A question which may be asked:

 Dear brother, this is our 11th lesson on the female companions- the msh3er of the believers, may Allah be pleased with them. Our lecture today is about the third wife of the Prophet PBUH, Mrs. Aisha bint (the daughter of) Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with her and her father.
 Dear brother, you may ask about (the reason behind) the big age gap between Mrs. Aisha and the Prophet PBUH, how did the Prophet PBUH marry a woman who was as old as his mother? How did he PBUH marry a woman who is as old as his daughter? Actually, when there is no Islamic ruling on something, then it is judged according to customs regulations. For example, if you say that you have eaten meat, what do you exactly mean? You mean, according to our customs, mutton or beef, while if you eat fish, you will say: I have eaten fish. Accordingly, if a person swears an oath of divorce not to eat meat, can he eat fish? Yes, he can, because although fish is meat; nevertheless, the word (meat) refers either to mutton or beef, not to fish. Thus, if there is no Islamic ruling on a matter, it is judged according to the customs.
 This is a wide subject in the principles of Islamic jurisprudence. Custom is one of the sources of the Islamic laws; it gives rulings on matters which have no Islamic rulings. If the marriage of the Prophet PBUH to Mrs. Aisha had broken one of the Arab social conventions at that time, they would have criticized him for his marriage. In contrast, it was normal for a man to marry a woman who is as old as his mother or as old as his daughter.
 Actually, Mrs. Aisha was highly knowledgeable about the Islamic jurisprudence.
 Some scholars said, ((a quarter of the Islamic laws and verdicts are transmitted by her.)). A quarter of the Islamic rulings, which were made by the Prophet PBUH, was known from the As7adeth that were transmitted by Mrs. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. The Prophet's wife, the mother of believers, played a pivotal role in Da'wah (missionary work for Islam); because she knew more about women's affairs than men. You know that the female companions used to ask the Prophet PBUH about their own matters, so the best one to clarify to them the Islamic rulings on those matters was the Prophet's wife. This is a great role in Da'wah.
 Moreover, some scholars said that there was no one who knew the meanings of the Qur'an, and the rulings of Halal (legal) and Haram (prohibited), medicine, poetry, and genealogy better than Mrs. Aisha, may Allah be blessed with her. She was genius and she had a formidable memory. Besides, she was utterly devoted to the Prophet PBUH in spite of her young age. You should know for sure that the wives of the Prophet PBUH were selected by Allah the Almighty, in order to take a role in the call to Him in their future. Those who criticize the Prophet for marrying women, one of them was as old as his mother and the other was as old his daughter, do not know who is Prophet Muhammad, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. His marital life with Khadijah, who was at the age of his mother, lasted for a quarter of a century. He did not marry another woman while she was alive although he was able to marry the most beautiful woman in Mecca. Hence, the Prophet PBUH is far from the false accusations which enemies of Islam bring about him (that the Prophet PBUH married a wife at the age of his daughter to fulfill his own desires.)
  Dear brother, Mrs. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, transmitted 2210 As7adeth from the Prophet PBUH. Besides, she memorized the Noble Qur'an entirely in the life of the Prophet PBUH. The best answer to those who say that there was a big age gap between the Prophet PBUH and his wife is that it was common in the era when Prophet PBUH lived. Had this marriage broken an Arab social convention, they would have criticized him for that, and they would have considered it a very serious social issue.

Some of Mrs. Aisha's characteristics:

 Mrs. Aisha was young, but she was mature enough like other girls at her age in the Arab (hot) land. She was fairly clever, attentive, she had a brilliant intellect and a strong presence of mind.

