Mamdouh Mustafa 4 7 17

Introduction: Our Mother Aisha

My dear brothers and sisters, we continue what we started last month, talking about our mother, Ummul Mu'mineen, the mother of the believers, the wife of Al-Habibur Rasul, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the Habibah, the loved one of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the daughter of As-Siddiq, the best human being after the Prophet of Allah, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, radiyallahu anhu. We're still talking about our mother, Ummul Mu'mineen, Aisha bint Abu Bakr, radiyallahu anha. Today, inshaAllah, we will mention some stories quickly in the time that Allah Azza wa Jalla provided us with at this beautiful place, at this house of His, subhanahu wa ta'ala, to learn from our mother, from the wife of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, from the dearest person to Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the most loved among his wives, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

We learn from her, from her personality, from her character, how to be a good Muslim. Not only for our sisters, but for the brothers before the sisters. We learn from Ummul Mu'mineen, Aisha, radiyallahu anha, to state that our deen, we learn from the one who is qualified, regardless, they are man or a woman, they are male or female, regardless.

As long as you are qualified and you have what it takes, everybody has a duty to learn from you. Especially learning the deen of Allah. Learning about Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala.

The Testimony of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari

And that is the beauty of our deen. That is the beauty of our deen. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, radiyallahu anhu, the sahabi of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he is saying:

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

It's a big statement. That's a big statement. He said, whenever us, the companions of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, whenever we have a problem, or a dispute, or an issue, and we go ask our mother, Aisha, radiyallahu anhu, except we find that she has knowledge about that issue. What is he saying here? She is more knowledgeable than us.

What is he saying here? She is the reference when we have questions. What is he saying here? She has the quality of dispute resolution. She is a sheikhah, she is a teacher, she is the mother of the believers, she is the one that the sahaba, the senior sahaba of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, go and ask her about their issues that they have, or the questions that they don't know the answer of, or they differ among themselves.

That in itself is a lesson that we emphasize on today. If anybody tell you what is the status of women in Islam, mention just this story. Say the companions of Rasulullah, the male companions of Rasulullah stated that whenever we dispute among ourselves, we go to Aisha, radiyallahu anha, and we find that she has the knowledge that we don't.

And she judges among us. Just mention that. I think that's more than enough.

The Angel Jibreel Greets Aisha

It's just one glimpse of that characteristic of Aisha, radiyallahu anha. Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, used to call her Ya Aish. In Arab culture and Arab language, when you shorten a name like this, that means it is love.

It is something dear, somebody dear to you. And you are calling them with that informal way. So Ya Aish.

And this narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari. Aisha, radiyallahu anha, she said, I was with Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, when he told me:

Wow. Allahu Akbar. Oh Aisha, this Jibreel is here, and he is saying salamu alaykum to you. Subhanallah.

I cannot actually fathom this. You know, when I think about it in deeper level, just someone, this is an angel Jibreel, the archangel, just came from Allah azza wa jal, and he is telling Rasulullah, tell your wife salamu alaykum. You want value for woman more than that? Salam coming from the angel of Allah to Aisha through Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Allahu Akbar. She said, Wa alayhi salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. She gives salam back.

Wow. So Aisha, Ummul Muminin, radiyallahu anha.

The Human Side: Competition Among the Wives

Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, to show us the human aspect of how he deals at his house sometimes with the competition and rivalry among his wives, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Of course we cannot relate to this. I understand. We can't relate to this. Our societal structure is different. So, just take this as it is. So Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, as hadith narrated in Sahih Muslim, from Aisha, radiyallahu anha.

She said, One time I made a Harira to Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Harira is some wheat, ground wheat with water, with honey, with butter, some type of food in a liquid form that the Arabs used to eat. This is Harira, not the Moroccan, Algerian Harira of nowadays. These are two different things, right? You need to try both though.

So, Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, is sitting in the house of Saudah. This was the night or the day of Saudah bint Zam'a. She is the wife of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, elderly woman, elderly wife of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, our mother, the mother of believers. And Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, is sitting, relaxing. And Aisha made the food for him.

And she brings it to Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. You know what does that mean? It's not her day, it's her night, but she's making food. So, she goes to Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and then Rasulullah is in between Aisha, and then Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, is facing her, and then Saudah is sitting in the back.

So, she give it to Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and she said to Saudah, Eat! You can eat also. Kuli! She said, no, I will not eat. La, la akul. She said, eat! She said, I will not eat. She said, if you don't eat, I will smear your face with it. This is hadith in Sahih Muslim.

Hadith. This actually happened. This is most authentic degrees of narrations. And Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, is watching. All this he's sitting and watching. She said, I will not eat.

So, she put her hand in the Harira, and she actually did on the face of Saudah. So, Saudah looks to Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, so Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, points to her, do the same. Do the same.

And she said, she listened, and she put on my face, وَرَسُولُ اللهِ يَضْحَكُ, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, is smiling. Yes.

The Delegation of Fatima

That is one aspect. Another time, the wives of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, gathered, and they said, everybody brings the gift, they take it to the house of Aisha, radiyallahu anhu. We want our share as well. It's not fair. So, they know who is the dearest person to Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam? Fatima, radiyallahu anhu. We talked about Fatima Az-Zahra, radiyallahu anhu, the daughter of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Rasulullah said, Fatima is a piece of me. Anything hurts her, hurts me. Anything makes her happy, makes me happy.

So, they knew that. So, they told Fatima, go and ask Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And this hadith is sahih as well.

Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Aisha narrating that hadith, radiyallahu anhu, she said, وَهُمُ التَّكِئُونَ فِي مِرْطِي piece of cloth or, you know, some lining or some piece of cloth. So, he was covered with, himself with Aisha, radiyallahu anhu, and he is lying down on his side, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And Fatima came, Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, looks at her.

He knows what is coming. He knows what is... Fatima, radiyallahu anhu, had the same facial expressions like Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. She walks like Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Before she talks, her face reveals what she is going to say, like Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. لَا تُخْطِعُ مِشْيَةَهَا مِشْيَةَ أَبِيهَا This is exactly like Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Fatima was like that.

So, Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, listening to Fatima, he greeted him, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and she said, يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَزْوَاجَكَ يَسْأَلْنَكَ الْعَدْلَ فِي بْنَتِ أَبِي قُحَافَةٍ Your wives want justice from you in regards to the daughter of Abu Quhayfa. Aisha, sitting there. So, Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, smiles, and he looks at her, and he said, يَا فَاطِمَةَ أَتُحِبِّينَنِي You love me? She said, I love you, Rasulullah.

قَالَ فَأَحِبِّ هَذِهِ أَتُحِبِّينَ مَا أُحِبُّ Do you love what I love? She said, Yes, Rasulullah. He said, I love Aisha. So, love her.

So, she was quiet, and she left. Fatimah, رضي الله عنها. He told her, Do you love what I love, Fatimah? She said, Of course, I do. He said, Then, I love Aisha. So, love her like I do. She was quiet, and she left.

They asked her, What did you do? She narrated exactly what happened. She told her, مَا أَغْنَيْتِ عَنَّا شَيْئًا You did not help us here. So, they made the council again, and they asked one of them this time, Zaynab bint Jahsh, رضي الله عنها.

The Fairness of Aisha in Describing Her Competition

Now, I want you to pay attention to how Aisha is going to describe that part. Because this part is more important. How she describes that.

So, she described what happened with Fatimah exactly. But she described what happened with Zaynab with more details. Because it's a competition.

So, she said, They delegated Zaynab, رضي الله عنها. And then, Aisha, رضي الله عنها, she started giving some introduction, some background. She said this, She was the most competition among the wives of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم to me.

