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===Widowhood=== | ===Widowhood=== | ||
Aisha spent her adult life in the mosque at Medina, keeping all the Muslim prayers and fasts, and being careful never to show her face to any man. When a blind man asked her why she bothered to [[Hijab|veil]] herself from him, she replied, “Even if you cannot see me, I can see you.”<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:49.</ref> Her friends observed that she was usually dressed in loose trousers, shift, gown, veil and gold rings. Her veil was sometimes black,<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:50.</ref> but (unlike the typical modern wearer of a ''niqab''), Aisha often wore both a veil and a gown dyed “flame-red”<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:52.</ref> or “safflower red”.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:49-51.</ref> Wolfskin furs against the cold are also mentioned, although Aisha was particular not to wear the furs of carrion.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:49, 51.</ref> | Aisha spent her adult life in the mosque at Medina, keeping all the Muslim prayers and fasts, and being careful never to show her face to any man. When a blind man asked her why she bothered to [[Hijab|veil]] herself from him, she replied, “Even if you cannot see me, I can see you.”<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:49.</ref> Her friends observed that she was usually dressed in loose trousers, shift, gown, veil and gold rings. Her veil was sometimes black,<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:50.</ref> but (unlike the typical modern wearer of a ''niqab''), Aisha often wore both a veil and a gown dyed “flame-red”<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:52.</ref> or “safflower-red”.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:49-51.</ref> Wolfskin furs against the cold are also mentioned, although Aisha was particular not to wear the furs of carrion.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:49, 51.</ref> | ||
Her income was the revenues of Khaybar. After the surviving Jews were banished to Syria,<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti p. 136.</ref> Aisha chose to take control of her share of the real estate (“land and water”) rather than the annual income of dates and barley.<ref>{{Bukhari|3|39|521}}.</ref> She lived very frugally. She was asked why she bothered to mend her old trousers when “Allah has given you so much wealth,” and she replied, “Enough! A person who has nothing old and worn has nothing new.”<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:51.</ref> She expended most of her wealth in charity. Her nephew bought her house in exchange for 100,000 ''dirhams'' (about £500,000) and allowing her a lifetime residence. The money arrived in two sacks, and Aisha spent all day dividing the money up into bowls to give away as alms. She did not keep even enough to buy her evening meal, although she said she would have done this much if she had thought of it.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:47-48.</ref> Another time her nephew gave her a gown of rough silk, which she did keep for herself.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:49.</ref> | Her income was the revenues of Khaybar. After the surviving Jews were banished to Syria,<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti p. 136.</ref> Aisha chose to take control of her share of the real estate (“land and water”) rather than the annual income of dates and barley.<ref>{{Bukhari|3|39|521}}.</ref> She lived very frugally. She was asked why she bothered to mend her old trousers when “Allah has given you so much wealth,” and she replied, “Enough! A person who has nothing old and worn has nothing new.”<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:51.</ref> She expended most of her wealth in charity. Her nephew bought her house in exchange for 100,000 ''dirhams'' (about £500,000) and allowing her a lifetime residence. The money arrived in two sacks, and Aisha spent all day dividing the money up into bowls to give away as alms. She did not keep even enough to buy her evening meal, although she said she would have done this much if she had thought of it.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:47-48.</ref> Another time her nephew gave her a gown of rough silk, which she did keep for herself.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:49.</ref> |