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When The Prophet’s Wives Met Men

It is well known that a divine order was given to the Prophet (peace be upon him), late in his life, requiring his wives to be behind a screen when speaking to men. Before that order, they behaved like other Muslim women, taking part in the public life of society and meeting men on public and private occasions. There are many examples of this on
either very common occasions, such as the mere exchange of greetings, or special ones like weddings and parties. However, we will cite other examples so that we give an idea of the extent of their participation in public life, and the variety of purposes of their meetings with men.

The first example concerns the pursuit of knowledge and involves Lady Khadeejah, the Prophet’s first wife. Lady Ayesha reports: “The first aspect of revelation given to the Prophet was that his dreams would always come true. Khadeejah took him to Waraqah ibn Nawfal, her cousin on her father’s side. Waraqah had converted to Christianity before the advent of Islam. He used to write in Arabic whatever he learned of the Gospel. He was an old, blind man. Khadeejah said to him: ‘Cousin! Listen to what he (meaning Prophet Muhammad) has to tell you.’ He said to him:
‘What is it that you have seen?’ The Prophet told him about his encounter with Gabriel, the angel. Waraqah said: ‘This is the archangel who used to come to Moses. I wish I were a young man. I wish I am alive when your people will drive you out of your town.’ The Prophet said: ‘Will they drive me out?’ Waraqah answered. ‘Yes. No one has ever preached what you will be delivering without being met with hostility. If I am alive on that day, I will give you great support.’ (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

After Khadeejah’s death, the Prophet (peace be upon him) married several wives who reported many of his statements and teachings. But none reported more than Ayesha, who was endowed with a rich wealth of knowledge. Saeed ibn Al-Aas reports that both Ayesha and Uthman told him that “Abu Bakr sought admission to speak to the Prophet when he was lying on his bed, wearing Ayesha’s shawl. When Abu Bakr was admitted, the Prophet attended to his business, and then he left. Then Umar sought permission, and he was allowed while the Prophet remained in the same position. When he finished his business, he left. Uthman later sought permission, and the Prophet sat up and told Ayesha to put her clothes together, covering herself well. When Uthman left after finishing his business with the Prophet, Ayesha said: ‘Messenger of God! Why did you not sit up and prepare yourself to receive Abu Bakr and Umar as you did for Uthman?’ He said: ‘Uthman is a shy person. I feared that if I received him when I was in that position, he would not put his request to me.” (Related by Muslim.)

Usamah ibn Zayd reports that “Gabriel the angel came to the Prophet when he was at Umm Salamah’s home, and he spoke to him before standing up and leaving. The Prophet asked his wife, Umm Salamah, who that person was.
She said: ‘He is Dihyah.'” Umm Salamah said: “By God, I had no doubt that the man was Dihyah until I heard the Prophet speaking to the people, reporting what Gabriel said.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

It should perhaps be explained that sometimes Gabriel came to the Prophet taking the shape of a human being. On those occasions, he mostly appeared like Dihyah ibn Khaleefah Al-Kalbi, who was a very handsome companion of the Prophet. This explains how the Prophet’s wife, Umm Salamah, thought Gabriel to be Dihyah, but when she heard the Prophet addressing his companions and saying to them what Gabriel said earlier, she realized her mistake.

Ayesha reports that when the Prophet’s wives needed to go to the restroom, they went at night to Al-Manasi’, a wide, open place with no vegetation. Umar used to say to the Prophet that he should keep his wives screened, but the Prophet did not do that. One night Sawdah, the wife of the Prophet, went out for that purpose. She was a tall woman. Umar called out to her: ‘We have recognized you, Sawdah!’ He did so out of his eagerness that the Prophet’s wives should be screened. Soon afterward, God’s order was revealed for them to be screened.’ (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reports: “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, fighters retreated, leaving the Prophet. I saw Ayesha bint Abu Bakr and Umm Sulaym, having lifted their dresses. I could see their anklets as they moved fast, carrying water skins on their backs and pouring water in people’s mouths before going back to fill up the water skins and giving people to drink.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

Together, these Hadiths give us a picture of the Prophet’s wives actively participating in the life of the Muslim community. When the Prophet was visited by some of his companions, they were often present, in case the Prophet needed anything. People put their cases, and asked for rulings, even on intimate matters such as intercourse between man and wife, when they might be present. The Prophet neither ordered them to go out, nor was he upset that the man should put such a question while his wife was present. On the contrary, he answered him in a very relaxed manner, letting the question appear as a very ordinary one.

