Quranic guidelines for women's dress First Rule : The Best Garment "O children of Adam, We have brought down to you garments...
Quranic guidelines for women's dress
First Rule : The Best Garment
"O children of Adam, We have brought down to you garments to cover your private parts, as well as for adornment, yet the garment of reverence is the best. These are some of God's signs, perhaps they will remember." 7:26
To revere God and know that He is always watching us is the basic rule for the dress code in the Quran. Any woman knows quite well what is decent and what is revealing. Women do not need to be told, they know how to maintain righteousness and how not to. God created the woman and therefore He knows that she can make this distinction. This is why God set the rule of revering God and maintaining righteousness as the first rule.
Second Rule : Cover your Bosoms
The second rule can be found in 24:31. Here God commands women to cover their bosoms. Before quoting 24:31 let us review some crucial words that are always mentioned in connection to this topic, namely the 'hijab' and the 'khimar'.
The word 'hijab' in the Quran
Hijab is the term used by many Muslim women to describe their head cover. This may or may not include covering their face. The Arabic word 'hijab' can be translated into veil or yashmak. Other meanings for the word 'hijab' include, screen, cover(ing), mantle, curtain, drapes, partition, division, divider.
Can we find the word 'hijab' in the Quran?
The word 'hijab' appears seven times in the Quran. Five of them as 'hijab' and two times as 'hijaban', these are verses: 7:46, 33:53, 38:32, 41:5, 42:51, 17:45 & 19:17.
None of these 'hijab' words are used in the Quran in reference to what the traditional Muslims call today 'hijab', that being the head cover for Muslim woman!
God knows that generations after Muhammed's death the Muslims will use the word 'hijab' to invent a dress code that God Himself never authorised. God used the word 'hijab' ahead of them just as He used the word 'hadith' ahead of them (45:6).
The word 'hijab' in the Quran has nothing to do with the Muslim women's dress code.
KHADIJAH BINT KHUWAYLID RA
Umm-al-Mu'minîn (Mother of Believers)
Narrated Ali (RA): I heard the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) saying, “Mary, the daughter of Imran, was the best among the women (of the world of her time) and Khadijah is the best amongst the women (of this nation).”
Sahih Al-Bukhari – Book 58 Hadith 164
If there was a woman in Islam to be emulated by the women of our ummah, Khadijah surely ranks at the top. She is the first of the Mother of Believers, the title of veneration and respect given to all the wives of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), and has the unique position of not only being the first woman, but also the first person, to embrace Islam.
As she passed away in the early stages of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) prophethood, the details of her life were not extensively documented to the same level as that of many other Companions.
However, from existing sources, we know that Khadijah came from a noble family. Her father Khuwaylid had been one of the most honoured leaders of their tribe until he was killed in battle. Her husband had also died, leaving her a very wealthy widow. She was renowned for her splendid character, wealth and beauty. Khadijah was also known as Ameera-Quraysh, Princess of Quraysh, and al-Tahira, the Pure One, due to her impeccable personality and virtuous character, not to mention her honorable descent.
After the death of her first husband, she shouldered the operation of her commercial holdings on her own, and to a large extent, was responsible for taking care of her own well being. 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 returned from Syria after having made a large profit for Khadijah. By then, he was already well known for his honesty, truthfulness and trustworthiness, and these qualities, rather than his business acumen, captured Khadijah's attention.
After hearing his account of the journey, she decided that he would make the best of the husbands. To be borne in mind is that at that time, she was a woman of flourishing wealth and high status, and it was socially and financially befitting for her to have married one of the many important nobles of the Quraish who had already proposed to her. However, she had the integrity and nobility to instead recognize strength of character she saw in Muhammad (Peace be upon him) which superseded any wealth, social status or elite bloodline. Being a lady of strong character and decisive nature, she set out to propose to him.
After the Prophet Muhammad's (Peace be upon him) uncle, Abu Talib, had given the proposed marriage his blessing, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and Khadijah were married. At the time of the marriage, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was twenty-five years old, while Khadijah was forty years old. She was the Prophet Muhammad's (Peace be upon him) first wife, and the only woman whom he married prior to his prophet hood. Another remarkable fact about this marriage is that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) married no other until after her death.
