The Quran and Sunnah, the true sources of Islam, explains the ideal behaviour, which the Muslim woman should adopt in her life. They deal with all the major and minor aspects of a woman's life and set the guidelines for a balanced, upright, virtuous life of the Ideal Muslimah. From amongst the many characteristics of the Ideal Muslim woman is that she should ever be in the pursuit of knowledge.


PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE

QURANIC VERSES:

1. "Whoever is given wisdom, has indeed received much good, but none except the men of understanding are mindful." (2:269)
   
   
2. "My Lord, increase me in Knowledge." (20:114)
   

AHAADITH:

1. "Whosoever Allah desires to favor, He gives him the understanding of Islam." [Bukhari]
   
   
2. "Seeking Knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim." [Ibn Maajah]
   
   
3. "Be most humble and respectful to persons from whom you receive Knowledge."
   
   
4. "He who travels to seek Knowledge is, in fact, striving in the path of Allah till he returns."
   
   
5. "The best of you is he who is learned in Quran and teaches it to others."
   
   
6. "Allah loves for any of you, when he does something to do it well." [Baihaqi]
   

AISHA (RA) - FIRST FAQIHAH IN ISLAM (Female learned in Fiqh)

She was eighteen (18) years old when the Rasool (s) passed away. Aisha (RA) had a curious mind and was always eager to learn. Whenever she heard about something she did not know, she would ask about it until she understood it. Her closeness to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) meant that she was like a vessel full of Knowledge.

Imam Bukhari reports from Abu Malaykah that Aisha (RA), the wife of the Prophet (SAW) never heard anything that she did not know, but she would keep going over it until she understood it.

Her knowledge included Tafseer (commentary) of the Holy Quran, Hifz (memorization) of the Quran, Fiqh (Islamic Law) amongst other areas.

"If the Knowledge of Aisha (RA) were to be gathered up and compared to the Knowledge of all the other wives of the Prophet (SAW) and all other women, Aisha (RA) would be greater." (Imam Al Zuhri)

"I never saw anyone more eloquent and pure in speech than Aisha (RA)." (Musa bin Talhah)

Many ahaadith have been narrated by Aisha (RA). Amongst these include:

Aisha (RA) said: "A poor woman came to me carrying her two daughters. I gave her three dates to eat. She gave each child a date, and raised the third to her own mouth to eat it. Her daughters asked her to give it to them, so she split the date that she had wanted to eat between them. I was so impressed by what she had done, and I told the Messenger (saw) about it. He said: "Allah has decreed Paradise for her because of it" or "He has saved her from Hell because of it."

The freed slave of Shaddad said: "I went to the house of Aisha (RA), on the day that Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) died. Abdur Rahman ibn Abu Bakr (RA) also came in and performed wudu in Aisha's presence. She said: "O Abdur Rahman! Perform your wudu properly, as I heard the Messenger of Allah (SAW) say: "Woe to the heels of the Hellfire."

She said that there were nine blessings of Allah, which distinguished her from all other women in the world except Maryam bint 'Imran, the mother of Isa (AS).

1. The Angel Jibril (AS) had presented her portrait wrapped in green silk to Muhammad (SAW) and told him that this was the picture of the lady chosen by Allah to be his consort both in this world and the next.
   
   
2. She was the only virgin to have become the wife of the Prophet (SAW).
   
   
3. When the Prophet (SAW) passed away, he was resting in her lap and was buried in her apartment.
   
   
4. Many times angels encircled her apartment with love and respect.
   
   
5. Very often divine revelation would come to Muhammad (SAW) when they were lying together resting in peace and tranquility.
   
   
6. She was the daughter of the loyal and true friend of the Prophet (SAW), Abu Bakr Siddique (RA).
   
   
7. Ayat acquitting her of any wrongdoing had descended from the heavens from Allah, proving her innocence.
   
   
8. She was born a Muslim and had been brought up in a pure environment, and spent her formative years with the purest and best of creatures, the Prophet (SAW)
   
   
9. Allah, the Lord, the Sustainer of the Universe promised her Divine Forgiveness and abundant bounties.
   

Another incident, which brought the blessings of revelation, occurred on journey when Aishah (RA) was travelling with the Prophet (SAW). Her father and many Companions had accompanied them. They camped at a place in the desert and once again Aishah (RA) necklace fell off. Some of the companions were sent to search for it, but it could not be found. The Prophet (SAW) was resting in his tent, when the call for morning prayers was given. But there was no water for their ablutions. The Companions were worried about the morning prayers, and they said that Aishah (RA) was responsible for this predicament. Abu Bakr Siddique (RA) curtly rebuked his daughter for creating a situation, which might lead to Fajr prayers being missed. Exactly at this moment this Ayat was revealed to the Prophet (SAW):

"And if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women (by sexual relations) and you find no water, perform Tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your face and hands. Truly, Allah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving."

Immediately the very same people who had been criticizing and complaining about Aishah (RA) started praising her and expressed their appreciation and thanks for such a great favor Allah granted because of her. Abu Bakr Siddique (RA) had not realized until that moment how pleased Allah was with her, that he had revealed such Ayat, which would be a source of blessings for the Muslim Ummah until the Day of Judgment.

May Allah bless you and I with some of the noble qualities of Ayesha [RA], particularly that of her persistent pursuit of knowledge. Ameen.