We also note that the Prophet was frequently visited by his companions, who had different needs. He did not have a reception room where he conducted his community affairs.

He simply admitted people into his room, where any of his wives might be present. The fact that they were later ordered to remain behind a screen puts them in a special category among women, with certain rules applicable to them only.

There is no suggestion, at any time, that other women should follow their example concerning such rules. Therefore, their conduct as appears in these Hadiths is the one that Islam wants ordinary Muslim women to follow. They confirm that Islamic society is one where men and women mix socially, but observe a high standard of propriety and decency, maintaining Islamic morality.

By: Dr. Abd Al-Haleem Abu Shuqqah

Aishah Bint Abu Bakr (May Allah Be Pleased With Her) The Teacher Of The Whole World

The life of Aishah (RA) is proof that a woman can be far more learned than men and that she can be a teacher of scholars and experts. Her life is also 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 be totally feminine and be a source of pleasure, joy, and comfort to her husband.

She did not graduate from any university there were no universities as such in her day. But still, her utterances are studied in faculties of literature, her legal pronouncements are studied in colleges of law, and her life and works are studied and researched by students and teachers of Muslim history as they have been for over a thousand years.
The bulk of her vast treasure of knowledge was obtained while she was still quite young. In her early childhood, she was brought up by her father who was greatly liked and respected for he was a man of wide knowledge, gentle manners, and an agreeable presence. Moreover, he was the closest friend of the noble Prophet (SAW- may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who was a frequent visitor to their home since the very early days of his mission.

In her youth, already known for her striking beauty and her formidable memory, she came under the loving care and attention of the Prophet (SAW) himself. As his wife and close companion, she acquired from him knowledge and insight such as no woman has ever acquired.

Aishah (RA) became the Prophet’s (SAW) wife in Makkah when she was most likely in the tenth year of her life but her wedding did not take place until the second year after the Hijrah when she was about fifteen years old. Before and after her wedding she maintained a natural jollity and innocence and did not seem at all overawed by the thought of being wedded to him who was the Messenger of God (SAW) whom all his companions (RA- may Allah be pleased with them all), including her own mother and father, treated with such love and reverence as they gave to no one else.

About her wedding, she related that shortly before she was to leave her parent’s house, she slipped out into the courtyard to play with a passing friend: “I was playing on a see-saw and my long streaming hair was disheveled,” she said. “They came and took me from my play and made me ready.”

They dressed her in a wedding dress made from fine red-striped cloth from Bahrain and then her mother took her to the newly-built house where some women of the Ansar were waiting outside the door. They greeted her with the words “For good and for happiness may all be well!” Then, in the presence of the smiling Prophet (SAW), a bowl of milk was brought. The Prophet (SAW) drank from it himself and offered it to Aishah (RA). She shyly declined it but when he insisted she did so and then offered the bowl to her sister Asma (RA) who was sitting beside her. Others also drank of it and that was as much as there was of the simple and solemn occasion of their wedding. There was no wedding feast.

Marriage to the Prophet (SAW) did not change her playful ways. Her young friends came regularly to visit her in her own apartment. “I would be playing with my dolls,” she said, “with the girls who were my friends, and the Prophet (SAW) would come in and they would slip out of the house and he would go out after them and bring them back, for he was pleased for my sake to have them there.” Sometimes he would say “Stay where you are” before they had time to leave, and would also join in their games. Aishah (RA) said: “One day, the Prophet (SAW) came in when I was playing with the dolls and he said: ‘O Aishah (RA), what game is this?’ ‘It is Solomon’s horses,’ I said and he laughed.” Sometimes as he came in he would screen himself with his cloak so as not to disturb Aishah (RA) and her friends.

Aishah’s (RA) early life in Madinah also had its more serious and anxious times. Once her father and two companions (RA – may Allah be pleased with them) who were staying with him fell ill with a dangerous fever which was common in Madinah at certain seasons. One morning Aishah (RA) went to visit him and was dismayed to find the three men lying completely weak and exhausted. She asked her father how he was and he answered her in verse but she did not understand what he was saying. The two others also answered her with lines of poetry that seemed to her to be nothing but unintelligible babbling. She was deeply troubled and went home to the Prophet (SAW) saying:
“They are raving, out of their minds, through the pangs of the fever.” The Prophet (SAW) asked what they had said and was somewhat reassured when she repeated almost word for word the lines they had uttered which made sense although she did not fully understand them then. This was a demonstration of the great retentive power of her memory which as the years went by was to preserve so many of the priceless sayings of the Prophet (SAW).

