Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Aisha (RA) – A Perfect Marriage । Fahmida Mehreen

Marriage is a fundamental societal factor of all times. Islam encourages all men and women, who are willing and able, to marry a virtuous and chaste person despite their differences in terms of wealth or social status. Marriage is not just a social norm, but rather like an association; a connection between two souls, mind, and bodies. It helps man and woman to organize their social dealings together in a partnership and run life in an organized manner.
For every practicing Muslim, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is a role model in all spheres of life. Marriage is no different. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) married Khadija (RA) in 595 Christian Era (C.E.) at the age of 25 years when Khadija (RA) was 40 years old. After 25 years of being married, Khadija (RA) died in 620 C.E. After the death of Khadija (RA), the Prophet (PBUH) had married Sawdah Bint Zam’ah, who had lost her husband for the cause of Islam. Thereafter, the Prophet (PBUH) married Aisha (RA), daughter of Abu Bakr (RA), in the year 620. Aisha (RA) was the third and the youngest wife of the Prophet (PBUH).
Her marriage with the Prophet (PBUH) was a Wahy (Divine Revelation). She, herself, narrates from the Prophet (PBUH): “He said, ‘I saw you in dreams three times. The angel brought you to me and you were clad in white silk. He (the angel) said that it was your consort and he (angel) showed me by opening your face. You are just like that…” [Sahih Muslim; Volume 2; Page 285]
Aisha (RA) was born in 605 C.E. after her parents had embraced Islam. Therefore, she was free from the desecration of polytheism. From a very young age, she was known to the Prophet (PBUH) not only for her striking beauty but also for her precise memory to recall finite details. History shows that she had remarkable skills in delivering knowledge to a large audience. It is widely believed that as his better-half and a close companion, she possessed insights from him which no other women had possessed.
The companionship between Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Aisha (RA) is exemplary. Their bond was not just restricted to their personal lives but expanded in the development of Islam. Seerah (biography) of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and numerous Hadith demonstrates that Prophet (PBUH) married Aisha (RA) for the benefit of Islam and humanity. He married Aisha (RA) primarily for three reasons:
To strengthen the friendly relation already existing with Abu Bakr (RA), one of his closest confidante;
To educate and train Aisha (RA) for the purposes of Islam; and
To utilize her capabilities for the sake of Islam
For about a decade she had been his wife and lived for almost fifty years after his demise. During their married life, much time was dedicated to learning and understanding the two most important sources of Allah’s guidance: the Qur’an and the Sunnah of His Prophet (PBUH). Aisha (RA) was one of the three wives [the other two being Hafsa (RA) and Umm Salama (RA)], who had memorized the Qur’an.
So far as the Hadith or sayings of the Prophet (PBUH) is concerned, Aisha (RA) is one of four persons – others being Abu Hurayra (RA), Abdullah Ibn Umar (RA), and Anas Ibn Malik (RA), who narrated more than two thousand Hadith. Records show that 2,210 Hadith have been narrated by her, out of which 174 Hadith are commonly agreed upon by both Bukhari and Muslim.
As a teacher, she had a clear and credible manner of speech and her power of oratory has been described in superlative terms by Al-Ahnaf who said: “I have heard speeches of Abu Bakr and Umar, Uthman and Ali and the Khulafa up to this day, but I have not heard speech more persuasive and more beautiful from the mouth of any person than from the mouth of Aisha.”
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “The superiority of ‘Aisha to other ladies is like the superiority of Tharid (i.e. meat and bread dish) to other meals. Many men reached the level of perfection, but no woman reached such a level except Mary, the daughter of Imran and Asia, the wife of Pharaoh.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith; Narrated by Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari Hadith 4.643]
Hence, it goes without saying that Aisha (RA) and the Prophet’s (PBUH) guidance in casting their capabilities for the service of Islam had led to an ideal marriage of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and young Aisha (RA).
We believe that marriages are pairs made in Heaven. May Allah guide us down the right path, the path of the righteous. May Allah grant us noble knowledge and salvation from hellfire.