Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

'Ali ibn Abi Ta^lib 107
With regard to the hadith of 'Amr ibn al-'AS, in which he
asked the Prophet (g): "Who among women his dearest to you?",
and he (g) said ' ki~hah.~~~ Ibn Sbbk suggested that this was a
question that was about his wives only, and he wrote this heading in
his Saheeh: "Quoting a report and misinterpretation of one who does
not have proper understanding of the science of hadith." Under this
heading, he quoted the hadith of 'Amr as follows: "I said: '0
Messenger of Allah, who among the people is dearest to you?' He
said: "kishah.' I said: 'I do not mean women; rather I mean men.'
He said: 'Abu Bakr' or 'her father."' Then Ibn Hibbk said: "I am
going to quote the report indicating that the question was about his
wives and not about women in general, such as F2timah and others."
He narrated, with his chain of narration from Anas, that the latter
said: "The Messenger of Allah (g) was asked: 'Who is the dearest of
people to you? He said: "kishah.' It was said to him: 'We are not
asking about your family.' He said: 'Her father.'364 Thus it is clear
that 'kishah (I&) comes after Khadeejah and F2timah in virtue, so
all the reports ihat indicate her superiority in general are to he
understood in light of the reports about Khadeejah and Fgtimah,
which limit that superiority. No doubt 'kishah (&) had many
virtues, such as her howledge, which were exclusively hers and
which she did not share with Khadeejah and F%timah, but the fact that
a virtue is proven does not necessarily mean that she was superior in
every aspect."365
Whatever the case, the superiority of one of them over another
does not undermine the lesser one; rather this is the greatest evidence
of the high status of these three women, Filmah, Khadeejah and
'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with them), as the difference of
opinion is not about the fact that these women are the best of the
women of this Ummah. What harm does it do to the Mother of the
Believers 'kishah if she is the third of the women of this Ummah in