المعجم الكبير للطبراني
Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir (Tabarani)
مسند النساء
The Female Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)
قصة الإفك، وما أنزل الله من براءتها
The story of the slander (al-ifk), and what Allah revealed declaring her innocence
Toggle above to switch between keyword search and direct hadith lookup
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدَّبَرِيُّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَعَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنْ حَدِيثِ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، قَالَ: فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ، وَكُلُّهُمْ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا، وَبَعْضُهُمْ كَانَ أَرْعَى لِحَدِيثِهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَأَثْبَتَ اقْتِصَاصًا، وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ عَنْ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمُ الْحَدِيثَ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي، وَبَعْضُ حَدِيثِهِمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضًا، ذَكَرُوا أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ - زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَى سَفَرٍ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ، فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَعَهُ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَأَقْرَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا، فَخَرَجَ فِيهَا سَهْمِي، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَمَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيْنَا الْحِجَابَ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي وَأُنْزَلُ مِنْهُ، فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَفَلَ وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنُوا بِالرَّحِيلِ فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى الرَّحْلِ فَلَمَسْتُ نَحْرِي فَإِذَا عِقْدِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَرَجَعْتُ فَالْتَمَسْتُ عِقْدِي فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ، وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرْحَلُونَ بِي، فَحَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي فَرَفَعُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ، وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنَّنِي فِيهِ، قَالَتْ: وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يُهَبِّلْهُنَّ وَلَمْ يَغْشَهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ، إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلْنَ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ ثِقَلَ الْهَوْدَجِ حِينَ رَفَعُوهُ وَرَحَّلُوهُ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ، فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا بِهِ، وَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ، فَجِئْتُ مَنَازِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ بِهَا دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ فَتَأَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ، وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ الْقَوْمَ سَيَفْقِدُونِي وَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ قَدْ عَرَّسَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ فَأَدْلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ، فَأَتَانِي فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي، وَقَدْ كَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ أَنْ يُضْرِبَ عَلَيَّ الْحِجَابُ، فَمَا اسْتَيْقَظْتُ إِلَّا بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ عَرَفَنِي، فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي بِجِلْبَابِي، وَوَاللهِ مَا كَلَّمَنِي كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حَتَّى أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَوَطَّأَ عَلَى يَدِهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِيَ الرَّاحِلَةَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا مُوغِرِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ فِي شَأْنِي، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولٍ، فَقَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ، وَاشْتَكَيْتُ حِينَ قَدِمْتُهَا شَهْرًا وَالنَّاسُ يَخُوضُونَ فِي قَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ يَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي أَنْ أَعْرِفَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ حِينَ أَشْتَكِي، إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، فَذَلِكَ يَرِيبُنِي وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِالشَّرِّ، حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ بَعْدَمَا نَقَهْتُ، وَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ أُمِّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ، وَهُوَ مُتَبَرَّزُنَا، لَا نَخْرُجُ إِلَّا مِنْ لَيْلٍ إِلَى لَيْلٍ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُتَّخَذَ الْكُنُفُ قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ فِي التَّبَرُّزِ، وَكُنَّا نَتَأَذَّى بِالْكُنُفِ أَنْ نَتَّخِذَهَا عِنْدَ بُيُوتِنَا، فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ، وَهِيَ بِنْتُ أَبِي رُهْمِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، وَأُمُّهَا بِنْتُ صَخْرِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، خَالَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ، وَابْنُهَا مِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ بْنِ عَبَّادِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَنَا وَبِنْتُ أَبِي رُهْمٍ قِبَلَ بَيْتِي حِينَ فَرَغْنَا مِنْ شَأْنِنَا، فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ تَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، فَقَالَتْ: أَيْ هَنْتَاهُ، أَوَ لَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ؟، قُلْتُ: وَمَاذَا قَالَ؟، قَالَتْ: فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا إِلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، قُلْتُ لَهُ: أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ آتِيَ أَبَوَيَّ؟، قَالَتْ: وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَتَيَقَّنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، فَأَذِنَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَجِئْتُ فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: يَا أُمَّهُ مَا تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ؟، فَقَالَتْ: أَيْ بُنَيَّةَ هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكِ فَوَاللهِ لَقَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ قَطُّ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا وَلَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، فَقُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ أَوَقَدْ تَحَدِّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا؟، قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ، قَالَتْ: فَمَكَثْتُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا اكْتَحَلُ بِنَوْمٍ، ثُمَّ أَصْبَحْتُ أَبْكِي، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْيُ يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، قَالَتْ: فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ، وَبِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ فِي نَفْسِهِ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْوُدِّ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ هُمْ أَهْلُكَ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَقَالَ: لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ، قَالَتْ: فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ: «أَيْ بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ يَرِيبُكِ مِنْ أَمْرِ عَائِشَةَ؟» ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ بَرِيرَةُ: وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ إِنْ رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا أَمْرًا قَطُّ أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ تَنَامُ عَنْ عَجِينِ أَهْلِهَا، فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ، قَالَتْ: فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، قَالَتْ: فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ: «يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي، فَوَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ فَقَالَ: لَقَدْ أَعْذَرَكَ اللهُ مِنْهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا أَمْرَكَ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَهُوَ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ، وَكَانَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنْ حَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَنَقْتُلَنَّهُ، فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، قَالَتْ: فَثَارَ الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا أَنْ يَقْتَتِلُوا وَرَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَائِمٌ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ، فَمَكَثْتُ يَوْمِي لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ وَأَبَوَايَ يَبْكِيَانِ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، قَالَتْ: فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي اسْتَأْذَنَتْ عَلَيَّ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي، فَبَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ، قَالَتْ: وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ فِيَّ مَا قِيلَ، وَلَقَدْ لَبِثَ شَهْرًا لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَأْنِي شَيْءٌ، قَالَتْ: فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ جَلَسَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ فَإِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنْبٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ» فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ عَنِّي رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيمَا قَالَ، فَقَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَتْ: فَقُلْتُ وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، لَا أَقْرَأُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ كَثِيرًا: إِنِّي وَاللهِ قَدْ عَرَفْتُ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ بِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمْ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي بِذَلِكَ، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفْتُ لَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُونَنِي، وَاللهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا كَمَا قَالَ أَبُو يُوسُفَ {فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ} [يوسف: ١٨] الْآيَةَ، قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ فَاضْطَجَعْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي، وَأَنَا وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي حِينَئِذٍ بَرِيئَةٌ، وَأَنَّ اللهَ مُبَرِّئِي بِبَرَاءَتِي، وَلَكِنْ وَاللهِ مَا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيٌ يُتْلَى، وَلَشَأْنِي كَانَ أَحْقَرَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ اللهُ فِيَّ بِأَمْرٍ يُتْلَى، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي اللهُ بِهَا، قَالَتْ: فَوَاللهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَجْلِسَهُ وَلَا خَرَجَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ أَحَدٌ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ، فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ عِنْدَ الْوَحْيِ، حَتَّى أَنَّهُ يَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّاتِي مِنْ ثِقَلِ الْوَحْيِ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا سُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا أَنْ قَالَ: «أَبْشِرِي يَا عَائِشَةُ أَمَا وَاللهِ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ اللهُ» ، فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي: قَوْمِي إِلَيْهِ، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَتْ: فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ} عَشْرَ آيَاتٍ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذِهِ الْآيَاتَ بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَتْ: فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ لِقَرَابَتِهِ وَفَقْرِهِ: وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا بَعْدَ الَّذِي قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ} الْآيَةَ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: وَاللهِ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ النَّفَقَةَ الَّتِي كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: وَاللهِ لَا أَنْزِعُهَا مِنْهُ أَبَدًا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَأَلَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ - زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: «مَا عَلِمْتِ وَمَا رَأَيْتِ؟» ، قَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِالْوَرَعِ، وَطَفِقَتْ أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ تُحَارِبُ لَهَا فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ. قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: فَهَذَا مَا انْتَهَى إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَمْرِ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ
Al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Sa'id bin al-Musayyab, Urwah bin al-Zubayr, Alqamah bin Waqqas and Ubaydullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah bin Mas'ud (may Allah have mercy on them) narrated to me the hadith of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the honoured wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), about the time when the people of the slander said about her what they said, and then Allah declared her innocent of it. Each of them narrated to me a part of this hadith, and some of them remembered the incident better than others and were firmer in relating it. I have preserved in my mind the hadith that each one of them narrated to me, and some of their narrations confirm others. They related that Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to set out on a journey, he would cast lots among his wives, and whichever of them drew the lot, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would take her with him. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cast lots among us for a military expedition that he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook, and my lot came out. So I set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) after the command of the veil (hijab) had been revealed; I would be carried in my howdah and set down in it. We travelled on until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished that expedition and set off back, and we drew near Madinah, the departure was announced one night. When the departure was announced, I got up and walked until I had gone beyond the army. When I had finished my need and came back towards my mount, I felt my throat, and found that my necklace of Zafar beads had broken and fallen. So I went back and searched for my necklace, and searching for it held me back. Meanwhile, the people who used to place me on my mount came, lifted my howdah and placed it on the camel I used to ride, thinking that I was in it. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: In those days women were light; they did not grow fat or put on flesh, for they ate only a little food. So the people did not notice any difference in the weight of the howdah when they lifted it and saddled it, and I was a young girl. They drove the camel on and set off with it. I found my necklace after the army had moved on, and I came to their camp, but there was neither anyone calling nor anyone answering. So I went to the place where I had been before, thinking that the people would soon miss me and come back for me. While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept until morning. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami, then al-Dhakwani, had stayed behind the army; then, travelling in the last part of the night, he reached my place in the morning, and he saw the dark shape of a sleeping person. He came to me and recognised me as soon as he saw me, for he had seen me before the command of the veil was revealed. I woke from my sleep only at the sound of his saying 'Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un' (We belong to Allah and to Him we return), when he recognised me. So I covered my face with my outer sheet, and by Allah, he did not say a single word to me other than his istirja', until he made his mount kneel and put his foot on its foreleg, and I mounted it. Then he set off leading the mount, until we reached the army, when they had halted in the intense heat of midday. So whoever was to be ruined was ruined in my affair, and the one who took the greatest part in this slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Then we reached Madinah, and after arriving there I was ill for a month. During this time people were busy with the talk of the slanderers, and I knew nothing of it, though in my illness it troubled me that I did not feel from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness I used to see during my illnesses. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would just come in and say: "How is she?" This troubled me, but I did not sense the evil, until I went out after recovering, and I went with Umm Mistah towards al-Manasi', which was our place for relieving ourselves. We would only go out at night. This was before toilets were built near our houses, and our practice was like that of the early Arabs; we disliked building toilets near our houses. Umm Mistah and I set out. She was the daughter of Abu Ruhm bin al-Muttalib bin Abd Manaf, and her mother was the daughter of Sakhr bin Amir, the maternal aunt of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), and her son was Mistah bin Uthathah bin Abbad bin al-Muttalib. When the two of us had finished our need and were walking towards my house, Umm Mistah stumbled in her wrap and said: "May Mistah perish!" I said to her: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who was present at Badr?" She said: "O simple one! Have you not heard what he said?" I said: "What did he say?" So she told me what the slanderers were saying, and my illness increased on top of my illness. When I returned to my house, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me, greeted me with salam, and then said: "How is she?" I said: "Will you permit me to go to my parents?" (At that time I wanted to confirm the news from them.) The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me permission. I came to my mother and asked: "Mother, what are people talking about?" She said: "My daughter, take it lightly. By Allah, it rarely happens that a beautiful woman is with a husband who loves her, and she has co-wives, without their talking much about her." I said: "Subhan Allah! Are people really talking about this?" She said: "Yes." So I wept that night until morning; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me, and in the morning too I was weeping. Then, when the revelation was delayed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) to consult them about separating from his wife. Usamah advised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) according to what he knew in his heart of the innocence of his (peace and blessings be upon him) family and of his love for them, and he said: "O Messenger of Allah, they are your family, and we know nothing about them but good." And Ali bin Abi Talib said: "Allah has not placed any restriction on you; there are many women besides her, and if you ask the slave girl, she will tell you the truth." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah and said: "O Barirah, have you seen anything about Aishah that would cause you doubt?" Barirah said: "By the One who sent you with the truth, I have never seen anything in her for which I would blame her, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep, leaving her family's dough, and the household goat comes and eats it." Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and sought (people's) support against Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said on the pulpit: "O Muslims, who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm has reached my family? By Allah, I have known nothing about my family but good, and about the man they have mentioned I also know nothing but good, and he never entered my house except with me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has excused you regarding him. If he is from al-Aws, I will strike his neck, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you command us and we will carry it out." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah stood up; he was then the chief of al-Khazraj and a righteous man, but tribal zeal overcame him, and he said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor are you able to." At this, Usayd bin Hudayr, who was the cousin of Sa'd bin Mu'adh, stood up and said to Sa'd bin Ubadah: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite arguing on behalf of the hypocrites." At this, both tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, became enraged, until they were about to fight, while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was standing on the pulpit. He (peace and blessings be upon him) kept calming them until they all fell silent, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) too fell silent. I wept that day; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me, and my parents were also weeping, until I thought that this weeping would split my liver. While my parents were sitting with me and I was weeping, a woman of the Ansar asked permission to come in. I gave her permission, and she too sat weeping with me. Meanwhile the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in, greeted us with salam and sat down. He (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since this thing had been said about me, and a month had passed without any revelation coming to him (peace and blessings be upon him) about my affair. As soon as he sat down, he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited the tashahhud and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, such and such has reached me about you. If you are innocent, Allah will surely declare your innocence; and if you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him, for when a servant confesses a sin and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I could not feel a single drop. I said to my father: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on my behalf regarding what he has said." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." So I, though I was a young girl who had not read much of the Qur'an, said: "By Allah, I have come to know that you people have heard this thing until it has settled in your hearts and you have believed it. If I tell you that I am innocent of it, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you will not believe me; and if I confess to you some sin, though Allah knows that I am innocent of it, you will believe me. By Allah, I find no example for me and for you except what the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: 'So patience is most fitting' (Yusuf: 18)." Then I turned over and lay down on my bed, and Allah is witness that at that time I was certain that I was innocent and that Allah would surely make my innocence known. But by Allah, I did not think that any revelation would be sent down about me that would be recited; I considered myself too insignificant for Allah to say anything about me that would be read. Rather, I hoped that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would see a dream through which Allah would make my innocence known. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet risen from his place, nor had anyone left the house, when Allah sent down revelation upon His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The state that used to come over him at the time of revelation came over him, until drops of sweat like pearls began to fall from him (peace and blessings be upon him) even on a winter day, because of the weight of the revelation that was sent down upon him (peace and blessings be upon him). When that state passed from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) was laughing, and the first words he (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke were: "Rejoice, O Aishah! By Allah, Allah has declared you innocent." My mother said to me: "Go to him." I said: "By Allah, I will not go to him, nor will I praise anyone but Allah; it is He who has sent down my innocence." So Allah sent down the ten verses beginning "Indeed, those who came with the slander"; Allah sent down these verses about my innocence. