Aisha bint Abi Bakr (614 - 678) is considered by many the first woman of Islam. Daughter of one of the Prophet’s most trusted companions, Abu Bakr, Aisha married the Prophet at the young age of six. Many maintain that Aisha was Muhammad’s favorite wife, and indeed, there is some evidence that substantiates that. For instance, out of all of Muhammad’s wives, Aisha was the only one that was present while Muhammad received a Divine revelation. One of the strongest anecdotes that illustrates the connection between Muhammad and Aisha regards the Prophet’s final days. It is said that following his illness, Muhammad specifically asked to be allowed to retire to Aisha’s room (instead of spending on day on each of his wives’ rooms), where he died a few days later on her arms. Though her role as one of the Prophet’s wives certainly generated her notoriety, Aisha’s importance to early islam accounts for much …show more content…
Due to their proximity to the Prophet, they were important racounterus of both Muhammad’s views, and of his behavior. The latter was especially important for Muslims who believed in the importance of living their lives in accordance to the Prophet’s model. Out of all his wives, Aisha is the one credited as being the greater authority regarding Muhammad’s preferences and opinions. In fact, compilers have accredited Aisha as the source of a body between 1,500 to 2,400 hadith. Due to her proximity with the Prophet, Aisha was “Acknowledged as having special knowledge of Muhammad’s ways, sayings, and character, [therefore] she was consulted on his sunna, or practice, and gave decisions on sacred laws and customs.” Her importance to early Islam confers itself on the fact that Aisha was an important authority in works ranging from a transmitter of Hadith and of the Quran, as well as being an important contributor to Quran