HOW OLD WAS AISHA (RA) WHEN SHE MARRIED PROPHET MUHAMMAD PBUH?

An exotic flower blooms in South Africa……..untended

A review of Hadith and the age of Aisha (RA ) at the time of marriage to RasoolAllah pbuh.

There is no Hadith about the age of Ayesha,r,a.

Lack of knowledge leads to defense of non-issues

In 1986 I wrote an article which showed that the narrative about the age of the wife of the Prophet, pbuh, Ayesha Siddiqa, r.a., which is published in Imam Bukhari’s Sahih, is contradicted by many other narratives in books of hadith.

It was the first article in English on the subject in America and was well liked by people who wanted to contradict the attacks of the Perwaizi sect and answer the abuse by neo-cons like General Boykin and Spencer.

Many people published my article, often with minor changes, but without noting that they had gotten it from me, thus contradicting the first rule of Hadith that you must give your source.

As I have continued my hadith studies, I have found that there is NO hadith from the Prophet, pbuh, giving the age of Ayesha, r.a., when he married her.

Bukhari himself does not say that the narrative in his book about her age is from the Prophet, pbuh. His book has so much prestige that we took it or granted that whatever is in his book must be from the Prophet, pbuh. It is not and he does not say it is.

A hadith of the Prophet, pbuh, is about what he said, did or approved of or is about his qualities.. [1] None of these three aspects relate to the narrative about the age  of  Ayesha, r.a.

Even a hadith which is from the Prophet, pbuh, but is not narrated by a sahabi [Companion of the Prophet, pbuh]  but is from a taba’i, [generation after the Sahaba], is called MURSAL and lacks authenticity and does  not have  HUJJAT [religious acceptability] in Islam.[2]. The only exceptions are Taba’i narrators who had met numerous sahaba. [3]

What is important about Ayesha, r.a. is that the Prophet, pbuh, loved her and died in her arms.[4] She was a scholar, teacher, faqih, leader, orator, fighter and pious beyond all requirements. The verses of the Qur’an which defend her and reveal Islamic laws owing to her actions, show that she was a person of great mental and spiritual maturity.

The issue of her age is meant to trivialize her significance.

We fell into the trap.

The Mother of the Believers needs no  defense.

May Allah forgive our sins and shortcomings.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1]. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, d. 852 Hijri, in Tehzeeb al-Tehzeeb, Urdu translation.

[2]. Khateeb Baghdadi, d. 463 Hijri, in al-kifaya if ‘ilm al-riwaya. Urdu translation.

[3]Modern scholars agree. See See Khalil-ur-Rahman Chishti’s Hadith ki ahmiat awr zaroorat, [Urdu], published in 1420 H.

[4] “Dying became easier for me when I was shown Ayesha in paradise. It was as if I could see her hands.” [Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, narrated by Ishaq bin Talha, in Tabqat al-Kubra, biographical collection of Hadith compiled by ibn Sa’ad in 230 Hijri.]

WHY DO SOME PEOPLE CRITICIZE THE PROPHET’S (PBUH) COMPANION: ABU HURAIRA R.A.?

FOR “WHO IS ABU HURAIRA ?” PLEASE CLICK HERE……

This beloved companion of the Prophet, pbuh (Abu Huraira) , is under attack by the sectarians and others who wish to divide and weaken the Ummah by causing “doubt” and sowing hatred. Why?

Here are some reasons derived from an analytical study of the objections and investigation into the reliability and authenticity of what they have purported regarding Abu Huraira R.A.:

WHY DO THESE PEOPLE HATE ABU HURAIRA, r.a.?