Of the Prophet’s (SAW) wives (RA- may Allah be pleased with them all) in Madinah, it was clear that it was Aishah (RA) that he loved most. From time to time, one or the other of his companions would ask:
“O Messenger of God (SAW), whom do you love most in the world?” He did not always give the same answer to this question for he felt great love for many for his daughters and their children, for Abu Bakr (RA- may Allah be pleased with him) for Ali (RA), for Zayd (RA) and his son Usamah (RA). But of his wives (RA) the only one he named in this connection was Aishah (RA). She too loved him greatly in return and often would seek reassurance from him that he loved her. Once she asked him: “How is your love for me?”
“Like the rope’s knot,” he replied meaning that it was strong and secure. And time after time thereafter, she would ask him: “How is the knot?” and he would reply: “Ala haaliha in the same condition.”

As she loved the Prophet (SAW) so was her love a jealous love and she could not bear the thought that the Prophet’s (SAW) attention should be given to others more than seemed enough to her. She asked him:
“O Messenger of God (SAW), tell me of yourself. If you were between the two slopes of a valley, one of which had not been grazed whereas the other had been grazed, on which would you pasture your flocks?”
“On that which had not been grazed,” replied the Prophet (SAW). “Even so,” she said, “and I am not as any other of your wives (RA). “Everyone of them had a husband before you, except myself.” The Prophet (SAW) smiled and said nothing. Of her jealousy, Aishah (RA) would say in later years:
“I was not, jealous of any other wife of the Prophet (SAW) as I was jealous of Khadijah (RA), because of his constant mentioning of her and because God had commanded him to give her good tidings of a mansion in Paradise of precious stones. And whenever he sacrificed a sheep he would send a fair portion of it to those who had been her close friends. Many a time I said to him: “It is as if there had never been any other woman in the world except Khadijah (RA).”

Once, when Aishah (RA) complained and asked why he spoke so highly of “an old Quraysh woman” i.e. Khadijah (RA), the Prophet (SAW) was hurt and said: “She was the wife who believed in me when others rejected me. When people accused me of lies, she affirmed my truthfulness. When I stood forsaken, she spent her wealth to lighten the burden of my sorrow.”

Despite her feelings of jealousy which nonetheless were not of a destructive kind, Aishah (RA) was really a generous soul and a patient one. She bore with the rest of the Prophet’s (SAW) household poverty and hunger which often lasted for long periods. For days on end, no fire would be lit in the sparsely furnished house of the Prophet for cooking or baking bread and they would live merely on dates and water. Poverty did not cause her distress or humiliation; self-sufficiency when it did come did not corrupt her style of life.

Once the Prophet (SAW) stayed away from his wives for a month because they had distressed him by asking of him that which he did not have. This was after the Khaybar expedition when an increase of riches whetted the appetite for presents. Returning from his self-imposed retreat, he went first to Aishah’s (RA) apartment. She was delighted to see him but he said he had received Revelation which required him to put two options before her. He then recited the verses:
“O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire the life of this world and its adornments, then come and I will bestow its goods upon you, and I will release you with a fair release (divorce). But if you desire God and His Messenger and the abode of the Hereafter, then verily God has laid in store for you an immense reward for such as you who do good.”
Aishah’s (ra) reply was: “Indeed I desire God and His Messenger (SAW) and the abode of the Hereafter,” and her response was followed by all the others.

She stuck to her choice both during the lifetime of the Prophet (SAW) and afterward. Later when the Muslims were favored with enormous riches, she was given a gift of one hundred thousand dirhams. She was fasting when she received the money and she distributed the entire amount to the poor and the needy even though she had no provisions in her house. Shortly after, a maidservant said to her: “Could you buy meat for a dirham with which to break your fast?”
“If I had remembered, I would have done so,” she said. The Prophet’s (SAW) affection for Aishah (RA) remained to the last. During his final illness, it was to Aishah’s (RA) apartment that he went at the suggestion of his wives (RA). For much of the time he lay there on a couch with his head resting on her breast or on her lap. She it was who took a toothstick from her brother, chewed upon it to soften it, and gave it to the Prophet (SAW). Despite his weakness, he rubbed his teeth with it vigorously. Not long afterward, he lost consciousness and Aishah (RA) thought it was the onset of death, but after an hour he opened his eyes.

