During Ramadan, my bedside novel happened to be Mother of the Believers by Kamran Pasha. It’s a work of fiction about the youngest and most beloved wife of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Pasha has brought to life the story of A’isha, one of Islam’s most controversial and enigmatic characters. Only the right amount of poetic license, coupled with a lot of accuracy and consistency, can make historical fiction a success, as Mother of the Believers is.
It is important to note that Muslims and non-Muslims alike dispute everything about A’isha: her age, her actions and even her intentions. I can only imagine the daunting task of putting together a story about her without offending anyone and yet remaining true to her legacy. Some have criticized Pasha for abiding too much by the book, especially with regard to A’isha’s age at the time of her marriage to the Prophet, which he depicted as the traditionally held nine years. In the preface of the novel, Pasha defends his position—one that I agree with—at length: we must face controversial issues within the Muslim community by creating dialogue about them. This is what will create real change about the image of Islam.
The book is a staggering 527 pages, and holds detailed insight into early Islamic life from the eyes of A’isha as an old woman. I particularly enjoyed the first person narrative. That Pasha gave A’isha her own voice is so refreshing in a world where the Muslim women is always spoken about, spoken to, and seldom heard. I am not sure if Pasha intended this, but by allowing A’isha to tell her own story, he has created a powerful image of an independent, fiery and outspoken woman. I also feel he has honored the memory of A’isha by doing so (sentimental that I am).
Something else I must bring up is Pasha’s apparent maleness in the face of A’isha’s obvious femininity. I am awe-struck that a man could write so sensitively and in depth about a woman, from her perspective. Nowhere in the book did I feel any projection from a male perspective of how a woman “should” feel or behave. Throughout the book, Pasha remained consistent in giving voice to A’isha’s story from her own perspective, even if a fictional one. Even though he let A’isha take over, Pasha’s love and reverence for her and the Prophet shines through.
This is not to suggest that Pasha paints an overly rosy picture of early Islam. He deals with issues in this novel that scholars and historians have grappled with for centuries, such as the strained relationships between A’isha and the Prophet’s family, the accusation of adultery made against her, her role in the Battle of the Camel, the bloody and tragic events at Karbala, and the power politics amongst members of the Prophet’s community. Pasha manages to confront all these issues, with both the objectivity necessary and the poetic license in order.
It is worth noting how other women in the book, from early Islam, are depicted. Pasha gives them life too, through A’isha’s eyes. A’isha is known in the traditions to have been a fiercely jealous woman, and her relationships with the Prophet’s other wives, even with the “memory” of the deceased Khadija, are known to have been strained. Yet Pasha does not turn A’isha into a crazed, possessive wife.
Another sore point in A’isha’s life is her inability to conceive. Pasha lets her speak of her own anguish at witnessing her husband with other women, her own pain at being barren, without suggesting that barrenness or jealousy make a women any less worthy. A’isha spent the most part of her life as a widow, in fact her story only really begins after the death of her husband, when she takes up her role as scholar, preacher and advisor. Pasha rations the story accordingly, without focusing too much on her marriage, but on her independence, her own worth separate from her husband, father and other male figures.
Pasha even managed to maneuver sexuality its own place in the novel. The book maintains both the Prophetic example of openness and transparency about taboo subjects, as well as the Islamic principle of modesty. This is certainly not one of those historical fiction novels filled with sexual encounters at the turn of every page, but neither is it a trapped within a chastity belt. Pasha presents sex in a healthy way, associated with love, marriage and fidelity. Pasha speaks of nothing the Prophet and A’isha themselves did not speak about in the Hadith.
As a Muslim woman, I am immensely proud of this novel. It is a pioneer in that practically non-existent genre of Islamic fiction (fiction written within the framework of Islamic ethics and principles). I am also greatly moved that a Muslim man could write with such depth about such a complex female character as A’isha.
As I progressed through this novel, I cried with A’isha and laughed with her. The point of Mother of the Believers is that if flawed, passionate, complex people like the founders of Islam could find spiritual enlightenment, maybe we can too. So poignant was Pasha’s writing (and being the romantic that I am) that I enjoyed every page. The heart of this novel and the center of Islamic history itself, after all, is a love story—between the Prophet and his wives.
Tags: A'isha, Islam, Kamran Pasha, Mother of the Believers, Prophet Mohammad's wives
Wonderful review, Masha’Allah
I was wondering whether to try this out, I almost bought it over the weekend but I was worried it would just tick me off…thanks for the review! I will have to buy it now!
I really want to read this! Thanks for the review.
I’m currently reading this book, I absolutely love it! I agree with you, Pasha does a wonderful job in writing this book. Especially, the fact that he beautifully weaves the history of (the early stages) Islam and the lives of the believers (through A’isha eyes).
A must read for all! :)
Thanks for the great review. I think I’d like to read the book; sounds very interesting.
Just one thing – why would Pasha think Aisha was ‘barren’? I know that most scholars, writers and even ordinary Muslims think that way but the Prophet had several wives after Khadija and yet none of them ever got pregnant while being married to him although some of them had children from previous marriages (except for Maria, I should add). Safia didn’t have children, neither did Rehana and some other wives so why do we think Aisha was ‘barren’? Just a thought I have always had.
Thank you.
I’ve seen this book, but I didn’t pick it up because I was afraid it might be another Jewel of Medina. So glad to see it’s not. I love historical fiction, so I am going to pick this up.
I think the whole question of Islamic fiction v. fiction about Muslim characters is a fascinating one. Personally I think we need more or both, but they’re not the same thing.
