Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 15295

Sayyidah Aishah Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: I went to Umm Mistah and then went out with her beyond the settlement to relieve myself. At some point on the way, Umm Mistah's foot came down on a bone or perhaps a thorn, and she said: "May Mistah be ruined!" I said: "You have said something very bad; you are reviling one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah." That woman said: "I bear witness that you are one of the unaware believing women. Do you know what has spread about you?" I said: "By Allah! No." She asked: "When did you last meet the Messenger of Allah?" I said: "The Messenger of Allah conducts himself with his wives as he likes, and adopts whatever course he wishes." Umm Mistah said: "Such and such has spread about you." At that I fell down and fainting came over me. When my mother, Sayyidah Umm Ruman (may Allah be pleased with her), learned of my condition, that Aishah had learned what the situation was, she came to me, mounted me, and took me with her to her house. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also learned that Aishah had come to know of it, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her); he came to her and sat down beside her. He said: "O Aishah! Allah Almighty has made ample room for repentance." At that my condition became even worse. While things were like this, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came. He came in and said: "O Messenger of Allah! What are you waiting for with her? She has betrayed you and brought disgrace upon me." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: At that my distress increased further. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a message to summon Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "O Ali! What is your opinion about Aishah?" He said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tell me what your opinion is about Aishah." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Allah Almighty has granted latitude with regard to women; however, ask her servant Barirah; perhaps she knows something about her affair." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) summoned Barirah, and she came. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Do you bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah?" She replied: "Yes." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If I ask you about something, you must not hide it from me." She said: "O Messenger of Allah! Whatever you ask me about, I will tell you, and, if Allah wills, I will not hide anything from you." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You stay with Aishah; have you seen anything from her that displeases you?" She said: "No, by the One who sent you with prophethood! Since I have been with her I have not seen any such thing from her, except for one thing." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "What is it?" Barirah said: "I had kneaded some dough. I said to Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): 'Keep an eye on the dough; I will fetch fire and bake bread.' She stood up to pray and became unmindful of the dough, and a goat came and ate the dough." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for Sayyiduna Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "O Usamah! What is your opinion about Aishah?" He said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You must tell me your opinion about her." He said: "My view is that you should remain silent about her until Allah Almighty reveals some ruling to you concerning her." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: After only a short while, revelation began to descend. When revelation descended upon him, it could be discerned from the face of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then he said: "Aishah, glad tidings for you! Glad tidings for you, O Aishah! Allah Almighty has revealed your vindication." I said: "For this I will not praise you, nor will I praise your companion." The narrator says: It was then that Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) spoke.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir with similar wording; its chain contains a narrator, Khusayf, whom a group declared trustworthy while others declared him weak. The rest of its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.