Ayesha RAA

The greatest favour that Ayesha has done to women is to demonstrate that a Muslim lady, living in Purdah, can actively participate in literacy, religious, social and political activities and by exhortation, counsel and guidance can work for the betterment of the community.

Her life is a living example of the status conferred by Islam on women and how it raised them from indignity and inferiority. Among the Companions were men who could be justifiably designated Messiah of Islam or Haroon of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam 's era and by the same token Ayesha could be designated as the Maryam of Islam.

The women-folk of the companions used to reach the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam through Ayesha and she would put in a word for them. Uthman bin Maz'aun used to live like an ascetic. His wife approached Ayesha and informed her that her husband kept fast every day and spent the whole night in prayers. Ayesha mentioned it to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam who called on Uthman and said to him, "Islam does not advocate monasticism. Could you not follow my pattern? I fear God much greater than you do and take care to fulfil His commands yet I fulfil the duty I owe to may wives." [1]

Hala used to spend whole nights in prayers. Ayesha mentioned this to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam when she came to meet her. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam advised her, "Do only as much as you can bear to do." [2]

A woman was punished for theft. She became penitent but even so women did not like to meet her, Ayesha would visit her and would even convey her requests to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam .

Ayesha used to get angry if any one considered women as low and inferior. In deciding juristic points concerning women, she used to keep their convenience in view and would cite the Qur'an and Hadith to support her opinion. Her views are followed in most of the Islamic countries. Ibn Zubair held the view that women should cut their hair upto four fingers breadth as a concluding rite of Hajj but Ayesha pronounced that it would be quite adequate for them- to cut off a bit from any side.

Before Islam, women had no right in inheritance. Islam gave this right to them. Many of the details are mentioned in the Qur'an but occasions to arise when inferences have to be drawn from the Qur'an and Hadith. One such situation is the state where no son of the deceased is alive and only daughters, grand sons and grand daughters are living. Abdullah bin Mas'ud held that in such a case the grand daughters would have no share but Ayesha held otherwise.

If a man has declared divorce once or twice, he has to bear the expenditure of his wife during the waiting period but if he had declared it three times, opinions differ as regards the responsibility to maintain the divorcee during the stipulated period that intervenes before re-marriage. Some thought that the only reason for her staying in her husband's house was the possibility that they may reconcile their differences and again enter into wed-lock, but this applied to cases where upto two declarations have been made. After the third declaration, the divorce is complete and they cannot remarry without an intervening marriage with another person. The main reason seems to be that it has to be ascertained, if the divorcee is pregnant, the responsibility to maintain the woman rests with the former husband. If anybody forces a person to divorce his wife on pain of imprisonment or death, according to Ayesha, the divorce is not valid. Except for Abu Hanifa, all other leading doctors of law have accepted her view. But for this, it would have been difficult for respectable women to escape the greed and tyranny of unscrupulous rulers.

In the days of ignorance, neither the number of divorces nor the period for return to wedlock were regulated. It was not unusual for men to divorce their wives and take them back before the end of the period of return and to do it repeatedly for some ulterior gain. Such a case came up before Ayesha and she referred it to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam whereupon the revelation came, "A return to each other is permissible up to two declarations of divorce; thereafter an honourable retention or a graceful parting." (Q. 2:229).

1. Ahmad: Musnad, Vol. VI, p.226.
2. Ahmad: Musnad, Vol. VI, p. 264.

Source: Domain of Islam