If we delve into Islamic history, we will find a cornucopia of insights and observations on the incidents, personalities and socio-political developments that have shaped the Muslim world over the centuries. Unfortunately, the fractured and fragmented school curricula in Pakistan only enable students to gain a cursory glimpse into this rich, dynamic segment of human history. This trend is often attributed to the Western, euro-centric nature of history education in the country, which has pushed the glorious past of the Islamic civilization onto the fringes.
Products of this education system are likely to approach Sofia Rehman’s A Treasury of Aishah: A Guidance from the Beloved of the Beloved with curiosity. Enthusiastic readers may even view it as a portal into a hitherto unexplored terrain. Islamiat textbooks taught at secondary school offer a useful preamble to Aishah (RA), the third wife of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) who enjoys an unprecedented position in Islamic history. In this slim yet potent text, Rehman offers a deeper appraisal of Aishah (RA) by spotlighting her multifaceted contributions to our understanding of the Quran, Sunnah as well as Islamic jurisprudence. In addition, A Treasury of Aishah turns an intimate gaze on her theological standpoints and political activism.
Documenting these varied dimensions of Aishah (RA)’s public life is a monumental task. Though undoubtedly ambitious in its scope, Rehman’s book competently brings to the fore Aishah (RA)’s intellectual services to Islam and the Muslim world. The text is rooted in extensive research -- a nod to the author’s scholarly credentials. An independent Islamic scholar, Rehman has trained in Wales, Syria and Turkey. In her PhD thesis, she drew upon the statements of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)’s third wife, as recorded by fourteenth-century scholar Imam al-Zarkashi. She is, therefore, well-placed to comment on Aishah (RA)’s multifarious contributions towards Islam, and capably employs unique, erudite observations to examine her role in Islamic history.
Readers must be forewarned that A Treasury of Aishah isn’t a full-fledged biography of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)’s third wife. Rehman eschews a biographical account and instead examines 40 statements made by Aishah (RA), which serve as a glowing testament of her unique “intellectual inquisitiveness”. Divided into six chapters, the text is punctuated with the author’s detailed commentaries that shimmer with rare insight and acuity. This analytical focus sets the book apart from the deluge of other texts on the Holy Prophet (PBUH)’s third wife that only benefit from an anecdotal quality. However, Rehman doesn’t shy away from narrating incidents to expound upon crucial ideas. In the final chapter of her book, the author carries a distinctly biographical thrust as it explores one of Aishah’s statements that emerged after a significant event in her life.
Some of the most effective parts of Rehman’s book draw attention to Aishah (RA)’s profound and humanistic understanding of the Quran. The author explores Aishah (RA)’s “profoundly dexterous” outlook on the spirit, context and theological basis of the holy text. She also shines a revealing light on Aishah (RA)’s pragmatic jurisprudential positions on routine concerns that affect the lives of women. There is a sheer paucity of material in textbooks about Aishah (RA)’s status as an exemplary political figure in textbooks taught at school. Readers will, therefore, find the sections on this subject in Rehman’s slim volume to be informative and intriguing.
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