Their happy union resulted in Khadijah bearing several children. Sadly, 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, after being commissioned to prophethood, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and Khadijah had four daughters who survived: Zaynab, Ruqayya, Umm Kulthum and Fatima. Khadijah is the only one of his wives to bear the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) children who survived to adulthood. None of his other wives bore him children, apart from Maria the Copt, whose son, Ibrahim, also died during infancy.
Over the years, the more Khadijah came to know about her husband, the more she loved and respected him. Everyone in Mecca called him 'al-Amin', which means 'the trustworthy one', and she, more than anyone else, knew how fitting this name was.
It became Muhammad (Peace be upon him) 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 Mecca. Khadijah would always make sure that he was provided with food and drink during his retreat. Such was her love to him that sometimes she would accompany him for a few days during his seclusion, never saying a word to him during that time so as not to interrupt his contemplation. How many women in history would have that deep level of understanding for their husbands' needs, and practice restraint in speech and action if confronted with similar behavior from their husbands? The typical wife would instead complain of neglect. Yet, Khadijah never gave him a hard time for his long periods of absence, for she appreciated and respected his spiritual needs to ponder, reflect and unite his heart with his Creator.
Around the fifteenth year of their marriage, towards the end of Ramadan, when he was forty and Khadijah fifty-five, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) 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 Jibreel AS - had suddenly appeared to him 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 (Peace be upon him) 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." (Qur’an 96:1-5)
And so began a life changing event. Not just his life, but from that point onwards, the course of mankind took a different turn. Although Muhammad (Peace be upon him) did not fully realize it at the time, this was the beginning of the revelation of the Qur'an, and in the first years of revelation, Khadijah was instrumental in being not only his wife and companion, but a constant source of emotional, moral and financial support for him. More than once, he turned to her for advice and comfort, and was guided by her wisdom. In all senses of the word, she was a true Mother of the Believers.
For example, after that first encounter with the angel Jibreel AS, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was very frightened, not knowing if he was going mad and imagining things, or if he had been possessed by one of the jinn. He clambered downhill as fast as he could and headed home to relate his experience to his beloved wife.
As she listened to the Prophet Muhammad's (Peace be upon him) 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.”
In another incident, Aisha (Radi Allahu Anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah was sitting down with Khadijah shortly after the first revelation. He then saw a person between the heaven and the earth and told Khadijah what he saw. She asked him to move closer to her, and after he did so, asked whether he still saw the person. He replied affirmatively. She then told him to put his head in her garment (and in other reports, it was narrated that she removed her hijab) and asked whether Muhammad (Peace be upon him) still saw the person. He answered in the negative, for the person had vanished. She told him to relax, that the person had to be an angel (in the form of a human being), for the devil would have had no shame to stay on and watch.
Such was her reaction – she had such confidence in his integrity and soundness of mind and spirit, and she possessed such maturity of thought, that she immediately quelled his anxiety and doubts of his sanity and instead gave him support from the very first moment his Prophethood came into being.
When Muhammad (Peace 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. 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 (Peace be upon him).
“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 Prophets Muhammad's (Peace be upon him) shoulder-blades and found what he was feeling for: a small round, slightly raised irregularity in the skin. This was yet another of the many signs that Waraqa already knew would indicate the identity of the next prophet after Isa AS.
“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 Musa AS and in the Injil that was revealed to Isa AS. You are indeed the Messenger of Allah, and the being who appeared to you on the mountain was indeed the angel Jibreel AS!”
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 (Peace be upon him) was commanded in a subsequent revelation from Allah, through the angel Jibreel AS, 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 known for certain: “I bear witness that there is no god except Allah,” she said, “and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Thus her love of her husband had expanded into something greater and far more profound, being the love of Allah and His Messenger.
In the difficult years that followed in which the leaders of the Quraish did everything in their power to stop the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) spreading his message, Khadijah was a constant source of help and comfort to Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in the difficulties which he had to face.