I think this is a great post, and I enjoyed the book overall. But I have one criticism: I felt the book concentrated heavily on her life with the prophet, and then quickly wrapped things up with her after his death. Despite Pasha giving A’isha her own voice, I felt that he didn’t fully give us her entire life. The book kind of glossed over all the major and minor events that happened to A’isha after the Prophet’s death, and I was disappointed about that. It wasn’t so much a book about A’isha, but a book about A’isha’s life with the Prophet.
Awesome review, Safiyyah
Can’t wait to read this book!
A’isha is indeed a role model and every Muslim woman and girl should read this book.
Another well written novel about Sitna A’isha is ‘The Jewel of Medina’ by Sherry Jones. A bit romanticized, yet beautifully written – a love story, a history lesson, and a coming-of-age tale. The sequel to ‘Jewel’ just came out a couple of months ago: ‘Sword of Medina’. But I have to check out ‘Mother of the Believers’ now!
[...] Muslimah Media Watch » Pasha’s Perfection: Mother of the Believers. [...]
Of the few qualms I have with this book, the main one would be the way the writer constantly equated Whiteness with beauty. Throughout most of the book, almost everyone described as beautiful is given physical characteristics associated with Whiteness. He often talks about the various characters’ fair skin, light eyes, and light hair color. When describing the few African or darker-skinned characters in the novel there are no such statements made. Only descriptions of their dark skin and maybe their strength. That certainly gave me pause.
Nonetheless, I completed the novel and I am happy I did. What I enjoyed most was that he was able to help me- the 2009 reader- understand the social & political context in which Aisha (r.a.), the Prophet (s.a.w.) and all the companions (r.a.) lived in. I really felt them as human beings rather than as the mystical, untouchable figures they are often portrayed as. It was a worthy read.
out of curiosity… did they wear face coverings?
@ Pearl: We reviewed The Jewel of Medina here.
Assalamu alaikum. I am the author of “Mother of the Believers” and I wanted to thank sister Safiyyah for her very kind and gracious review of my novel. Of the many reviews I have read over the past several months, this one in particular captures the essence of what I was trying to accomplish with the book. I hope that the novel will serve to enlighten a new generation about the wonders that can be found in Islamic history, and that readers will be inspired to learn more about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his wives, family and companions (may God be pleased with them all).
I would like to take a moment to respond to a few of the points raised in the comments here:
Suroor — I think there is a misunderstanding about the reviewer’s use of the word “barren.” I point out in my novel the historical fact that neither Aisha (ra) nor any of the other consorts of the Prophet (pbuh) — except Khadija (ra) and Mariya the Copt (ra) — had children by him. I do not claim in my novel that Aisha (ra) was infertile, and illustrate her frustrations around being a young woman who failed to conceive a child, despite apparent health and fertility. The reality is that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was an incredibly busy man and spent only one night with each of his wives in turn. The odds of conception were low under such circumstances, and it does not reflect on the health or fertility of either the Prophet (pbuh) or his wives that nearly all of his marriages were childless.
Fatemeh — I understand your frustration that the final section of the novel, set after the Prophet’s death, is not longer. The original manuscript for the book was 200 pages longer, but much of that material had to be cut as my publisher felt a 750-page novel would frighten away readers! I encourage other Muslim authors to write their own books and fill in the aspects of Aisha’s life that I was unable to include in the final version.
Jamerican Muslimah — your critique of my use of “white” as associated with beauty is understandable. However, the language I used was meant to be true to the cultural attitudes of Arabs of that time. Despite Islam being a color blind religion, many Muslims have been guilty over the generations of making this linkage. The hadith literature describes Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as fair-skinned, and such descriptions were used by poets at that time to delineate beauty. In a desert world where the poorest worked under the hot sun and the wealthy and powerful were able to afford leisure in the shade, skin tone differences denoted social status, upon which arbitrary notions of beauty were projected. This is still unfortunately true throughout the world among many Muslims and non-Muslims. My intention in using such descriptions was to be authentic to the perspectives (and prejudices) of the people of the time, without making any endorsement of such attitudes.
I hope that people will read the book for themselves and come to their own conclusions. Please feel free to email me through my website at http://www.kamranpasha.com to share your perspectives.
@ suroor – im not sure why he depicted A’isha as barren, but I think he sends an important message out, that even though she did not have any children with the prophet (saw), she was still cherished and valued, especially in a land/culture where not having children is a huge issue, and since he’s telling the story from her eyes, he would focus on her, not the others
@Fatemeh – i didnt think he glossed over events, he gave us all the info that there is on her, to do more would have been making things up, and like I said in the review, she was widowed so young that her story really only begins after the Prophet’s death, which I feel Pasha did justice too. Ofcourse her time with the Prophet is as important, as it is the basis of her later life.
Oooh I have to get ahold of this book Insha’Allah! Thanks for the review!
@Kamran – thanks for reading this review!
i can understand why there would be confusion with the word “barren”, and I should have rather said, her difficulty to conceive.
Based on this review, I simply can’t wait to read it!
Thank you so much Kamran for taking out time to respond to our comments. That is indeed very kind of you and I agree with your explanation. Thank you again.
I can’t wait to read the book now :)
[...] 15, 2009 by Achelois I haven’t read the book yet but here is a wonderful review by Safiyyah of ‘Mothers of the Believers’ written by Kamran [...]
My copy just came in the mail today, and i’m already at chapter 19. It’s such a fantastic read and i must’ve cried at least 3 times so far haha.
Thank you for this review, i’m so glad such a book was written.
Great Review Mashaa Allah!
You made me so eager to read the book!
[...] Safiyyah writes an insightful and eloquent review of the book at Muslimah Media Watch, where Kamran Pasha himself kindly addressed some of the questions posed by commentators about the book. [...]
Bought this book a few weeks ago, reading it as we speak :)