Aisha RA

AISHA RA
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The Life of Aisha RA is a wonderful Illustration that a Muslim woman can be a scholar and a teacher. Aisha RA exerted a Powerful influence in the early Islamic community and provided many others with inspiration and leadership. Her talks are still read in literature courses, her legal pronouncements are studied in law schools, and her life and works have been examined by students of Muslim history for nearly 1,400 years.

In her early childhood Aisha RA was brought up by her father, Abu Bakr RA, a man of wide knowledge and the closet friend of the Prophet Sallallahu Alyhi Wa Sallam in her youth, Aisha RA was known for her striking beauty and her extraordinary memory.

Aisha RA married the Prophet Sallallahu Alyhi Wa Sallam in 624 C.E, during the second year after the migration to Madinah, when she was about 14 or 15 years old. This was considered a normal age for marriage at that time. Before and after her wedding, Aisha RA maintained a natural gaiety and innocence. She was not overawed by her marriage to the Messenger of Allah SAW). Whom all his companions, including her own mother and father, treated with a level of love and reverence they gave to no one else. As his wife and close companions, she acquired from the Prophet Sallallahu Alyhi Wa Sallam great depths of knowledge and insight.

Aisha RA lived for almost 50 years after the passing away of the Prophet Sallallahu Alyhi Wa Sallam. She had been his wife for nearly a decade. Much of his time was spent in learning and acquiring knowledge of the Qura’an and the Hadith. Aisha RA became a Hafitha, one who memorized the entire Qura’an. She was one of four persons who transmitted more than two thousand Hadith. Many of these pertain to some of the most intimate aspects of the Prophet’s Sallallahu Alyhi Wa Sallam life, which only someone in Aisha’s RA position could have witnessed.

Aisha RA was knowledgeable in law, mathematics, medicine, and poetry. Scholars regard her as one of the earliest legal experts of Islam along with the caliphs Umar and Ali RA. The Prophet Sallallahu Alyhi Wa Sallam Referring to her extensive knowledge of Islam is reported to have said: “Learn a portion of your religion from this lady.”

Aisha RA also took an active part in education and social reform. She trained many boys and girls, and her house became an Islamic academy. As a teacher she had a clear persuasive manner of speech. One of the early Muslim said, “I have heard speeches of Abu Bakr RA and Umar, Uthman and Ali RA 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 RA.”

Aisha RA was the most respected woman of her time. Men and women came from far and wide benefit from her great knowledge. She died in the year 680 C.E. and was buried beside other companions of the Prophet Sallallahu Alyhi Wa Sallam.