It is not known exactly how long they were married for, however piecing together information that they were married for 15 years prior to the first revelation, and that the Year of Sadness (the year in which Khadijah passed away) took place in the eighth or ninth year after the first revelation, they were married for approximately 23 to 25 years. Even though they suffered personal tragedy in the deaths of their sons, and later faced the persecution of the Quraish, their marriage was a happy and harmonious one. During this time, all of Khadijah's 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. She freed the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) of all labour, so that he could spend his time calling the people towards Allah. She was the mother of his household and the caretaker of his family.
Meanwhile the Quraish were infuriated by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) success and did everything in their power to discourage both him and his followers, often inflicting awful tortures on them. The situation became so bad that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) told some of his followers to go to Abyssinia, where their ruler, the Negus, who was a sincere Christian gave them shelter and protection. Eventually there came a time when, as Waraqa had foretold, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his followers -along with all the members of his tribe, the Banu Hashim were driven out of the city of Mecca and forced to camp out in a small ravine in the mountains nearby. This happened long after Waraqa had died, and about six or seven years after that extraordinary night of power in which Muhammad (Peace be upon him) had received the first revelation. There, while their homes lay empty in Mecca, the Muslims were exposed to the bitterly cold nights of winter and the fiery hot days of summer, with very little food and shelter. No one would buy and sell with the Muslims, or allow their sons and daughters to marry any of them. Fortunately those who secretly sympathized with the Muslims would send what food they could to them whenever the chance arose. At times, the food rations were so depleted that they had to eat leaves and barks of trees.
During these harsh times, Khadijah remained a loyal and patient companion and wife, often giving Muhammad (Peace be upon him) wise and compassionate counsel, which reinforced him emotionally. Her support would constantly strengthen him in his mission to spread the Message.
For three years the small Muslim community lived in exile, cut off from their kith and kin and enduring a life of hardship and deprivation. However, although they suffered from hunger and thirst, and from exposure to the elements, this was a time in which the hearts of the first Muslims were both purified and also filled with the light of knowledge and wisdom. The Muslims knew that they were following the truth, and so nothing else mattered. Sadly, these long and difficult months left Khadijah physically weakened.
Finally the boycott was lifted and the Muslims were allowed to re-enter the city; but the three years of hardship had taken their toll on her health. She spent her last days in the loving care of her husband and daughters. Here was one of the wealthiest women in the Arabian Peninsula, who had spent all she had of her material wealth in the path of Allah that she did not even have a piece of bread in her house when she died.
In some narrations, it was said that in the final moments of her life, angel Jibreel AS descended, giving her (through the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) greetings from Allah Himself, with the glad tidings of her palace in jannah.
Why was she so exalted and elevated in the eyes of Allah?
Let us pause and take a look at our lives today. The husband and wife keep careful count of their spending, and very few women would willingly give up their wealth in supporting their husbands' noble causes. How many women would be willing to sacrifice personal luxuries for a higher cause? Khadijah went further than sacrificing her material comforts, she gave all that she had for the path of Allah. Instead of complaining about the hardship of her situation, she supported her husband without argument, resistance or complaint. She did not demand gifts, vacations, or even attention, for she knew that she had a higher cause than to indulge in the mere trivialities of dunia. She put the needs of her husband above her personal needs for the sake of Allah, and as a result, the Prophet Muhammad's (Peace be upon him) love and admiration for her overshadowed those that he bore for the wives that he married after her death. We wish for the glory of having her as our companion in Jannah, but how many of us have the sincerity to emulate her exemplary behavior and sacrifice even a fraction of what she did for Islam, financially, physically and emotionally?
Khadijah had been the first to publicly accept Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as the Messenger of Allah, and she had never stopped doing all she could to help him. Love and mercy had grown between them, increasing in quality and depth as the years passed by, and not even death could take this love away. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) never stopped loving Khadijah, and although he married several more wives in later years and loved them all, it is clear that Khadijah always had a special place in his heart. Her death left a space in his heart that none other could fill. Indeed whenever Aisha , his third wife, heard the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) speak of Khadijah, or saw him sending food to Khadijah's old friends and relatives, she could not help feeling jealous of her, because of the love that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) still had for her.
