Although Hazrat Aisha (ra) was still very young when our beloved Prophet (saas) died, she was one of those who best knew, understood and committed to memory the Holy Qur’an and the Sunna of our Prophet (saas). Hazrat Aisha (ra) began memorizing the Qur’an from an early age and made enthusiastic use of our Prophet’s (saas) learning.
Leading members of the community in both the time of the Prophet’s (saas) Companions, and of those who had spoken to and learned from them, sought Hazrat Aisha’s (ra) advice on a great many matters. Many jurists consulted with our mother Hazrat Aisha (ra) in order to benefit from her legal knowledge.
Hazrat Aisha (ra) used Arabic very well, and due to her clear and accessible way of speaking and the way she preached in the manner most suited to the person concerned, she had a great impact on those to whom she spoke.
In addition to being our Prophet’s (saas) wife, Hazrat Aisha (ra) was also a worthy student of his, and occupies a special place in the field of learning. She corrected errors made by many scholars in the field of canonical jurisprudence and issued perfect interpretations of a number of hadiths. Hazrat Umar (ra) always sought the opinions of Hazrat Aisha (ra) on legal issues regarding women. This learning on the part of our mother Hazrat Aisha (ra) is related as followes in Islamic reference sources:
Abu Musa al-Ash'ari says: "When we had difficulty understanding a hadith from Rasulullah (saas), we would ask Hazrat Aisha (ra) what it meant and we always received an answer from her ". (www.beyan.com.tr)
Hazrat Urve says of Hazrat Aisha (ra) that, "I never saw a woman more learned than Hazrat Aisha (ra) in the fields of canonical jurisprudence, medicine and poetry.”
Ata bin Abî Rebâh said, "Hazrat Aisha (ra) was one of the members of the Ummah with the best knowledge of religious law and who held the very soundest opinions.”
Because of her remarkable memory and her close attention to every move made by our Prophet (saas), the information provided by our mother Hazrat Aisha (ra) is of the greatest value. Hazrat Aisha (ra), one of the Companions who related most hadiths, handed down a total of 2,210 hadiths from our Prophet (saas).
Hazrat Aisha’s (ra) Contribution to the Spread of Islam
Following the death of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), our mother Hazrat Aisha’s (ra) house in Medina became a center of learning where many people, great and small, would come to listen to her. In this way, she had the opportunity to spread and transmit Islamic moral values in the most effective way.
Hazrat Aisha’s (ra) wise speech and her deep love of and devotion to our Lord and our Prophet (saas) were instrumental in her having a considerable impact on the people she spoke to.
Our mother Hazrat Aisha (ra) took a close interest in women’s education and schooling right from the time when our Prophet (saas) was still alive. Thus she herself and the students she taught became clear models showing that women needed to be actively involved in learning.
Our mother Hazrat Aisha (ra) died in Medina on Tuesday, the 17th day of Ramadan, in the year 676.
Hadiths handed down from our mother Hazrat Aisha (ra)
"The Messenger of Allah (saas) preferred others’ desires over his own." (Muhammed Yusuf Kandehlevi, The Islamic Life of the Prophet Muhammad and His People, Vol. 1, Sentez Press, Essential Works Series: 2/1, p. 297 (Targib, V/148; Bayhaqi from Hazrat Aisha (as))
"He did not speak his words fast and one after the other; his words were few and to the point." (al-Fawaid, Hujjat al-Islam, Imam Gazali, Ihya' Ulum al-Din, Vol. 2, Trans. Dr. Sittki Gulle, Huzur Press, Istanbul 1998, p. 800)
"The blessed one’s words were carefully chosen. Everyone who heard them understood." (G. Ahmed Ziyauddin, Ramuz al-Ahadith, Vol. 2, Gonca Press, Istanbul, 1997, 521/4)
"When Rasulullah (saas) saw a thing he liked, he said, “Thanks be to Allah that pure things come from His blessing alone.” (The Six Books/7095)
"He was the gentlest, the most generous and the most smiling of faces toward women." (G.Ahmed Ziyauddin, Ramuz al-Ahadith, Vol. 2, Gonca Press, Istanbul, 1997, 531/7)
