The Exegetical Traditions of cĀcisha: Notes on their Impact and Significance*

Abstract

This article examines six exegetical traditions from Bukhārī's Ṣaḥīḥ traced back to cĀↄisha bint Abī Bakr (d. 58/678), in an effort to contribute to the discussion of the many complex questions surrounding the exegetical material attributed to her found in medieval ḥadīth collections and Qur'an commentaries. Three of the exegetical traditions studied relate to aspects of Hajj, and three discuss theological questions. These traditions portray cĀↄisha's interpretive activity in three main ways: as a transmitter and ‘active interlocutor’ of Muhammad's words, as an exegete, and as a participant in the early Muslim community's exegetical debates. Some of these traditions are also striking in the way in which they place cĀↄisha's own interpretive voice at the forefront of the text. It is demonstrated that, for Bukhārī at least, transmission of exegetical material is not necessarily a passive role, and it is suggested that he depicts cĀↄisha as an exegetical authority in her own right. Moreover, it is argued that the medieval Sunnī Qur'an commentators surveyed in this article generally recognise traditions credited to her as authoritative, although the degree to which they do so may vary for a number of reasons.