Once Aisha asked him if Khadijah had been the only woman worthy of his love. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) replied: “She believed in me when no one else did; she accepted Islam when people rejected me; and she helped and comforted me when there was no one else to lend me a helping hand.”
It had been related by Abu Huraira that on one occasion, when Khadijah was still alive, Jibreel AS came to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, Khadijah is just coming with a bowl of soup (or food or drink) for you. When she comes to you, give her greetings of peace from her Lord and from me, and give her the good news of a palace of jewels in the Garden, where there will be neither any noise nor any tiredness.” Some interpret this as a reflection and reward for the calm and tranquil environment that she herself generated for her husband.
Khadijah was estimated to be around sixty-five years old at the time of her death, three years before Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace be upon him) Hijrah to Medina. The Prophet Muhammad's (Peace be upon him) uncle, Abu Talib had died a few months earlier the same year. Their deaths would bring great tragedy to the life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as these were two people who provided him great sources of comfort and strength when faced with persecution.
However, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) worked to be sure that Khadijah was remembered in the best light, and honored her even after her death. If a gift was sent to Muhammad (Peace be upon him) he would not hesitate to have the gift sent to a woman who was a friend of Khadijah, showing the kindness and compassion that Khadijah exhibited during her life.
What an honor to be a woman chosen to be the first one to believe in the last revelation on earth.
What an honor to be the first and most beloved wife of the final Prophet and Messenger of Allah's religion.
What an honor to devote your life, your love, your wealth, just to please Allah and to support His Prophet and the Message of Allah.
What an honor to be sent the greetings, not by a human being, but from your own Lord, and delivered by one of the most highest exalted angels, Jibreel AS, to deliver those greetings.
What an honor to know who you are, where you're going, and your status in Akhirah.
What an honor to receive the news of how your palace will look like in Jannah.
What an honor for a woman, life, death and legacy!
Source:
Ibn Kathir: Wives of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)
“Great Women of Islam” by Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar
"Women around the Messenger" by Muhammad Qutb
AISHA BINT ABU BAKR (RA)
Umm-al-Mu'minîn (Mother of Believers)
Narrated Amr bin Al-As: I came to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and said, "Who is the most beloved person to you?" He said, "Aisha." I asked, "Among the men?" He said, "Her father." I said, "Who then?" He said, "Then Umar bin Al-Khattab." He then named other men [Bukhari].
WHO IS AISHA IBN ABU BAKR?
Out of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), two have received prominence above the others. The first was Khadija, and the second was Aisha. Aisha was the favorite daughter of one of the Prophet's favorite companions, Abu Bakr, and was the most beloved wife of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) after Khadijah.
Sawdah, the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) second wife, and Aisha entered the life of the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) household after the death of Khadijah. If we recall, the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) never had another wife for over two decades during the time he was married to Khadijah. He was deeply grieved by her death, and it is acknowledged that he still felt sorrow at her passing years later.
Those around the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)understood the sadness that he faced, not just for the loss of his lifetime companion, but also for the other turbulent events that happened in what we now call the Year of Sadness. While many were concerned and offered their support in their own individual ways, Khawlah bint Hakeem was the one who took the initiative and broached the subject of marriage with the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Khawlah was the wife of Uthman ibn Math`oon, both of them being among the first persons to embrace Islam. It was Khawlah who originally suggested that Abu Bakr should offer his daughter Aisha for marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). For the sake of completeness, it is worth mentioning that it was also Khawlah who initiated the marriage of Sawdah to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), however we shall not be covering this aspect in this article.
The suggestion to marry Aisha, while well received, proved to be diplomatically delicate for Abu Bakr, for the six year old Aisha was already engaged to a non-Muslim, Jubayr ibn Mut’im. It would have been socially unacceptable for Abu Bakr to have broken the engagement. However, with the will of Allah, the engagement was repudiated by the potential groom’s family on account of their disbelief in Islam, enabling Aisha to be engaged to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE MARRIAGE
We pause at this juncture to deal with a sensitive topic, which is the age of Aisha during marriage. Of late, this has created unnecessary controversy. However, if we look at the historical accounts of the social structure of the time, Aisha was already engaged to another man prior to her marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), indicating that it was socially acceptable for marital alliances between families to be forged at an early age. Also women during that time reached maturity relatively quickly – psychologically, emotionally and physically – due to their upbringing and surroundings. In the case of Aisha, she attained intellectual, physical and emotional maturity exceptionally fast compared to her peers.
