Sayyida Aisha's (may Allah be pleased with her) marriage:
Allah Almighty sent a message to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) giving him the glad tidings of his marriage to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)
When the beloved wife of the Prophet, Sayyida Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), passed away, he became saddened. At that time, Allah Almighty sent a dream to the Prophet in which he was informed about a wife who would console him in his grief. This wife was none other than Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), who had excellent qualities.
Therefore, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) married Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) based on the divine guidance he received in the dream.
I saw you in a dream twice, and in the dream, you were wrapped in silk clothes. I was told that you are going to be your wife. So, I removed the veil and saw that it was you.
This dream was seen by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and it is well known that the dreams of the prophets are a form of revelation.
As for the proposal of Sayyida Khawla for the marriage of Sayyida Aisha to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
Khawla (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of Hakim, came to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and suggested, "O Messenger of Allah, you should consider marrying again." The Prophet asked, "Whom should I marry?" Khawla replied, "There are widows and young maidens available, and you may consider discussing this matter."
The Prophet inquired further, "Who are they?" Khawla mentioned, "The widow is Sauda bint Zam'a, and the young maiden is Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them)." The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) then decided to discuss this matter further. He went to Abu Bakr's house and discussed it with him. In the time of ignorance (pre-Islamic era), it was a custom not to marry the daughters of stepbrothers, similar to marrying one's own sister. Upon hearing this, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) questioned why the Prophet would consider such a marriage. Khawla explained the situation, and the Prophet agreed to the proposal.
This event highlights the process and discussions leading to the Prophet Muhammad's marriage to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her).
The marriage of your daughter to me is valid."
Khawla returned and informed Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) of the Prophet's words. Abu Bakr said, "Wait for a little while," and then he and some others left. They went to Mughira bin 'Abdullah's house. At that time, Mughira's wife was also present.
Mughira said, "Abu Bakr's son! If our son marries your daughter, what will you give her as a dower?" Abu Bakr replied, "I will give her four hundred Dinars." Mughira said, "Do you agree to marry your son to her?Abu Bakr responded, "Yes. When Abu Bakr and his friends arrived back, Abu Bakr addressed Khawla.
This narration describes the negotiations and discussions between Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Mughira bin 'Abdullah regarding the marriage of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It also highlights the agreement reached regarding the marriage and the dower (mahr) that Abu Bakr promised to give for his daughter's marriage.
"You, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), should come to the service, and bring Bilal to me." So, they brought Bilal, and at that moment, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) conducted the marriage of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to you, O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). At that time, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was six years old."
This passage describes how the marriage of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was conducted when she was six years old. It also mentions that Bilal was involved in the process, as requested by Aisha's father, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
"When the Prophet (peace be upon him) married me, I was nine years old. After we came to Madinah, we stayed in the Banu Harith neighborhood. At that time, I began to experience the signs of puberty, such as menstruation. My mother, Umm Roman, came to me. I was swinging on a swing at that moment with my friends. My mother called me loudly, and I went to her, not knowing why she was calling me. She took my hand and led me to the door of the house. At that time, I had some hair on my head. When I reached the doorway, I found the Prophet (peace be upon him) there. He was with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Bilal. My hair was combed and dressed, and I was given some water to clean myself. Then, I was taken inside the house. Some Ansari women were present in the house, and they congratulated me, saying that I had come with blessings. Then, my mother handed me over to them. They adored me, and I was presented to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the afternoon.I had just turned nine at the time.
In this account, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) describes her age at the time of her marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as nine years old. She also mentions the signs of puberty and the preparations made for her marriage. It's important to note that cultural and historical contexts can vary, and this account reflects the customs and practices of that time and region.
Furthermore, according to the authentic Hadiths of Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) clarified her age as follows: "At the time of our marriage, I was six or seven years old, and when we migrated to Madinah, I was nine years old. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed away, I was approximately eighteen years old."
It's essential to understand that cultural and historical contexts can influence the age of adulthood and marriage. In Aisha's case, her marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) occurred within the norms and practices of her society at that time.
