CHILDREN’S CORNER

Name of the book: The Story of Aisha Siddiqa

Author: Sr Nafees Khan

Pages: 32

Publication Date: 30th November-2001

Trim Size: 17.78 x 22.86 cm

ISBN: 9788178987200

The author Sr. Nafees Khan earned her Bachelor of Art’s degree at Aligarh Muslim University in India and completed her teacher’s training in Canada. Her career spans over thirty years as a teacher in elementary public schools.

Aisha (ra), the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), was an extraordinary human being. She was highly learned and is considered to be one of the foremost scholars of the early Islamic period. She recorded the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and, being a brilliant scholar and an excellent teacher, she explained it with intelligence and insight. Aisha (ra) narrated about 2200 ahadith, which is an amazing achievement for anyone. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Aisha (ra) devoted most of her time to the propagation of Islam, making every effort to spread its message by teaching its tenets. She also took an active part in educational and social reforms. Aisha (ra) is undoubtedly an exemplary figure in the history of Islam and is an inspiration to all. Here is a selection from the book:

Aisha (ra) also learned to read and write; a skill which was very rare among the male Arabs, let alone the females of those days. With great enthusiasm, she made full use of all her talents. She soon became proficient not only in religious knowledge but also in genealogy, history, literature and even in medicine. She learnt about different diseases and their remedies from the great physicians who used to visit the Prophet (pbuh). Every week she would give well worded lectures on Islam to people who gathered near her home for this purpose.

Aisha (ra) was an outstanding speaker. Musa bin Talha was of the view that she expressed herself really well.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) displayed his affection and consideration for Aisha (ra) in many ways. Once during the Eid celebrations, some Africans were showing their skills with spears. She wanted to see their performance. He stood in front of her, while she watched over his shoulder. He kept standing there as long as she was interested in it.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Aisha (ra) were once travelling with some of the Companions. At one point the Companions went ahead of them. He asked her to race with him. Aisha (ra) won the race easily. A few years later they raced again. This time the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) won, as Aisha (ra) had put on some weight. Teasingly he commented, “Aisha, now we are even.”

 

No Excuse
The Prophet of Islam once observed that man
is always deceived by two things-health and
leisure. (Sahih al-Bukhari) That is, he keeps
thinking that he will do something when he
is healthy and leisure always remains elusive.
So, he continues to live in that deception and
eventually he dies. A wise man makes no
excuses. Whenever a task comes up, he does it
right away. For, there is no better time to start
than this very minute.