Ayesha’s intense jealousy towards Ummul Momineen Hazrat Khadijah (s.a.)

Some Muslims claim that Ayesha was the Prophet’s best and most virtuous wife and was supposedly superior to Ummul Momineen Hazrat Khadijah (s.a.).

If this claim is indeed true, Ayesha would be gracious towards the other wives. But we see that Ayesha was intensely insecure and jealous towards the other wives, particularly Ummul Momineen Hazrat Khadijah (s.a.).

This proves that Ayesha was not superior to the other wives. She herself never considered her status higher than the other wives, particularly Ummul Momineen Hazrat Khadijah (s.a.). It is only latter day Muslims who have raised her status because she happens to be Abu Bakr’s daughter and the biggest supporter of her father and Umar, which is her only claim to fame.

Ayesha herself confesses about her inferiority complex:

“I was jealous of every wife of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to the extent that I felt this way even about Khadijah. The reason for this was that the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) remembered her very often and praised her excessively. Particularly by declaring that Allah informed His Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that Khadijah (s.a.) was in Paradise residing in a magnificent palace with all its majesty and grandeur.”

1. Sahih Bukhari vol. 4 p. 231, vol. 6 p. 157
2. Sahih Muslim vol. 7 p. 133
3. Musnad-o-Ahmed vol. 6 p. 57
4. Sunan Ibn Maajah vol. 1 p. 643
5. Fazail al-Sahaabah by Nesaai p. 75
6. Sunan al-Kubra of Baihaqi vol. 7 p. 307