AISHA SIDDIQAH
AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN

Aisha was the daughter of Abu Bakr Siddiq, the first caliph of Islam. She was born in Makkah eight years before the Hijrah and passed away in 58 AH at the age of sixty-six.

Khadijah, the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad, passed away about three years before the Hijrah. Sometime later, Khawlah bint Hakim, one of the early Companions, approached Abu Bakr on the Prophet’s behalf with a marriage proposal for Aisha. Abu Bakr explained that Mut‘im ibn Adi, chief of the Banu Nawfal clan of the Quraysh, had earlier proposed a marriage between Aisha and his son Jubayr, and that he had accepted the proposal. Abu Bakr was known for never going back on his word. As the report states: “By God, Abu Bakr never broke a promise.” (Dala’il al-Nubuwwah by al-Bayhaqi, Vol. 2, p. 411)

Abu Bakr then went to Mut‘im and asked whether he still wished his son to marry Aisha. Mut‘im turned to his wife and asked for her opinion. Addressing Abu Bakr, she said: “I fear that if my son marries into your family, he may become a Sabi’—that is, he may abandon the religion of his forefathers and enter your religion, Islam.”

Abu Bakr then asked Mut‘im directly, “What do you say?” Mut‘im replied, “You have heard what my wife has said.”

Thus, both Mut‘im and his wife withdrew from the proposed marriage. Abu Bakr then understood that he was no longer bound by his earlier commitment. He told Khawlah that he now agreed to Aisha’s marriage to the Prophet. At the appointed time, the Prophet Muhammad went to Abu Bakr’s house, where the marriage was solemnized. The dower was fixed at four hundred dirhams.

This incident teaches us that when an arrangement in social life falls through, one should not become disheartened. It is possible that something better may emerge from the situation. Aisha’s proposed marriage to the son of a leading figure in Makkah did not take place, but she later became the wife of the Prophet of Islam, the greatest figure in human history.

Aisha was considerably younger than the Prophet. As a result, she lived for nearly fifty years after his death. The wisdom behind this marriage, despite the significant difference in their ages, was that Aisha possessed exceptional intelligence and an extraordinary ability to understand and retain knowledge. Through this marriage, her God-gifted abilities became a source of benefit for people throughout the world.

Aisha lived with the Prophet for nearly ten years. During this long period, she remained closely associated with him in every situation, by day and by night. She observed his life, listened carefully to his words, and understood the deeper meaning of his teachings. In this way, a vast treasure of religious knowledge and prophetic wisdom was preserved in her memory. After the Prophet’s death, she passed this knowledge on to the Muslim community. For almost half a century, she remained a living source of the Prophet’s teachings, enabling later generations to learn from his life and guidance.

Ibn Hajar al Asqalani records that Aisha was born approximately eight years before the Hijrah. She was about eighteen years old when the Prophet died and lived for nearly fifty years after him. She had memorized many of his teachings, and people acquired a great deal of knowledge from her. Numerous religious rulings and principles of conduct were also transmitted on her authority. It has even been said that one-fourth of the rulings of Islamic law were narrated through her. (Fath al-Bari, Vol. 7, p. 107) She passed away in 58 AH, during the caliphate of Muawiyah. (Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala by al-Dhahabi, Vol. 2, p. 192)

Aisha did not narrate a very large number of the Prophet’s sayings. Her distinctive contribution lay elsewhere: she listened to every word of the Prophet with deep attention, observed each of his actions closely, and then, with her God-gifted intelligence, understood the wisdom underlying them. Her statements are, therefore, a treasure-house of Islamic wisdom and spiritual insight.

For example, she observed that whenever the Prophet had to choose between two courses of action, he invariably chose the easier one. This brief observation contains profound guidance for life.

Aisha devoted her exceptional intelligence entirely to the cause of God’s religion. At the same time, she made simplicity and freedom from material attachment the guiding principles of her life. In her later years, considerable wealth came into her hands, but she distributed it among others and continued to lead a life of great simplicity.

Once, Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr sent Aisha 180,000 dirhams (silver coins). By evening, she had given away the entire amount in charity, although she was fasting that day and there was nothing in the house except bread and olive oil. Her maid remarked, “It would have been good to keep back a few dirhams to buy something for your fast-breaking meal.” Aisha replied, “Had you reminded me earlier, I would have done so.” (Al-Zuhd by Hannad ibn al-Sari, Report No. 619)

Zuhud (asceticism) is the gateway to wisdom. Whoever wants the fountain of divine knowledge and Islamic wisdom to flow in their mind must remain detached from material things in this world. (Al-Risala, March 1996)