An Example of Noble Character

WOMEN OF PARADISE by the earlier promise. He said to Khawlah, “I accept your proposal.” (Dala’il al-Nubuwwah by al-Bayhaqi, Vol. 2, pp. 411–412). Later, at the appointed time, the Prophet of Islam went to Abu Bakr’s house, where his marriage to Aisha took place. The dowry (mahr) was set at four hundred dirhams. (Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra by Ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 8, p. 63) This event offers a valuable lesson: if a social arrangement falls through, one should not lose heart—it may be a doorway to something greater. Aisha’s proposed marriage to a well-known young man of Makkah did not materialize, but she was later honoured with becoming the wife of the Prophet of Islam. Aisha was much younger than the Prophet, which is why she lived for nearly fifty years after his passing. This age difference served a great purpose. Aisha possessed a sharp intellect and a unique ability to absorb knowledge. Through this marriage, her natural talents became a lasting source of benefit to the entire Muslim community. Aisha lived with the Prophet for about ten years. During this time, she observed him day and night, listened carefully to his words, and closely followed his actions. A vast amount of knowledge and wisdom was preserved in her memory. After the Prophet’s passing, she shared this knowledge with others. For nearly half a century, she served as a living source of prophetic traditions and Islamic guidance. The scholar Ibn Hajar (1372–1449 CE), a classic Islamic scholar, writes that Aisha was born about eight years before the Hijrah. She was around eighteen at the time of the