The Debt of Gratitude Our Women Owe to Ayesha r.a
The greatest favour that Ayesha has done to women is to demonstrate that a Muslim
lady, living in Purdah, can actively participate in literacy, religious, social
and political activities and by exhortation, counsel and guidance can work for
the betterment of the community.
Her life is a living example of the status conferred by Islam on women and
how it raised them from indignity and inferiority. Among the Companions were
men who could be justifiably designated Messiah of Islam or Haroon of the Prophet
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam 's era and by the same token Ayesha could be designated
as the Maryam of Islam.
The women-folk of the companions used to
reach the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam through Ayesha and she would
put in a word for them. Uthman bin Maz'aun used to live like an ascetic.
His wife approached Ayesha and informed her that her husband kept fast every
day and spent the whole night in prayers. Ayesha mentioned it to the Prophet
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam who called on Uthman and said to him, "Islam does not advocate monasticism. Could you not follow
my pattern? I fear God much greater than you do and take care to fulfil His
commands yet I fulfil the duty I owe to may wives." [1]
Hala used to spend whole nights in prayers.
Ayesha mentioned this to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam when she
came to meet her. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam advised her, "Do only as much as you can bear to do." [2]
A woman was punished for theft. She became penitent but even so women did
not like to meet her, Ayesha would visit her and would even convey her requests
to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam .
Ayesha used to get angry if any one considered women as low and inferior.
In deciding juristic points concerning women, she used to keep their convenience
in view and would cite the Qur'an and Hadith to support her opinion. Her views
are followed in most of the Islamic countries. Ibn Zubair held the view that
women should cut their hair upto four fingers breadth as a concluding rite
of Hajj but Ayesha pronounced that it would be quite adequate for them- to
cut off a bit from any side.
Before Islam, women had no right in inheritance. Islam gave this right to
them. Many of the details are mentioned in the Qur'an but occasions to arise
when inferences have to be drawn from the Qur'an and Hadith. One such situation
is the state where no son of the deceased is alive and only daughters, grand
sons and grand daughters are living. Abdullah bin Mas'ud held that in such
a case the grand daughters would have no share but Ayesha held otherwise.
If a man has declared divorce once or twice, he has to bear the expenditure
of his wife during the waiting period but if he had declared it three times,
opinions differ as regards the responsibility to maintain the divorcee during
the stipulated period that intervenes before re-marriage. Some thought that
the only reason for her staying in her husband's house was the possibility
that they may reconcile their differences and again enter into wed-lock, but
this applied to cases where upto two declarations have been made. After the
third declaration, the divorce is complete and they cannot remarry without
an intervening marriage with another person. The main reason seems to be that
it has to be ascertained, if the divorcee is pregnant, the responsibility to
maintain the woman rests with the former husband. If anybody forces a person
to divorce his wife on pain of imprisonment or death, according to Ayesha,
the divorce is not valid. Except for Abu Hanifa, all other leading doctors
of law have accepted her view. But for this, it would have been difficult for
respectable women to escape the greed and tyranny of unscrupulous rulers.
In the days of ignorance, neither the number
of divorces nor the period for return to wedlock were regulated. It was not
unusual for men to divorce their wives and take them back before the end
of the period of return and to do it repeatedly for some ulterior gain. Such
a case came up before Ayesha and she referred it to the Prophet sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam whereupon the revelation came, "A return to each other is permissible up to two declarations of
divorce; thereafter an honourable retention or a graceful parting." (Q.
2:229).
1. Ahmad: Musnad, Vol. VI, p.226.
2. Ahmad: Musnad, Vol. VI, p. 264.
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