 We learned at university that human has two ages; the chronological age and the mental one. In fact, these two ages may grow separately, i.e. you may find someone whose chronological age is ten years, while his mental age is eleven years. On the other hand, you may find someone whose chronological age is twenty years while his mental age is only fifteen years. Thus, the mental growth is completely separated from the physical one. As I mentioned earlier Mrs. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, was young, yet she had a bright mind, sharp wit, and abundant intellect; that is to say she had an extremely important role in Da'wah (missionary work for Islam)

It was narrated in biography books of the Prophet PBUH that he PBUH married a woman later, so some other wives of the Prophet PBUH told her, "When you met the Prophet say to him, "I seek refuge with Allah the Almighty from you. "When the Prophet PBUH came to her she said to him, "I seek refuge with Allah from you. ", He said, ((Rejoin your family [an expression which means divorce.]))

[Al-Bukhari]

 The Prophet PBUH divorced her, because it is unacceptable for the wife of the Prophet PBUH to be feeble-minded. Her task is to convey the As7adeth and the Islamic laws from the Prophet PBUH. If she had a limited thinking, she might convey them inaccurately. According to the Divine deep Wisdom, Allah the Almighty prepared for the Prophet PBUH that wife (Mrs. Aisha) who was wise, clever, intelligent, attentive, and kind-hearted.

 Some scholars said, "Had not Mrs. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, been at that young age when the Prophet PBUH married her, she would not have been able to have that great role in Da'wah." This is the age when one has a clear mind and the inclination to acquire knowledge. Islamic knowledge is essential in the life of the believer, so everything which the Prophet PBUH said should be conveyed. The best woman to accomplish that mission was his wife. Therefore, Allah the Almighty chose this knowledgeable wife, Mrs. Aisha, to the Prophet PBUH.
Scholars' sayings about this noble lady:

 Imam Az-Zuhri said: ((If the knowledge of Mrs. Aisha was compared to the knowledge of all msh3er of the believers, and all women, the knowledge of Mrs. Aisha would be the best)). How amazing it is to find a woman who is very understanding and knowledgeable. The woman who has a sharp wit, a deep perception, an accurate understanding and a formidable memory is a very rare woman. She is the one who is qualified to be the wife of the Prophet PBUH.
 Ata' ibn abi Rabah said: ((Aisha was the most jurist of people, in addition her opinion of the common was better than all the people)).
 Actually, those who live with smart people will live a happy life, whereas those who live with feeble minded people will live a miserable life. Once, Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah be pleased with him, was giving his students a lesson about Al-Fajr (the dawn) prayer. He used to be himself with his brother, so he extended his leg when it hurt him. A tall, broad shouldered, and good looking man who was wearing a turban and a Jubbah (garment) entered, sat in that great Imam's assembly. At first sight, Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah be pleased with him, thought that the man was a great scholar, so he bent his leg fearing that the stranger might criticize him. When the lesson ended, that man asked the Imam, "O Imam, how can we perform Al-Fajr prayer if the sun rises before dawn?" The Imam answered, "Then Abu Hanifa would extend his leg! (He realized that that man was not worthy of respect.)"
 It is an act of honoring the Prophet PBUH that Allah the Almighty granted him his companions who were at a high level of insight, loyalty, intelligence, love, sacrifice, and devotion. The higher your rank is in the Sight of Allah, the more Allah will grant you understanding people around you. When Allah elevates someone, He sends him people who really appreciate him, understand him and know his noble aims.
 Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari said: ((Never had we (the Companions of the Prophet PBUH) encountered any difficulty regarding Hadith and we asked Aisha about it, but got useful information from her.)) Masrouq said: ((I saw the most knowledgeable companions of the Prophet PBUH asking Mrs. Aisha about Islamic laws of inheritance.))
 Urwah said: ((I haven't seen a more knowledgeable person in jurisprudence, or medicine, or poetry than Aisha.)). Abu Al-Zinad said: ((Whenever misfortune befell Mrs. Aisha, she used to compose a poem about it)).
 Dear brother, this introduction is to tell you that the mother of the believers Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, was chosen by Allah the Almighty to be the wife of his noble Prophet PBUH, to be acquainted with his private matters, and to narrate his As7adeth.

When did the Prophet PBUH marry Mrs. Aisha?

