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Within these limits, and when it did not cost him much, Umar showed respect to Muhammad’s widows. His own daughter was one of them,<ref>Ibn Hisham note 918.</ref> yet he paid particular recognition to Aisha. He decreed a pension of 10,000 ''dirhams'' (about £50,000) to each widow, but he allowed 12,000 (£60,000) to Aisha because “she was the beloved of Allah’s Messenger.”<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:48.</ref> When Umar wanted to marry Aisha’s five-year-old sister, Aisha withheld consent: “You are rough and ready … How will it be with her if she disobeys you in any matter and you beat her?”<ref>{{Tabari|14|p. 102}}.</ref> Umar, who was 58, did not press the point and instead married the nine-year-old daughter of Ali.<ref>{{Tabari|13|p. 109}}. Both girls were named Umm Kulthum, which has caused some confusion for historians.</ref> At about the same time, he enlarged the mosque, commensurate with the increase of the crowds who converged on Medina to work and worship.<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti, p. 136.</ref> It is not detailed what difference these crowds, and their larger buildings, might have made to Aisha’s living conditions.
Within these limits, and when it did not cost him much, Umar showed respect to Muhammad’s widows. His own daughter was one of them,<ref>Ibn Hisham note 918.</ref> yet he paid particular recognition to Aisha. He decreed a pension of 10,000 ''dirhams'' (about £50,000) to each widow, but he allowed 12,000 (£60,000) to Aisha because “she was the beloved of Allah’s Messenger.”<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:48.</ref> When Umar wanted to marry Aisha’s five-year-old sister, Aisha withheld consent: “You are rough and ready … How will it be with her if she disobeys you in any matter and you beat her?”<ref>{{Tabari|14|p. 102}}.</ref> Umar, who was 58, did not press the point and instead married the nine-year-old daughter of Ali.<ref>{{Tabari|13|p. 109}}. Both girls were named Umm Kulthum, which has caused some confusion for historians.</ref> At about the same time, he enlarged the mosque, commensurate with the increase of the crowds who converged on Medina to work and worship.<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti, p. 136.</ref> It is not detailed what difference these crowds, and their larger buildings, might have made to Aisha’s living conditions.


But Aisha had no power to prevent anything that Umar really wanted. When Abu Bakr died, Umar stood outside Aisha’s door, forbidding her relatives inside to practise any mourning rituals, “but they refused to stop.” Umar ordered one of Aisha’s aunts outside, whereupon Aisha announced, “I forbid my house to you.” But she was ignored; a man pushed his way into her house. He brought Aisha’s aunt out to Umar, who “raised his whip over her and gave her a number of blows. The weeping women scattered when they heard that.”<ref>{{Tabari|11|pp. 137-138}}.</ref>
But Aisha had no power to prevent anything that Umar really wanted. When Abu Bakr died, Umar stood outside Aisha’s door, forbidding her relatives inside to practise any mourning rituals, “but they refused to stop.” Umar ordered one of Aisha’s aunts outside, whereupon Aisha announced, “I forbid my house to you.” But she was ignored; a man pushed his way through her door. He brought Aisha’s aunt out to Umar, who “raised his whip over her and gave her a number of blows. The weeping women scattered when they heard that.”<ref>{{Tabari|11|pp. 137-138}}.</ref>


Umar was assassinated by a disaffected slave in October 644.<ref>{{Tabari|14|pp. 90, 95}}.</ref> He petitioned to be buried beside Muhammad and Abu Bakr. Although Aisha had assumed that this burial spot would be hers, she conceded, “Today I prefer Umar to myself.”<ref>{{Bukhari|2|23|475}}.</ref> With Umar in her house, even though he was dead, Aisha did not like to expose her face. “I never took my veil off and used to stay wrapped up in clothes”<ref></ref> until she could have a wall built to section off the three tombs. Thereafter she never entered the tomb-room unveiled.<ref></ref> The new wall must have reduced her usable living space to half.
Umar was assassinated by a disaffected slave in October 644.<ref>{{Tabari|14|pp. 90, 95}}.</ref> He petitioned to be buried beside Muhammad and Abu Bakr. Although Aisha had assumed that this burial spot would be hers, she conceded, “Today I prefer Umar to myself.”<ref>{{Bukhari|2|23|475}}.</ref> With Umar in her house, even though he was dead, Aisha did not like to expose her face. “I never took my veil off and used to stay wrapped up in clothes”<ref></ref> until she could have a wall built to section off the three tombs. Thereafter she never entered the tomb-room unveiled.<ref></ref> The new wall must have reduced her usable living space to half.

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