Aishah (RA) it is who has preserved for us these dying moments of the most honored of God’s creation, His beloved Messenger (SAW) may He shower His choicest blessings on him.

When he opened his eyes again, Aishah (RA) remembered Iris having said to her: “No Prophet is taken by death until he has been shown his place in Paradise and then offered the choice, to live or die.”
“He will not now choose us,” she said to herself. Then she heard him murmur: “With the supreme communion in Paradise, with those upon whom God has showered His favor, the Prophets, the martyrs, and the righteous…” Again she heard him murmur: “O Lord, with the supreme communion,” and these were the last words she heard him speak. Gradually his head grew heavier upon her breast, until others in the room began to cry, and Aishah (RA) laid his head on a pillow and joined them in crying.

On the floor of Aishah’s (RA) room near the couch where he was lying, a grave was dug which was buried the Seal of the Prophets (SAW) amid much bewilderment and great sorrow.

Aishah (RA) lived on for almost fifty years after the passing away of the Prophet (SAW). She had been his wife for a decade. Much of this time was spent in learning and acquiring knowledge of the two most important sources of God’s guidance, the Quran and the Sunnah of His Prophet (SAW). Aishah (RA) was one of three wives (the other two being Hafsah (RA) and Umm Salamah (RA) who memorized the Revelation (the Quran). Like Hafsah (RA), she had her own script of the Quran written after the Prophet (SAW) had died.

So far as the Ahadith or sayings of the Prophet (SAW) are concerned, Aishah (RA) is one of four persons (the others being Abu Hurayrah (RA), Abdullah ibn Umar (RA), and Anas ibn Malik (RA) who transmitted more than two thousand sayings. Many of these pertain to some of the most intimate aspects of personal behavior which only someone in Aishah’s (RA) position could have learned. What is most important is that her knowledge of hadith was passed on in written form by at least three persons including her nephew Urwah (RA) who became one of the greatest scholars among the generation after the Companions (RA- may Allah be pleased with them all).
Many of the learned companions of the Prophet (SAW) and their followers benefitted from Aishah’s (RA) knowledge. Abu Musa al-Ashari once said: “If we companions (RA – may Allah be pleased with them all) of the Messenger of God (SAW) had any difficulty on a matter, we asked Aishah (ra) about it.”

Her nephew Urwah (RA) asserts that she was proficient not only in fiqh (Islamic law) but also in medicine (tibb) and poetry. Many of the senior companions (RA) of the Prophet (SAW) came to her to ask for advice concerning questions of inheritance which required a highly skilled mathematical mind. Scholars regard her as one of the earliest fuqaha (Islamic jurists) of Islam along with persons like Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), Ali (RA), and Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA). The Prophet (SAW) referring to her extensive knowledge of Islam is reported to have said: “Learn a portion of your religion (din) from this red-colored lady.” “Humayra” meaning “Red-coloured” was an epithet given to Aishah (RA) by the Prophet (SAW).

Aishah (RA) not only possessed great knowledge but took an active part in education and social reform. As a teacher she had a clear and persuasive manner of speech and her power of oratory has been described in superlative terms by al-Ahnaf who said: “I have heard speeches of Abu Bakr and Umar, Uthman, and Ali (RA- may Allah be pleased with them all) and the Khulafa up to this day, but I have not heard speech more persuasive and more beautiful from the mouth of any person than from the mouth of Aishah (RA).”

Men and women came from far and wide to benefit from her knowledge. The number of women is said to have been greater than that of men. Besides answering inquiries, she took boys and girls, some of them orphans, into her custody and trained them under her care and guidance. This was in addition to her relatives who received instruction from her. Her house thus became a school and an academy.

Some of her students were outstanding. We have already mentioned her nephew Urwah (RA) as a distinguished reporter of hadith. Among her women, pupils is the name Umrah bint Abdur Rahman (RA). She is regarded by scholars as one of the trustworthy narrators of hadith and is said to have acted as Aishah’s secretary receiving and replying to letters addressed to her. The example of Aishah in promoting education and in particular the education of Muslim women in the laws and teachings of Islam is one which needs to be followed.