That means I feel jealous from her more than anyone else. Zaynab. But then she said, She had the best of characteristics of ibadah and worship. Fairness. My brothers and sisters. Fairness.

Even when you are talking about someone competing with you. Fairness. And for women, this is the biggest issue. So, for someone to compose themselves and describe positively that competition, Subhanallah. This has to be Aisha, رضي الله عنها. This is why I'm mentioning these stories here. To point these issues in the character.

So, she said, She described her characteristics. How she's generous, how she's praying, how she's fasting, how's everything. She said, The only thing, Hiddah. She had like some sharpness, abrasiveness in her character, but she always comes back fast. You see? So, even when she criticized her, she was still fair.

She said, She had like some of this rash judgment and statements. But then she comes back to the truth. Quickly. She's talking about Zainab. Then Zainab, رضي الله عنها, Ummul Mumineen, our mother, رضي الله عنها, the wife of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, she repeated the same thing that Fatima رضي الله عنها said. She said, We want justice.

So, and then Aisha said, And Subhanallah, this is another point in the hadith. When she was describing the characteristics of her competition, Zainab, she mentioned lots of positive and one negative, but then she said, she still have positive, so she comes back. Right? Until here, it's great.

Now, in the hadith, she said, And Zainab did not stop there, but she started addressing me aggressively. You are such and such. You are such and such. We don't know what she said. Because Aisha did not say. رضي الله عنها.

You see? When describing her competition's positive, she took the time. When she is talking about this negative encounter, she did not mention the details. This is the part I wanted to emphasize on today. For us. Not necessarily wives or wife. No, for us. Do we have that level of fairness? Yes, you can learn from Aisha رضي الله عنها. She narrated this hadith, and this hadith, and this fiqh, and this ruling, and all of that. But try to read between the lines what is happening in there.

And then, she said, And I am looking at Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, trying to see would he be comfortable for me replying or not. Would he be comfortable for me replying, getting my right. Because she went overboard. She just went overboard. She said too many things. And now, it's my right to reply.

Then, I saw the approval in the face of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. So, basically, I gave it to her. That's what she says. She said, I did not stop until I took my right. Exactly. From her.

Then, Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, he looks at Aisha and he said, This is exactly the daughter of Abu Bakr. So, he said, That is the daughter of Abu Bakr. Allah Akbar.

Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. رضي الله عن أم المؤمنين عائشة. رضي الله عن أم المؤمنين زينب. رضي الله عن أمهات المؤمنين. وعن صحابة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم. وعن الخلفاء الأربعة أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان عليه. رضي الله عنهم أجمعين. وجمعنا الله وإياكم بهم في جنات النعيم. May Allah gather all of us with them. May Allah be pleased with all of them. With the khalifa of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. The four khalifas. The sahaba of Rasulullah. The wives of Rasulullah. The Aisha al-Siddiqa رضي الله عنها. May Allah gather us with all of them in Jannat al-Naeem. Like he gathered us today in Juma.

The Generosity of Aisha

One also of the characteristics of Aisha رضي الله عنها that we need to learn, my brothers and sisters, is her generosity. Her generosity. Urwa ibn al-Zubayr, her nephew. Zubayr ibn al-Awam is the sahaba of Rasulullah.

And he is the husband of Asmaa bint Abi Bakr, the sister of Aisha. Zubayr ibn al-Awam has Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, who was nephew and student of Aisha. Urwa ibn al-Zubayr who is the nephew and student of Aisha also.

Among the great students of Aisha who became big scholars. Urwa ibn al-Zubayr, Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr رضي الله عنه ورحمه الله and Masrooq ibn al-Ajram رضي الله عنه ورحمه الله and many others of the Tabi'een. They were great scholars in Tafsir and Fiqh and Hadith and all of that. Students of Aisha رضي الله عنه.

