Personalities from Islam’s first centuries who may be cited as examples to explain the concept of Islamic hadiths, and the growth of the Hajj, the world’s largest pilgrimage. Sites highlight women’s roles in the formation of Islam and as patrons supporting religious, trade and educational institutions.
1) Aisha - Youngest Wife of the Prophet Muhammad Short Biography of Aisha Bint Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq.
2) Aisha for All Seasons Article showing how Aisha has become a controversial figure. To medieval Sunni scholars, she was an ideal of submissive womanhood. To non-Muslims, a child bride. To feminist Muslims, a scholar and political leader. To Shiites, a betrayer of the prophet's legacy.
3) Battle of the Camel Full description of the event and Aisha’s role in the split between Shia and Sunni forms of Islam.
4) Who Was Queen Zubayda? Short paragraph description of the wife of the Abbasid caliph, Harun al-Rashid. Known for her sharp intellect and a patron of writers and poets, she understood the need to ease the journey for pilgrims traveling the long journey to make the hajj.
5) Zubaida the Great Philanthropist A more detailed chatty biography emphasizing her pilgrim routes.
6) Canal of Zubaida Photos and descriptions of Zubaida’s now dry canal built for the Hajj pilgrims.
