Great Women (Part 2)

As'Salâm Alaikum Wa'Rahmatullâhi Wa'Barakâtuh

Great Women

By: Shaykh 'Abdul-Muhsin Al-Qaasim

Source: Khutbah; 26, Rabee'uth-Thaanee 1426 (3, June 2005)

Transcription: Islaamic Propagation & Education Committee
Al-Madeenah Al-Munawwarah (Sermons of the two Holy Mosques)

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All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.

Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger
(sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam), his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims!
Fear Allah as He should be feared.
Fear of Allah is a reminder for His devoted servants and it is safety from
His punishment.

Dear brethren!
Another great woman of the house of Prophethood is 'Aaishah,
daughter of Aboo Bakr. She was born in the house of truthfulness
and piety and she was nurtured in the house of Eemaan.

Her mother was a companion and her sister, Asmaa, Lady of the
Two Girdles and her brother were also companions. Her father is
the truthful man of this Ummah. She grew up in the house of
knowledge, for her father was the erudite scholar of Quraysh and
the highest authority in genealogy. ALLAH endowed her with
outstanding intelligence and a sharp memory.

Ibn Katheer said,

"No nation has produced a woman as sharp, knowledgeable, fluent and intelligent as 'Aaishah."

She excelled the women of her race in knowledge and wisdom.
She was blessed with understanding of Islaamic jurisprudence
and memorisation of poetry. She was in fact, a treasure of Islaamic sciences.

Adh-Dhahabee said,

"The most knowledgeable woman of this Ummah is 'Aaishah.
I do not know any woman from the Ummah of Muhammad or from
any other nation more knowledgeable than her."

She excelled all women with her virtues and beautiful companionship.

ALLAH's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam) said,

"The superiority of 'Aaishah over other women is like the
superiority of thareed over other kinds of food."

(Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

The Messenger of ALLAH (sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam) loved her;
and he did not love anything but that which is pleasant.

'Amr ibn al-'Aas once asked ALLAH's Messenger
(sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam),

"Who is most beloved to you of all people?"
The Prophet answered, "'Aaishah."
And he said, "And among men?"
And he answered, "Her father."

(Al-Bukhaaree)

She was the only virgin the Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam) married, and the revelation did
not come to him in other woman's blanket but hers. She was chaste
and devoted to her Lord. She did not go out of her house except
in the night so that men could not see her.

She said of herself,

"We did not use to go out but only in the night".

This is in line with ALLAH's instruction,

"And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like
that of the times of ignorance."

(Al-Ahzaab 33:33)

Al-Qurtubee said,

"There are resplendent evidences in ISLAM that require women
to stay at home and not to go out except when necessary. And when
it becomes necessary for them to go out they should do so with
complete covering of themselves and their adornments."

ALLAH puts whomever He wills to test, and the test is in accordance
with one's Eemaan. 'Aaishah was slandered while she was only twelve.

She said, narrating her ordeal in this incidence,

"I wept and I could not sleep and I just kept weeping until my
parents thought that my liver would burst from weeping."

She said that the trial was so severe that she would weep but
could not find any more tears to shed.

Ibn Katheer said,

"So ALLAH decided to defend her honour, and He revealed ten
verses to absolve her."

This elevated her status and these verses were recited and they
shall continue to be recited till the Day of Resurrection. ALLAH
testified that she was one of the purest women and promised her
forgiveness and a generous provision.

She spent nights caring for the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam)
in his illness until he died in her apartment, on her day and in her bosom.


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Bint Haji Yusof:

To be continued by ALLAH's will.

Salam Ma'al Hijrah 1427H.

Asifi 'ala kulli hal.

Inni al faqiir ila ROBBI.

Assalamu'alaikum warahmatulLAHI wabarakatuh.



A humble servant of ALLAH S.W.T.,
Bint Haji Yusof,
7 Muharram 1427H,
Auckland, NEW ZEALAND.