So Aisha رضي الله عنها was very generous. So Urwa was a very rich person. Urwa ibn al-Zubayr was a very rich person. And he said, Aisha would spend 70,000 dirham or dinar, gold or silver, while she is patching her own clothes. When she is wearing, when it rips off, she patches it. And she is able to buy the most expensive of clothes. Halal. Alhamdulillah. But she will spend all this money.

It's narrated from her also that one time she had like 100,000 dirham. In the morning that came to her as the wife of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم and then she asked for a plate. She asked her servant Umm Dharrah for a plate. And she started filling the plate and said, Go take it to house of such and such. Go take this to the house of such and such.

And she was fasting, Aisha رضي الله عنها. Until she finished everything. And the Maghrib time comes and she tells her servant, Bring me some dates to eat. She said, You don't have anything. You are spending all this money. And you did not keep anything to buy some food for your breakfast.

She said, Please do not reprimand me here. Don't make me feel guilty. If you reminded me, I would have remembered and bought something. Aisha رضي الله عنها. She prefers spending for the sake of Allah. She forgets her own self.

If I remembered, I would have bought some food for myself. Of course, I didn't remember. That is the lesson. That is between the lines I am talking to you about. We can learn all lessons that scholars written and all of that. The scholars told us also lessons between lines.

Had I remembered, I would have bought something for myself. So the point that, she was so busy helping others for the sake of Allah to the point that she forgot her own needs, her own hunger, that it is Maghrib time that I am fasting. That is the point I wanted to emphasize.

Her Constant Worship and Verification of Knowledge

Aisha رضي الله عنها, after Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, she fasted the whole year. Except the days of Eid and all of that, or if she is sick. تسرد الصوم سردا She was fasting, fasting, fasting all the time.

Urwa ibn Zubayr said one time, I used to go visit her in the morning, and one day I went, and she was standing in Salah. And she is reciting Surah Al-Tur.

Allah عز و جل favored us and saved us from the punishment of hell. This is the dua and the statement of the people of Jannah. And she kept repeating it. He said, and I am waiting for her, until I got very very bored. So I left to the market place, I sold and I bought and I did my business. Then I came back, I found her still standing in the same rakah, repeating the same thing. Aisha رضي الله عنها

She used to test those who narrate the hadith from Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. Test them. Directly and indirectly, to make sure that not everybody anytime narrate the hadith of Rasulullah to anyone anyways. She wanted it to become the amanah that is carried exactly the same.

She told the Urwa ibn Zubair one time, Abdullah ibn Amr is doing the hajj and all that, go and ask him because I heard that he is narrating too many hadith of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. Go check him out, and come tell me. So he goes, and he asks Abdullah ibn Amr, he tells him what Aisha says.

So he narrates to him the famous hadith which is later collected by Imam Bukhari, that Allah does not take the ilm suddenly from the hearts of the people, but the ilm will disappear from this earth, knowledge, will disappear from this earth, by the disappearance of scholars. Until there will be no scholars, so people will take ignorant ones as their leaders, and ask them and they will go astray and lead everybody else astray. He narrated to him that hadith.

So he goes to Aisha رضي الله عنها, and the Urwa says, I saw in the face of Aisha seriousness, as if she does not know this hadith or something. He said, did he tell you this? Did he narrate it like that? Seriously? He said that Rasulullah, he said that he heard Rasulullah say that? He said yes. She was quiet.

After a while, Abdullah ibn Amr came again to the area where Aisha is in. She told the Urwa, go and ask him about the hadith that he told you before. Let him repeat the hadith again to you. So he went and asked him, and he repeated it the same. So Aisha رضي الله عنها, she said, yes, he said the truth. He knows what he is talking about.

That's Aisha رضي الله عنها, not only teaching, but checking out and testing and making sure, verifying those who are teaching the knowledge of Rasulullah ﷺ that they are genuine. They are qualified to carry the amanah.

