Who is Aisha bint Abu Bakr?

Aisha (R.A) was the daughter of Abu Bakr (R.A), the Prophet (S.A.W.) close friend. When the Prophet (S.A.W.) first wife Khadija died, the Prophet (S.A.W.) felt very sad, and Abu Bakr (R.A.) because of his love for the Prophet (S.A.W.), offered him his daughter in marriage.

Aisha (R.A) was then still young. She was a lively and intelligent girl and the Prophet (S.W.A.) loved her and enjoyed her company. He liked to amuse her by playing with her, and sometimes they used to run races together. She said that sometimes she won and sometimes he did.

She learned much about Islam from the Prophet (S.A.W.) and used to question him about it. When she learned something she never forgot it . She was also a good speaker. Because of these qualities she became an important person in the community, and even before the Prophet's (S.A.W.) death, people used to come to her to ask her questions about Islam.

The Prophet (S.A.W.) was pleased with her intelligence and said to his people:

"You can get half your religion from this rosy-cheeked girl."

As well as providing the Prophet (S.A.W.) with love and companionship at home, she often accompanied him on journeys and expeditions.

When the Prophet (S.A.W.) felt his death was near he asked to be taken to Aisha's apartment beside the mosque. There she nursed him until at last he died in her arms. He was buried at the very place where he died, and what was Aisha' (R.A.) apartment is now part of the Great Mosque in Medinah

After the Prophet's (S.A.W.) death Aisha (R.A.) kept her position of respect among Muslims. She used to teach other women, and both men and women came to her to learn what the Prophet (S.A.W.) had said and how he had behaved. In this way she became one of the most important of the reporters of Hadith (the Tradition of the Porphet).

Her life shows how a Muslim girl can use her intelligence and scholarship to make a very great contribution to the cause of Islam.

It also shows how, like Khadija (R.A.) before her, Aisha (R.A) was able to give the Prophet that love and understanding which helped him through all those years of struggle and fighting in the years after the Hijra to Medinah.