Part of the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has been conveyed to us through women. These women shared their knowledge and wisdom with others and fulfilled their cultural responsibilities admirably. One researcher has documented the biographies of approximately 68 female scholars and narrators who transmitted hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Another researcher compiled biographies of 150 female narrators from the first century of the Islamic era. The contributions of women to the transmission of hadith and their efforts in preserving and spreading it are recorded in history, with a few examples highlighted here.
Hazrat Fatimah, Umm Salamah, and Hazrat Ayesha narrated hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Additionally, Asma bint Yazid, who felt less reserved in conversing with the Prophet (PBUH) than other women, narrated 81 hadiths from him on various topics and is recognized as a reliable narrator. Other notable female narrators include Umm Ammarah, Asma bint Marthad, Umm Ma’bad, and Umm Ayman. These esteemed women are just a small example of those who benefited from the presence of the Prophet (PBUH) and played a role in preserving and transmitting the cultural and spiritual heritage of Islam.
In summary, Muslim women held high regard in terms of belief, jurisprudence, the science of inheritance, hadith, Qur’an recitation, and fatwa, fulfilling their scholarly responsibilities with excellence. Many women gained fame in these and other fields of knowledge, with a few notable examples mentioned here:
1. Ayesha Siddiqa (RA), Um-al-Momineen (Mother of the Believers): She was a student of her noble husband, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and narrated hadiths from him, as well as from her father Abu Bakr, Umar, Fatimah, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas, Usaid ibn Hudair, Judamah bint Wahb, and Hafsah Bint Umar (may Allah be pleased with them all). Among the Sahaba who narrated from her were Umar, her son Abdullah, Abu Hurairah, Ibn Abbas, and Sa’ib ibn Yazid. Additionally, from the Female Sahaba, Safiyyah bint Shaybah, her sister Umm Kulthum, Asma, the daughter of Abdul Rahman ibn Abu Bakr, and her niece Ayesha bint Talha narrated hadiths from her. Great scholars of the Tabi’un (the generation following the Sahaba), such as Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib, Amr ibn Maymun, Alqamah ibn Qais, Masruq, Abdullah ibn Hakim, and Aswad ibn Yazid, also narrated from her.
The knowledge and intellect of Hazrat Ayesha (RA) were among her most prominent qualities. Her understanding reached the highest levels of maturity and excellence in religion, Qur’an, hadith, tafsir, and Fiqh. Al-Hakim mentions in his Mustadrak that “one-fourth of the religion and its rulings were conveyed by her.” Whenever the senior Sahaba (RA) faced a difficult religious issue, they would seek her guidance and find solutions in her answers. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (RA) said, “Whenever we faced a problem in hadith, we would consult Ayesha, and she would solve it for us.” Masruq ibn al-Ajda’ said, “I saw the elders among the Prophet’s (PBUH) Sahaba asking Ayesha about inheritance.”
Whenever someone from the provinces encountered a complex ruling of Islamic law and struggled to understand it, they would write to the Prophet’s (PBUH) Sahaba in Madinah for guidance. If the ruling was difficult for the Sahaba to interpret, they would consult scholars known among them for their expertise in knowledge and jurisprudence, such as Abdullah ibn Umar, Abu Hurairah, and Ibn Abbas (RA). Among these Sahaba, Ayesha Siddiqa (RA) held the position of a teacher, and Hazrat Umar ibn Khattab would refer people to Ayesha Siddiqa regarding matters related to women’s rulings or the household affairs of the Prophet (PBUH). No one matched Ayesha Siddiqa in this regard.
Al-Zuhri said: «لو جمع علم عائشة إلی علم جمیع النساء لکان علم عائشة أفضل»; “If the knowledge and wisdom of Hazrat Ayesha (RA) were compared to that of all other women, her knowledge would stand superior.” Sometimes, incorrect narrations and rulings from certain scholars and Sahaba would reach Hazrat Ayesha (RA), and she would correct them, clarifying any errors in the narrations and rulings.
Hadith scholarship and narration were among the most prominent aspects of Ayesha’s (RA) profound knowledge. She was regarded as one of the leading preservers of hadith and Sunnah among the Sahaba, ranking fifth in terms of hadith memorization and narration. Only four Sahaba surpassed her in the number of hadith narrated: Abu Hurairah, Ibn Umar, Anas bin Malik, and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them all).
Hazrat Ayesha (RA) is one of the great students of Islam and serves as an ideal role model for Muslim women in nurturing generations and communities. By emulating the Mother of the Believers, Muslim women can play a valuable role in raising the new generation. Narrations indicate that she trained numerous students and solved many complex issues. When the Sahaba faced uncertain matters or wanted to know the stance of the Prophet (PBUH) on a particular issue, they would turn to Hazrat Ayesha (RA) for clarity, seeking her insight on the topic. Despite always teaching from behind a veil, this arrangement created no problems. Today, too, our sisters can be exemplary mentors for future generations while observing hijab, contributing to societal advancement.
It is worth noting that Hazrat Ayesha (RA) is just one example of the graduates of the Prophetic school. In future sections, we aim to highlight other examples to prove to our sisters that Islam does not hinder women’s education. Muslim women, while adhering to hijab and respecting Islamic decorum, can engage in education and contribute to societal progress, just as the women companions, Tabi’un (followers of the Sahaba), and other early Muslim women did.
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