Marriage & Age​

By Adil Salehi (Author)

Book Description

This new historical study sheds light on the life and times of the Prophet’s wife Ayesha.

Scholar and author Atika Sadeeqa wants to show you the true Ayesha. This inspirational new biography draws on historical sources to describe Ayesha’s background, personality, and work as the wife of the Prophet. At the same time, it addresses the controversy surrounding the question of Ayesha’s age at the time of her marriage. Sadeeqa cuts through the noise surrounding the debate and examines the one historical report that so many scholars have relied on for centuries. She not only proves that the report is an unreliable source of information but also reveals the real woman behind all the arguments. Ayesha isn’t simply the focus of an intellectual dispute; she was a real person who inspired her own community and all the generations that followed.

Ayesha comes to life in the pages of Sadeeqa’s work. Sadeeqa presents a portrait of a pious, devout woman who was always looking for ways to help others and strengthen their faith. Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqa follows Ayesha’s legacy through the ages and shows what a light she was—and still is—to millions of believers.

Review

Muslims of all ages will enjoy reading the book in both formal and informal settings and will appreciate the artful storytelling that makes it entertaining, as well as educational. Non-Muslims will also find this an accessible path to learning about one of the Sahabahs, especially one who has been maligned and misrepresented in so many ways. Haylamaz does not shy away from any of the controversy and even addresses the age of Aisha, which his research reveals to be older than that claimed by some of the most extreme scholarly interpretations (as well as by religious critics). While there is certainly no end to authentic hadith and scholarly works about her life, Aisha: The Wife, the Companion, the Scholar sets itself apart by bringing the stories about Aisha to contemporary audiences, particularly those with little or no background knowledge of her life and work.–Amanda Quraishi “Patheos, November 11, 2014”