If we look at the various claims made against the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) during his lifetime and after – he was called a madman, a liar, a magician, possessed by the devil – yet not one of these claims, even by his own worst enemies, touched upon his marriage to Aisha. Had the marriage been controversial, his enemies would have scandalized and sensationalized the event. Yet no claims of this sort were raised for hundreds and hundreds of years, whether by the pagan Arabs, the Romans, or any of the subsequent societies, until very recently.
If allegations were made against the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in respect of abuse or impropriety during the marriage, then one would expect all these claims to surface after his death, when Aisha was free to speak without fear of repercussion from the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Yet, even after his death, there is not a single recorded account of any complaint or statement about their marriage, save that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was the best of husbands and that the marriage was an extremely happy and harmonious one. In today's society, very few, if any, women would describe their husbands in such unequivocal terms. Aisha was nineteen when the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) passed away, and until her own death over forty five years later, she spoke of him lovingly. The aspersion cast upon the marriage by the modern media is totally unsubstantiated, as there is not a single recorded statement to support any of these those claims.
LIFE AFTER MARRIAGE
Although the engagement took place while Aisha was six or seven, they were only married around three years later, shortly after she migrated to Medina, by which time she had reached puberty. She moved into the household of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). It was not luxurious by any means; the room was barely six feet wide, built beside the mosque out of clay and palm trees. The ceiling was so low that a person standing upright could touch the roof. The room was sparsely furnished with a mattress of palm leaves which lay on a mat. It was not a room of worldly wealth, but it was rich in spiritual treasures.
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) later told Aisha, "You have been shown to me in (my) dreams on three nights. An angel was carrying you in a silken cloth and said to me, `This is your wife.' And when I uncovered it; behold, it was you. I then said: `If this dream is from Allah, He will cause it to come true.'" [Bukhari and Muslim]
Aisha said "I have been given nine (virtues) that were not given to any woman after Maryam bint Imran (the mother of Nabi Isa AS): Jibril AS descended with my picture in his sleep until Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) was commanded to marry me; he had married me when I was a virgin and he never married any virgin besides me; his soul was taken while his head was on my lap and he was buried in my house. The angels had surrounded my house, I am the daughter of his Khalifah and his Siddiq; my excuse was revealed from the heaven. I was created pure. I have been promised forgiveness (of sins) and noble provision."
Thus, this was a marriage between two exceptional people - the last of the Prophets who was nearing the end of his life, and a woman still at the beginning of hers. Aisha was a very intelligent and observant young girl with an extremely sharp memory. Due to her proximity with the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), she was able to recount and educate the ummah on intimate details regarding marital relationships, personal grooming, medical prescriptions and behavior within the household.
Aisha spent approximately nine or ten years of her life with the Prophet (Peace be upon him). Her greatest asset was not her youth or beauty, but her piety, extraordinary generosity, ability to record the sayings and behavior of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), her accurate memory, and her intimate knowledge of the Qur'an. She absorbed knowledge like a sponge and this ability made her the educator and transmitter of the sacred knowledge to men and woman. A great deal of the knowledge that we still have today, about how our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) lived and behaved, was first remembered and then taught to others by Aisha.
Aisha became so wise that one of her contemporaries used to say that if the knowledge of Aisha was placed on one side of the scales and that of all other women on the other, Aisha's side would outweigh the other. She used to sit with the other women and transmit the knowledge that she had received from the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) long after he had died. As long as she lived, she was a source of knowledge and wisdom for both women and men. Abu Musa once said, "Whenever a report appeared doubtful to us, the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and we asked Aisha about it, we always learned something from her about it."
