Aisha bint Abi Bakr (c. 613/614 – July 678) was Islamic prophet Muhammad's third and youngest wife.
Little is known about her childhood. A preponderance of classical sources converge on Aisha being 6 or 7 years old at the time of her marriage, and 9 at the consummation; her age has been a source of ideological friction. Aisha had an important role in early Islamic history, both during Muhammad's life and after his death. In Sunni tradition, Aisha is portrayed as scholarly, intelligent and inquisitive. She contributed to the spread of Muhammad's message and served the Muslim community for 44 years after his death. She is also known for narrating 2,210 hadiths, not just on matters related to Muhammad's private life, but also on topics such as inheritance, pilgrimage, and eschatology. Her intellect and knowledge in various subjects, including poetry and medicine, were highly praised by early scholars and luminaries such as al-Zuhri and her student Urwa ibn al-Zubayr.
Her father, Abu Bakr (r. 632–634), became the first caliph to succeed Muhammad, and after two years was succeeded by Umar (r. 634–644). Aisha played a leading role in the opposition to the third caliph Uthman (r. 644–656), though she did also oppose those responsible for his assassination. She refused to recognize Uthman's successor Ali (r. 656–661) and joined al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and Talha ibn Ubayd Allah. She was defeated in Battle of the Camel, after which she retired in Medina, became reconciled to Ali and did not oppose caliph Mu'awiya (r. 661–680). She participated in the battle by giving speeches and leading troops on the back of her camel. She ended up losing the battle, but her involvement and determination left a lasting impression. Because of her involvement in this battle, Shia Muslims have a generally negative view of Aisha. In Sunni Islam, Aisha is viewed as a leading Islamic scholar and a teacher of several companions and the tabi'in.
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