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to spend on Mistah because of his kinship and his poverty, said: "By Allah, I will never spend anything on him again after what he said about Aishah." At this Allah revealed the verse: "And let not those of virtue among you swear" to the end of the verse. So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah, I would love for Allah to forgive me." So he resumed the spending on Mistah that he used to make, and said: "By Allah, I will never withhold it from him." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had also asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) about me: "What have you known and what have you seen?" She said: "O Messenger of Allah, I protect my hearing and my sight. By Allah, I have known nothing about her but good." And she was the one among the wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) who used to compete with me, but Allah protected her (from this trial) through her piety. Her sister Hamnah bint Jahsh began to fight on her behalf, and so she too was among those who were ruined in this slander. Al-Zuhri said: This is what has reached us about this group.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، وَأَبُو مُسْلِمٍ الْكَشِّيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ الْمِنْهَالِ، ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ النُّمَيْرِيُّ، ثنا يُونُسُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْأَيْلِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الزُّهْرِيَّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عُرْوَةَ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَسَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعَلْقَمَةَ بْنَ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ حَدِيثِ عَائِشَةَ - زَوْجِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ، قَالَ: وَكُلٌّ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا، وَبَعْضُ حَدِيثِهِمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضًا، وَإِنْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْعَى لَهُ مِنْ بَعْضٍ، زَعَمُوا أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ - زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ، فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا مَعَهُ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا، فَخَرَجَ فِيهَا سَهْمِي، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَمَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ الْحِجَابَ، فَأَنَا أَنْزَلُ وَأُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي، فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ فدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ قَافِلِينَ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنَ بِالرَّحِيلِ لِحَاجَتِي، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى رَحْلِي فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى عِقْدِي نَحْوَ ابْتِغَائِهِ، وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرْحَلُونَ فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ، وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ، وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يُهَبَّلْنَ بِاللَّحْمِ، إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُونَ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَلَمْ يُنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ خِفَّةَ الْهَوْدَجِ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ، فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا، وَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ، فَجِئْتُ مَنَازِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ بِهَا دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ، فَتَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ، وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونَنِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ، فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ فَأَدْلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ، فَأَتَانِي فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي، وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ، فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ عَرَفَنِي، فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي بِجِلْبَابِي، فَمَا كَلَّمَنِي كَلِمَةً وَلَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حَتَّى أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ، فَوَطِئَ عَلَى يَدِهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا، فَانْطَلَقَ بِي يَقُودُ الرَّاحِلَةَ، حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَ الْإِفْكِ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فَاشْتَكَيْتُ حِينَ قَدِمْتُ شَهْرًا، وَالنَّاسُ يُفِيضُونَ فِي قَوْلِ أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ لَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ يَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي أَنِّي لَا أَعْرِفُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ حِينَ أَشْتَكِي، إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، ثُمَّ يَنْصَرِفُ، فَذَلِكَ يَرِيبُنِي وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِالشَّرِّ، حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ بَعْدَمَا أَفَقْتُ وَخَرَجَتْ مَعِي أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ وَهُوَ مُتَبَرَّزُنَا، وَكُنَّا لَا نَخْرُجُ إِلَّا لَيْلًا إِلَى لَيْلٍ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُتَّخَذَ الْكُنُفُ قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ فِي التَّبَرُّزِ قِبَلَ الْغَائِطِ، وَكُنَّا نَتَأَذَّى بِالْكُنُفِ أَنْ نَتَّخِذَهَا عِنْدَ بُيُوتِنَا، فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ، وَهِيَ بِنْتُ أَبِي رُهْمِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، وَأُمُّهَا بِنْتُ صَخْرِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، جَدَّةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ، وَابْنُهَا مِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ بَيْتِي حِينَ فَرَغْنَا مِنْ شَأْنِنَا، فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ تَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، قَالَتْ: يَا هَنْتَاهُ أَوَ لَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ؟، قُلْتُ: وَمَا قَالَ؟، قَالَتْ: فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، قَالَتْ : فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا إِلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا إِلَى بَيْتِي دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَسَلَّمَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، قُلْتُ لَهُ: أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ آتِيَ أَبَوَيَّ، وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، قَالَتْ: فَأَذِنَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَجِئْتُ أَبَوَيَّ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: يَا أُمَّتَاهُ مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ؟، فَقَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكِ فَوَاللهِ لَقَلَّمَا كَانَتْ قَطُّ امْرَأَةٌ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ مَنْ يُحِبُّهَا لَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، قَالَتْ: فَقُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَلَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا، فَمَكَثْتُ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ أَصْبَحْتُ أَبْكِي، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ حِينَ اسْتَرَاثَ الْوَحْيَ فَشَاوَرَهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، قَالَتْ: فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ، وَبِالَّذِيِ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ فِي نَفْسِهِ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْوُدِّ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَهْلُكَ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْخَادِمَ تَصْدُقْكَ، قَالَتْ: فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهَا: «أَيْ بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ يَرِيبُكِ؟» ، قَالَتْ بَرِيرَةُ: وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا أَمْرًا أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ تَنَامُ عَنْ عَجِينِ أَهْلِهَا فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ: «يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي؟، فَوَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْ أَهْلِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» قَالَتْ: فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا أَمْرَكَ، قَالَتْ: فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَهُوَ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ يَوْمَئِذٍ، وَكَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنْ حَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ واللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ وَاللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، قَالَتْ: فَتَثَاوَرَ الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا أَنْ يَقْتَتِلُوا وَرَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ، قَالَتْ: فَمَكَثْتُ يَوْمِي ذَلِكَ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، قَالَتْ: فَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَايَ عِنْدِي وَقَدْ بَكَيْتُ لَيْلَتِي لَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ وَلَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ، يَظُنَّانِ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي فَاسْتَأْذَنَتْ عَلَيَّ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي، قَالَتْ: فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَجَلَسَ، قَالَتْ: وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ لِي مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا، وَلَقَدْ لَبِثَ شَهْرًا لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَيْءٍ، قَالَتْ: فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ جَلَسَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنَبِهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ» ، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيمَا قَالَ: قَالَتْ: فَقَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيمَا قَالَ، فَقَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، قَالَتْ: فَقُلْتُ وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ لَا أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ: إِنِّي وَاللهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمْ بِهِ فَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي بِذَلِكَ، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفْتُ لَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنَّنِي، وَإِنِّي وَاللهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا، إِلَّا أَبَا يُوسُفَ، قَالَ: {فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ} [يوسف: ١٨] الْآيَةَ، قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ فَاضْطَجَعْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي، قَالَتْ: وَأَنَا وَاللهِ حِينَئِذٍ أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَأَنَّ اللهَ سَيُبَرِّئُنِي بِبَرَاءَتِي، وَلَكِنْ وَاللهِ مَا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ اللهَ يُنْزِلُ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيًا يُتْلَى، وَلَشَأْنِي فِي نَفْسِي كَانَ أَحْقَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ اللهُ فِيَّ بِأَمْرٍ يُتْلَى، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي اللهُ بِهَا، قَالَتْ: فَوَاللهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَلَا خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّاتِي مِنْ ثِقَلِ الْقُرْآنِ الَّذِي يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْهِ، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا سُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا: «أَمَّا اللهُ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ» ، فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي: قُومِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ، وَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ} ، - الْعَشْرَ الْآيَاتِ كُلَّهَا -، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ لِقَرَابَتِهِ مِنْهُ وَفَقْرِهِ: وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا بَعْدَ الَّذِي قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ وَاللهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} الْآيَةَ، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: بَلَى وَاللهِ إِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ النَّفَقَةَ الَّتِي كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: وَاللهِ لَا أَنْزِعُهَا عَنْهُ أَبَدًا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَسْأَلُ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ - زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، عَنْ أَمْرِي فَقَالَ: «يَا زَيْنَبُ مَاذَا عَلِمْتِ أَوْ رَأَيْتِ؟» قَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، قَالَتْ: وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِالْوَرَعِ، قَالَتْ: وَطَفِقَتْ أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ تُحَارِبُ لَهَا فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ. قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: فَهَذَا مَا انْتَهَى إِلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ عَائِشَةَ
Yunus bin Yazid al-Ayli (may Allah have mercy on him) said: I heard al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) say: I heard Urwah bin al-Zubayr, Sa'id bin al-Musayyab, Alqamah bin Waqqas and Ubaydullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah (may Allah have mercy on them) narrate the hadith of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the honoured wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), about the time when the people of the slander said about her what they said, and then Allah declared her innocent of it. Al-Zuhri said: Each of them narrated to me the part of this hadith that he narrated from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and some of their narrations confirm others, though some of them remembered it better than others. They related that Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to set out on a journey, he would cast lots among his wives, and whichever of them drew the lot, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would take her with him. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cast lots among us for a military expedition that he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook, and my lot came out. So I set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) after the command of the veil (hijab) had been revealed; I would be carried in my howdah and set down in it. We travelled on until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished that expedition and set off back, and we drew near Madinah, the departure was announced one night. When the departure was announced, I got up for my need. When I had finished my need and came back towards my mount, I saw that my necklace of Zafar beads had broken and fallen. So I went back to search for my necklace. Meanwhile, the people who used to place me on my mount came, lifted my howdah and placed it on the camel I used to ride, thinking that I was in it. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: In those days women were light; they did not grow fat or put on flesh, for they ate only a little food. So the people did not find the lightness of the howdah strange, and I was a young girl. They drove the camel on and set off with it. I found my necklace after the army had moved on, and I came to their camp, but there was neither anyone calling nor anyone answering. So I went to the place where I had been before, thinking that the people would soon miss me and come back for me. While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami, then al-Dhakwani, had stayed behind the army; then, travelling in the last part of the night, he reached my place in the morning, and he saw the dark shape of a sleeping person. He came to me and recognised me as soon as he saw me, for he had seen me before the command of the veil was revealed. I woke from my sleep only at the sound of his saying 'Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un' (We belong to Allah and to Him we return), when he recognised me. So I covered my face with my outer sheet. Then he did not say a single word to me other than his istirja', nor did I hear any word from him, until he made his mount kneel and put his foot on its foreleg, and I mounted it. Then he set off leading the mount, until we reached the army after they had halted. So whoever was to be ruined was ruined, and the one who took the greatest part in this slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Then we reached Madinah, and after arriving there I was ill for a month. During this time people were busy with the talk of the slanderers, and I knew nothing of it. In my illness it troubled me that I did not feel from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness I used to see during my illnesses. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would only come in and say: "How is she?" and then leave. This troubled me, but I did not sense the evil, until I went out after recovering, and Umm Mistah went with me towards al-Manasi', which was our place for relieving ourselves. We would only go out at night. This was before toilets were built near our houses, and in going out to relieve ourselves our practice was like that of the early Arabs; we found it troublesome to build toilets near our houses. So Umm Mistah and I set out. Umm Mistah was the daughter of Abu Ruhm bin al-Muttalib bin Abd Manaf, and her mother was the daughter of Sakhr bin Amir, the grandmother of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), and her son was Mistah bin Uthathah bin al-Muttalib. When the two of us had finished our need and were walking towards my house, Umm Mistah stumbled in her wrap and said: "May Mistah perish!" I said to her: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who was present at Badr?" She said: "O simple one! Have you not heard what he said?" I said: "What did he say?" So she told me what the slanderers were saying, and my illness increased on top of my illness. When we returned to my house, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me, greeted me with salam, and then said: "How is she?" I said: "Will you permit me to go to my parents?" (At that time I wanted to confirm the news from them.) The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me permission. I came to my parents and asked my mother: "Mother, what are people talking about?" She said: "My daughter, take it lightly. By Allah, it rarely happens that a beautiful woman is with someone who loves her, and she has co-wives, without their talking much about her." I said: "Subhan Allah! Are people really talking about this?" So I wept that night until morning; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me, and in the morning too I was weeping. Then, when the revelation was delayed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) to consult them about separating from his wife. Usamah advised according to what he knew in his heart of the innocence of his (peace and blessings be upon him) family and of his love for them, and he said: "O Messenger of Allah, they are your family, and we know nothing about them but good." And Ali said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has not placed any restriction on you; there are many women besides her, and ask the servant girl, she will tell you the truth." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah and said: "O Barirah, have you seen anything that would cause you doubt?" Barirah said: "By the One who sent you with the truth, I have not seen anything in her for which I would blame her, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep, leaving her family's dough, and the household goat comes and eats it." Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up that same day and sought (people's) support against Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, and he said on the pulpit: "O Muslims, who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm has reached my family? By Allah, I have known nothing about my family but good, and about the man they have mentioned I also know nothing but good, and he never entered my house except with me." Sa'd bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will excuse you regarding him. If he is from al-Aws, I will strike his neck, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you command us and we will carry it out." Sa'd bin Ubadah stood up; he was then the chief of al-Khazraj, and before that he had been a righteous man, but tribal zeal overcame him, and he said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor are you able to." Usayd bin Hudayr, the cousin of Sa'd bin Mu'adh, stood up and said to Sa'd bin Ubadah: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite arguing on behalf of the hypocrites." At this, al-Aws and al-Khazraj became enraged, until they were about to fight, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kept calming them until they all fell silent, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) too fell silent. I wept that day; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. In the morning my parents were with me, and I had wept the whole night; no sleep had come to me and my tears had not stopped, and they thought that the weeping would split my liver. Meanwhile a woman of the Ansar asked permission; I gave it, and she too sat down weeping. Meanwhile the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in and sat down. He (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since this thing had been said, and a month had passed without any revelation coming down. He (peace and blessings be upon him) recited the tashahhud and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, such and such has reached me about you. If you are innocent, Allah will surely declare your innocence; and if a sin has been committed, then seek forgiveness and repent, for when a servant confesses and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance." When he (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I could not feel a single drop. I said to my father: "Answer what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has said." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." Then I said to my mother: "Answer what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has said." She said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." So I, a young girl who had not read much of the Qur'an, said: "By Allah, I know that you have heard this thing, and it has settled in your hearts and you have believed it. If I say that I am innocent, you will not believe me; and if I confess, though Allah knows that I am innocent, you will believe me. By Allah, my example and yours is the same as what the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: 'So patience is most fitting, and it is Allah whose help is sought' (Yusuf: 18)." Then I turned over and lay down, and I was certain that I was innocent and that Allah would surely make it known. But I did not think that any revelation would be sent down about me that would be recited; I considered myself too insignificant for that. Rather, I hoped that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would see a dream through which Allah would make my innocence known. