Aisha Siddiqa bint Al Siddiq is the second most beloved wife of the Prophet Muhmmad peace be upon him after his first wife Khadija may Allah be pleased with her. As her nickname implies, she was the daughter of Abu Bakr Al Siddiq the closest friend of the Prophet and his first successor or caliph. She is given the title "Siddiqa" because of an incident after which God Almighty testified to her honesty, trustworthiness and purity. Books of Seerah tell us about it the following:
When the Prophet returned victorious from the battle of Bani Al Mustaliq, Aisha was accompanying him. On its way back to Madinah, not very far away from it the army stopped part of the night; then it was allowed to continue the journey which the army did until it entered Madinah. The camel of Aisha was led to her house with her small cabin on its back. To the astonishment of all onlookers Aisha was not there. So the news spread like fire; and the Prophet and his companions started to search everywhere; after a short while, however, Aisha was seen riding another camel led by a companion called Safwan Ibn Muattil Al Salami.
Naturally the pure wife of the Prophet was asked about the reason of her delay. She said: I went to answer the call of nature some time before departure. I had on a valuable necklace that fell from my neck without being aware of it. When I returned to my camel I discovered that it was missing. So I returned to the same place where I went before. At that time people were starting to leave. When I found my lost necklace and went back I found the caravan was no more there. They took my camel thinking that I was inside the cabin on its back.
As I returned to the camp, Hazral Aisha continues, no one was in sight so I wrapped up myself and lied down in the same place feeling that this is the best I can do. For sure, I thought, they will discover my absence and come back to me. As I was in that condition Safwan Ibn Muattil passed by me. Seeing me he recognized me and said sadly: How could it be that the Prophet's wife is here! What made you lag behind the caravan? I kept silent so he brought the camel near me, thus I rode on its back and he led the camel to Madinah.
The Prophet heard this account which Aisha thought to be simple truth; but people spread an evil rumour, especially the hypocrites who started to concoct stories against Aisha the pure. Thus what is called Hadith Al Ifk spread everywhere (a sinister talk against this dear wife of the Prophet). The Prophet kept silent and when Aisha was told about what was going on against her she got angry and tried to explain things to the Prophet who said nothing. So Aisha joined her parents who tried to verify the rumours from her.
It was indeed an extremely hard time not only for Aisha and her father Abu Bakr Al Siddiq but for the Prophet as well who approached Aisha and said: If you committed anything, then confess it and repent to God who will forgive you. These statements only increased the sufferings of Aisha so much so that she fell seriously ill. It was only the Divine revelation that accquited her and declared her innocence and purity. This took place after a whole month of adversity and hardship. That is why Aisha deserved the title of Siddiqa, the truthful, because God Almighty testified to her honesty.
Aisha was only eight years old before the emigration of the Prophet from Makkah to Madinah. The Prophet had proposed to her two years earlier because she was the daughter of his closest friend and companion. So the Prophet got married to her when she was only nine years old. But Aisha was already a grown-up woman despite her tender years. She was not just an ordinary wife but she could fill the gap caused by the death of Khadija, the first mother of the Faithful.
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