accompaniment, wheat the foremost of staple foods, and their combination tharīd, then tharīd is the finest of foods.

It has also been authentically reported through more than one route from the truthful one whose truthfulness is confirmed that he said:

“Aisha’s superiority over other women is like the superiority of tharīd over all other foods.”

It is recorded in the Sahih from Amr ibn al-Ās—may Allah be pleased with him—who said:

“I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, which person (1) is dearest to you?’

He replied, ‘Aisha.’

I asked: (2) ‘Among men?’

He replied, ‘Her father.’

I asked, ‘Then whom?’

He replied, ‘Umar,’ and went on to name several men.” (3)

These scholars say that his statement concerning Khadijah, “Allah did not replace her for me with anyone better than her” (4)—if authentic—means: “[Allah did not] (5) replace her for me with anyone who was better (6) for me than she was.” This was because (7) Khadijah supported him at the beginning of Islam in a manner in which no one else could have taken her place. In this respect, therefore, she was better for him, for she supported him when he was in need. Aisha, (8) however, accompanied him during the latter part of his prophethood, when the religion had attained perfection. She consequently acquired knowledge and faith that were not acquired by those who experienced only