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet risen from his place, nor had any of the household gone out, when Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, sent down revelation upon him (peace and blessings be upon him). The state that used to come over him at the time of revelation came over him (peace and blessings be upon him), and drops of sweat like pearls began to fall even on a winter day, because of the weight of the Qur'an that was being sent down upon him (peace and blessings be upon him). When that state passed, he (peace and blessings be upon him) was smiling, and the first words he said were: "Allah has declared you innocent." My mother said: "Go to him." I said: "By Allah, I will not go, nor will I praise anyone but Allah." And Allah, exalted be His mention, sent down all ten verses beginning "Indeed, those who came with the slander". When Allah sent this down about my innocence, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to spend on Mistah bin Uthathah because of his kinship with him and his poverty, said: "By Allah, I will not spend anything on Mistah after what he said about Aishah." So Allah revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear that they will not give to their relatives, the poor and those who emigrated in the cause of Allah; let them pardon and overlook. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful." So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes indeed, by Allah, I would love for Allah to forgive me." So he resumed the spending on Mistah that he used to make, and said: "By Allah, I will never withhold it from him." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asking Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), about my affair, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Zaynab, what have you known or what have you seen?" She said: "O Messenger of Allah, I protect my hearing and my sight. By Allah, I have known nothing but good." She was the one who used to compete with me, but Allah protected her through her piety. Her sister Hamnah began to fight on her behalf, and so she too was among those of the people of the slander who were ruined. Al-Zuhri said: This is what has reached us about this group from the hadith of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يَزِيدَ يُوسُفُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْقَرَاطِيسِيُّ، ثنا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْأَزْرَقُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا فُلَيْحُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَسَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، كُلُّهُمْ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا، وَبَعْضُهُمْ أَوْعَى مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَأَثْبَتُ اقْتِصَاصًا، وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ عَنْ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمُ الْحَدِيثَ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي، وَبَعْضُ حَدِيثِهِمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضًا، زَعَمُوا أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ - زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ، فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا مَعَهُ، قَالَتْ: فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزَاةٍ غَزَاهَا فَخَرَجَ سَهْمِي، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ بَعْدَمَا أُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجٍ وَأُنْزَلُ فِيهِ، حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ وَقَفَلَ وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنُوا بِالرَّحِيلِ فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى الرَّحْلِ، فَالْتَمَسْتُ صَدْرِي فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ فَرَجَعْتُ فَالْتَمَسْتُ عِقْدِي، فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ، فَأَقْبَلَ الَّذِينَ يَرْحَلُونَ بِي، فَحَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُهُ وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ، وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يَثْقُلْنَ وَلَمْ يَغْشَهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ وَإِنَّمَا يَأْكُلْنَ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَاحْتَمَلُوهُ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ، فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا، فَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ، فَجِئْتُ مَنْزِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ أَحَدٌ، فَأَمَمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ، فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنَايَ، فَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ، فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ، فَأَتَانِي، وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ، فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ، فَوَطِئَ يَدَهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِيَ الرَّاحِلَةَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا مُعَرِّسِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَ الْإِفْكِ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولٍ، فَقَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَاشْتَكَيْتُ بِهَا شَهْرًا وَالنَّاسُ يُفِيضُونَ فِي قَوْلِ أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ لَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَيَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي أَنِّي لَا أَعْرِفُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَاهُ مِنْهُ حِينَ أَمْرَضُ، إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ فَيُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، فَذَلِكَ يَرِيبُنِي فَلَا أَشْعُرُ حَتَّى نَقَهْتُ، فَخَرَجْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ إِلَى قِبَلِ الْمَنَاصِعِ مُتَبَرَّزِنَا لَا نَخْرُجُ إِلَّا مِنْ لَيْلٍ إِلَى لَيْلٍ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُتَّخَذَ الْكُنُفُ قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ فِي الْبَرِيَّةِ أَوْ فِي التَّبَرُّزِ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ بِنْتِ أَبِي رُهْمٍ نَمْشِي، فَعَثَرَتْ فِي مِرْطِهَا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ أَتَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، فَقَالَتْ: يَا هَنْتَاهُ أَلَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالُوا؟، قُلْتُ: وَمَا قَالُوا؟، فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا إِلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي وَدَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، فَقُلْتُ: ائْذَنْ لِي أَنْ آتِيَ أَبَوَيَّ، قَالَتْ: وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، قَالَتْ: فَأَذِنَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَتَيْتُ أَبَوَيَّ فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ بِهِ النَّاسُ؟ قَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَى نَفْسِكِ الشَّأْنَ، فَوَاللهِ لَقَلَّمَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ قَطُّ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا، وَلَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، فَقُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا؟، قَالَتْ: فَبِتُّ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْيُ يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، قَالَتْ: فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ، وَبِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ فِي نَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْوُدِّ لَهُمْ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ: أَهْلُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَسَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ، قَالَتْ: فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهَا: «هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا يَرِيبُكِ؟» ، فَقَالَتْ بَرِيرَةُ: لَا، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْهَا أَمْرًا أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، تَنَامُ عَنِ الْعَجِينِ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَ الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلَهُ، قَالَتْ: فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيِّ بْنِ سَلُولٍ، قَالَتْ: فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : «مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِي فَوَاللهِ - قَالَهَا ثَلَاثًا - مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» ، قَالَتْ: فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا وَاللهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْنَا عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا أَمْرَكَ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ، وَكَانَ سَيِّدَ الْخَزْرَجِ، وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنَّهُ احْتَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَقَالَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، فَثَارَ الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا، وَرَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَائِمٌ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، فَنَزَلَ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ، وَبَكَيْتُ يَوْمِي لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، وَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدِي أَبَوَايَ وَقَدْ بَكَيْتُ يَوْمِي وَلَيْلَتِي حَتَّى أَظُنُّ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ عَيْنِي، قَالَتْ: فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي، إِذِ اسْتَأْذَنَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا، فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَجَلَسَ، وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا، وَقَدْ مَكَثَ شَهْرًا لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَأْنِي، فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنْبٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ» فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ عَنِّي رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيمَا قَالَ، قَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: فَقَالَتْ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَقُلْتُ وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ لَا أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ: وَاللهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ مَا تُحُدِّثَ بِهِ وَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَصَدَّقْتُمْ بِهِ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونَنِي بِذَلِكَ، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفْتُ لَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنَّنِي، وَاللهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا أَبَا يُوسُفَ إِذْ قَالَ: {صَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ} [يوسف: ١٨] الْآيَةَ، قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي وَأَنَا أَرْجُو أَنْ يُبَرِّئَنِيَ اللهُ بِبَرَاءَتِي، وَلَكِنْ وَاللهِ مَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيٌ يُتْلَى، وَلَأَنَا أَحْقَرُ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ أَنْ يُتَكَلَّمَ بِالْقُرْآنِ فِي أَمْرِي، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رُؤْيَا تُبَرِّئُنِي، قَالَتْ: فَوَاللهِ مَا رَامَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ وَلَا خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ فِي يَوْمٍ شَاتٍ، قَالَتْ: فَسُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا أَنْ قَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ احْمَدِي اللهَ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ اللهُ» ، فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي: قُومِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ، وَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ} الْآيَاتِ كُلَّهَا، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ: - وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ لِقَرَابَتِهِ مِنْهُ: وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا بَعْدَمَا قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ -، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ} إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: بَلَى إِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ الَّذِي كَانَ يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ، قَالَتْ: وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَأَلَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ عَنْ أَمْرِي فَقَالَ: «يَا زَيْنَبُ مَا عَلِمْتِ وَمَا رَأَيْتِ؟» ، فَقَالَتْ: أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي، وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا خَيْرًا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي، فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِالْوَرَعِ .
Al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates from Urwah bin al-Zubayr, Sa'id bin al-Musayyab, Alqamah bin Waqqas and Ubaydullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah (may Allah have mercy on them) the hadith of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the honoured wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Each of them narrated to me a part of this hadith, and some of them remembered it better than others and were firmer in relating it. I have preserved the hadith that each one of them narrated to me, and their narrations confirm one another. They related that Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to go on a journey, he would cast lots among his wives, and whichever of them drew the lot, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would take her with him. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) cast lots among us for a military expedition, and my lot came out. So I set out with him (peace and blessings be upon him) after the command of the veil (hijab) had been revealed; I would be carried in my howdah and set down in it. Until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished that expedition and we drew near Madinah, the departure was announced one night. When the departure was announced, I got up and walked until I had gone beyond the army. When I had finished my need and came back towards my mount, I felt my chest, and found that my necklace of Zafar beads had broken and fallen. So I went back and searched for my necklace, and searching for it held me back. Meanwhile, the people who used to place me on my mount came, lifted my howdah and placed it on the camel I used to ride, thinking that I was in it. In those days women were light; they did not grow fat or put on flesh, for they ate only a little food, so they lifted the howdah. And I was a young girl. So they drove the camel on and set off with it. I found my necklace after the army had moved on, and I came to their camp, but there was no one there. So I went straight to the place where I had been before and stayed there, thinking that they would miss me and come back. While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami, then al-Dhakwani, was behind the army. He reached my place in the morning and saw the dark shape of a sleeping person. He came to me, and he used to see me before the command of the veil was revealed. When he made his mount kneel, I woke at his saying 'Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un' (We belong to Allah and to Him we return). He put his foot on the mount's foreleg and I mounted it. Then he set off leading the mount, until we reached the army after they had halted in the intense heat of midday. So whoever was to be ruined was ruined, and the one who took the greatest part in this slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Then I reached Madinah and was ill there for a month, while people were busy with the talk of the slanderers, and I knew nothing of it. However, in my illness it troubled me that I did not feel from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness I used to see from him (peace and blessings be upon him) when I was ill. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would only come in, greet me with salam, and then say: "How is she?" This troubled me, but I had no sense (of the real matter), until I recovered. Then Umm Mistah and I went out towards al-Manasi', which was our place for relieving ourselves. We would only go out at night, and this was before toilets were built near our houses, and in the open country, or in relieving ourselves, our practice was like that of the early Arabs. Then Umm Mistah bint Abi Ruhm and I were walking (back) when she tripped in her wrap and stumbled, and she said: "May Mistah perish!" I said to her: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who was present at Badr?" She said: "O simple one! Have you not heard what people have said?" I said: "What have they said?" So she told me what the slanderers were saying, and my illness increased on top of my illness. When I returned to my house and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and said: "How is she?" I said: "Permit me to go to my parents." She said: At that time I wanted to confirm the news from them. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me permission, so I came to my parents and said to my mother: "What are people talking about?" She said: "My daughter, take this matter lightly. By Allah, it has rarely happened that a beautiful woman is with a man who loves her, and she has co-wives, without their talking much about her." I said: "Subhan Allah! Are people talking about this?" She said: Then I spent that night in such a way that until morning my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. Then, when the revelation was delayed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both); he (peace and blessings be upon him) was consulting them about separating from his wife. She said: As for Usamah, he advised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) according to what he knew of the innocence of his (peace and blessings be upon him) family and the love for them in his heart, and Usamah said: "O Messenger of Allah, she is your wife, and we know nothing but good." As for Ali, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has not restricted you; there are many women besides her, and ask the slave girl, she will tell you the truth." She said: So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah and said to her: "Have you seen anything in her that would cause you doubt?" Barirah said: "No, by the One who sent you with the truth, I have not seen anything in her for which I would blame her, more than that she is a young girl who falls asleep, neglecting the dough, until the household goat comes and eats it." She said: So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up that same day and sought (people's) support against Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm has reached me concerning my family? By Allah" (he (peace and blessings be upon him) said this three times) "I have known nothing about my family but good, and they have mentioned a man about whom I have also known nothing but good, and he only used to come to my family with me." She said: At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I will take redress for you from him. If he is from al-Aws, we will strike his neck, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you command us and we will carry out your command." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up; he was the chief of al-Khazraj, and before that he had been a righteous man, but (tribal) zeal provoked him, and he said: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor are you able to." At this, Usayd bin Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite arguing on behalf of the hypocrites." So both tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, flared up until they were intent (on fighting), while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was standing on the pulpit. He (peace and blessings be upon him) came down and kept calming them until they fell silent, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) too fell silent. And I wept that day; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. In the morning my parents were with me, and I had wept for a day and a night, until I thought that the weeping would split my eye. She said: The two of them were sitting with me and I was weeping when a woman of the Ansar asked permission. I gave her permission, and she sat down and began weeping with me. We were in this state when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in and sat down. He (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since this thing had been said, and a month had passed without any revelation coming to him (peace and blessings be upon him) about my affair. He (peace and blessings be upon him) recited the tashahhud and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, such and such has reached me about you. If you are innocent, Allah will surely declare you innocent; and if you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him, for when a servant confesses a sin and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I could not feel a single drop. I said to my father: "Answer on my behalf what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has said." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." Then I said it to my mother, and she said the same. So I, while I was a young girl and did not read much of the Qur'an, said: "By Allah, I have come to know that you people have heard what is being said, and it has settled in your hearts and you have believed it. If I say that I am innocent, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you will not believe me; and if I confess to you something of which Allah knows I am innocent, you will surely believe me. By Allah, I find no example for me and for you except the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him), when he said: 'Beautiful patience (is best)' (Yusuf: 18)." She said: Then I turned over on my bed, and I hoped that Allah would declare me innocent because of my innocence. But by Allah, I did not think that any revelation would be sent down about my affair that would be recited; in my own eyes I was far too insignificant for the Qur'an to speak about my affair. Rather, I hoped that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would see a dream that would declare me innocent. She said: By Allah, he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet moved from his place, nor had anyone left the house, when revelation came down upon him (peace and blessings be upon him). The same intense state that used to come over him (at the time of revelation) came over him, until sweat like pearls began to drip from him (peace and blessings be upon him) even on a winter day. She said: Then that state passed from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) was laughing, and the first thing he (peace and blessings be upon him) said was: "O Aishah, praise Allah, for Allah has declared you innocent." My mother said to me: "Get up and go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "By Allah, I will not get up and go to him, nor will I praise anyone but Allah." And Allah sent down all the verses beginning "Indeed, those who came with the slander". When Allah sent this down about my innocence, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to spend on Mistah bin Uthathah because of his kinship with him, said: "By Allah, I will never spend anything on Mistah after what he said about Aishah." So Allah revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue among you swear" to the end of the verse. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes indeed, I certainly would love for Allah to forgive me." So he resumed what he used to give Mistah. She said: And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) about my affair, saying: "O Zaynab, what have you known and what have you seen?" She said: "I protect my hearing and my sight. By Allah, I have known nothing about her but good." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: She was the one who used to compete with me (among the wives), but Allah protected her through her piety.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يَزِيدَ الْقَرَاطِيسِيُّ، ثنا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْأَزْرَقُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا فُلَيْحُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، وَعَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، مِثْلَهُ.
