Fourteenth Century
Scholar

Quest for Knowledge. 'Aish'a bint Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Hadi was born in Damascus in the early fourteenth century to a family of the intellectual elite. Her education began as early as age four, when she was brought before al-Hajjar, a well-known transmitter of hadiths, from whom she heard two hadith collections. Her education continued under several scholars, most of whom were friends of her father. Focusing on the study of hadiths and the biography of the Prophet Muhammad, she acquired ijazahs from prominent scholars of Aleppo, Hama, Nablus, and Hebron. Scholars do not know if she traveled to all these cities as part of her knowledge quest or took advantage of their temporary presence in Damascus.

Teacher. Eventually visits to 'Aish'a became a popular part of the learning tours of male scholars, who listed her as their teacher in...