As the prophetic guidance continued to be revealed through Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) during the years of their marriage, Aisha’s way of life - along with that of all the Muslims - was gradually reshaped and refined. It was during this time that Islamic jurisprudence was established and when the rites of worship in Islam were finalized and clarified. In other words, it was during their marriage that the teachings of the religion of Islam were perfected.
Aisha was once asked to describe the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and she replied that he was 'the Qur’an walking’, meaning that his behavior was the Qur’an translated into action. She did all that she could to do likewise. Thus she not only knew and embodied the Sunnah, but also she memorized the Qur’an by heart, understood it and lived it. Such knowledge was eventually compiled in various Islamic literatures, providing an encyclopedia for generations to come, supporting the Muslims and even the Caliphs of the later generations.
It was during the course of their marriage that, amongst others, the battles of Badr, and Uhud, and Al-Khandaq (the Ditch) were fought. These were the three major battles against the Quraish that shifted the balance of power out of the hands of the disbelievers and into the hands of the Muslims. Although she was still very young, Aisha participated in them all, bringing water for the Muslims warriors, and helping to look after the wounded. She witnessed life, and she witnessed death - both in the way of Allah and in the way of the disbelievers - and she understood both. Indeed one of the meanings of her name, Aisha, is 'life'.
Aisha's knowledge was like a beacon that illuminated the hearts and minds of Muslims for generations to come. This is not surprising, for she is one of the four people who have transmitted more than two thousand hadiths, the others being Abu Huraira, Abdullah ibn Umar, and Anas ibn Malik RA. Al-Haakim said in his book, Al-Mustadrak. "One fourth of the rule of Sharee`ah was narrated on the authority of Aisha." Umar Ibn Al Khattab, during his own Caliphate said that without Aisha, he would be lost and destroyed, in every small and big issue; he used to ask her for advice and consultation. How many Muslim men today seek consultation from a woman if she has more piety and knowledge than them? How many Muslim men today respect their wives, spouses, or daughters or anyone in society for their knowledge and calibre, regardless of their gender? How many Muslim women today are authorities on religious knowledge and texts?
THE FITNAH
If there was a dark cloud in Aisha's life, it was when the hypocrites conspired against her and made accusations regarding her honor and fidelity to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). An accusation of adultery is a very serious charge, and this slander created a huge deal of strife and discord in the household. The details of her personal anguish and the events that transpired can be found in all reliable biographies of her life. Suffice to say, however, that Aisha remained steadfast in the belief that Allah would reveal the truth, and she was eventually acquitted, not though a trial of men, but by Allah Himself in the clearest terms, through the following revelation:
Surely those who fabricate the lie are a group from among you. Do not think it is bad thing for you; no it is good for you. Every man will receive what he has earned for this sin, and whoever had the greater part in it will have a great punishment. Why did the men and women believers, when they heard it, not think good in their selves and say: 'This is clearly a lie?' Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they did not produce witnesses, they are certainly liars in the sight of Allah. If it were not for the grace of Allah, and His mercy on you in this world and in the next world, an awful doom would have overtaken you for what you repeated. Since you received it with your tongues, and repeated what you did not know anything about with your mouths, you thought it was a trifle, but in the sight of Allah it is serious. Why, when you heard it, did you not say: 'It is not for us to repeat this, Glory be to You (O Allah), this is a serious rumor.' Allah warns you to never repeat anything like this again, if you are indeed believers and Allah makes the signs clear to you; and Allah is Knowing, Wise. Surely those who love to spread around slander about those who believe will have a painful punishment in this world and in the next world; and Allah knows and you do not know. (Qur’an 24:11-19)
The fact that Aisha's honor and reputation had been protected by a revelation from Allah could not be ignored by anyone, and from then on everyone was more aware of her high station with Allah.
HER GENEROSITY AND SIMPLE LIFESTYLE
Aisha endured poverty and hunger with the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). It is authentically related that months went by without the fire in the hearth being lit, i.e. without any food being cooked, during which time they simply survived on dates and water.