  You all know that the Prophet PBUH, made the contract of his marriage with Mrs. Aisha in Mecca before migration. Later on he PBUH migrated to Al-Madinah, where Al-Ansar (the supporters) welcomed him holding their swords. All the inhabitants of Al-Madinah were extremely pleased when the Prophet PBUH arrived; they had never been seen so pleased like on that day. All of you surely have attended Mauled (Islamic celebration) like in wedding ceremonies, or on the birth anniversary of the Prophet PBUH, and have heard the Nasheed ( Islamic song) of "O the white moon (the Prophet PBUH ) rose over us" thousand of times.
 Once, while I was performing Umrah, I stood opposite to the Masjid of Quba, and I saw a monument in the middle of a square where these lines of the poem where written on:
"O the white moon rose over us" From that place in the Masjid of Quba, which is in the suburb of Al-Madinah, Al-Ansar went out of Al-Madinah to receive the Prophet PBUH, and in this very place they sang when the saw him PBUH: " O the white moon rose over us". In that place, I felt as if it is the first time I have ever heard this Nasheed, so when Al-Ansar saw the Prophet PBUH, they said:

O the white moon rose over us
From the valley of Wada'
And we owe it to show thankfulness
Where the call is to Allah

 It was narrated in Al-Sahihain (the two correct books of Hadith) that Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, transmitted that ((People of Al-Madinah came out to the roads, while at homes, boys and servants were saying: " Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) the Messenger of Allah is coming, Allahu Akbar Muhammad PBUH is coming, Allahu Akbar the Messenger of Allah is coming", then Al-Ansar gathered around the Prophet PBUH, all asking him to stay with them. They grabbed the halter of his camel as an act of honoring the Prophet PBUH, but he said, 'Let it go its own way, it is ordered, and I will stay where Allah orders me to.' The camel of the Prophet PBUH stopped at the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him)).
When I was in Turkey last year, I performed the Friday prayer in the Masjid of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari in Istanbul. That great companion died there in the far north. Actually, in his Masjid, you will feel spiritually comfortable and delighted. When the Friday prayer was finished, I visited the shrine of this great companion. I read Al-Fatiha there and I was really impressed when I noticed that the visitors never turned their backs to him when they went out. They did not do that because they do respect him.
 This great companion, who was honored by Allah the Almighty to be the host of the Prophet PBUH, has many wonderful stories. One night He could not sleep in the upper floor above the Prophet PBUH but The Messenger of Allah insisted on staying on the lower floor of the house, because it was more convenient for him and those who came to visit him. Out of great politeness, Abu Ayyub could not sleep because he disliked occupying the upper floor that was above the Prophet PBUH. Once a jar of water was broken, so that man brought the only blanket he had and put it above the water to prevent it from seeping through to the Messenger of Allah PBUH. That was the noble companion, who had the honor of being the host to the prophet PBUH.
 Actually, when the Prophet PBUH settled down in Al-Madinah, where was Mrs. Aisha? She was in Mecca, and he did not marry her yet.
 You should know for certain that the contract of the marriage of the Prophet with Mrs. Aisha was made many years before he really married her. So whoever says that she was young and there was a big age gap between her and the Prophet PBUH, should know that the marriage contract was made in Mecca, while the Prophet PBUH married her after many years in Al-Madinah.
When the Prophet PBUH settled down in AL-Madinah, he sent Zaid bin Haritha and Abu Rafie to Mecca, to bring to him the rest of his family who were left in Mecca. He sent with them Abdullah bin Arqit to guide them on the road. They brought his two daughters Fatima and Umm Kulthum, his wife Sauda, his nursemaid during his childhood Umm Ayman and her son Osama Bin Zeid. His daughter Zainab could not come with them because her husband, Abu al-Aas ibn al-Rabee, did not allow her to go with them. Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr accompanied them with the mother of Aisha; his father's wife, and his two sisters: Aisha and Asma, the wife of Az-Zubair bin Al-Awwam who was pregnant with her son Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair, the first Muslim to be born from immigrants in Al-Madinah. Talha bin Obeid-Allah also accompanied them from Mecca.