The purpose of mentioning these details is to provide historical context and factual information about Aisha's age at the time of her marriage, as recorded in authentic Islamic sources.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) expressed his special affection for Aisha through various actions and statements. One such instance is when he appointed her as the leader of a military expedition called the Expedition of the Necklace (Ghazwah Dhat al-Salasil). When Aisha returned from this expedition, she made an observation to the Prophet, saying:
"O Messenger of Allah! When I returned to you (after the voyage), I said.
You asked the people to give me a verdict, but they hesitated to give me a verdict and delayed the matter.' I found it too hard for me that I did not see you. So I climbed up the pulpit, and when I reached it, Allah made the Prophet's influence lighter (on the people) till I fell down with the pulpit. Then I went to my quarters, and wrapped myself with my clothes, and kept quiet. He (the Prophet) came to me, and entered upon me while I was still shivering from the effect of the throwing (of the pulpit). He said, 'You have taken revenge.' I said, 'No, by Allah.' He said, 'Then why are you shivering?' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah! I have never experienced such a day as this. The people were saying something about me of which I did not know, and I never thought that Allah would reveal Divine Inspiration in my case. I hope that Allah's Apostle will not have to give a decision in my case.' I said, 'Anyone who tells you that I have seen a dream he is lying, for Allah's Apostle has never had a dream but that it has turned out to be true and clear as the bright daylight.'"
This incident showcases the Prophet's trust in Aisha and her innocence.
Sahih al-Bukhari (3768), Sahih Muslim (2447).
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, "O Aisha! This is not Jibril (Gabriel) who is conveying the greetings to you." I replied, "Peace and blessings be upon him, may Allah's mercy and blessings be upon him. You surely see what I do not see." The Prophet was referring to the Angel Jibril, who was conveying greetings and blessings to Aisha.
On the Day of Aisha's Turn for Special Attention:
Aisha tells this story, may Allah be pleased with her:
"The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said to me, 'O Aisha, this is Gabriel conveying greetings to you.' I said, 'Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and peace be upon him. You notice things that I do not. The Prophet was implying that the angel Gabriel was the sender of the pleasantries.
People used to take special care to send gifts and greetings to Aisha on her designated days, seeking the pleasure of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
Sahih al-Bukhari (2574), Sahih Muslim (2441).
Permission for Inviting Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, to a Meal:
Narrated by Anas, may Allah be pleased with him:
"Permission was given for inviting Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, (to meals) during her turn."
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, had a Persian neighbor who was a good neighbor and prepared a dish called "Sawiq" for the Prophet. He then invited the Prophet to his house. When the Prophet asked if Aisha was also invited, the neighbor initially said no. The Prophet declined the invitation, and this happened two more times. On the third invitation, when the neighbor agreed to invite Aisha as well, the Prophet accepted the invitation. They both went to the neighbor's house.
Sahih Muslim (2037).
Narrated by Abu Musa, may Allah be pleased with him.
We, the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, whenever we found a difficult Hadith, we would refer to Umm al-Mu'minin, Hazrat Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, and seek her knowledge about it, and she would provide us with the correct understanding of that Hadith.
Jami` at-Tirmidhi (3883), Sahih.
Similarly, there is a statement from the esteemed Tabi'i Ata' bin Abi Rabah, may Allah have mercy on him:
They were superior to all people in terms of their knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence, their understanding of the religion, and their ability to give good opinions in general matters.
Al-Mustadrak li al-Hakim, 4/15 (6748).
Abdullah bin Zubair, may Allah be pleased with them both, said:
In comparison to both Aisha and Asma, I have not seen any woman who was more generous, and there was a difference between their generosity. Aisha used to accumulate some things and then distribute them among the needy and the poor. When a lot of goods were collected in her house, she would order it to be distributed immediately. On the other hand, Asma did not keep anything for herself; she gave away everything she had for the sake of Allah.
Al-Adab al-Mufrad (280), Sahih Isnad.
