Aisha Siddiqah: A Woman of Great Learning

Addressing Abu Bakr, she said: “I fear that if my son marries into your family, he may become a Sabi’—that is, he may abandon the religion of his forefathers and enter your religion, Islam.” Abu Bakr then asked Mut‘im directly, “What do you say?” Mut‘im replied, “You have heard what my wife has said.” Thus, both Mut‘im and his wife withdrew from the proposed marriage. Abu Bakr then understood that he was no longer bound by his earlier commitment. He told Khawlah that he now agreed to Aisha’s marriage to the Prophet. At the appointed time, the Prophet Muhammad went to Abu Bakr’s house, where the marriage was solemnized. The dower was fixed at four hundred dirhams. This incident teaches us that when an arrangement in social life falls through, one should not become disheartened. It is possible that something better may emerge from the situation. Aisha’s proposed marriage to the son of a leading figure in Makkah did not take place, but she later became the wife of the Prophet of Islam, the greatest figure in human history. Aisha was considerably younger than the Prophet. As a result, she lived for nearly fifty years after his death. The wisdom behind this marriage, despite the significant difference in their ages, was that Aisha possessed exceptional intelligence and an extraordinary