Aisha (c. 614-678)

Third of the Prophet Muhammad's wives, and his favourite after Khadija. She was the daughter of one of the Prophet's most loyal followers, Abu Bakr. She was under eight years of age when her father gave her in marriage to Muhammad. The Prophet's first wife, Khadija, was pre-eminent, but her early death left room for Aisha to become Muhammad's principal wife, and later widow. Whereas all of Muhammad's several wives enjoyed a high status within the community and were acknowledged as "mothers of the Believers", this title usually referred to Aisha alone. It was significant that the dying Muhammad chose to spend his last days in her chamber and to be buried under its floor after his death.

Having kept herself aloof from politics during the caliphates of her father Abu Bakr and his successor Umar, Aisha was among the growing opposition to the third caliph, Uthman. On the latter's assassination she changed tack and demanded that his murder be avenged. This led her to join up with Talha and Zubayr-two former companions (sahaba) of the Prophet-in AD 656 and rebel against the fourth caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib. After this revolt was crushed by Ali at the "battle of the Camel", near Al Basrah in Iraq, Aisha was captured and treated generously by Ali, who pardoned her and sent her off to Medina where she lived for over 20 years until her death in 678.

Muslims professing Shiism generally view Aisha negatively as a jealous and spiteful opponent of Ali and his wife Fatima: Imami Shiites in particular tend to see her as an enemy of God and thus as a figure to be dissociated from and ritually cursed in public (baraa). Sunni Muslims, on the other hand, regard her as a paragon of piety, a transmitter of hadith (sayings and exemplary actions of the Prophet) and an authority on the readings of the Koran.