Aisha
Why she matters
The beloved wife of the Prophet Muhammad, who died in her home. She was a major scholar, transmitted thousands of hadiths, and possessed her own personal codex of the Quran containing variant readings.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3769
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: كَمَلَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ كَثِيرٌ، وَلَمْ يَكْمُلْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ، وَآسِيَةُ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ، وَفَضْلُ عَائِشَةَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ كَفَضْلِ الثَّرِيدِ عَلَى سَائِرِ الطَّعَامِ.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Many amongst men attained perfection but amongst women none attained perfection except Maryam, the daughter of 'Imran, and Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh. And the superiority of 'Aisha to other women is like the superiority of Tharid (an Arabic dish) to an ordinary meal.'
Lost Verses
Sahih Muslim 1452b
عَشْرُ رَضَعَاتٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ ... خَمْسٌ مَعْلُومَاتٌ
ten clear sucklings ... five clear (sucklings)
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ سَعِيدٍ - عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، أَنَّهَا سَمِعَتْ عَائِشَةَ، تَقُولُ - وَهْىَ تَذْكُرُ الَّذِي يُحَرِّمُ مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ - قَالَتْ عَمْرَةُ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ نَزَلَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ عَشْرُ رَضَعَاتٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ ثُمَّ نَزَلَ أَيْضًا خَمْسٌ مَعْلُومَاتٌ .
Amra reported that she heard 'A'isha (Allah he pleased with her) discussing fosterage which (makes marriage) unlawful; and she ('A'isha) said:There was revealed in the Holy Qur'an ten clear sucklings, and then five clear (sucklings)
2. Al-Baqarah
Standard Uthmanic Text
حَٰفِظُواْ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلۡوُسۡطَىٰ وَقُومُواْ لِلَّهِ قَٰنِتِينَ
Watch over the prayers, and the middle prayer. And stand before God obedient.
Aisha Variant
حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى وَصَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ . وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ
Guard the prayers and the middle prayer and the afternoon prayer, and stand up truly obedient to Allah.
وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي يُونُسَ، مَوْلَى عَائِشَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ أَمَرَتْنِي عَائِشَةُ أَنْ أَكْتُبَ لَهَا مُصْحَفًا وَقَالَتْ إِذَا بَلَغْتَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ فَآذِنِّي { حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى} فَلَمَّا بَلَغْتُهَا آذَنْتُهَا فَأَمْلَتْ عَلَىَّ حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى وَصَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ . وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ . قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ سَمِعْتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Abu Yunus, the freed slave of 'A'isha said:'A'isha ordered me to transcribe a copy of the Qur'an for her and said: When you reach this verse:" Guard the prayers and the middle prayer" (ii. 238), inform me; so when I reached it, I informed her and she gave me dictation (like this): Guard the prayers and the middle prayer and the afternoon prayer, and stand up truly obedient to Allah. 'A'isha said: This is how I have heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)
12. Yusuf
Standard Uthmanic Text
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ٱسۡتَيۡـَٔسَ ٱلرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّهُمۡ قَدۡ كُذِبُواْ جَآءَهُمۡ نَصۡرُنَا فَنُجِّيَ مَن نَّشَآءُۖ وَلَا يُرَدُّ بَأۡسُنَا عَنِ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ
– Until, when the messengers had given up hope, and thought that they had been lied to, Our help came to them, and those whom We pleased were rescued. But Our violence was not turned back from the people who were sinners.
Aisha Variant
كُذِبُوا
read in such a way as to mean that the apostles thought that Allah did not help them
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ، أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَرَأَيْتِ قَوْلَهُ {حَتَّى إِذَا اسْتَيْأَسَ الرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِّبُوا} أَوْ كُذِبُوا. قَالَتْ بَلْ كَذَّبَهُمْ قَوْمُهُمْ. فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدِ اسْتَيْقَنُوا أَنَّ قَوْمَهُمْ كَذَّبُوهُمْ وَمَا هُوَ بِالظَّنِّ. فَقَالَتْ يَا عُرَيَّةُ، لَقَدِ اسْتَيْقَنُوا بِذَلِكَ. قُلْتُ فَلَعَلَّهَا أَوْ كُذِبُوا. قَالَتْ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ، لَمْ تَكُنِ الرُّسُلُ تَظُنُّ ذَلِكَ بِرَبِّهَا وَأَمَّا هَذِهِ الآيَةُ قَالَتْ هُمْ أَتْبَاعُ الرُّسُلِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَصَدَّقُوهُمْ، وَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْبَلاَءُ، وَاسْتَأْخَرَ عَنْهُمُ النَّصْرُ حَتَّى إِذَا اسْتَيْأَسَتْ مِمَّنْ كَذَّبَهُمْ مِنْ قَوْمِهِمْ، وَظَنُّوا أَنَّ أَتْبَاعَهُمْ كَذَّبُوهُمْ جَاءَهُمْ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ. قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ {اسْتَيْأَسُوا} افْتَعَلُوا مِنْ يَئِسْتُ. {مِنْهُ} مِنْ يُوسُفَ. {لاَ تَيْأَسُوا مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ} مَعْنَاهُ الرَّجَاءُ.