After Khadijah al-Kubra (the Great) and Fatimah az-Zahra (the Resplendent), Aishah as-Siddiqah (the one who affirms the Truth) is regarded as the best woman in Islam. Because of the strength of her personality, she was a leader in every field in knowledge, in society, in politics, and in war. She died in the year 58 AH in the month of Ramadan and as she instructed, was buried in the Jannat al-Baqi in the City of Light, beside other companions of the Prophet.

Khadijah (RA): Wife Of Hazart Muhammad (SAW)

Abdullah ibn Jafar reported that he heard Sayyiduna Ali say in Kufa that Allah’s Messenger, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The best of the women of her time was Maryam, daughter of Imran, and the best of the women of her time was Khadijah, daughter of Khuwaylid.”

Is it, not a great honor that the first person to embrace Islam was a woman? She was the first to bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that her husband was the Messenger of Allah. Her husband was our beloved Prophet Muhammad, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and she was called Khadijah, ( may Allah be pleased with her) She was also called Thaira, meaning ‘pure’.

Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, came from a noble family. Her father Khuwaylid had been one of the most honored leaders of their tribe until he was killed in battle. Her husband had also died, leaving her a very wealthy woman. When Muhammad (peace be upon him) was still a young man, she entrusted him with some of her wealth, asking him to trade with it in Syria on her behalf. He was already well known for his honesty, truthfulness, and trustworthiness. He returned from Syria after having made a large profit for Khadijah.

After hearing his account of the journey, she decided that he would make the best of the husbands, even though many of the most important nobles of the Quraish had already proposed to her and had been refused, and in due course, she proposed to him. After the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Talib, had given the proposed marriage his blessing, Muhammad and Khadijah were married. At the time of the marriage, the Prophet was twenty-five years old, while Khadijah was forty years old.

For the next fifteen years, they lived happily together, and Khadijah bore several children. Their first child, a son whom they named Qasim, died when he was only two years old. Two more sons, called Tayyib and Tahir, were also born, but they too died in their infancy. However, Muhammad and Khadijah also had four daughters who survived: Zaynab, Ruqayya, Umm Kulthum, and Fatima.

No one except Allah of course, knows more about a man than his wife, both his good and his bad qualities, his strengths, and his weaknesses. The more Khadijah came to know about her husband, the more she loved and respected him. Everyone in Makka called him ‘al-Amin’, which means ‘the trustworthy one’, and she, more than anyone else, knew how fitting this name was. It became Muhammad’s custom each year to spend the month of Ramadan in seclusion and reflection in a cave on the mountain of Hira, which is on the outskirts of Makka. Khadijah would always make sure that he was provided with food and drink during his retreat. Towards the end of one Ramadan, when he was forty and Khadijah fifty-five, Muhammad suddenly appeared at their house in the middle of the night, trembling with fear and saying, “Cover me up, cover me up!”

Khadijah was very alarmed to see him in such a state. Quickly she wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and, when he had calmed down, she asked him to describe exactly what had happened. He told her how a being whom he had never seen before – in fact it was the angel Jibril – had suddenly appeared to him while he was asleep and had said, “Read!”

“But I cannot read,” he had replied, for he was unlettered and could neither read nor write. “Read!” the angel had repeated, clasping Muhammad close to his chest. “I cannot read,” he had repeated. “Read!” the angel had repeated, firmly embracing him yet again. “What shall I read?” he had asked in desperation, and the angel had replied:
Read, in the Name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot, Read, and your Lord is the Most Gracious, Who taught with the pen, taught man what he did not know. (Quran 96:1-5)

Although Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not fully realize it at the time, this was the beginning of the revelation of the Qur’an; but in that first encounter with the angel Jibril, Muhammad was very frightened, for he did not know who the angel Jibril was or what was happening. He woke up and ran out of the cave only to find Jibril still in front of him, and whenever he turned away from him, there Jibril was in front of him yet again, filling the horizon with his mighty yet beautiful form.

“Oh Muhammad,” said Jibril eventually, “you are the Messenger of Allah and I am Jibril,” and with these words, he disappeared from Muhammad’s sight.

After the angel had disappeared Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) clambered down the mountain as fast as he could run. As she listened to Muhammad’s words, Khadijah did not share any of these fears. She realized that something tremendous and awe-inspiring had happened to her husband, and she was certain, knowing him as she did, that he was neither mad nor possessed. “Do not worry,” she said, “for by Him who has dominion over Khadijah’s soul, I hope that you are the Prophet of this nation. Allah would never humiliate you, for you are good to your relatives, you are true to your word, you help those who are in need, you support the weak, you feed the guest and you answer the call of those who are in distress.”

When Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was a little more relaxed, Khadijah took him to see her cousin, Waraqa ibn Nawfal, for he was a man of knowledge, and she was sure that he would be able to explain the meaning of what had just happened to her beloved husband. Waraqa had studied the books of both the Jews and the Christians very closely and he had learned a great deal from many of their wisest people. He knew that the coming of another Prophet had been foretold by both Moses and Jesus, peace be on them, and he knew many of the signs that would confirm the identity of this Prophet when he appeared.

After listening closely to his story, Waraqa, who was both old and blind, exclaimed, “This is the same being who brought the revelations of Allah to Moses. I wish I was young and could be alive when your people will drive you out.”
“Will they drive me out?” asked Muhammad.
“Yes,” replied Waraqa. “No one has come with what you have been given without being treated with enmity; and if I were to live until the day when you are turned out, then I would support you with all my might. Let me just feel your back.” So, saying, Waraqa felt between the Prophet’s shoulder blades and found what he was feeling for a small round, slightly raised irregularity in the skin, about the size of a pigeon’s egg. This was yet another of the many signs that Waraqa already knew would indicate the identity of the next Prophet after Jesus, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

“This is the Seal of the Prophethood!” he exclaimed. “Now I am certain that you are indeed the Prophet whose coming was foretold in the Torah that was revealed to Moses and in the Injil that was revealed to Jesus, (PBUH) You are indeed the Messenger of Allah, and the being who appeared to you on the mountain was indeed the angel Jibril!”
Khadijah was both overjoyed and awed to find that her understanding of what had happened on the mountain had been confirmed. Not long after this incident, Muhammad was commanded in a subsequent revelation from Allah, through the angel Jibril, to call people to worship Allah only, and it was at this point that Khadijah did not hesitate in expressing in public what she had now known for certain in secret for some time: ” I bear witness that there is no god except Allah,” she said, “and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

In the years that followed, difficult years in which the leaders of the Quraish did everything in their power to stop the Prophet from spreading his message, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) was a constant source of help and comfort to Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the difficulties which he had to face. All her wealth was spent in the way of Allah, helping to spread the message of her husband, helping to free slaves who had embraced Islam, and helping to feed and shelter the community of Muslims that slowly but surely began to grow in numbers and strength.

The Honorable Wife Of Prophet PBUH: Umm Habeebah R.A

She is Ramlah Bin Abu Sufyan Bin Sakhr Bin Harb Bin Umayyah Bin Abd Shams Bin Qusai. Her lineage is connected with that of the prophet S.A.W through their common ancestor Qusai. She was born seventeen years before the start of the prophetic mission and she was married to Ubaidullah Bin Jahsh Al-Asadi.

Blessed Marriage
The marriage contract was made the Nugus informed the people that the Messenger of Allah had written to him asking Hin to give Umm Habeebah in marriage to him and that he had given her in marriage to him and given her dowry of four hundred deenar on his behalf, then he made the proposal of marriage to Khalid bin Saeed R.A – whom Umm Habeebah R.A had appointed to represent her – and he said I have responded to the request of the messenger of Allah and married him to request of the messenger of Allah and him to Umm Habeebah R.A, then he took the deenar and the Negus organized a wedding party in celebration of this occasion and the people ate and celebrate the happy event. so Umm Habeebah R.A became one of the mother of the believers and after a contract had been made, she loved the messenger of Allah.

Umm Habeebah R.A was a sincere believer and that sincere faith manifested itself in her love of Allah, the highest and his messenger. She feared not the rebuke of any person regarding Allah and she did not hold any person in the same high regard in which she held the messenger of Allah no matter how close he was to her, her father entered the house of his daughter Umm Habeebah R.A and after he greeted her, he went to sit on the mattress of the Messenger of Allah, but she folded it up in order to prevent him from doing so this wounded him deeply and caused him great pain and said to her, O my daughter! it is because the mattress is too good for me or because I am too good for the mattress? she said: it belongs to the prophet and you are an unclean polytheist, so I do not like that you should sit on the mattress of the Messenger of Allah, he replied angrily by Allah you have been afflicted by evil after leaving me.

