Aisha - Grade: A PDF

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‘Specific individuals have significantly shaped religious traditions through their teachings, interpretations and way of life’

With reference to the statement above, assess the contribution of A’isha Bint Abu Bakar on the development and/or expression of Islam. The multitude of religious traditions in present society possesses significant figures that densely contribute to the development of faith, while also influencing the lives of the adherents. In Islam, A’isha Bint Abu Bakr, wife of the Prophet Muhammad, is an eminent individual whose life is renowned by all Islamic believers due to her many contributions that significantly shaped the development of Islam as a living and dynamic religious tradition. These contributions were made through her teachings, interpretations, and way of life as she was known to have devoted her life to developing Islamic tradition. One of the many contributions that allowed adherents to express their faith was transmitting over 2000 Hadiths. Another contribution was being the cause of some of Allah’s revelations, expressing the importance of sacred texts and writings in Islam. Along with her position as a role model as she challenged the social norms of gender roles encouraging education and social development of women. Therefore, A’isha’s contributions are imperative to not only the development of Islam but also how Islamic believers express their religious tradition based on her contributions. Aisha’s contribution to the development of Islam can be demonstrated through her transmission of over 2000 Hadiths. Had it not been for her, much of the Hadith would not have been recorded and preserved. It is impossible to understand the Qur’an without referencing the Hadith, and it is impossible to explain the Hadith without relating it to the Qur’an. The Hadith clarifies the Qur’an through Aisha’s contributions to the Hadith, becoming a source of knowledge and wisdom for both men and women. In doing so, she is significantly shaping the development of Islamic teachings and interpretations. The Hadith is Muhammad’s commentary on the word of Allah, which presents adherents with a better understanding of Muhammad’s ways of life, granting a greater extent of knowledge for followers to accurately express their beliefs to submit to the will of Allah. For example, the ritual prayer, also known as ‘salah,’ is detailed explicitly because of Aisha’s contribution to the Hadith, as it was given by Muhammad through his words and actions and not through the Qur’an. Aisha recounted: “He would lay down his left foot and prop up his right foot. He prohibited sitting on the heels like Satan or spreading out one’s arms like a wild beast. He

would end the prayer with the invocation of peace.” Through Aisha’s contribution to the sacred text, adherents were then able to complete the ritual further and adequately allow the full submission to the will of Allah, which is the overall goal of all Islamic believers. Additionally, another contribution Aisha made to the Hadith included the Prophet advising her that prayer constructed in groups is far more effective than when offered to Allah on its own. As stated, “The Prophet (saw) said: Prayer in (jamah) congregation is twenty-five levels better than a prayer offered on one’s own. Nasai.” Without Aisha’s involvement narrating all these scriptures, Islamic adherents would not know how to perform even the simplest of rituals and ceremonies without the explanations provided by the Prophet as recorded by Aisha in the Hadith. All in which is necessary for adherents to understand how to apply the teachings of Allah in everyday life as a living and dynamic religious tradition, so that one may fully submit to Allah’s will. Therefore, her contribution means that his teachings were not lost after death, ultimately allowing adherents to understand Allah’s will better and allow for proper submission. Thus, demonstrating her monumental importance to the development and expression of Islam through her contribution of the Hadith. Another way Aisha Bint Abu Bakr tremendously contributed to the Islamic living and dynamic religious tradition was being the cause of some of Allah’s revelations. Muhammad would sometimes receive revelations while in her presence or because of her actions within instances involving her. Two of Aisha’s journeys, in particular, were responsible for Allah’s revelations to Muhammad, with both revelations being mentioned in the Qur’an. The first referred to as ‘the affair of the slander,’ brought on revelations regarding adultery, the second about ablution (the ritual act of washing or cleansing). The first incident occurred when Muhammad was returning from the battle of camels, which lead to the revelation of adultery, recorded in the Surah stating, “and those that accuse honorable women but bring not four witnesses… never accept their testimony”. This verse highlighted that no charge of adultery is valid unless four witnesses support it. The impact this revelation had regarded the development of teachings in sexual ethics, giving Muslim’s insight on how to conduct themselves in a halal manner within a relationship—further expressing how Aisha’s teachings and way of life contributed through her involvement in the revelation to the development of Islam. The second revelation occurred when Aisha lost her necklace, and the Prophet stayed behind to look for it. As the hours passed, it came time to pray; however, they had no water to perform ablution. It was revealed to Muhammad that in the absence of water, ablution could be executed with fine dust or sand. This revelation provided Muslims with instruction on how

to do so without water “…And you find no water, then perform tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your faces and hands.” This quote indicates how Aisha significantly shaped the Islamic religious tradition as she aided in the development of adherents understanding the performance of prayer rituals, therefore allowing adherents to fulfill the second pillar of faith ‘Salat’ effectively. In turn displaying through her teachings of revelations, how principle beliefs such as prayer should be expressed to allow for full submission to the will of Allah. Henceforth, signifying her colossal impact on the development and expression of Islam based on her contributions involving two significant revelations in the Islamic religious tradition. Because of Aisha challenging the social norms of gender roles and encouraging the education and social development of women, she eventually fulfilled the position of a role model within the Islamic faith. Aisha’s importance to revitalizing the Islamic tradition and leadership after Muhammad’s death among women highlights her magnitude within the development and expression of Islam as a living and dynamic religious tradition. Aisha, as a significant figure, is used by women to promote and justify their own political or social agendas. However, this was challenged when she lost the battle of the camel that she led against Ali, causing the two major variants in Islam known today as Sunni and Shia. Shia adherents view Aisha as a controversial figure due to her political involvement, whereas Sunni Muslims describe her as a bastion of power as well as an intellectual scholar. Doctor Abdullah Kahraman, attests to her declaring, “She excelled in her knowledge and her social activities, leading the way among female scholars of Jurisprudence to become the wise mother of believers and thus is the perfect role model for all women.” A vital contribution that leads to the rise of her consideration as a role model for women was her encouragement of wearing a hijab as mentioned in the Hadith, “ladies should draw their veils over their necks and bosoms.” This gave Muslim women an example of how to live modestly and respect themselves as daughters of Allah—further allowing expression of the virtue of modesty based on her teachings and ways of life, contributing to the encouragement of the hijab. Another contribution to her being a role model for Muslims was how she emphasized the rejection of wealth. When Muhammad, acting upon Allah’s command, offered his wives the choice between separation from him leading to a wealthier life or staying with him and remaining in poverty, Aisha opted for poverty. She continued to live her life that way after Muhammad’s death; even when wealth came to her, she distributed it to the poor. This action significantly shaped the importance of faith over material wealth, along with the meaning of caring and

providing for the less fortunate. Therefore, fulfilling the third pillar of Islam, Almsgiving Zakat. Overall, conveying her immense impact on the development and expression of Islam as a living and dynamic religion, based on her contributions as a role model for Islamic women. To conclude, Aisha Bint Abu Bakr is proven to have significantly shaped the development and expression of Islam as a living and dynamic religious tradition, even after Muhammad’s death. Her numerous contributions strengthened Islamic traditions as her teachings, interpretations, and way of life provided adherents with guidance on how to express and develop their faith reaching the ultimate purpose of submission to the will of Allah....