Hisham bin Urwah narrates from his father, from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), a similar hadith of the slander (ifk).
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يَزِيدَ، قَالَ: ثنا حَجَّاجٌ الْأَزْرَقُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ، قَالَا: ثنا فُلَيْحُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، مِثْلَهُ
Rabi'ah bin Abi Abd al-Rahman narrates from al-Qasim bin Muhammad this same hadith of the slander (ifk) in the same way.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ الصَّنْعَانِيُّ، ثنا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ ثَوْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ: وَقَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، وَعُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَدِيٍّ، وَعَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ، يَزِيدُ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا سَافَرَ بِهَا، فَغَزَا غَزْوَةً خَرَجَ فِيهَا سَهْمِي، فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ غَزَاتِهِ وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَخَرَجْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي رَجَعْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِي، فَلَمَسْتُ عِقْدًا لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَرَجَعْتُ وَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ، فَجَاءَ النَّفْرُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرْحَلُونَ بِي هَوْدَجِي فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى جَمَلِي وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ، وَالنِّسَاءُ حِينَئِذٍ خِفَافٌ لَمْ يُهَبَّلْنَ اللَّحْمَ، فَاسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ، وَجِئْتُ مَنَازِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ بِهَا مِنْهُمْ دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ، فَتَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي وَعَلِمْتُ أَنْ سَيَفْقِدُونِي فَيَنْظُرُونِي، فَبَيْنََا & أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ عَرَّسَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ فَتَيَمَّمَنِي، فَلَمَّا رَآنِي اسْتَرْجَعَ، وَقَدْ كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَيَّ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُضْرَبَ عَلَيَّ الْحِجَابُ، فَفَزِعْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي، فَمَا تَكَلَّمَ غَيْرَهَا وَمَا تَكَلَّمَنِي حَتَّى أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ، فَوَطِئَ عَلَى ذِرَاعِهَا فَرَكِبْتُ، فَجِئْنَا الْجَيْشَ نَحْرَ الظَّهِيرَةِ مُغَاوِلِينَ، وَقَدْ هَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ، فَقَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَمَرِضْتُ شَهْرًا لَا أَشْعُرُ بِالَّذِيِ قَالَ أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ، وَأَنَا يَرِيبُنِي مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنِّي لَا أَرَى مِنْهُ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ إِذَا مَرِضْتُ، إِنَّمَا يَقُومُ قَائِمًا فَيَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» حَتَّى إِذَا نَقَهْتُ تَبَرَّزْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ إِلَى الْمَنَاصِعِ وَهُوَ مُتَبَرَّزُنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ إِنَّمَا نَأْكُلُ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَيَتَبَرَّزْنَ لَيْلًا إِلَى لَيْلٍ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا شَأْنَنَا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِي، فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ سَبَبْتِ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا، فَقَالَتْ: أَيْ هَنْتَاهُ أَوَ مَا تَدْرِينَ مَا قَالُوا؟، قُلْتُ: وَمَا قَالُوا؟، فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي الْخَبَرَ فَانْتَظَرْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيَأْتِيَ، فَاسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ إِلَى أَبَوَيَّ فَأَسْتَيْقِنُ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا فَجِئْتُ بَيْتَهُمَا، فَوَجَدْتُ أَبِي يُصَلِّي، قُلْتُ: يَا أُمَّهُ مَا قَالُوا؟، قَالَتْ: أَيْ بُنَيَّةُ إِنَّهُ قَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ حَسْنَاءُ عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا، لَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، قَالَتْ: أَوَ لَقَدْ قَالُوا ذَلِكَ؟، فَانْصَرَفَ أَبِي يُصَلِّي، فَوَاللهِ لَوَدِدْتُ أَنِّي كُنْتُ حَيْضَةً، فَكُنْتُ لَا يَكْتَحِلُ عَيْنِي بِنَوْمٍ وَلَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ، وَعَلَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمِنْبَرَ، فَقَالَ: " مَا بَالُ رِجَالٍ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُمْ فِي أَهْلِي، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا صَالِحًا قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا مَا دَخَلَ عَلَى أَهْلِي قَطُّ إِلَّا وَأَنَا حَاضِرٌ، وَلَا سَافَرْتُ مِنْ سَفَرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا وَإِنَّهُ لَمَعِي، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا لَكَ مِنْهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْنَا عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ بَنِي الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْخَزْرَجِ أَتَيْنَاكَ بِهِ مُوَثَّقًا، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ فَقَالَ: كَذَبْتَ وَاللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ وَلَا تَسْتَطِيعُ قَتْلَهُ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرِ بْنِ سِمَاكٍ، فَقَالَ: كَذَبْتَ وَاللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، فَتَثَاوَرَ الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ، فَنَزَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُسْكِتُهُمْ وَيُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا، قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ: قَالَ مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: مَوْعِدًا لَكُمُ الْحَرَّةُ، فَلَبِسُوا السِّلَاحَ وَخَرَجُوا إِلَيْهَا، فَأَتَاهُمُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ {وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ} [آل عمران: ١٠٣] حَتَّى تَنْقَضِيَ، يُرَدِّدُهَا عَلَيْهِمْ حَتَّى اعْتَنَقَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا وَحَتَّى أَنَّ لَهُمْ لَخِنَانًا، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفُوا قَدِ اصْطَلَحُوا، وَاسْتَلْبَثَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْوَحْيَ، فَدَعَا عَلِيًّا وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، فَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ: لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ وَالنِّسَاءُ كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ - يُرِيدُ بَرِيرَةَ - تَصْدُقْكَ، وَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ بِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ فِي نَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْوَجْدِ بِأَهْلِهِ وَبِمَا يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَتِهِمْ، فَدَعَا بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ: «هَلْ رَأَيْتِ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْجَارِيَةِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ تَغْمِصِينَهُ عَلَيْهَا؟» ، فَقَالَتْ: لَا، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ، إِلَّا أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ تَرْقُدُ حَتَّى تَأْكُلَ الدَّاجِنُ عَجِينَهَا أَوْ خَمِيرَهَا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَمَكَثْتُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَيْلَتَيْنِ لَا تَكْتَحِلُ عَيْنِي بِنَوْمٍ وَلَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ، وَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَايَ عِنْدِي يَظُنَّانِ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، فَاسْتَأْذَنَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا فَجَلَسَتْ، فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَجَلَسَ مِنِّي مَجْلِسًا لَمْ يُجْلِسْهُ مِنِّي مُنْذُ قِيلَ لِي مَا قِيلَ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَتُوبِي مِنْهُ وَاعْتَرِفِي بِهِ، فَإِنَّ الْمَرْءَ إِذَا تَابَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَاعْتَرَفَ بِهِ غُفِرَ لَهُ» ، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، قُلْتُ: يَا أَبَتِ أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَ: مَا أَدْرِي مَا أُجِيبُهُ، قُلْتُ: يَا أُمِّي أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللهِ، قَالَتْ: مَا أَدْرِي مَا أُجِيبُهُ، قَالَتْ: وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ لَا أَقْرَأُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ كَثِيرًا، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ مِنْ هَذَا شَيْئًا اسْتَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ، فَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ أَنَا مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونَنِي، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفَتُ بِذَنْبٍ أَنَا مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُونَنِي، أَلَا فَإِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَأَبِي يُوسُفَ - اخْتُلِسَ مِنِّي اسْمُهُ - {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ} [يوسف: ١٨] ، ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُ وَجْهِي نَحْوَ الْجِدَارِ وَنَفْسِي أَحْقَرُ عِنْدِي مِنْ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ فِيَّ قُرْآنٌ يُتْلَى، وَلَكِنِّي قَدْ رَجَوْتُ أَنْ يُرِيَ اللهُ رَسُولَهُ رُؤْيَا فِي الْمَنَامِ، فَمَا تَفَرَّقَ أَهْلُ الْمَجْلِسِ حَتَّى أَخَذَتْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْبُرَحَاءُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تَأْخُذُهُ عِنْدَ الْوَحْيِ، حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ، فَاسْتَغْشَى ثَوْبَهُ، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: فَجَعَلْتُ أَنْظُرُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ فَأَخْشَى أَنْ يَأْتِيَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَا لَا مَرَدَّ لَهُ، وَأَنْظُرُ إِلَى وَجْهِ عَائِشَةَ فَإِذَا هُوَ مُفِيقٌ، فَيُطْعِمُنِي فِي ذَلِكَ مِنْهَا، فَإِنَّمَا أَنْظُرُ هَهُنَا وَهَهُنَا، فَنَزَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْهُ الثَّوْبَ وَهُوَ يَمْسَحُ جَبْهَتَهُ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: «أَبْشِرِي يَا عَائِشَ، أَمَّا اللهُ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ» ، فَقُلْتُ: بِحَمْدِ اللهِ وَذَمِّكُمْ، فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي: قَوْمِي فَقَبِّلِي رَأْسَ رَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ: لَا وَاللهِ لَا أَفْعَلُ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ، وَكَانَ مِمَّا يَبْغِي عَلَيْهِ أَنْ قَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا أَسْتَحِي مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِيَّةِ أَنْ تَقُولَ لِي مَا قَالَ
Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to go on a journey, he would cast lots among his wives, and whichever of them drew the lot, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would travel with her. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook a military expedition in which my lot came out. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished his expedition and we drew near Madinah, the departure was announced one night, and I went out until I had gone beyond the army. When I had finished my need and came back to my place, I felt for my necklace, which was of Zafar beads, and it had broken. So I went back, and searching for it held me back. Meanwhile, the people who used to lift my howdah came and loaded it onto my camel, thinking that I was in it, and in those days women were light; they did not put on flesh. So the army moved on, and I came to their camp, but there was neither anyone calling nor anyone answering. So I stayed in my same place, and I was sure that they would miss me and come back to look for me. While I was sitting, sleep overcame me. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal (may Allah be pleased with him) had stayed behind the army and was coming along, and he saw the dark shape of a sleeping person and came towards me. As soon as he saw me, he recognised me and recited the istirja', and he had seen me before the command of the veil was revealed. I was startled by his istirja' and covered my face. He said nothing other than that, nor did he speak to me, until he made his mount kneel and put his foot on its foreleg, and I mounted. Then, travelling fast in the intense heat of midday, we reached the army, and whoever was to be ruined had been ruined. Then I reached Madinah and was ill for a month. I knew nothing of what the slanderers were saying, and it troubled me that I was not finding from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness I used to find during illness; he (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand and say: "How is she?" Until, when I recovered, Umm Mistah and I went out to relieve ourselves towards al-Manasi', which was our place for relieving ourselves. Our practice was like that of the early Arabs: we ate only a little food, and the women would go out to relieve themselves only at night. When we had finished our need, I turned back towards my house, and meanwhile Umm Mistah tripped in her wrap and stumbled, and she said: "May Mistah perish!" I said: "What an evil thing you have said! You have reviled a righteous man who was present at Badr!" She said: "O simple one! Do you not know what people have said?" I said: "What have they said?" So she told me the whole news. Then I waited for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to come, and I asked his (peace and blessings be upon him) permission to go to my parents so that I could confirm the news from them. I came to their house and found my father praying. I said: "Mother, what have people said?" She said: "My daughter, it has rarely happened that a beautiful woman is with a man who loves her, and she has co-wives, without their talking much about her." I said: "Have they really said this?" Then my father finished his prayer and turned round. By Allah, I wished that I were a (discarded) menstrual rag. My state was such that no sleep came to my eyes and my tears did not stop. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ascended the pulpit and said: "What is the matter with men whose harm has reached me concerning my family? They have mentioned a righteous man who was present at Badr; he never came to my family except when I was present, and on every journey I made, he was with me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I am at your service against him. If he is from al-Aws, we will strike his neck, and if he is from Banu al-Harith bin al-Khazraj, we will bring him to you bound." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor do you have the power to kill him." Then Usayd bin Hudayr bin Simak (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite arguing on behalf of the hypocrites." So both tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, flared up against each other, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came down (from the pulpit) and kept quietening them and calming them until they fell silent. Ibn Jurayj said: The freed slave of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) related: Some of them said to others: "Our meeting with you will be at al-Harrah." So they put on their weapons and went out there. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to them and kept reciting to them this verse: "And remember the favour of Allah upon you" (Al Imran: 103) to its end, repeating it to them again and again, until they began embracing one another and were choked with sobs. Then they went back, having made peace. When the revelation was delayed for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali and Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them) and consulted them about separating from his wife. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Allah has not restricted you; there are many women, and if you ask the slave girl (he meant Barirah), she will tell you the truth." And Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) advised according to the love he knew in his heart for his (peace and blessings be upon him) family and what he knew of their innocence. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah and said: "Have you seen anything in this girl for which you would blame her?" She said: "No, by the One who sent you with the truth, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep until the household goat eats her kneaded dough or her leaven." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: I remained for two days and two nights in such a state that no sleep came to my eyes and my tears did not stop. In the morning my parents were with me, and they thought that the weeping would split my liver. Then a woman of the Ansar asked permission; I gave her permission and she sat down. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came and sat with me in a way he had not sat since this thing had been said about me. He (peace and blessings be upon him) praised and extolled Allah and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, if you are innocent, Allah will surely declare you innocent; and if you have committed a sin, then repent of it and confess it, for when a person repents of his sin and confesses it, he is forgiven." She said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I could not feel a single drop. I said: "Father, answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." He said: "I do not know what answer to give him (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "Mother, answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She said: "I do not know what answer to give him (peace and blessings be upon him)." She said: And I was a young girl who did not read much of the Qur'an, so I said: "By Allah, you have heard something about this which has settled in your hearts. Now if I say that I am innocent of it, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you will not believe me; and if I confess to a sin of which I am innocent, you will believe me. Listen! My example and yours is like that of the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him) (his name has slipped from my mind), (who said): 'So patience is most fitting, and it is Allah whose help is sought' (Yusuf: 18)." Then I turned my face towards the wall, and in my own eyes I was far too insignificant for Qur'an to be sent down about me that would be recited, but I hoped that Allah would show His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) a dream in his sleep. The people of the gathering had not yet dispersed when the same intense state that used to come over him at the time of revelation came over the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), until sweat like pearls began to drip from him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) covered himself with a cloth. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When I looked at the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I feared that something might come from the heavens that could not be averted; and when I looked at Aishah's face, it was calm, and that gave me hope about her. So I kept looking now here, now there. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) removed the cloth from himself; he (peace and blessings be upon him) was wiping the sweat from his forehead and saying: "Rejoice, O Aish! As for Allah, He has declared you innocent." I said: "With the praise of Allah, and with blame for you." My mother said: "Get up and kiss the head of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "No, by Allah, I will not do it, and I will not praise anyone but Allah." And among the things for which she was criticised was that she said: "By Allah, I do not feel ashamed before that Ansari woman that she should say to me what she said."
