Medinah Sharif, Saudi Arabia
Coordinates: 24.467331, 39.613871
Bibi Aisha Bint Abu Bakr رضي الله عنها was Hz. Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ third and youngest wife. Bibi Aisha رضي الله عنها had an important role in early Islamic history, both during Hz. Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ life and after his passing away.
In Sunni tradition, Bibi Aisha رضي الله عنها is portrayed as scholarly and inquisitive. She contributed to the spread of Hz. Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ message and served the Muslim community for 44 years after his passing away. She is also known for narrating 2,210 hadiths, not just on matters related to Hz. Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ private life, but also on topics such as inheritance, pilgrimage, and eschatology. Her intellect and knowledge in various subjects, including poetry and medicine, were highly praised by early luminaries such as al-Zuhri and her student Hz. Urwa ibn al-Zubayr رضي الله عنه.
Her father, Hz. Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, became the first caliph to succeed Hz. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and after two years was succeeded by Hz. Umar رضي الله عنه.
Bibi Aisha رضي الله عنها led a very simple life without comfort and luxury. She dressed very simple. She served Hz. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with utmost devotion and he loved her very much. She led a very pious life. When Hz. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed away, she was 25 years old.
Thereafter, she lived for another 48 years and saw the rule of all the four Khulafaa. She is remembered for her intelligence, intuition, her knowledge of Hadith and principles of religion, secrets of Islamic knowledge, Arabic literature, piety and Islamic Fiqh.
She became a great Madani (person of Madinatul Munawwarah) scholar and knew several thousand Ahadith by heart.
Hz. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself used to teach her and answer her questions. She used to also teach other women. A great Scholar, Imam Zahri, has said about her: “Bibi Aisha (رضي الله عنها) knowledge will surpass the knowledge of all the males and Mothers of the Faithful put together.”
