Aisha facts for kids

Aisha (Arabic: عائشة بنت أبي بكر‎, romanized: ʿĀʾishah bint Abī Bakr; /ˈɑːiːʃɑː/, also US: /-ʃə, aɪˈiːʃə/, UK: /ɑːˈ(j)iːʃə/; c. 613/614 – July 678) was an important woman in early Islam. She was the third and youngest wife of the Prophet Muhammad. In Islamic writings, she is often called "Mother of the Believers." This title comes from the Quran, which describes Muhammad's wives in this way.

Aisha played a big part in early Islamic history. She was active both when Muhammad was alive and after his death. Many people, especially in Sunni Islam, see Aisha as a very smart and curious person. She helped share Muhammad's message and served the Muslim community for 44 years after he passed away.

She is also known for telling many stories and teachings of Muhammad, called hadiths. She shared over 2,200 of these stories. These weren't just about Muhammad's personal life. They also covered important topics like inheritance rules, pilgrimage, and what Muslims believe about the end of the world. People like al-Zuhri and her student Urwa ibn al-Zubayr greatly admired her intelligence and knowledge in many areas, including poetry and medicine.

Her father, Abu Bakr, became the first leader (called a caliph) after Muhammad. Later, during the time of the third caliph, Uthman, Aisha became a leader in the group that disagreed with him. She did not support those who caused his death. She also did not agree with Ali, who became the next caliph. During Ali's rule, she wanted to seek justice for Uthman's death. She tried to do this in a famous event called the Battle of the Camel. She gave speeches and led troops while riding her camel. She did not win the battle, but her strong involvement left a lasting mark. Because of her role in this battle, Shia Muslims often have a different view of Aisha. After this, she lived peacefully in Medina for more than 20 years. She stayed out of politics and became friends with Ali. She also did not oppose the caliph Mu'awiya.

Aisha's Early Life

Aisha was born in Mecca around the years 613 or 614. Her parents were Abu Bakr and Umm Ruman. Both of them were very trusted friends and followers of Muhammad. There isn't much information known about Aisha's very early childhood.

Her Marriage to Muhammad

The idea for Aisha to marry Muhammad came from a woman named Khawlah bint Hakim. This happened after Muhammad's first wife, Khadija bint Khuwaylid, passed away. Before this, Aisha was supposed to marry someone else, Jubayr ibn Mut'im. But everyone agreed to cancel that plan so she could marry Muhammad.

Aisha's Personal Life

Muhammad and Aisha freeing the daughter of a tribal chief

In most Muslim traditions, Khadija is described as Muhammad's most loved wife. However, in Sunni tradition, Aisha is seen as the second most beloved wife after Khadija.

Many stories show the love and respect between Muhammad and Aisha. They were very close and could often tell how the other was feeling. They also had a strong intellectual connection. Muhammad valued Aisha's sharp memory and intelligence. He even told his followers to learn some religious practices from her.

Aisha remained Muhammad's favorite wife throughout his life. He took his last breath while resting in her arms.

Aisha's Role in Politics

After Muhammad's death, Aisha lived for 50 more years in and around Medina. Their marriage had lasted 14 years. She spent a lot of her time studying the Quran and the sunnah (the practices and teachings) of Muhammad. Aisha was one of only three wives who had memorized the entire Quran. Like another wife, Hafsa, Aisha had her own written copy of the Quran after Muhammad died. During Aisha's lifetime, many important customs in Islam, like women wearing a veil, began.

Aisha was very important in bringing back Arab traditions and leading Arab women. This shows how significant she was in Islam. She became involved in the politics of early Islam. This included the reigns of the first three caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman. At a time when women were not usually expected to be involved outside the home, Aisha gave public speeches. She even took part directly in a war and battles. She helped both men and women understand Muhammad's practices.

Her Contributions to Islam

Aisha's marriage gave her a special place in Islamic culture. She became known as the most learned woman of her time. After Muhammad's death, Aisha was a famous source of hadiths. This was because of her intelligence and great memory. Aisha shared ideas that showed Muhammad's practices (the sunnah). She also became a role model for women. Stories about Aisha often spoke against ideas that were unfair to women. She worked to bring about social change.

Aisha not only supported Muhammad but also used her scholarly mind to help Islam grow. She was given the title al-Siddiqah. This means 'the one who affirms the truth'. Aisha was known for her "knowledge of the Quran, rules of inheritance, lawful and unlawful matters, poetry, Arabic literature, Arab history, family trees, and general medicine." Her smart contributions about the spoken teachings of Islam were later written down. These writings became the official history of Islam. After Muhammad died, Aisha was seen as the most reliable source for hadith teachings. Aisha's confirmation of Muhammad's ways of prayer and how he recited the Quran helped people learn about his sunnah of praying and reading verses.

Throughout her life, Aisha strongly supported education for Muslim women. She especially wanted them to learn about Islamic law and teachings. She is known for starting the first school (called a madrasa) for women in her own home. Many family members and orphaned children attended Aisha's classes. Men also came to her classes, with a simple curtain separating the male and female students.

Her Political Influence

Some historians say that Aisha's political influence helped her father, Abu Bakr, become the caliph after Muhammad's death.

After the Battle of the Camel, Aisha went back to Medina and became a teacher. When she arrived in Medina, she stopped taking a public role in politics. However, this did not completely end her political influence. In private, Aisha kept influencing those involved in Islamic politics. In the Muslim community, she was known as a smart woman who debated law with male companions. Aisha was also seen as an example of how to perform proper rituals during the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. She made this journey with several groups of women. For the last two years of her life, Aisha spent much time telling stories about Muhammad. She hoped to correct any false stories that had become important in forming Islamic law. Because of this, Aisha's political influence still affects people in Islam today.

Aisha's Death

Aisha passed away at her home in Medina on July 16, 678. She was 67 years old. Abu Hurairah led her funeral prayer after the night prayer (called tahajjud). She was buried in the Jannat al-Baqi‘ cemetery.

Different Views of Aisha

Sunni View of Aisha

Sunni Muslims believe Aisha was Muhammad's favorite wife after Khadija bint Khuwaylid. They consider her (along with other wives) to be Umm al-Mu’minin (Mother of the Believers). They also see her as part of the Ahl al-Bayt, which means Muhammad's family. According to Sunni hadith reports, Muhammad saw Aisha in two dreams. In these dreams, he was shown that he would marry her.

Shia View of Aisha

The Shia view of Aisha is different from the Sunni view. They criticize her for opposing Ali during his time as caliph. This happened during the Battle of the Camel, where she fought against men from Ali's army in Basra.

Images for kids

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  Aisha battling the fourth caliph Ali in the Battle of the Camel

See also

In Spanish: Aisha bint Abi Bakr para niños

• List of people related to Quranic verses
• Muhammad's wives
• The Jewel of Medina (fictional work based loosely on Aisha's existence)