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الشَّافِعِيُّ، ثنا أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الشَّافِعِيُّ، عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الزَّنْجِيِّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أَبِي عَتِيقٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ، وَكُلٌّ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، وَبَعْضُ حَدِيثِهِمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضًا، وَإِنْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْعَى لِحَدِيثِهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ، فَذَكَرُوا أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ - زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَى سَفَرٍ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ، فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا مَعَهُ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا فَخَرَجَ فِيهَا سَهْمِي، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَمَا أُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي وَأُنْزَلُ فِيهِ، فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ وَقَفَلَ وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنَ بِالرَّحِيلِ فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي وَأَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى رَحْلِي فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَرَجَعْتُ فِي الْتِمَاسِ عِقْدِي فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ، وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يُرَحِّلُونَنِي، فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ، وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ، وَكُنَّا إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يُهَبِّلْنَا اللَّحْمُ، إِنَّمَا تَأْكُلُ إِحْدَانَا الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ خِفَّةَ الْهَوْدَجِ حِينَ رَفَعُوهُ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ، فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا، وَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ، فَجِئْتُ مَنْزِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ بِهِ دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ، فَتَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ، وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونِي وَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ، فَأَدْلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ، فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي، وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ عَرَفَنِي، فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي بِجِلْبَابِي، فَوَاللهِ مَا كَلَّمَنِي كَلَامًا وَلَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً، حَتَّى أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ، فَوَطِئَ عَلَى يَدِهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا، فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِيَ الرَّاحِلَةَ حَتَّى أَتَى الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا مُوغِرِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَ الْإِثْمِ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ ابن سلول، ففَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فَاشْتَكَيْتُ حِينَ قَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ شَهْرًا، وَالنَّاسُ يُفِيضُونَ فِي قَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ يَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي أَنِّي لَمْ أَعْرِفْ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ حِينَ أَشْتَكِي، إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيَّ فَيَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، ثُمَّ يَنْصَرِفُ، فَذَلِكَ يَرِيبُنِي وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِالشَّرِّ حَتَّى خَرَجْنَا بَعْدَمَا نَقَهْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قَبِلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ، وَهُوَ مُتَبَرَّزُنَا، وَكُنَّا لَا نَخْرُجُ إِلَّا لَيْلًا إِلَى لَيْلٍ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُتَّخَذَ الْكُنُفُ قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ فِي التَّبَرُّزِ قِبَلَ الْغَائِطِ، وَكُنَّا نَتَأَذَّى فِي الْكُنُفِ أَنْ نَتَّخِذَهَا عِنْدَ بُيُوتِنَا، فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ بَيْتِي حِينَ فَرَغْنَا مِنْ شَأْنِنَا، فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسُ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ، أَتَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، قَالَتْ: أَيْ هَنْتَاهُ أَوَ لَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ؟، قُلْتُ: وَمَا قَالَ؟، فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا عَلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي وَدَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، قُلْتُ: أَتَأْذَنُ لِي إِلَى أَبَوَيَّ؟، قَالَتْ: وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، فَأَذِنَ لِي، فَجِئْتُ أُمِّي وَأَبِي، فَقُلْتُ: يَا أُمَّتَاهُ مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ؟، قَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكِ فَوَاللهِ لَقَلَّمَا رَأَيْتُ امْرَأَةً وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا لَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، فَقُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَلَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِذَلِكَ؟، قَالَتْ: فَبَكَيْتُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ، وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ أَصْبَحْتُ أَبْكِي، وَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْيُ يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ، وَالَّذِي فِي نَفْسِهِ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْوُدِّ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَهْلُكَ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهَا: «يَا بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ يَرِيبُكِ؟» ، قَالَتْ بَرِيرَةُ: لَا، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ، إِنْ رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا قَطُّ أَمْرًا أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ تَنَامُ عَنْ عَجِينِ أَهْلِهَا فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ، قَالَتْ: فَقَالَ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ: «يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي، فَوَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا أَمْرَكَ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَهُوَ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ، وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنْ أَخَذْتُهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ، فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، قَالَتْ: فَثَارَ الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا أَنْ يَقْتَتِلُوا وَرَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَائِمٌ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ، قَالَتْ: وَمَكَثْتُ يَوْمِي ذَلِكَ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ، وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، وَأَبَوَاي عِنْدِي، وَقَدْ مَكَثْتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ وَيَوْمًا لَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ وَلَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ ، أَظُنُّ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي اسْتَأْذَنَتْ عَلَيَّ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا فَجَعَلَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي، فَبَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَجَلَسَ، قَالَتْ: وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا، وَلَقَدْ لَبِثَ شَهْرًا لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَأْنِي، قَالَتْ: فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ جَلَسَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ فَإِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ ثُمَّ تُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنْبٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ إِلَى اللهِ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ» ، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا قَضَى مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيمَا قَالَ، قَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللهِ، قَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ لَا أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ: إِنَّكُمْ وَاللهِ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمْ بِهِ، فَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونَنِي بِذَلِكَ، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفَتُ بِأَمْرٍ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنَّنِي، وَاللهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا، إِلَّا أَبَا يُوسُفَ، قَالَ: {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨] ، ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ وَاضْطَجَعْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي، قَالَتْ: وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ، وَأَنَّ اللهَ مُبَرِّئِي بِبَرَاءَتِي، وَلَكِنْ وَاللهِ مَا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُنْزِلُ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيًا يُتْلَى، لَشَأْنِي فِي نَفْسِي كَانَ أَحْقَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ اللهُ فِيَّ بِأَمْرٍ يُتْلَى، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُرِيَ اللهُ رَسُولَهُ فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي بِهَا، قَالَتْ: فَوَاللهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ وَلَا خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّاتِي مِنْ ثِقَلِ الْقُرْآنِ الَّذِي يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا سُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا أَنْ قَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ أَمَّا اللهُ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ» ، فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي: قَوْمِي إِلَيْهِ، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ} - الْعَشْرَ الْآيَاتِ كُلَّهَا -، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: - وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ لِقَرَابَتِهِ مِنْهُ وَفَقْرِهِ: لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا لِلَّذِي قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ -، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ} الْآيَةَ، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: بَلَى وَاللهِ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ بِالنَّفَقَةِ الَّتِي كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: وَاللهِ لَا أَنْزِعُهَا مِنْهُ أَبَدًا، فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَأَلَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ، عَنْ أَمْرِي، فَقَالَ: «يَا زَيْنَبُ مَاذَا عَلِمْتِ أَوْ رَأَيْتِ؟» ، قَالَتْ زَيْنَبُ: أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي، وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِالْوَرَعِ، وَطَفِقَتْ أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ تُحَارِبُ لَهَا، فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ. قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ: فَهَذَا مَا انْتَهَى إِلَيْنَا مِنْ حَدِيثِ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ
Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to set out on a journey, he would cast lots among his pure wives, and whichever of them had her name come out in the lot, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would take her with him. So in a military expedition that he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook, lots were cast among us and my name came out, and after the command of the veil (hijab) had been revealed I set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). I would be placed in the howdah and set down in it. So we travelled on until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished that expedition and set off to return, and we drew near Madinah, the departure was announced one night. When the departure was announced, I got up and walked until I had gone beyond the army, and when I had finished my need and came back towards my howdah, I found that my necklace of Zafar beads had broken and fallen. I went back in search of my necklace, and that search held me back. Meanwhile, the people who used to lift my howdah came, lifted my howdah and loaded it onto the camel I used to ride, thinking that I was riding in it. In those days women were light; they did not become heavy with excess flesh, but ate only a little food. So when the people lifted the howdah, they were not surprised at its lightness, and I was still a young girl. So they drove the camel on and all set off. I found my necklace after the army had moved on, and then I came to their camp, but there was neither anyone calling nor anyone answering. So I went to the place where I had been before, thinking that the people would miss me and come back. While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) had stayed behind the army; he travelled in the last part of the night and reached the vicinity of my place in the morning. He saw the shape of a person sleeping, and he recognised me as soon as he saw me, for he had seen me before the command of the veil was revealed. I woke at the sound of his saying "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we return)", and I covered my face with my outer sheet. By Allah, he did not say a single word to me, nor did I hear any word from him, until he made his mount kneel and put his foot on its foreleg, and I mounted it. Then he set off ahead, leading the mount, until we reached the army, which had halted in the intense heat of midday. On this occasion, whoever of the slanderers was to be ruined was ruined, and the one who bore the greatest burden of this slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Then we reached Madinah, and after reaching Madinah I was ill for a month. People were busy with the talk of the slanderers, but I knew nothing of it. However, it kept troubling me in my illness that I was not finding from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness and attention I usually saw during illness. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would only come in and say: "How is she?" and then leave. This troubled me, but I had no sense of the evil. Until, after recovering, Umm Mistah (may Allah be pleased with her) and I went out towards al-Manasi', which was our place for relieving ourselves. We would only go out at night. This was at the time when toilets were not built near houses, and our practice was like that of the early Arabs, going out into the open to relieve ourselves, and we found it distasteful to build toilets near our houses. When we had finished our need and were walking back towards my house, Umm Mistah tripped in her wrap and stumbled, and she said: "May Mistah perish!" I said: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who took part in the battle of Badr?" She said: "O you! Do you not know what he has said?" I asked: "What has he said?" So she told me what the slanderers were saying, and my illness grew worse. When I returned home, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and said: "How is she?" I said: "Will you permit me to go to my parents?" (At that time I wanted to investigate the matter fully with them.) The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me permission. I came to my parents and asked my mother: "Mother, what are people talking about?" She said: "Daughter, take it lightly. By Allah, it very rarely happens that a beautiful woman is with a husband who loves her, and she also has co-wives, without their talking about her." I said: "Subhan Allah! Have people really said this?" So I wept that night until morning; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. Then morning came, and still I kept weeping. When the revelation was delayed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) to consult them about separating from his wife. Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) advised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in keeping with what he knew of the innocence of his wife and the love for them in his heart, and Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, she is your wife, and we know nothing about her but good." As for Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has not restricted you; there are many women besides her, and if you ask the slave girl, she will tell you the truth." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "O Barirah, have you seen anything in Aishah that seems doubtful to you?" Barirah said: "No, by the One who sent you with the truth, I have not seen anything in her for which I would blame her, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep while kneading her family's dough, and the goat comes and eats it." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up that same day and sought (people's) support against Abdullah bin Ubayy. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said on the pulpit: "O company of Muslims, who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm has reached my family? By Allah, I have known nothing in my family but good, and about the man they have mentioned I have also known nothing but good, and he never came to my family without me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will excuse you regarding him. If he is from al-Aws, I will strike off his head, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you command us and we will act upon it." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up. He was the chief of al-Khazraj, and before that he had been a righteous man, but at that time tribal zeal stirred him up. He said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor do you have the power to kill him." At this, Usayd bin Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the cousin of Sa'd bin Mu'adh, stood up and said to Sa'd bin Ubadah: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite, arguing in support of the hypocrites." So both tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, became enraged, until they were on the verge of fighting each other, while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was standing on the pulpit. He (peace and blessings be upon him) kept calming them until they all fell silent, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) too fell silent. That day I wept the whole day; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. My parents were with me, and I remained for two nights and a day in this state, with no sleep coming and my tears not stopping; I felt that the weeping would split my liver. The two of them were sitting with me and I was weeping when an Ansari woman asked permission to come in. I gave her permission, and she too began weeping with me. We were in this state when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in and sat down, although he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since this thing had been said, and a month had passed without any revelation coming down to him about me. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, he recited the tashahhud and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, such and such has reached me about you. If you are innocent of it, Allah will soon declare you innocent; and if you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him, for when a servant confesses a sin and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I did not feel a single drop of them. I said to my father: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding what he has said." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said to my mother: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She too said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." So I said myself (and I was a young girl who had not read much of the Qur'an): "By Allah, I know that you people have heard this thing until it has become fixed in your hearts and you have believed it. Now if I tell you that I am innocent (and Allah knows that I am innocent), you will not believe me; and if I confess to you some sin (while Allah knows that I am innocent of it), you will believe me. By Allah, I find no example for me and for you except what the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: 'So patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe.'" Then I turned over and lay down on my bed. At that time I was certain that I was innocent and that Allah Almighty would make my innocence known. But by Allah, I did not think that Allah Almighty would send down about me any revelation that would be recited; I considered myself too insignificant for Allah Almighty to say anything about me that would be recited. Rather, I hoped that Allah Almighty would show His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) a vision in a dream through which he would make my innocence known. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet risen from his gathering, nor had any of the household gone out, when Allah Almighty sent down revelation upon him, and the state that used to come over him at the time of revelation came over him (peace and blessings be upon him), until sweat like pearls began to drip from him even on a winter day, because of the weight that the Qur'an bore upon him as it was sent down. Then, when that state passed from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) was laughing, and the first words he (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke were: "O Aishah, Allah has declared you innocent." My mother said: "Get up and go to him." I said: "By Allah, I will not go to him, nor will I praise anyone but Allah." So Allah Almighty sent down these verses: "Indeed, those who brought the slander are a group from among you" (all ten verses). When Allah Almighty sent down these verses about my innocence, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to spend on Mistah because of his kinship and his poverty, said: "By Allah, I will never spend anything on Mistah again, after what he said about Aishah." At this Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear that they will not give to their relatives, the poor and those who emigrated in the cause of Allah; rather, let them pardon and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you?" So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes indeed, by Allah, I do wish that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed for Mistah the spending he used to make on him before, and said: "By Allah, I will never take it away from him now." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) about me; he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Zaynab, what do you know and what have you seen?" Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "I protect my hearing and my sight. By Allah, I have known nothing about her but good." And it was Zaynab who, among the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), used to compete with me, but Allah Almighty protected her (from speaking falsely) because of her piety. Her sister Hamnah, however, began to fight for her sister's sake, and so she too was among those who were ruined because of the slander. Ibn Shihab (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This is the narration that has reached us from these narrators.
حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ الدِّمْيَاطِيُّ، ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَطَاءَ بْنَ أَبِي مُسْلِمٍ الْخُرَاسَانِيَّ، يُحَدِّثُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ. ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ شُعَيْبٍ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ النَّسَائِيُّ، أنا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ رَاهَوَيْهِ، أنا كُلْثُومُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي سِدْرَةَ، ثنا عَطَاءٌ الْخُرَاسَانِيُّ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ. ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ الْحَرْمَلِيُّ الْأَنْطَاكِيُّ، ثنا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ الْحَلَبِيُّ، ثنا كُلْثُومُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي سِدْرَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ الْخُرَاسَانِيِّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَعُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ، وَسَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعَلْقَمَةِ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا خَرَجَ إِلَى سَفَرٍ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا مَعَهُ، قَالَتْ: فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا فَخَرَجَ سَهْمِي، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَذَلِكَ بَعْدَمَا أُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجٍ وَأُنْزَلُ فِيهِ، حَتَّى إِذَا قَفَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَدَنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ آذَنَ بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ أَذِنَ بِالرَّحِيلِ فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ لِقَضَاءِ حَاجَتِي، فَلَمَسْتُ صَدْرِي فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَرَجَعْتُ أَلْتَمِسُهُ، وَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ، وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَحْمِلُونَ هَوْدَجِي فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ، وَكُنَّ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يَهْتَبِلْنَ، وَإِنَّمَا كُنَّ نَأْكُلُ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ ثِقَلَ الْهَوْدَجِ حِينَ رَحَّلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي، فَسَارُوا، فَجِئْتُ الْمَنْزِلَ وَلَيْسَ بِهِ مِنْهُمْ دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ، فَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ، وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَرْجِعُونَ فِي طَلَبِي، قَالَتْ: فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا قَاعِدَةٌ إِذْ غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ فَأَدْلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ فِي الْمَنْزِلِ، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ فَعَرَفَنِي، وَقَدْ كَانَ رَآنِي قَبْلَ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ فَخَمَّرْتُ بِجِلْبَابِي وَجْهِي، وَاللهِ مَا كَلَّمْتُهُ وَلَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حَتَّى أَنَاخَ بَعِيرَهُ فَرَكِبْتُهُ فَأَتَيْنَا النَّاسَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولٍ، قَالَتْ: فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ، فَاشْتَكَيْتُ شَهْرًا لَا أَشْعُرُ بِمَا قَالُوا: وَهُوَ يَرِيبُنِي مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنِّي لَا أَعْرِفُ مِنْهُ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ، إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيَّ فَيَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» وَلَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ قِبَلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ، وَخَرَجَتْ مَعِي أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ، وَكُنَّا لَا نَخْرُجُ إِلَّا لَيْلًا إِلَى لَيْلٍ، وَكُنَّا نَتَأَذَّى بِالْكُنُفِ أَنْ نَتَّخِذَهَا قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ، فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفْنَا عَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا - أَوْ بِمِرْطِهَا -، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ أَتَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، قَالَتْ: فَمَا عَلِمْتِ مَا قَالَ؟ قُلْتُ: وَمَا قَالَ؟ فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، فَزَادَنِي مَرَضًا عَلَى مَا كَانَ بِي، قَالَتْ: وَكَانَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ بِنْتُ صَخْرِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ خَالَةَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ، وَكَانَ ابْنُهَا مِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ بْنِ عَبَّادِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَبَكَيْتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ وَيَوْمًا حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا اسْتَلْبَثَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْوَحْيَ دَعَا أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ وَعَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَهْلُكَ وَمَا عَلِمْنَا إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَالنِّسَاءُ كَثِيرٌ سِوَاهَا، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ: «يَا بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْ عَائِشَةَ شَيْئًا تَكْرَهِينَهُ؟» ، قَالَتْ: لَا، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ، مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْهَا أَمْرًا أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، تَنَامُ عَنْ عَجِينِ أَهْلِهَا فَتَدْخُلُ الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ، قَالَتْ: وَقَدْ كَانَتِ امْرَأَةُ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، قَالَتْ: لِأَبِي أَيُّوبَ أَمَا سَمِعْتَ مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ بِهِ، فَحَدَّثَتْهُ بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، فَقَالَ: سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَنْ نَتَكَلَّمَ بِهَذَا، سُبْحَانَكَ هَذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِي وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا صَالِحًا مَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْنَا عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا فِيهِ أَمْرَكَ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ، وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنِ احْتَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ، فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، فَتَثَاوَرَ الْحَيَّانِ حَتَّى هَمُّوا أَنْ يَقْتَتِلُوا، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى حَجَزَ بَيْنَهُمْ، قَالَتْ: فَدَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَيَّ وَعِنْدِي أَبَوَايَ، وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ دَخَلَتْ عَلَيَّ فَهِيَ تُسَاعِدُنِي، قَالَتْ: فَجَلَسَ، وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ لِي مَا قِيلَ، فَقَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِشَيْءٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ» ، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيمَا قَالَ، فَقَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيمَا قَالَ، قَالَتْ: فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي: وَمَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، قَالَتْ: وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ لَمْ أَكُنْ أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَئِنِ اعْتَرَفَتُ لَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُونَنِي، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونَنِي، وَاللهِ لَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا مَا قَالَ أَبُو يُوسُفَ: {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨] ، قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ، وَلَشَأْنِي كَانَ أَصْغَرَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ فِيَّ قُرْآنٌ، قَالَتْ: وَلَكِنِّي كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُرِيَ اللهُ رَسُولَهُ فِي مَنَامِهِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي فِيهَا، قَالَتْ: فَوَاللهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ مَجْلِسَهُ، وَلَا خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أَخَذَتْهُ الْبُرَحَاءُ، قَالَتْ: وَكَانَ إِذَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْهِ أَخَذَتْهُ الْبُرَحَاءُ حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّاتِي، قَالَتْ: فَسُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا، قَالَ: «أَمَّا اللهُ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ يَا عَائِشَةُ» ، فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي: قُومِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِلَّا اللهَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {وَاللهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ} [النور: ٢١] ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ لِفَاقَتِهِ وَقَرَابَتِهِ، فَلَمَّا تَكَلَّمَ بِمَا تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ قَالَ: وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ} [النور: ٢٢] ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: بَلَى أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ مِثْلَمَا كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ، وَسَأَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ قَالَتْ: وَكَانَتْ هِيَ الَّتِي تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَسَأَلَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِّي، فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِالْوَرَعِ، فَقَالَتْ: أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي مَا رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا شَيْئًا يَرِيبُنِي، وَكَانَتْ أُخْتُ زَيْنَبَ حَمْنَةُ تُحَارِبُنِي فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ
Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out on a journey, he would cast lots among his wives, and whichever of them drew the lot, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would take her with him. She said: So he (peace and blessings be upon him) cast lots among us for a military expedition that he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook, and my lot came out. So I set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and this was after the command of the veil (hijab) had been revealed, so I would be carried in a howdah and set down in it. Until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) returned and drew near Madinah, he announced the departure. When the departure was announced, I got up and walked until I had gone beyond the army to relieve myself. Then I felt my chest and saw that my necklace of Zafar (beads) had broken and fallen, so I went back to search for it, and searching for it held me back. Meanwhile, the people who used to lift my howdah came and fastened it onto my camel, thinking that I was in it. In those days women were light, not heavy-bodied; we ate only a little food, and I was a young girl. So when they fastened the howdah onto my camel, the people did not find its weight strange, and they set off. I came to the camp, but there was neither anyone of them calling nor anyone answering. So I made for the same place where I had been, thinking that they would come back to look for me. She said: I was sitting when sleep overcame me and I slept. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami, then al-Dhakwani, was behind the army; he travelled in the last part of the night and reached that camp in the morning. He saw the dark shape of a sleeping person and recognised me, for he had seen me before the command of the veil was revealed. I woke at his saying 'Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un' (We belong to Allah and to Him we return), and I covered my face with my outer sheet. By Allah, I did not speak to him, nor did I hear any word from him other than his istirja', until he made his camel kneel and I mounted it, and we reached the people in the intense heat of midday. So whoever was to be ruined was ruined, and the one among them who took the greatest part in it (the slander) was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. She said: Then we travelled on until we reached Madinah, and I was ill for a month. I knew nothing of what they were saying, but something about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) troubled me: I was not finding from him (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness I used to see from him (before). He (peace and blessings be upon him) would just come to me and say: "How is she?" and say nothing more than that. Until I went out towards al-Manasi', and Umm Mistah went out with me. We would only go out at night, and we found it troublesome to build toilets near our houses, and our practice was like that of the early Arabs. When we turned back, Umm Mistah tripped in her wrap and stumbled, and she said: "May Mistah perish!" I said to her: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who was present at Badr?" She said: "Do you not know what he has said?" I said: "What has he said?" So she told me what the slanderers were saying, and it added further illness on top of my earlier illness. She said: Umm Mistah, who was the daughter of Sakhr bin Amir, was the maternal aunt of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), and her son was Mistah bin Uthathah bin Abbad bin al-Muttalib bin Abd Manaf. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Then I wept for two nights and a day, until I thought that the weeping would split my liver. She said: When the revelation was delayed for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) called Usamah bin Zayd and Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with them); he (peace and blessings be upon him) was consulting them about separating from his wife. Usamah said: "O Messenger of Allah, she is your wife, and we have known nothing but good." And Ali said: "Allah has not restricted you; there are many women besides her, and if you ask the slave girl, she will tell you the truth." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah and said: "O Barirah, have you seen anything in Aishah that you dislike?" She said: "No, by the One who sent you with the truth, I have not seen anything in her for which I would blame her, more than that she is a young girl who falls asleep, neglecting her family's kneaded dough, and the household goat comes in and eats it." She said: The wife of Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) had said to Abu Ayyub: "Have you not heard what people are talking about?" and she told him what the slanderers were saying. He said: "Glory be to You (O Allah)! It is not fitting for us to speak of this. Glory be to You! This is a tremendous slander." Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and said: "O company of Muslims, who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm has reached me concerning my family? By Allah, I have known nothing about her but good, and they have mentioned a righteous man who only used to come to my family with me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will take redress for you from him. If he is from al-Aws, we will strike his neck, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you command us and we will carry out your command concerning him." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up; before that he had been a righteous man, but (tribal) zeal provoked him, and he said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, you are not able to kill him." At this, Usayd bin Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the cousin of Sa'd bin Mu'adh, stood up and said to Sa'd bin Ubadah: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite arguing on behalf of the hypocrites." So the two tribes flared up against each other until they were intent on fighting, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kept (restraining them) until he came between them. She said: Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me while my parents were with me, and a woman of the Ansar had also come to me and was keeping me company (in weeping). She said: He (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since this thing had been said about me. Then he said: "To proceed: O Aishah, such and such has reached me about you. If you are innocent, Allah will surely declare you innocent; and if something has occurred from you, then seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him." She said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I could not feel a single drop. I said to my father: "Answer what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has said." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." Then I said to my mother: "Answer what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has said." She said: My mother said: "I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She said: And I was a young girl who did not read much of the Qur'an, so I said: "By Allah, if I confess to you something of which Allah knows I am innocent, you will surely believe me; and if I say that I am innocent, you will not believe me. By Allah, I find no example for me and for you except what the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: 'So patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe' (Yusuf: 18)." Then I turned over, and Allah knows that I was innocent, and in my own eyes I was far too small for Qur'an to be sent down about me. She said: But I hoped that Allah would show His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) a dream in his sleep through which He would declare me innocent. She said: By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet moved from his place, nor had any of the household gone out, when the intense state (of revelation) came over him (peace and blessings be upon him). She said: Whenever revelation came down to him (peace and blessings be upon him), this intense state would come over him (peace and blessings be upon him), until sweat like pearls would drip from him (peace and blessings be upon him) even on a winter day. She said: Then, when that state passed from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the first thing he (peace and blessings be upon him) said was: "As for Allah, He has declared you innocent, O Aishah!" My mother said to me: "Get up and go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "By Allah, I will not get up and go to him, and I will not praise anyone but Allah for this." So Allah, exalted be His mention, sent down these verses: "Indeed, those who brought the slander are a group from among you" up to "And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing" (al-Nur: 21). Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to spend on Mistah because of his need and his kinship. When Mistah said what he said, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah, I will never spend anything on him." So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you (swear)" up to "Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?" (al-Nur: 22). So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes indeed, I would love for Allah to forgive me." So he resumed spending on Mistah as before. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her). She said: She was the one among the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who used to compete with me. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked her about me, and Allah protected her through her piety. She said: "I protect my hearing and my sight; I have not seen anything in her that would cause me doubt." And Zaynab's sister Hamnah kept fighting against me, and so she was ruined along with those who were ruined.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو شُعَيْبٍ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْحَرَّانِيُّ، ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الرَّقِّيُّ، ثنا عُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَسَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، كُلُّهُمْ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، فِيمَا قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ مِمَا قَالُوا: قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: فَكُلُّهُمْ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا، وَبَعْضُهُمْ كَانَ أَوْعَى لِحَدِيثِهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَأَثْبَتَ لَهُ اقْتِصَاصًا، وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ عَنْ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمُ الْحَدِيثَ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي عَنْهَا، وَبَعْضُ حَدِيثِهِمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضَهَا، وَإِنْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْعَى لَهُ مِنْ بَعْضٍ، قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَى سَفَرٍ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ، فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَعَهُ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا فَخَرَجَ سَهْمِي، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَمَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ الْحِجَابَ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي وَأُنْزَلُ مَعَهُ، حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ أَرَدْنَا الرَّحِيلَ، فَخَرَجْتُ حِينَ آذَنُونَا بِالرَّحِيلِ فَتَبَرَّزْتُ لِحَاجَتِي حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي رَجَعْتُ إِلَى أَهْلِي فَلَمَسْتُ صَدْرِي، فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ عَلَيَّ مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَخَرَجْتُ فِي الْتِمَاسِهِ، فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ، وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ يَرْحَلُونَ بِي، فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ، وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ لَمْ يُهَبِّلْهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ، إِنَّمَا تَأْكُلُ إِحْدَانَا الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ خِفَّةَ الْهَوْدَجِ حِينَ رَفَعُوهُ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ، فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ، فَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ، فَجِئْتُ مَنَازِلَهُمْ فَلَيْسَ بِهَا مِنْهُمْ دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ، فَتَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ، وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا كَذَلِكَ فِي مَنْزِلِي إِذْ غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ، فَأَدْلَجَ وَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي، وَكَانَ رَآنِي قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ، فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي بِجِلْبَابِي، وَاللهِ مَا كَلَّمَنِي كَلِمَةً وَلَا سَمِعْتُ شَيْئًا مِنْ كَلَامِهِ غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ، وَوَطِئَ عَلَى يَدِهَا ثُمَّ رَكِبْتُهَا، فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِيَ الرَّاحِلَةَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا مُوغِرِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، وَقَدْ هَلَكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ مَنْ هَلَكَ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيِّ بْنِ سَلُولٍ، فَاشْتَكَيْتُ حِينَ قَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ شَهْرًا وَالنَّاسُ يُفِيضُونَ فِي قَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ يَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي أَنِّي لَا أَعْرِفُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَاهُ مِنْهُ حِينَ أَشْتَكِي، إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ فَيَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، ثُمَّ يَنْصَرِفُ، فَذَلِكَ الَّذِي يَرِيبُنِي مِنْهُ وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ بَعْدَمَا نَقَهْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ، وَهِيَ بِنْتُ أَبِي رُهْمِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، وَأُمُّهَا بِنْتُ صَخْرِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، خَالَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ، وَابْنُهَا مِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ حِينَ فَرَغْنَا مِنْ شَأْنِنَا، فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ تَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، قَالَتْ: أَوَلَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ؟