the wives of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, were combined together, the knowledge of ‘A’ishah would be more than theirs.” [At-Tabaraani]

In addition to her knowledge of Hadeeth and Fiqh, she had great knowledge of poetry, medicine and genealogy. She learned this knowledge from her father, husband and the delegates of the Arabs who used to come to the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

One of the blessings she was granted was that she was the reason behind the revelation of some verses including the verse of Tayammum (dry ablution). She borrowed a necklace from Asmaa’, may Allah be pleased with her, and lost it. The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sent some of his Companions to look for it. It was time to pray but they had no water; hence, they prayed without performing ablution. When they returned to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, they complained to him about that. Due to this situation the verse of dry ablution was revealed. Usayd bin Hudhayr, may Allah be pleased with him, said to ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her: “May Allah reward you. By Allaah, whenever you have a problem, Allah Would Make for you a way out and Would Bring with it a blessing for the Muslims.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

When she was afflicted with “The Incident of the Slander”, Allah the Almighty Announced her innocence in Qur'anic verses that are to be recited until the Day of Resurrection. Allah the Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, those who came with falsehood are a group among you. Do not think it bad for you; rather it is good for you. For every person among them is what [punishment] he has earned from the sin, and he who took upon himself the greater portion thereof - for him is a great punishment.* Why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women think good of one another and say, "This is an obvious falsehood"?} [Qur'an 24: 11-12]

She died in the year fifty-seven A.H. when she was more than sixty-three years of age. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, prayed over her and she was buried in Al-Baqee‘. She was not buried in her room beside the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, because she had given up her place in favor of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him. Therefore, may Allah Be Pleased with her and him and with all the Mothers of the Believers.