Student Excerpts: Aisha and the Melancholic Temperament

I really enjoyed Huda's application of the temperaments to different people in Islamic history. Here is her description of Aisha as a person of the melancholic temperament:

‘Aisha (ؓ) was one of the seven who narrated more than a thousand hadiths; she was also one of the seven most prolific in giving legal opinions. In both sets she is the only female, which is a remarkable feat; she was revered by women and men alike. She is known for her deep love for the Prophet (ﷺ); she would sometimes get angered out of love for the Prophet (ﷺ). ‘Aisha had heard news of the Prophet marrying a new wife by the name of Saffiya, she was of Jewish heritage. ‘Aisha went to the wedding and remained veiled, the Prophet noticed her. When the Prophet saw ‘Aisha he asked her what she thought of Saffiya, she answered “she is the same as any other Jewess.” The Prophet (ﷺ) was always patient with ‘Aisha and his other wives, he understood their temperaments and knew how to handle each one. Every one of his wives thought she was the most beloved to him, it was only when he fell ill at the end of his life that his request to stay at ‘Aisha’s house let them know that ‘Aisha was the most beloved to him (although he loved them all very dearly).