، قُلْتُ: وَمَاذَا قَالَ؟، فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا عَلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، قُلْتُ: تَأْذَنُ لِي فَآتِي أَبَوَايَ، وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، قَالَتْ: فَأَذِنَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَتَيْتُ أَبَوَيَّ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: مَاذَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ بِهِ؟، قَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكِ قَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا وَلَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، قُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ، وَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا؟، فَمَكَثْتُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، ثُمَّ أَصْبَحْتُ أَبْكِي، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيًّا وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْيُ يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمَا يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ وَبِالْوُدِّ الَّذِي لَهُمْ فِي نَفْسِهِ، فَقَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : أَهْلُكَ وَمَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، النِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ: «يَا بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ شَيْئًا يَرِيبُكِ؟» ، قَالَتْ: لَا، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ إِنْ رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا شَيْئًا أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ تَنَامُ عَنْ عَجِينِ أَهْلِهَا فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ، فَصَعِدَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ، فَقَالَ: «مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِي، فَوَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَنِنَا مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا بِأَمْرِكَ فِيهِ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَهُوَ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، وَقَدْ كَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنِ اسْتَجْهَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، وَتَثَاوَرَ الْحَيَّانِ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ وَالْخَزْرَجِ حَتَّى هَمُّوا أَنْ يَقْتَتِلُوا، وَالنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُسْكِتُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا، فَمَكَثْتُ يَوْمِي ذَاكَ أَبْكِي لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ، وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، وَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَايَ عِنْدِي يَظُنَّانِ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي إِذِ اسْتَأْذَنَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ عَلَيَّ، فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا، فَجَلَسَتْ مَعِي، فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَجَلَسَ، وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ مُنْذُ قِيلَ مَا قِيلَ، وَقَدْ لَبِثَ شَهْرًا لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ بِشَيْءٍ، فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ جَلَسَ، فَقَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ فَإِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ ثُمَّ تُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ» ، فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، وَأَنَا امْرَأَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ لَمْ أَقْرَأْ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، فَقُلْتُ: إِنِّي وَاللهِ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمْ بِهِ، فَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونَنِي، وَمَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا أَبَا يُوسُفَ {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨] ، ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ فَاضْطَجَعْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي، وَمَا كُنْتُ أَرَى أَنَّ اللهَ يُنْزِلُ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيًا، وَلَشَأْنِي كَانَ أَحْقَرُ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ اللهُ فِيَّ بِأَمْرٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُرِيَ اللهُ نَبِيَّهُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ رُؤْيَا فِي النَّوْمِ يُبَرِّئُنِي اللهُ بِهَا، فَوَاللهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ، وَلَا خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أَخَذَ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ وَهُوَ الْعَرَقُ حِينَ يَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِ الْوَحْيُ، وَكَانَ إِذَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْهِ أَخَذَهُ الْبُرَحَاءُ حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّاتِي مِنْ ثِقَلِ الْقُرْآنِ الَّذِي يُنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِ، قَالَتْ: فَسُرِّيَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا: «أَمَّا أَنْتِ يَا عَائِشَةُ، فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ اللهُ» ، فَقُلْتُ: بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِكُمْ، قَالَتْ أُمِّي: قَوْمِي إِلَيْهِ، قُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ} إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَاتِ الْعَشْرِ كُلِّهَا، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: - وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ لِقَرَابَتِهِ وَفَقْرِهِ -: وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا بَعْدَ الَّذِي قَالَ فِي عَائِشَةَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ} الْآيَةَ كُلَّهَا، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: وَاللهِ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ النَّفَقَةَ الَّتِي يُنْفِقُ، وَقَالَ: لَا أَنْزِعُهَا عَنْكَ أَبَدًا، وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَأَلَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ عَنْ أَمْرِي، فَقَالَتْ: مَا رَأَيْتُ وَلَا عَلِمْتُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِالْوَرَعِ، وَطَفِقَتْ أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ تُحَارِبُ، فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ. قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: فَهَذَا مَا انْتَهَى إِلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ مِنْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ
Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to set out on a journey, he would cast lots among his pure wives, and whichever of them had her name come out in the lot, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would take her with him. So in a military expedition that he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook, lots were cast among us and my name came out, and after the command of the veil (hijab) had been revealed I set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). I would be placed in the howdah and set down in it. So we travelled on until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished that expedition and set off to return, and we drew near Madinah, the departure was announced one night. When the departure was announced, I got up and walked until I had gone beyond the army, and when I had finished my need and came back towards my people, I felt my chest and found that my necklace of Zafar beads had broken and fallen. I went back in search of my necklace, and that search held me back. Meanwhile, the people who used to lift my howdah came, lifted my howdah and loaded it onto the camel I used to ride, thinking that I was riding in it. In those days women were light; they did not become heavy with excess flesh, but ate only a little food. So when the people lifted the howdah, they were not surprised at its lightness, and I was still a young girl. So they drove the camel on and all set off. I found my necklace after the army had moved on, and then I came to their camp, but there was neither anyone calling nor anyone answering. So I went to the place where I had been before, thinking that the people would miss me and come back. While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal (may Allah be pleased with him) had stayed behind the army; he travelled in the last part of the night and reached the vicinity of my place in the morning. He saw the shape of a person, and he recognised me as soon as he saw me, for he had seen me before the command of the veil was revealed. I woke at the sound of his saying "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we return)", and I covered my face with my outer sheet. By Allah, he did not say a single word to me, nor did I hear anything he said, except the istirja' he said while making his mount kneel. He put his foot on its foreleg, and then I mounted it. Then he set off ahead, leading the mount, until we reached the army, which had halted in the intense heat of midday. On this occasion, whoever of the slanderers was to be ruined was ruined, and the one who bore the greatest burden of this slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Then we reached Madinah, and after reaching Madinah I was ill for a month. People were busy with the talk of the slanderers, but I knew nothing of it. However, it kept troubling me in my illness that I was not finding from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness and attention I usually saw during illness. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would only come in and say: "How is she?" and then leave. This troubled me, but I had no sense of the evil. Until, after recovering, Umm Mistah (may Allah be pleased with her) and I went out. (She was the daughter of Abu Ruhm bin al-Muttalib, and her mother was the daughter of Sakhr bin Amir, the maternal aunt of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), and her son was Mistah bin Uthathah.) Then, when we had finished our need and were walking back, Umm Mistah tripped in her wrap and stumbled, and she said: "May Mistah perish!" I said: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who took part in the battle of Badr?" She said: "Have you not heard what he has said?" I asked: "What has he said?" So she told me what the slanderers were saying, and my illness grew worse. When I returned home, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and said: "How is she?" I said: "Will you permit me to go to my parents?" (At that time I wanted to investigate the matter fully with them.) The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me permission. I came to my parents and asked my mother: "Mother, what are people talking about?" She said: "Daughter, take it lightly. By Allah, it very rarely happens that a beautiful woman is with a husband who loves her, and she also has co-wives, without their talking about her." I said: "Subhan Allah! Have people really said this?" So I wept that night until morning; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. Then morning came, and still I kept weeping. When the revelation was delayed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) to consult them about separating from his wife. Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) advised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in keeping with what he knew of the innocence of his wife and the love for them in his heart, and Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, she is your wife, and we know nothing about her but good." As for Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has not restricted you; there are many women besides her, and if you ask the slave girl, she will tell you the truth." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "O Barirah, have you seen anything that seems doubtful to you?" Barirah said: "No, by the One who sent you with the truth, I have not seen anything in her for which I would blame her, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep while kneading her family's dough, and the goat comes and eats it." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ascended the pulpit and sought (people's) support against Abdullah (bin Ubayy). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm has reached my family? By Allah, I have known nothing in my family but good, and about the man they have mentioned I have also known nothing but good, and he never came to my family without me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will excuse you regarding him. If he is from our brothers of al-Aws, I will strike off his head, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you command us and we will act upon it." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up; he was the chief of al-Khazraj. He said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor do you have the power to kill him." Before that he had been a righteous man, but tribal zeal carried him away into rashness. At this, Usayd bin Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the cousin of Sa'd bin Mu'adh, stood up and said to Sa'd bin Ubadah: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite, arguing in support of the hypocrites." So both tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, became enraged, until they were on the verge of fighting each other, while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was on the pulpit. He (peace and blessings be upon him) kept quietening them until they all fell silent. I wept that day; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me, and in the morning my parents were with me, and they thought that the weeping would split my liver. The two of them were sitting with me and I was weeping when an Ansari woman asked permission to come in. I gave her permission, and she sat with me. We were in this state when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in and sat down, although he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since this thing had been said, and a month had passed without any revelation coming down to him. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, he recited the tashahhud and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, such and such has reached me. If you are innocent of it, Allah will soon declare you innocent; and if you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him, for when a servant sins and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I did not feel a single drop of them. I said to my father: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding what he has said." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said to my mother: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She too said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." And I was a young woman who had not read much of the Qur'an, so I said: "By Allah, I know that you people have heard this thing until it has become fixed in your hearts and you have believed it. Now if I tell you that I am innocent (and Allah knows that I am innocent), you will not believe me. And I find no example for me and for you except what the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: 'So patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe.'" Then I turned over and lay down on my bed, and I did not think that Allah Almighty would send down any revelation about me; I considered myself too insignificant for Allah Almighty to say anything about me from the heavens. Rather, I hoped that Allah Almighty would show His Prophet (peace be upon him) a dream in his sleep through which Allah would declare me innocent. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet risen from his gathering, nor had any of the household gone out, when Allah Almighty sent down revelation upon him, and the same intense state that used to come over him at the time of revelation came over him (peace and blessings be upon him), that is, the sweating. Whenever revelation came to him (peace and blessings be upon him), this state would come over him, until sweat like pearls began to drip from him even on a winter day, because of the weight that the Qur'an bore upon him as it was sent down. Then, when that state passed from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) was laughing, and the first words he (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke were: "As for you, O Aishah, Allah has declared you innocent." I said: "With the praise of Allah, not with your praise." My mother said: "Get up and go to him." I said: "By Allah, I will not go to him, nor will I praise anyone but Allah." So Allah Almighty sent down these verses: "Indeed, those who brought the slander" (all ten verses to the end). When Allah Almighty sent down these verses about my innocence, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to spend on Mistah because of his kinship and his poverty, said: "By Allah, I will never spend anything on Mistah again, after what he said about Aishah." At this Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear that they will not give to their relatives, the poor and those who emigrated in the cause of Allah; rather, let them pardon and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you?" So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah, I do wish that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed for Mistah the spending he used to make, and said: "I will never withhold it from you." And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) about my affair, and she said: "I have neither seen nor known anything but good." And it was Zaynab who, among the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), used to compete with me, but Allah Almighty protected her (from speaking falsely) because of her piety. Her sister Hamnah bint Jahsh, however, began to fight (for her sake), and so she too was ruined along with those of the slanderers who were ruined. Al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This is the report from these narrators that has reached us in this hadith.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ جَابِرٍ السَّقَطِيُّ، وَزَكَرِيَّا بْنُ يَحْيَى السَّاجِيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا هَارُونُ بْنُ مُوسَى الْفَرْوِيُّ، ثنا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْفَرْوِيُّ، ثنا مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، وَعُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، جَمِيعًا عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَكُلٌّ قد حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا وَبَعْضُهُمْ كَانَ أَوْعَى لِحَدِيثِهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ، وَأَحْسَنَ اقْتِصَاصًا وَبَعْضُهُمْ يُصَدِّقُ حَدِيثَ بَعْضٍ، قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا مَعَهُ، قَالَتْ: فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزَاةٍ غَزَاهَا فَخَرَجَ سَهْمِي فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ بَعْدَمَا أُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي وَأُنْزَلُ فِيهِ، حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ وَقَفَلَ وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنُوا بِالرَّحِيلِ فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى الرَّحْلِ فَالْتَمَسْتُ صَدْرِي فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَرَجَعْتُ فَالْتَمَسْتُ عِقْدِي فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ فَأَقْبَلَ الَّذِينَ يَرْحَلُونَ بِي فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنَّنِي فِيهِ، وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يَثْقُلْنَ وَلَمْ يُهَبِّلْهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلْنَ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ حِينَ رَفَعُوهُ ثِقَلَ الْهَوْدَجِ فَاحْتَمَلُوهُ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا، وَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ فَجِئْتُ مَنْزِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ، فَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ، فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ قَدْ عَرَّسَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ فَأَدْلَجَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ فَأَتَانِي، وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ نُزُولِ الْحِجَابِ، فَمَا اسْتَيْقَظْتُ إِلَّا بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ رَآنِي، فَوَاللهِ مَا كَلَّمَنِي وَلَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ، ثُمَّ أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَوَطِئَ عَلَى يَدِهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِيَ الرَّاحِلَةَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا مُعَرِّسِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَ الْإِفْكِ عَبْدُ اللهِ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ وَقَفَلَ وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنُوا بِالرَّحِيلِ فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى الرَّحْلِ فَالْتَمَسْتُ صَدْرِي فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَرَجَعْتُ فَالْتَمَسْتُ عِقْدِي فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ فَأَقْبَلَ الَّذِينَ يَرْحَلُونَ بِي فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنَّنِي فِيهِ، وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يَثْقُلْنَ وَلَمْ يُهَبِّلْهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلْنَ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ حِينَ رَفَعُوهُ ثِقَلَ الْهَوْدَجِ فَاحْتَمَلُوهُ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا، وَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ فَجِئْتُ مَنْزِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ، فَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ، فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ قَدْ عَرَّسَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ فَأَدْلَجَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ فَأَتَانِي، وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ نُزُولِ الْحِجَابِ، فَمَا اسْتَيْقَظْتُ إِلَّا بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ رَآنِي، فَوَاللهِ مَا كَلَّمَنِي وَلَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ، ثُمَّ أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَوَطِئَ عَلَى يَدِهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِيَ الرَّاحِلَةَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا مُعَرِّسِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَ الْإِفْكِ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيِّ بْنِ سَلُولٍ، فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فَاشْتَكَيْتُ بِهَا شَهْرًا وَالنَّاسُ يُفِيضُونَ فِي قَوْلِ أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ لَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَيَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي أَنِّي لَا أَرَى مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَاهُ مِنْهُ حِينَ أَمْرَضُ، إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيَّ فَيُسَلِّمُ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، فَذَلِكَ يَرِيبُنِي وَلَا أَشْعُرُ، حَتَّى نَقَهْتُ فَخَرَجْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ بِنْتُ أَبِي رُهْمٍ قِبَلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ، وَهِيَ مُتَبَرَّزُنَا لَا نَخْرُجُ إِلَّا مِنْ لَيْلٍ إِلَى لَيْلٍ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُتَّخَذَ الْكُنُفُ قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ فِي التَّبَرُّزِ، وَأَقْبَلَتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ نَمْشِي فَعَثَرَتْ فِي مِرْطِهَا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ أَتَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، فَقَالَتْ: يَا هَنْتَاهُ أَلَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ؟