Once the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) 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 Aisha's 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 make you content, and I will release you with a fair release. But if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the abode of the next world, then truly Allah has prepared an immense reward for those of you who do good.' (Qur’an 33:28-29)
Her reply was: "Indeed I desire God and His Messenger and the abode of the Hereafter," and her response was followed by all the other wives.
Once, when the Muslims were favored with great wealth, she has given a gift of one hundred thousand Dirham’s. She was fasting when she received the money, and distributed it to the poor and needy, even though she had no provisions in her house. Shortly after that, her maid servant said to her, "Couldn't you have brought a dirham's worth of meat with which to break your fast?" "If I had thought of it," she replied, "I would have done so!"
She developed the nickname the Mother of Fragrance, for every time a beggar knocked on her door, she would touch the money with perfume before giving it to him. When asked why, she explained that the charity would reach Allah before it reached the beggar's hands, and she wanted the charity to be given to Allah in a fragrant condition.
In another report, a needy person knocked on the door. She only had one grape, and gave it to him. When asked what the value of a single grape was as a charity, she quoted the following verses from the Qur'an:
"So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it." (Qur'an 99:7 – 99:8)
She rationalized – how many atoms are there in a grape?
How many of us are of such a status, where our vigilance, thinking and even the smallest action is completely for the pleasing of Allah, and reflected by the Qur'an and teaching of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).
THE DEATH OF MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON HIM) AND AFTER
While the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was fair in the treatment of his wives and loved all of them, Allah is the owner of the hearts, and the Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace be upon him) heart was inclined towards loving Aisha the most.
There are many accounts which indicate that Aisha was the favorite wife of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) after Khadija. The Companions noticed this and reserved their presents to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) when it was his turn with her. Naturally this inspired some jealousy amongst the other wives, however, Aisha was gracious and never belittled them, nor did she view them as her rivals. The only wife that she was truly jealous of was Khadija, the Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace be upon him) first wife, who had passed away before she was married to him.
Aisha said: "The Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace be upon him) wives sent Fatimah, the Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace be upon him) daughter to him. She asked permission to enter while he was lying down with me in my woollen blanket. He permitted her to enter and she said: `O' Messenger of Allah, your wives sent me to you demanding for fairness concerning (your treatment of) the daughter of Ibn Abu Quhaafah (meaning Aisha, daughter of Abu Bakr).' And I was there (listening but) silent. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) told her, `O' daughter, don't you love whatever I love?' She said: `Yes.' He then said: `Then you should love this (lady)."'
Hence, it was fitting that Allah chose for the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to breathe his last when in her house. Narrated Aisha: During his sickness, Allah's Apostle Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was asking repeatedly, "Where am I today? Where will I be tomorrow?" And I was waiting for the day of my turn (impatiently). Then, when my turn came, Allah took his soul away (in my lap) between my chest and arms and he was buried in my house. [Bukhari]
The room in which he died is the only room of his wives which is preserved up to today. Two years later, his Companion, Abu Bakr, Aisha's father, was buried beside him. Later, as Umar Al Khattab was in his death throes, he appealed to Aisha to be buried next to Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Aisha had actually reserved that space for herself, for she wished to be buried next to her husband. However, the love that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) bore for Umar caused her to honor Umar by sacrificing her beloved burial ground for him. Such was her generosity and nobility.
Her chaste nature was such that she used to say (before Umar was buried there): "It is only my husband and my father that are here." But after Umar was buried there, she said: "I do not longer enter the room but with my garment fastened because I was shy (of being in the presence) of Umar."
After the death of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), Aisha was readily involved in continuing his messages. She was present through the reigns of at least the first four Caliphs. She continued commitment to the memory of her husband and her firm belief about being reunited with him in the Paradise.
In the month of Ramadan in the year 58 A.H. Aisha had her fatal illness and she said in her will:
"Do not follow my bier with a fire nor lay a red velvet piece."
She then surrendered her soul in the night of 17th of Ramadan at the age of sixty six.
Aisha's life after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is evidence against all the stereotypes of how Islam treats women, and accusations of how women in Islam have no status. We can read the detail of all the stories of Aisha and realize the wisdom of Allah and His Messenger, to have, for over forty years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) the highest and most authentic level of knowledge from Aisha.
