Aisha bint Abu Bakr (Radi Allahu Anha)

Manhaj As Salafiyyah“The merit of ‘Aishah over other women is like the merit of Tharid (a dish of sopped bread, meat and broth) over all other kinds of food.” — Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) [Sahih Bukhari, Book on Prophets, no. 3411]   

The Life of Aisha (radhiAllahu ‘anha)

لنَّبِيُّ أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ

The Prophet is closer to the believers than their ownselves, and his wives are their (believers’) mothers (as regards respect and marriage).  (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:6)[1]

And this title Umul Mumineen “Mothers of the Believers”, has been given to the wives of the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) by Allah subhana wa ta’alaa. They were women who were given a great blessing to be close to Allah’s messenger (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) and from that were able to convey to us many ahadeeth.

So from the wives of the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) (and we should know everyone of their names) is one who has been considered the most knowledgable of women without exception. Her name is Aaisha Bint Abi Bakr.

Aaisha (radhiAllahu ‘anha) was the daughter of Abu Bakr Abdullah from the Quraysh. Her mother was Umm Ruman bint Amir[2] from the Kinanah. She was born into the deen of Islaam and has said in an authentic hadeeth

“I never saw my parents practicing other than Islaam ”[3]  

She (radhiAllahu ‘anha) married the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) at the age of 6 and was taken to him at the age of 9. Aishah, may Allah  be pleased with her, narrated that the Prophet was betrothed (zawaj) to her when she was six years old and he consummated (nikah) his marriage when she was nine years old, and then she remained with him for nine years.[4] Like many of the women today Aaisha had jealousy , and she was most jealous of his first wife Khadeejah bint Kuwaylid. RasoolAllah would make metion many times of Khadeejah, remembering and praising her  and  it was revealed to Allah’s Apostle that he should give her (Khadija) the glad tidings of her having a palace of Qasab in Paradise. [5] In another narration Umm Salamah (radhiAllahu ‘anha) sent the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) some food on a plate while he was in the company of Aaisha. When Aaisha (radhiAllahu ‘anha) saw it she became upset, taking a rock and breaking it. The Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) then kept the broken plate in Aaisha’s home and sent Umm Salamah a new one. [6]

After his (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam)’s death , many of the sahabah would go to her seeking answers to the questions they had. Narrated ‘Urwa bin Az-Zubair (radhiAllahu ‘anhu): That he had asked ‘Aisha about the meaning of the Statement of Allah:

“If you fear that you shall not Be able to deal justly With the orphan girls, then Marry (Other) women of your choice Two or three or four.” (Surah An Nisa, 4:3)

She [Aisha (radhiAllahu ‘anha)] said,

“O my nephew! This is about the orphan girl who lives with her guardian and shares his property. Her wealth and beauty may tempt him to marry her without giving her an adequate Mahr (bridal-money) which might have been given by another suitor. So, such guardians were forbidden to marry such orphan girls unless they treated them justly and gave them the most suitable Mahr; otherwise they were ordered to marry any other woman.”

‘Aisha (radhiAllahu ‘anha) further said,

“After that verse the people again asked the Prophet (about the marriage with orphan ‘girls), so Allah revealed the following verses: ‘They ask your instruction Concerning the women. Say: Allah Instructs you about them And about what is Recited unto you In the Book, concerning The orphan girls to whom You give not the prescribed portions and yet whom you Desire to marry.’ (Surah An Nisa, 4:127)  

What is meant by Allah’s Saying: ‘And about what is Recited unto you is the former verse which goes: ‘If you fear that you shall not Be able to deal justly With the orphan girls, then Marry (other) women of your choice.’ (Surah An Nisa, 4:3)”

‘Aisha said,

“Allah’s saying in the other verse: ‘Yet whom you desire to marry’ (Surah An Nisa, 4:127)

means the desire of the guardian to marry an orphan girl under his supervision when she has not much property or beauty (in which case he should treat her justly). The guardians were forbidden to marry their orphan girls possessing property and beauty without being just to them, as they generally refrain from marrying them (when they are neither beautiful nor wealthy).”[7]

And in another hadeeth Narrated Ibrahim: I asked Al-Aswad,

“Did you ask ‘Aisha(radhiAllahu ‘anha), Mother of the Believers, about the containers in which it is disliked to prepare (non-alcoholic) drinks?” He said, “Yes, I said to her, ‘O Mother of the Believers! What containers did the Prophet forbid to use for preparing (non-alcoholic) drinks?” She said, ‘The Prophet forbade us, (his family), to prepare (nonalcoholic) drinks in Ad-Dubba and Al-Muzaffat.’ I asked, ‘Didn’t you mention Al Jar and Al Hantam?’ She said, ‘I tell what I have heard; shall I tell you what I have not heard?’“[8]

So the companions relied on Aaisha(radhiAllahu ‘anha) a great deal to assist them in applying this deen correctly. They would go to her and ask her questions, seek her advice. The Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) had said:

“The excellence of Aaisha over other women is like the exellence of tharid over other types of food.” [9]

Aaisha(radhiAllahu ‘anha) is a fine example for the women who wish to emulate the righteous women. And there is no doubt that Aaisha is an Alimah and a Da’eeah. 

‘Aishah’s(radhiAllahu ‘anha) marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) at an early age allowed her to be an eye witness to the personal details of his life and carry them on the succeeding generations. By being both spiritually and physically near to the Prophet, the marriage prepared ‘Aishah(radhiAllahu ‘anha) to be an example to all Muslims, especially women, for all times. She developed into a spiritual, teacher and scholar, since she was remarkably intelligent and wise. Her qualities helped support the Prophet’s work and further the cause of Islam.

‘Aishah(radhiAllahu ‘anha), the Mother of the Believers, was not only a model for wives and mothers, but she was also a commentator on the Qur’an, an authority on hadeeth and knowledgeable in Islamic Law. She narrated at least 2,210 ahadith that give Muslims valuable insights into the Final Prophet’s daily life and behaviour, thus preserving the Sunnah of Muhammad(sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam).

1. The Noble Quran Al Ahzab (33:6)
2. Sahih Muslim
3. Sahih Bukhari
4. Sahih Bukhari
5. Sahih Bukhari
6. An Nasai, Ibn Majah and others. Verified as authentic by Al-Albani
7. Sahih Bukhari
8. Sahih Bukhari
9. Sahih Buhari Muslim and others

(Source)