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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Role of Aishah in the History of Islam (volume 1) A'ishah in the Prophet's House Woe upon her ('A'ishah)! She is capable of every deed!

Uttered by the Prophet Jealousy and Ardor We have said that 'A'ishah was an ambitious and hot-tempered woman who was jealous of her husband's heart, and did not wish to see anyone win his affection.40 An example of her intense jealousy and ardor can be seen in her conjugal life especially when the Prophet married another woman.

She speaks of this jealousy and mental uneasiness unreservedly when Umm Salamah, Zaynab and other ladies found their way into the Prophet's house, and she most openly expressed her violent ardor concerning futile thoughts especially about the nights when the Prophet left the house for his nightly devotions. In dark nights when there prevailed deep silence and tranquility the Prophet was usually engaged in communion with his God, and thus he spent certain of the nights in privacy and devotion.

As the Prophet spent each night turn by turn, in the house of one of his consorts, those acts of devotion compelled him to spend some hours of each night outdoors in the mosque or al-Baqi' Cemetery. Consequently, in the nights when he was to be with 'A'ishah, as soon as he left the house for his usual devotion, her womanly jealousy was so roused as to follow him and see where he went and what he did. She herself gives an account of these nightly pursuits on various occasions. 40.

The reason why we began the discussion of 'A'ishah's life with her mode of living in her husband's house is because we had no access to the account of her life in her father's house. We know only that she was wedded at the age of nine. Refer to Tabaqat of Ibn Sa'd 8/94. Nightly pursuits She says: "One night I noticed that he was not in his bed. Uneasy thoughts so disturbed my mind as to fancy that he was visiting another of his wives. So I got up to find Out where he had gone.

Suddenly I found him prostrating in the mosque, praying: 'O God! Forgive me.' "41 Elsewhere she says: "One night I noticed the Prophet was not in his bed. I said to myself he must have gone to one of his other wives. I listened and then searched for him to find him in genuflection before God."42 She further says: "On another night he was not in bed, and I got up to locate him, and in that darkness I felt my way here and there when suddenly my hand touched the sole of his feet.