• For the sectarians there seems to be an element of jealousy (personal and projected) that Abu Huraira, r.a., came into the Islamic struggle in its final years and equalled, if not surpassed, most companions of the Prophet, pbuh, in many ways, and in particular in the narration of the Prophet’s Hadith. In examining the behavior of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) no such competitive jealousy or negativity is apparent at all.
•  It is thus the base nature of the recent reviewers who have sown their petty feelings of competition in the blessed field of love and devotion that the companions had for each other and for our Prophet pbuh.
• Abu Huraira, r.a., remained neutral in the conflict between Hazrat Ali and Ameer Muawiya as well as in the confrontation between Hazrat Ali and ‘Ayesha Siddiqa, r.a. Like Hasan,r.a., the elder son of Ali, r.a., Abu Huraira opposed the inter-Muslim conflicts.
• The sectarians claim that Hazrat Ali spoke against Abu Huraira, r.a. In reviewing the literature both historical and of the hadith and seerah there is no such evidence. There are a couple of statements which appeared long after the two had passed away which have been erroneously and without sound authenticity attributed to Ali, r.a., against Abu Huraira. On close examination these are fabrications produced much after both Ali and Abu Huraira had passed away.
• In the sectarian attack distributed by Syed Jarchavi, the person named Awan claims that Abu Huraira, r.a., was “hired” by Muawiyya. This is a figment of Awan’s imagination. Most modern readers would not know that during the rule of Ameer Muawiyya there was PEACE AND UNITY in the Muslim realm. Imam Hasan had made peace with Ameer Muawiyya and a spirit of cooperation existed among all segments of society. There was no question of anyone “hiring” Abu Huraira, r.a.

WHY ARE THE ANTI-HADITH PEOPLE AGAINST ABU HURAIRA, r.a.? 

The anti hadith people have a desire to break the Quran from the Sunnah and ride on their whims and inclinations. The Quran warns us of such inclinations and such people who argue against the obedience of Allah and obedience of His Rasool pbuh.

The actions of the anti hadith people may also have stemmed from a desire to create something new in the Deen to give it life by its “fresh interpretation”. Such self-proclaimed “scholars” have a tendency to announce something which has “shock value” just to get attention.

It is most unfortunate, because many others who are not scholars of Deen may be misled by the sensationalism that rides the wave of disrespect of the Quran and the Sunnah. This is at the heart of the problem of criticizing Abu Huraira RA.

OTHER REASONS:

• For the anti-Hadith self-proclaimed scholars, Abu Huraira, r.a., may pose  a problem because he has narrated more Hadith of the Prophet, pbuh., than any other sahabi. 
Targeting him is a way to target most of the ahadiths recorded.
• In their myopic view If Abu Huraira, r.a., could be discredited then a big chunk of Hadith could be discredited.

The anti-Hadith people are dishonest even in their critic of Abu Huraira and the Hadith:

Although they oppose Hadith and claim that they want the “Qur’an alone,” they turn around and relate some Hadith narrations in which they claim that ‘Ayesha, r.a., and Umar, r.a., looked critically at a few of Abu Huraira’s narrations. So they are antihadith but they quote hadith as being authentic to back their opinions.

Those who want to get rid of the Hadith and Sunnah and proclaim their own Sunnah over the Sunnah of the Prophet pbuh are using these couple of instances of discussion on a hadith to cast suspicion on Abu Huraira r.a and the hadith he related.

The impression these anti hadith people want to perpetrate is that ALL of Abu Huraira’s narrations should be suspected. This would in their eyes give them free license to pick whichever practices of our Deen that they desire and discard what they so desire.

 In the final analysis the Fear of Allah has left the hearts of those who manipulate the words of Allah and His Rasool pbuh and deceive and lure others into disobedience by making evil look innocent and vice versa.

We know from the Quran that all those who deliberately mislead others because of their inclinations or other reasons will not only suffer for their own disobedience but will be responsible for the disobedience perpetrated due to their misguidance of the Quran and Sunnah.

Allah knows best.

DUA:

courtesy: asqfish.wordpress.com

Astighfirullahi wa Atubu Alaik!

WHAT DOES THE HADITH TELL US ABOUT SLAVERY?

Courtesy: http://plymouthgreek.blogspot.com/2011/11/round-up-oct-26-nov-2-slaves-and.html#more

The Hadith tells us that SLAVERY was commonplace in Arabia,  Persia and Rome.

It also tells us that the Prophet, pbuh, condemned slavery outright and carried out various reforms to put an end to it.