 After the Prophet settled down in Al-Madinah, and the immigration and the running of Quraish after him came to an end, he sent these companions to bring his family, and he prepared the rooms for his wives, Sauda, and Aisha.
 Nowadays, you may find someone, who is not rich, demanding the fiancé of his daughter to make her dwell in a luxurious house. Mrs. Aisha, on the other hand, the wife of the Prophet PBUH lived in a very small room that was attached to the Prophetic Masjid. That room was her house, and it was too small that the Prophet PBUH was not able to pray while Mrs. Aisha was asleep. She had to move so the Prophet PBUH would be able to pray, or they slept together. That small room was the house of the Prophet PBUH.
  Thus, when this noble lady came to Al-Madinah with her mother Umm Roman, her sister Asma, and her brother Abdullah, they settled down in the house of her father, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him. Few months later, As-Siddiq asked the Prophet PBUH to complete his marriage to Aisha whose contract was made in Mecca.
 To summarize, the Prophet PBUH made the marriage contract in Mecca many years before migration, and he brought his wife to Al-Madinah many years after migration. She stayed in her father's house, until As-Siddiq asked the Prophet PBUH to complete that marriage. Thus, the Prophet PBUH went to As-Siddiq house, and the women of Al-Ansar came to prepare that young bride to the Prophet PBUH.

The historical position of Mrs. Aisha's Mother

 The most remarkable position of the mother of Ms. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, was her saying when she came to the Prophet PBUH with her daughter, Aisha the bride, after being prepared for him. She said: ((O Messenger of Allah, she is now your family, May Allah bless her for you and May Allah bless you for her.)) and this the most impressive Du'a (supplication) that is said in marriage ceremonies.

 The blessed marriage is the one which is based on obedience to Allah, and applying the method (the Sunnah) of the Prophet PBUH. Allah the Almighty grants love, amity and affection to the two spouses in this marriage. Also He grants the married couple righteous good children. Marriage is a sacred relationship and its fruitful result is the righteous children. When someone dies, his good deed comes to an end unless he has a good son/daughter, because he/she will benefit people after the death of his/her father. Consequently, all the righteous deeds of the son/daughter are also written in his/her father's record.

Description of Mrs. Aisha's house

 Dear brother, the Prophet PBUH spent the blessed wedding night in the house of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, then he took his wife to her new house. The house was no more than one of the rooms which were around the Prophetic Masjid. It was built from adobe and palm fronds. It had a mat on the floor, and there were a mattress, a simple containers and plates for food and drink. That was all what the Prophet PBUH had in his house. In that modest house, the life of the noble bride Mrs. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, began. The marital bliss started in that house which was full of honor, goodness, miracles of prophecy and the blessings of the Message (of Islam). I know many luxurious houses which lack happiness, and many modest homes where you find the marital bliss. Hence, such bliss is based on the obedience to Allah the Almighty, while marital misery is caused by disobeying Him.

Conclusion:

  Dear brother, this young bride had a prominent position in the house of the Prophet PBUH, in his life, in the history of Da'wah (missionary work for Islam), and in the Islamic history. This wife of the Prophet PBUH was at a high level of piety. She was absolutely senior knowledgeable about the Islamic affairs and rulings. Besides, she was knowledgeable of social and political matters. Dear brother, you should know for sure that the worldly Life is a pleasure and the best of its pleasures is the righteous wife.
Allah the Almighty says:

"And of them there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!"

[Al-Baqarah, 201]

 The scholars said: That which is good in this world is the righteous wife.
 I hope that all young people who have not married yet ask Allah the Almighty to grant them the righteous wives. The good wife is one of the causes of the successful life. Thus, when you ask Allah to grant you a wife who meets your conditions, you will achieve one of the aspects of happiness in your worldly life.
 Next lesson, Insha-Allah, we will speak about this pure wife with the other wives of the Prophet PBUH. Also we will see how the marital life is a part of the good life. Allah the Almighty says:

"Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), "

[An-Nahl, 97]

 Thus, the righteous wife is a part of the good life.