May Allah make us among those who learn from Aisha رضي الله عنها, who have the fairness of Aisha رضي الله عنها, who has the knowledge of Aisha رضي الله عنها, who has the responsibility and the generosity and the amanah of Aisha رضي الله عنها.

أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله العظيم لي ولكم.

Second Khutbah

الحمد لله الصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وصحبه ومن تبعه وولاه وسلم تسليم كثيرا.

My brothers and sisters, if we keep talking about Aisha رضي الله عنها, our mother, أم المؤمنين, the wife of Rasulullah ﷺ, we will need volumes and volumes.

But الحمد لله it is enough for us in this blessed day of Juma at this house of Allah عز وجل with this beautiful gathering that I ask Allah to bless. May Allah bless our gathering. الحمد لله we just get glimpse of the beauty of our religion, the beauty of the leaders and the pioneers of our deen.

And who would be better than the wives of Rasulullah ﷺ. Aisha رضي الله عنها, one time she said, I was in my room and I am praying, صدحة النهار, you know the morning prayer. She prays eight rakaat, you know, she prays like Rasulullah ﷺ used to pray. She said, I am hearing Abu Huraira narrating one hadith after one hadith, after one hadith, after one hadith.

She said, I did not want to interrupt my salah. But then he finished and he left. She said, if he waited, I would have went and advised him that that's not how Rasulullah ﷺ used to narrate or say the hadith.

لم يكن رسول الله يسرد الحديث كسردكم هكذا. He did not, he was not ﷺ like that. He gives the advice when it is needed only. He does not say, you do this, and then you do this, and then you do this, and then you do this. He doesn't do that ﷺ. He take it on levels and gradual.

Aisha's Final Wish and Abu Huraira

But subhanallah, even though she differed with Abu Huraira like that, her wasiyah, she said when she was sick, in the night of Tuesday, means Monday at night. Tuesday was the 17th of Ramadan, the year 58 of Hijrah. Aisha radiyallahu anha got very sick. And she felt that this is her death coming, approaching.

She said, don't follow my janaza with fire, means at night. Don't follow my janaza with fire. Make it quick and bury me in Al-Baqi'a. وَلَا يُصَلِّيَنَّ عَلَيَّ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا أَبَا هُرَيْرَ She said, no one prays janaza on me except Abu Huraira.

She is different. When she said, I want Abu Huraira to pray janaza, and no one except Abu Huraira. It's two different things. She said, I want Abu Huraira to pray janaza. Well, if Abu Huraira is not there, anybody can do it. But nobody except Abu Huraira. If he is busy, try to find him, bring him to lead. And that's what Abu Huraira radiyallahu anhu did. Prayed janaza on Ummul Mu'mineena Aisha radiyallahu anha.

That shows us the last lesson of today. That she wanted to tell Abu Huraira something, but at the same time she knows that he is the most qualified to lead her own janaza. Radiyallahu anha wa radiyallahu anhu. Abu Huraira, this is the beauty of the community of Rasulullah ﷺ.

The Beauty of the Prophet's Community

This is how the house of Rasulullah functioned. This is how he dealt with his wives. That's how his wives dealt with each other. That's how his daughter dealt with him and his wives. That's how his wife dealt with his daughter. That's how his wives, Ummul Mu'mineena Aisha and other wives dealt with the sahaba of Rasulullah.

Carried the amanah of Rasulullah. Delivered the hadith of Rasulullah. Taught this ummah. Because of them we are here today, we are praying today. We should be grateful. We should be thankful. We should say radiyallahu anhum. Radiyallahu anhum.

Wa sallallahu wa sallam wa baraka ala rasulina wa habibina wa nabiyina wa sayyidina Muhammadin wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallim.

Du'a

Ibadallah. Inni da'in fa amminu.

Ibadallah. إن الله يأمر بالعدل والإحسان وإيتاء ذي القربى وينهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر والبغي. يعظكم لعلكم تذكرون وأقيموا الصلاة