In finality, Hadith in Bukhari’s Sahih tell us that Allah does not accept the prayers of a slaver. It also tells us that the Prophet, pbuh, did not have a slave.

Again, the Prophet’s, pbuh, example is final in all matters.

In war, Christians, Jews and pagans enslaved women captives. The Muslims too did this for quite a while. The Prophet, pbuh, gave a superb example in this matter, when he MARRIED a captive women, Safiiyah, may Allah be pleased with her, and honored her, and she became a Mother of the Believers.

Guess which of these Hadith, the opponents of Islam list? They will always select Hadith about the transitional stage. One will NEVER find a FINAL Hadith on these matters in the collections of the rejectors of Hadith. These people are dishonest and thus it behooves each muslim to read and memorize the complete hadith on a subject, not leave it half way without finding out the final decision regarding that particular subject.

EXCERPT  from a presentation by the author at:

Women’s History Conference in Atlanta

Muslim Women’s Leadership Summit: Sis. Hadayai Majeed Presiding 

WHAT DOES HADITH TELL US ABOUT MUTA & POLYGAMY?

Hadith tells us that Muta [temporary marriage] was rife and polygamy was rampant and unrestricted.

Hadith also tells us that the Prophet, pbuh, prohibited Mutah and put severe restrictions on polygamy.

Excerpt from the presentation by the author at:

 Women’s History Conference in Atlanta

Muslim Women’s Leadership Summit: Sis. Hadayai Majeed Presiding

WHO PROTECTS THE HADITH? THE MODEL PAR EXCELLENCE: PART THREE OF THREE

FOR PART ONE CLICK HERE…….

FOR PART TWO CLICK HERE…….

PART THREE

THE PATTERN of EXCELLENCE and THE ROLE MODEL for CHARACTER

The Qur’an gives Muslims the example of Muhammad (pbuh) as the pattern of excellence.

 لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّـهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّـهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّـهَ كَثِيرًا ﴿٢١﴾

“Surely in the messenger of Allah, ye have the pattern of excellence for one whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day, and who does much ZIKR of Allah.” [33:21]

Allah reassures the Prophet (pbuh) and the believers who follow his example:

  وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٤﴾

“And thou are endowed with an exalted standard of character (and morality).” [68:4]

All Muslims believe that the Qur’an’s teachings are for ALL time to come. Like yesterday and today, tomorrow too Muslims, following the Qur’an, will NEED to know that pattern of excellence of the messenger of Allah (pbuh). The same is true of the Prophet’s (pbuh), personal character and morality. Other than in hints and references, it is NOT given in the Qur’an. If ALLAH did not SAFEGUARD that pattern and that character, Muslims would not be able to follow these important teachings of the Qur’an.

In the HADITH, Allah has safeguarded both the pattern of excellence and the standard of character. How Muhammad (peace be on him) lived and died, how he prayed and fasted, how he fought and made peace, how he treated women and children, how he dealt with slavery and oppression, how he distributed wealth and transformed society, the SHARIA, the Law and its application …. Allah in the Hadith SAFEGUARDS all that. All that is part of Zikr of Muhammad (pbuh) and part of the LARGER ZIKR, which encompasses the Muslim’s entire life.

The Qur’an and the Hadith are intertwined and impossible to be cut off from each other.

The SAHABA (companions) of the Prophet are the people who transmitted BOTH the Qur’an and the Hadith. The way of the Sahaba [with whom Allah is well pleased] is SAFEGUARDED by Allah, otherwise how could they have successfully transmitted the Qur’an and the Hadith to future generations.

Thus when the Jews attack Hadith and the Pervezis try to say that the Qur’an is safeguarded by Allah and the authentic Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) is not safeguarded by Allah, they are flying in the face of the Qur’an.

They are actually saying NO to the ENTIRE ISLAMIC WAY of Life. They are denying Zikr of Allah and the Zikr of Muhammad (pbuh). They must be confronted and defeated on the battlefield of ideas.

I pray that Allah Subhanawataala accept this humble effort on my part and guide me to honor our Nabi and Rasool and fulfill my obligations in the Quran & Hadith. Ameen.