Politics Gender and the Islamic Past Author:D. A. Spellberg, D.A. Spellberg Examines the life of 'A'isha bint Abi Bakr, Muhammad's most beloved and controversial wife, and a central figure in Islamic cultural history. Instead of employing the traditional chronological technique of the biographer, however, Spellberg uses 'A'isha as a lens through which to examine the place of women in Islamic societies.