After a life filled with good deeds which she undertook in order to get close to Allah the highest and to earn the pleasure of the Messenger of Allah the mother of the believer she died, may Allah have mercy on her in al-Madinah in the year 44 A.H

Hafsah: The Qur’an’s Keeper

The wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) shared all the normal traits that women have in common. They competed for the Prophet’s love and feelings. Therefore, if one of them was able to do something that pleased him while the others could not do the same she would not hesitate to do it. Zaynab bint Jahsh used to give the Prophet a special type of honey, which he particularly liked. The Prophet used to stop at each of his wives’ homes every afternoon, enquiring whether they needed anything. Then he would spend the night with whoever it was her turn. One day, he came into Ayesha’s place after having had his honey at Zaynab’s. As he entered, Ayesha said to him: “You have had some Maghafir.” (Maghafir was a sweet drink that gave an unpleasant smell). He said that he only had honey at Zaynab’s. She said: “Then the bees that produced that honey must have fed on Maghafir.” The Prophet was unhappy because he was keen that he should always have a good smell.

He then went to Hafsah, and she said to him the same thing. He was really upset, and he said that he would not have that honey again. God then revealed Surah 66, which opens with a statement that the Prophet should not forbid himself something God made lawful to him. It warns the Prophet’s two wives that they must never collude in a scheme against him, or else they would face God’s anger.

An event that shocked the Muslim community in Madinah was that the Prophet’s wives asked him for a more comfortable standard of living. He felt that worldly comforts should not be their preoccupation. When they persisted, he was angry and swore that he would not come near them for a month. They were very unhappy to have so displeased him. After a month was over he acted on God’s instructions, giving them a choice between staying with him, even though he was a life of hardship, or leaving him for a more comfortable life. He would then divorce anyone who chose the latter option and give her good gifts. Every one of them chose to remain his wife. None would prefer anything to be a wife of the Prophet and a mother of all believers.

That was perhaps the last point of disagreement in which Hafsah was involved. After that, she realized that she had to restrain her feelings in order to be more worthy of her position. She turned to her devotion with more dedication.

During Abu Bakr’s short reign as Caliph, the Qur’an was collected in a single volume. This was the first complete copy of the Qur’an. It remained with the Caliph until he passed away. It was then kept by the second Caliph, Umar until he died. Thereafter, it was with Hafsah and remained in her custody as long as she lived. During Uthman’s reign, the Qur’an has collated anew, and several copies were written down. When these copies were completed, the first copy that was with Hafsah was used to check their accuracy. A copy was sent to each main population center to serve as the reference copy. Hafsah’s copy was returned to her and remained in her custody until she died.

– By Adil Salahi

The Prophet Married Aisha For The Benefit Of Islam And Humanity

1. The Prophet married Aisha primarily for three reasons:

  1. To reinforce the friendly relations already existing with Abu Bakr (his closest companion).
  2. To educate and train Aisha for the purposes of Islam.
  3. To utilize her capabilities for the sake of Islam.

2. Her Marriage with the prophet was a Wahy (Divine Revelation). She, herself relates from the Prophet. “He said, ‘I saw you in dreams three times. The angel brought you to me and you were clad in white silk. He (the angel) said that it was your consort and he (angel) showed me by opening your face. You are just like that…” Sahih Muslim, Vol.2, p. 285.

3. Aisha (r.a.) was born after her parents had embraced Islam. Therefore, she was free from the defilement of polytheism right from her birth.

4. In her youth, already known for her striking beauty and her formidable memory, she came under the loving care and attention of the Prophet himself. As his wife and close companion, she acquired from him knowledge and insight such as no woman has ever acquired.

Aisha lived on almost fifty years after the passing away of the Prophet. She had been his wife for a decade. Much of this time was spent learning and acquiring knowledge of the two most important sources of God’s guidance, the Qur’an and the Sunnah of His Prophet. Aisha ( r.a.) was one of the three wives (the other two being Hafsa (r.a.) and Umm Salama (r.a.) who memorized the Revelation. Like Hafsa (r.a.), she had her own script of the Qur’an written after the Prophet had died.

So far as the Hadith or sayings of the Prophet is concerned, Aisha ( r.a.) is one of four persons (the others being Abu Hurayra, Abdullah ibn Umar, and Anas ibn Malik) who transmitted more than two thousand sayings. From her, 2210 Hadith have come, out of which 174 Hadith are commonly agreed upon by both Bukhari and Muslim.