Look at the ultimate wisdom of Allah. Abu Bakr sacrificed his entire life in the path of Allah, and Allah granted him a beautiful gift which was to let his daughter be the most beloved wife of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) after Khadija, and decorate his daughter Aisha with the charm, intelligence, integrity and memory, and make her the library of knowledge and source of wisdom for many generations to come. She carried the in depth legacy and knowledge of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) memory. One cannot open Islamic books about the Qur'an, the biography of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) or jurisprudence, without finding Aisha's name referenced in there. What a great honour for such a woman.
Aisha, Umm-Al-Mu’minin, even though she never had a single child, yet she is the Mother of Believers.
Source:
Ibn Kathir: Wives of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)
Great Women of Islam - Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar
Women Around the Messenger – Muhammad Ali Qutub
Men and Women Around the Messenger – Sa'd Yusuf Abu Aziz
Great Women of Islam – Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar (translated by Jamilah Muhammad Qawi)
FATIMAH (RA) BINT MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON HIM)
Fatimah (Radi Allahu Anhu) was the youngest daughter of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his wife Khadijah RA. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was reported to have said that, “The best women in the entire world are four: the Virgin Mary, Asiya the wife of Pharaoh, Khadijah Mother of the Believers, and Fatimah daughter of Muhammad.” Fatimah (Radi Allahu Anhu) was also bestowed with two titles; “az- Zahra,” which means “The Resplendent One,” in reference to her radiant face. She also had the title “al- Batul,” referring to her pure character. If we examine her short life, we can see that she was an inspiration, one who embodied the qualities of courage, loyalty, humility and selflessness.
Fatimah (Radi Allahu Anhu) was around the age of five when her father received Prophethood. As a young girl, she demonstrated her fearlessness on one particular occasion when she visited the Masjid Al- Haram with the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). As he began to pray, a group of Quraysh gathered around him. A member of the clan fetched the remains of a slaughtered animal and threw it on the shoulders of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) whilst he was prostrating. Fatimah (Radi Allahu Anhu) however did not stand back; she removed the filth from her father and angrily lashed out at the enemies. A girl, who was not even ten years old, silenced a group of brutes.
Early on, Fatimah (Radi Allahu Anhu) experienced and witnessed a great deal of sadness and hardship. Firstly, there was her sisters’ departure following their marriage. Furthermore, her sisters Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum suffered severe mental torture as they were both married to the sons of Abu Lahab, the Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace be upon him) uncle and staunch enemy. Then the family and followers were forced to leave their home as the persecution at the hands of the Quraysh intensified. Life became very tough as the Quraysh practically banned food and any contact with the Muslims. Shortly after the boycott, Fatimah suffered one of the greatest tribulations with the death of her mother.
Fatimah (Radi Allahu Anhu) was well known for her compassionate and gentle personality. She was generous, helping the poor and needy; often she would give her food away even if it meant going hungry herself. She lived a very simple and humble life, without any care for luxuries.
This humble existence continued throughout her marriage to Ali Ibn Abu Talib RA. Unlike her sisters’ husbands, Ali RA was poor and both he and Fatimah (Radi Allahu Anhu) had to work very hard. On one particular occasion, life became so unbearable that they went to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to ask him for servants. Rather than giving them servants, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) taught them to recite Subhan Allah, Al Hamdulillah, Allahu Akbar after each prayer and before going to sleep. In many ways, their marriage had more barakah; it was based on piety and righteousness, and above all, they had the blessings and dua of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Fatimah (Radi Allahu Anhu) eventually gave birth to four children. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was very close to his grandsons, Al-Hasan and Al Husayn, and would often be seen with them.
Despite being busy with family life, Fatimah (Radi Allahu Anhu) still dedicated herself to the Muslim community in Medina. Along with other women, she played a key role in the Battles of Uhud and Trench, such as tending to the wounded and preparing food.
Fatimah (Radi Allahu Anhu) passed away at the age of 29 during the month of Ramadan, just less than five months after her father died. Such strong and pious women are true role models for both Muslim men and women.
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