At her death 'A'ishah was 63 years and a few months old.

At her death 'A'ishah was 63 years and a few months old.274 *** We have studied 'A'ishah's life from the first days of her arrival at the Prophet's house until the last moments of her life in the time of Mu'awiyah275 and have made a survey of all her personality as a social and political genius. In the forthcoming pages we will discuss some of her fine qualities. Siyar al-a'lam an-nubala' 2/134-135, and al-Mustadrak 416. Siyar al-a'lam 2/136.

This subject is described in the first two volumes of this book and this is the translation of it. Part 5 L The Qualities and Characteristics of 'A'ishah 'A'ishah's generosity One day I saw 'A'ishah giving people seventy thousand drachmas.

'Urwah ibn az-Zubayr Although generosity is an admirable quality, yet sometimes it is performed on the basis of a divine thought, meaning that a person voluntarily offers something to which he is attached or gives up a wish or property for the sake of God in the hope of winning His satisfaction or receiving a heavenly reward. Such a person is bound to be rewarded heavily and to receive divine satisfaction.

But if a person shows generosity for the sake of a worldly benefit such as gaining a good reputation, although his action is good in itself, yet he will not be rewarded in the next world since his action's motive has been related to this world. Among the Arabs it had long been customary for great men and chiefs of tribes to perform certain acts such as showing generosity in their offer of money and property.

If a person came to the house of such men and returned empty-handed and disappointed, it was considered a great disgrace for the master of the house.

With the advent of Islam, such ideas were not forgotten altogether, and the people who showed generosity were divided into two groups: One group engaged in generous acts for the sake of Islamic teachings and in the way of God, and the next group did so in accordance with pagan and Arab customs, such as the generosity shown by two powerful chiefs of the Banu Tamim tribe in the caliphate of Imam 'Ali in the region of Kufah.

One of these was named Ghalib ibn Sa'sa'ah ad-Darami and the other Suhaym ibn Wathil ar-Riyahi. These two began to compete with each other in killing camels and feeding people for the sake of ostentation, rivalry and pride, which were based on pagan ideas. Each of them tried to excel the other in order to win fame and reputation.