Many of her transmissions pertain to some of the most intimate aspects of personal behavior which only someone in Aisha’s position could have learnt. What is most important is that her knowledge of Hadith was passed on in written form by at least three persons including her nephew Urwah who became one of the greatest scholars among the generation after the Companions.

It is the claim of the Scholars of Islam that without her, half of the Ilm-I-Hadith [knowledge, understanding of the Hadith (and Islam)] would have perished.

5. Many of the learned companions of the Prophet and their followers benefited from Aishah’s knowledge.

Abu Musa al-Ash’ari once said: “If we companions of the Messenger of God had any difficulty on a matter, we asked Aisha about it.”

“Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from Said ibn al-Musayyab that Abu Musa al-Ash’ari came to Aisha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said to her, “The disagreement of the companions in a matter which I hate to bring before you has distressed me.” She said, “What is that? You did not ask your mother about it, so ask me.” He said, “A man penetrates his wife, but becomes listless and does not ejaculate. “She said, “When the circumcised part passes the circumcised part ghusl is obligatory.” Abu Musa added, “I shall never ask anyone about this after you.” Al-Muwatta of Imam Malik, Hadith 2.75.

Arwa Bin Zubair says, “I did not find anyone more proficient [than Aisha (r.a.)] in the knowledge of the Holy Qur’an, the Commandments of Halal (lawful) and Haram (prohibited), Ilmul-Ansab and Arabic poetry. That is why even senior companions of the Prophet used to consult Aisha ( r.a.) in resolving intricate issues”. Ibn Qayyim and Ibn Sa’ad, Jala-ul-Afham, vol. 2, p. 26.

Abu Musa al-Ash’ari says: “Never had we (the companions) had any difficulty for the solution of which we approached Aisha and did not get some useful information from her”.
Sirat-I-Aisha, on the authority of Trimidhi, p. 163.

6. As a teacher she had a clear and persuasive manner of speech and her power of oratory has been described in superlative terms by al-Ahnaf who said: “I have heard speeches of Abu Bakr and Umar, Uthman and Ali and the Khulafa up to this day, but I have not heard speech more persuasive and more beautiful from the mouth of any person than from the mouth of Aisha.”

The Prophet said, “The superiority of ‘Aisha to other ladies is like the superiority of Tharid ( i.e. meat and bread dish) to other meals. Many men reached the level of perfection, but no woman reached such a level except Mary, the daughter of Imran and Asia, the wife of Pharaoh.” Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith, Narrated by Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari Hadith 4.643.

Musa Ibn Talha (r.a.) says, “I did not see anyone more eloquent than Aisha (r.a.)”. Mustadrak of Hakim, vol.4, p.11.

7. Men and women came from far and wide to benefit from her knowledge.

Aisha’s great interest in the study of the Qur’an is understandable. She was an eye-witness to a number of revelations and had therefore a clear idea of the circumstances in which they were revealed. It was on her bed alone (and no other consort’s) that the Prophet received Wahy (Divine Revelations) several times. This helped her in interpreting the verses.

8. At the time of the Prophet’s death, the Prophet’s head was on her lap. It was in her quarters that the Prophet was buried.

The life of Aisha (R) 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 proof that a woman can exert influence over men and women and provide them with inspiration and leadership. Aisha (R) is a continuing inspiration and role model to today’s youth who are diligently searching for an example amongst pop stars, movie actresses, and sports stars. May the memory of her’s life forever in the heart of the Muslim Ummah and may Allah grant her the highest abode in Paradise…Ameen.

Conclusion
It was the aforementioned qualities of Aisha ( r.a.) and the Prophet’s guidance in molding these capabilities for the service of Islam, were the main reasons, why the Prophet Married young Aisha (r.a.), and not the perverted reasons brought forth by misguided orientalists.

Muslims invite all sincere humans to study the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon) in the light of the authentic sources of the Qur’an and the Sunnah (exemplary sayings and deeds of the Prophet) and judge for themselves where the truth lies. Indeed, by recognizing the truth of Islam as the final and complete Guidance sent by our Creator can humanity find lasting peace in this world and a means of salvation from the hellfire in the hereafter.

“I have studied him – the wonderful man and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much-needed peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today.”
George Bernard Shaw, The Genuine Islam, vol. 1, no. 81936.

Though the Prophet is not among us in his flesh, his exemplary life has been preserved for all humanity to follow.

When Truth comes Falsehood disappears, Islam came, now Shirk (polytheism) must clear.

Welcome to Islam…