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Charity was a way of life for the Arabs, and of course the Prophet’s young wife had to set the example. On one occasion a beggar came to her door on a fast-day, and Aisha told her maid to give him their only loaf. The servant protested that there would be nothing to break their fast, but Aisha insisted.<ref>{{Muwatta|58|1|5}}.</ref> On another occasion, a widow with two daughters came begging, and Aisha’s larder was reduced to one date. She handed it over, and the widow divided it between the children without taking anything for herself.<ref>{{Muslim|32|6362}}.</ref> On one occasion, the Prophet had sacrificed a sheep, and Aisha was so generous in sharing the meat out amongst the poor that she had to confess to Muhammad that she had saved only the shoulder for themselves. He replied, “That is the only part that you have not saved, for whatever you give away in the name of Allah, you save, and whatever you keep for yourself, you lose.”<ref>Ibn Kathir, ''The Wives of the Prophet''.</ref> | Charity was a way of life for the Arabs, and of course the Prophet’s young wife had to set the example. On one occasion a beggar came to her door on a fast-day, and Aisha told her maid to give him their only loaf. The servant protested that there would be nothing to break their fast, but Aisha insisted.<ref>{{Muwatta|58|1|5}}.</ref> On another occasion, a widow with two daughters came begging, and Aisha’s larder was reduced to one date. She handed it over, and the widow divided it between the children without taking anything for herself.<ref>{{Muslim|32|6362}}.</ref> On one occasion, the Prophet had sacrificed a sheep, and Aisha was so generous in sharing the meat out amongst the poor that she had to confess to Muhammad that she had saved only the shoulder for themselves. He replied, “That is the only part that you have not saved, for whatever you give away in the name of Allah, you save, and whatever you keep for yourself, you lose.”<ref>Ibn Kathir, ''The Wives of the Prophet''.</ref> | ||
The fact that Aisha had a servant does not indicate very much about the comfort-level of her home. Barira was a slave whom Aisha charitably bought for nine ounces of silver (about £1800) with the specific goal of immediate manumission. As it happened, Barira had nowhere else to go, so although she was free to leave, she chose to stay with Aisha as a domestic maid.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:181.</ref> Muhammad put up the silver, which only proves that (largely through the successes of his wars and robberies) he by now had some money in his coffer.<ref></ref> But he spent his wealth on arming his warriors,<ref></ref> bribing the double-minded<ref></ref> or assisting the poor.<ref></ref> Not much of his money trickled down to his own household, and hardly any of it translated to food. The servant Barira was an extra mouth for Muhammad to feed, and she must have been as hungry as her young mistress. | The fact that Aisha had a servant does not indicate very much about the comfort-level of her home. Barira was a slave whom Aisha charitably bought for nine ounces of silver (about £1800) with the specific goal of immediate manumission. As it happened, Barira had nowhere else to go, so although she was free to leave, she chose to stay with Aisha as a domestic maid.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:181.</ref> Muhammad put up the silver, which only proves that (largely through the successes of his wars and robberies) he by now had some money in his coffer.<ref>REFERENCE MISSING</ref> But he spent his wealth on arming his warriors,<ref>REFERENCE MISSING</ref> bribing the double-minded<ref>REFERENCE MISSING</ref> or assisting the poor.<ref>REFERENCE MISSING</ref> Not much of his money trickled down to his own household, and hardly any of it translated to food. The servant Barira was an extra mouth for Muhammad to feed, and she must have been as hungry as her young mistress. | ||
===Jealousy=== | ===Jealousy=== | ||