Narrated `Urwa:I asked `Aisha the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) about the meaning of the following Verse: -- "(Respite will be granted) 'Until when the apostles give up hope (of their people) and thought that they were denied (by their people)..............."(12.110) `Aisha replied, "Really, their nations did not believe them." I said, "By Allah! They were definite that their nations treated them as liars and it was not a matter of suspecting." `Aisha said, "O 'Uraiya (i.e. `Urwa)! No doubt, they were quite sure about it." I said, "May the Verse be read in such a way as to mean that the apostles thought that Allah did not help them?" Aisha said, "Allah forbid! (Impossible) The Apostles did not suspect their Lord of such a thing. But this Verse is concerned with the Apostles' followers who had faith in their Lord and believed in their apostles and their period of trials was long and Allah's Help was delayed till the apostles gave up hope for the conversion of the disbelievers amongst their nation and suspected that even their followers were shaken in their belief, Allah's Help then came to them
Standard Uthmanic Text
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ٱسۡتَيۡـَٔسَ ٱلرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّهُمۡ قَدۡ كُذِبُواْ جَآءَهُمۡ نَصۡرُنَا فَنُجِّيَ مَن نَّشَآءُۖ وَلَا يُرَدُّ بَأۡسُنَا عَنِ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ
– Until, when the messengers had given up hope, and thought that they had been lied to, Our help came to them, and those whom We pleased were rescued. But Our violence was not turned back from the people who were sinners.
Aisha Variant
وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِّبُوا
Till they (come to) think that they were treated as liars.
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ {حَتَّى إِذَا اسْتَيْأَسَ الرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِبُوا} خَفِيفَةً، ذَهَبَ بِهَا هُنَاكَ، وَتَلاَ {حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلاَ إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ} فَلَقِيتُ عُرْوَةَ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ، وَاللَّهِ مَا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ مِنْ شَىْءٍ قَطُّ إِلاَّ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ كَائِنٌ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَمُوتَ، وَلَكِنْ لَمْ يَزَلِ الْبَلاَءُ بِالرُّسُلِ حَتَّى خَافُوا أَنْ يَكُونَ مَنْ مَعَهُمْ يُكَذِّبُونَهُمْ، فَكَانَتْ تَقْرَؤُهَا {وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِّبُوا} مُثَقَّلَةً.
Narrated Ibn Abu Mulaika: Ibn `Abbas recited: "(Respite will be granted) until when the Apostles gave up hope (of their people) and thought that they were denied (by their people). There came to them Our Help ...." (12.110) reading Kudhibu without doubling the sound 'dh', and that was what he understood of the Verse. Then he went on reciting: "..even the Apostle and those who believed along with him said: When (will come) Allah's Help? Yes, verily, Allah's Help is near." (2.214) Then I met `Urwa bin Az-Zubair and I mentioned that to him. He said, "Aisha said, 'Allah forbid! By Allah, Allah never promised His Apostle anything but he knew that it would certainly happen before he died. But trials were continuously presented before the Apostles till they were afraid that their followers would accuse them of telling lies. So I used to recite:-- "Till they (come to) think that they were treated as liars." reading 'Kudh-dhibu with double 'dh
24. An-Nur
Standard Uthmanic Text
إِذۡ تَلَقَّوۡنَهُۥ بِأَلۡسِنَتِكُمۡ وَتَقُولُونَ بِأَفۡوَاهِكُم مَّا لَيۡسَ لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلۡمٞ وَتَحۡسَبُونَهُۥ هَيِّنٗا وَهُوَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَظِيمٞ
When you were receiving it with your tongues, and speaking with your mouths what you had no knowledge of, and thought it was a trivial (thing), when with God it was a mighty (thing) –
Aisha Variant
إِذْ تَلِقُونَهُ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ
Ida taliqunahu bi-alsinatikum (As you tell lie with your tongues.)
حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ نَافِعِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ كَانَتْ تَقْرَأُ {إِذْ تَلِقُونَهُ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ} وَتَقُولُ الْوَلْقُ الْكَذِبُ. قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ وَكَانَتْ أَعْلَمَ مِنْ غَيْرِهَا بِذَلِكَ لأَنَّهُ نَزَلَ فِيهَا.
Narrated Ibn Abi Mulaika:`Aisha used to recite this Verse:-- 'Ida taliqunahu bi-alsinatikum' (24.15) "(As you tell lie with your tongues.)" and used to say "Al-Walaq" means "telling of a lie. "She knew this Verse more than anybody else as it was revealed about her
Standard Uthmanic Text
إِذۡ تَلَقَّوۡنَهُۥ بِأَلۡسِنَتِكُمۡ وَتَقُولُونَ بِأَفۡوَاهِكُم مَّا لَيۡسَ لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلۡمٞ وَتَحۡسَبُونَهُۥ هَيِّنٗا وَهُوَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَظِيمٞ
When you were receiving it with your tongues, and speaking with your mouths what you had no knowledge of, and thought it was a trivial (thing), when with God it was a mighty (thing) –
Aisha Variant
إِذْ تَلِقُونَهُ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ
When you invented a lie (and carry it) on your tongues
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، أَنَّ ابْنَ جُرَيْجٍ، أَخْبَرَهُمْ قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ سَمِعْتُ عَائِشَةَ، تَقْرَأُ {إِذْ تَلِقُونَهُ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ}
Narrated Ibn Abu Mulaika:I heard `Aisha reciting: "When you invented a lie (and carry it) on your tongues