، قُلْتُ: وَمَاذَا قَالَ؟، فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا إِلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ، فَقَالَ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، قُلْتُ: ائْذَنْ لِي إِلَى أَبَوَيَّ، قُلْتُ: وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، قَالَتْ: فَأَتَيْتُ أَبَوَيَّ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: مَا تَحَدَّثَ بِهِ النَّاسُ؟، قَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَى نَفْسِكِ، فَوَاللهِ لَقَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَة قَطُّ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا وَلَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، فَقُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ، وَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا؟، قَالَتْ: فَبِتُّ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْيُ يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، قَالَتْ: فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ بِالَّذِيِ يَعْرِفُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ، وَبِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ فِي نَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْوُدِّ لَهُمْ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ: أَهْلُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَسَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ، قَالَتْ: فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَرِيرَةَ فَقَالَ لَهَا: «هَلْ عَلِمْتِ مِنْ عَائِشَةَ شَيْئًا يَرِيبُكِ؟» ، فَقَالَتْ بَرِيرَةُ: لَا، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ، مَا رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا أَمْرًا أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، تَنَامُ عَنِ الْعَجِينِ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَ الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلَهُ، قَالَتْ: فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِي، فَوَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا أَمْرَكَ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَهُوَ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ، وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنْ أَجْهَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَقَالَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ، وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ، وَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، فَثَارَ الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا بِالْقِتَالِ، وَرَسُولُ اللهِ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ، وَبَكَيْتُ يَوْمِي لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِذِ اسْتَأْذَنَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا، فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي، فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ فَجَلَسَ عِنْدِي وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا، وَقَدْ مَكَثَ شَهْرًا لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَأْنِي فَتَشَهَّدَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنْبٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ» ، فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَقَالَتَهُ، قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ عَنِّي رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيمَا قَالَ، قَالَ: مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي، قَالَتْ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَقُلْتُ: وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ لَا أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ: وَاللهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ مَا تُحُدِّثَ بِهِ وَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمْ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي بِذَلِكَ، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفْتُ لَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ يَعْلَمُ اللهُ أَنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنِّي وَاللهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا مَا قَالَ: أَبُو يُوسُفَ إِذْ قَالَ: {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨] ، قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي وَأَنَا أَرْجُو أَنْ يُبَرِّئَنِيَ اللهُ بِبَرَاءَتِي، وَلَكِنْ مَا طَمِعْتُ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيٌ يُتْلَى، وَلَأَنَا كُنْتُ أَحْقَرَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ فِيَّ قُرْآنٌ يُتْلَى، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللهِ فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي اللهُ، قَالَتْ: فَوَاللهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ، وَلَا خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ فِي يَوْمٍ شَاتٍ، قَالَتْ: فَسُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا أَنْ قَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ احْمَدِي اللهَ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ اللهُ» ، فَقُلْتُ: بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِكُمْ، فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي: قَوْمِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ: لَا وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ} الْآيَاتِ كُلَّهَا، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ: وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا بَعْدَمَا قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ مَا قَالَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ} إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: بَلَى إِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ الَّذِي كَانَ يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ، قَالَتْ: وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ سَأَلَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ، عَنْ أَمْرِي فَقَالَ: «يَا زَيْنَبُ مَا عَلِمْتِ وَمَا رَأَيْتِ؟» ، فَقَالَتْ: أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي، وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا خَيْرًا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَعَصَمَهَا بِالْوَرَعِ، فَطَفِقَتْ أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ تُحَارِبُ عَنْهَا فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ، قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: فَهَذَا مَا انْتَهَى إِلَيْنَا مِنْ حَدِيثِ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ
Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to set out on a journey, he would cast lots among his pure wives, and whichever of them had her name come out in the lot, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would take her with him. So in a military expedition that he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook, lots were cast among us and my name came out, and after the command of the veil (hijab) had been revealed I set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). I would be placed in the howdah and set down in it. So we travelled on until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished that expedition and set off to return, and we drew near Madinah, the departure was announced one night. When the departure was announced, I got up and walked until I had gone beyond the army, and when I had finished my need and came back towards my howdah, I felt my chest and found that my necklace of Zafar beads had broken and fallen. I went back in search of my necklace, and that search held me back. Meanwhile, the people who used to lift my howdah came, lifted my howdah and loaded it onto the camel I used to ride, thinking that I was riding in it. In those days women were light; they did not become heavy with excess flesh, but ate only a little food. So when the people lifted the howdah, they were not surprised at its lightness, and I was still a young girl. So they drove the camel on and all set off. I found my necklace after the army had moved on, and then I came to their camp, but there was neither anyone calling nor anyone answering. So I went to the place where I had been before, thinking that the people would miss me and come back. While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) had stayed behind the army; he travelled in the last part of the night and reached the vicinity of my place in the morning. He saw the shape of a person sleeping and came to me, and he used to see me before the command of the veil was revealed. When he saw me, I woke only at his saying "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we return)". By Allah, he did not say anything to me, nor did I hear any word from him other than the istirja'. Then he made his mount kneel and put his foot on its foreleg, and I mounted it. Then he set off ahead, leading the mount, until we reached the army, which had halted in the intense heat of midday. On this occasion, whoever was to be ruined was ruined, and the one who bore the greatest burden of this slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Then we reached Madinah, and after reaching Madinah I was ill for a month. People were busy with the talk of the slanderers, but I knew nothing of it. However, it kept troubling me in my illness that I was not finding from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness and attention I usually saw during illness. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would only come in, greet me with salam, and then say: "How is she?" This troubled me, but I had no sense of the evil. Until, after recovering, Umm Mistah bint Abi Ruhm (may Allah be pleased with her) and I went out towards al-Manasi', which was our place for relieving ourselves. We would only go out at night. This was at the time when toilets were not built near houses, and our practice was like that of the early Arabs, going out into the open to relieve ourselves. Then Umm Mistah and I were walking (back) when Umm Mistah tripped in her wrap and stumbled, and she said: "May Mistah perish!" I said: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who took part in the battle of Badr?" She said: "O you! Do you not know what he has said?" I asked: "What has he said?" So she told me what the slanderers were saying, and my illness grew worse. When I returned home, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and said: "How is she?" I said: "Will you permit me to go to my parents?" (At that time I wanted to investigate the matter fully with them.) Then I came to my parents and asked my mother: "Mother, what are people talking about?" She said: "Daughter, take it lightly. By Allah, it very rarely happens that a beautiful woman is with a husband who loves her, and she also has co-wives, without their talking about her." I said: "Subhan Allah! Have people really said this?" So I wept that night until morning; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. When morning came, and the revelation was delayed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) to consult them about separating from his wife. Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) advised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in keeping with what he knew of the innocence of his wife and the love for them in his heart, and Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, she is your wife, and we know nothing about her but good." As for Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has not restricted you; there are many women besides her, and if you ask the slave girl, she will tell you the truth." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "O Barirah, have you seen anything in Aishah that seems doubtful to you?" Barirah said: "No, by the One who sent you with the truth, I have not seen anything in her for which I would blame her, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep while kneading her family's dough, and the goat comes and eats it." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up that same day and sought (people's) support against Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O company of Muslims, who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm has reached my family? By Allah, I have known nothing in my family but good, and about the man they have mentioned I have also known nothing but good, and he never came to my family without me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will excuse you regarding him. If he is from al-Aws, I will strike off his head, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you command us and we will act upon it." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up. He was the chief of al-Khazraj, and before that he had been a righteous man, but at that time tribal zeal stirred him up. He said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor do you have the power to kill him." At this, Usayd bin Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the cousin of Sa'd bin Mu'adh, stood up and said to Sa'd bin Ubadah: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite, arguing in support of the hypocrites." So both tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, became enraged, until they were intent on fighting, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kept calming them until they all fell silent, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) too fell silent. That day I wept the whole day; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me, until I felt that the weeping would split my liver. I was in this state when an Ansari woman asked permission to come in. I gave her permission, and she too began weeping with me. We were in this state when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in and sat down with me, although he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since this thing had been said, and a month had passed without any revelation coming down to him about me. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, he recited the tashahhud and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, such and such has reached me about you. If you are innocent of it, Allah will soon declare you innocent; and if you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him, for when a servant confesses a sin and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I did not feel a single drop of them. I said to my father: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding what he has said." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said to my mother: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She too said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." So I said myself (and I was a young girl who had not read much of the Qur'an): "By Allah, I know that you people have heard this thing until it has become fixed in your hearts and you have believed it. Now if I tell you that I am innocent (and Allah knows that I am innocent), you will not believe me; and if I confess to you some sin (while Allah knows that I am innocent of it), you will believe me. By Allah, I find no example for me and for you except what the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: 'So patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe.'" Then I turned over on my bed and lay down, and I hoped that Allah would declare me innocent because of my innocence. But I did not expect that Allah Almighty would send down about me any revelation that would be recited; I considered myself too insignificant for Allah Almighty to say anything about me that would be recited. Rather, I hoped that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would see a dream in his sleep through which Allah would declare me innocent. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet risen from his gathering, nor had any of the household gone out, when Allah Almighty sent down revelation upon him, and the state that used to come over him at the time of revelation came over him (peace and blessings be upon him), until sweat like pearls began to drip from him even on a winter day. Then, when that state passed from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) was laughing, and the first words he (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke were: "O Aishah, praise Allah, for Allah has declared you innocent." I said: "With the praise of Allah, not with your praise." My mother said: "Get up and go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "No, by Allah, I will not go to him, nor will I praise anyone but Allah." So Allah Almighty sent down these verses: "Indeed, those who brought the slander are a group from among you" (all the verses). When Allah Almighty sent down my innocence, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to spend on Mistah, said: "By Allah, I will never spend anything on Mistah again, after what he said about Aishah." At this Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear that they will not give to their relatives, the poor and those who emigrated in the cause of Allah; rather, let them pardon and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you?" So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes indeed, I do wish that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed for Mistah the spending that used to be made on him before. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) about me; he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Zaynab, what do you know and what have you seen?" Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "I protect my hearing and my sight. By Allah, I have known nothing about her but good." And it was Zaynab who, among the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), used to compete with me, but Allah Almighty protected her (from speaking falsely) because of her piety. So her sister Hamnah bint Jahsh began to fight on her behalf, and so she too was ruined along with those who were ruined. Al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This is the narration that has reached us from these narrators.
حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ التُّسْتَرِيُّ، ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَالِدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْوَاسِطِيُّ، ثنا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، ثنا صَالِحُ بْنُ كَيْسَانَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ - زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، حَيْثُ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ، كُلُّهُمْ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا، وَبَعْضُهُمْ كَانَ أَوْعَى لِحَدِيثِهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَأَثْبَتَ اقْتِصَاصًا، وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ عَنْ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمُ الْحَدِيثَ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا مَعَهُ، فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزَاةٍ غَزَاهَا فَخَرَجَ سَهْمِي فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ بَعْدَمَا أُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي وَأُنْزَلُ فِيهِ، حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ وَقَفَلَ، دَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنُوا بِالرَّحِيلِ فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلَتُ إِلَى الرَّحْلِ فَالْتَمَسْتُ صَدْرِي فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَرَجَعْتُ أَلْتَمِسُ عِقْدِي فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ، فَأَقْبَلَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرْحَلُونَ بِي فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أرْكَبْهُ، وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنَّنِي فِيهِ، وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يَثْقُلْنَ وَلَمْ يُهَبِّلْهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلْنَ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ حِينَ رَفَعُوهُ ثِقَلَ الْهَوْدَجِ فَاحْتَمَلُوهُ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ، فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا، فَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ فَجِئْتُ مَنْزِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ أَحَدٌ، فَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ قَدْ عَرَّسَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ، فَأَدْلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ فَأَتَانِي وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ، فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ فَوَاللهِ مَا كَلَّمَنِي كَلِمَةً، وَلَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حَتَّى أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ، فَوَطِئَ عَلَى يَدِهَا، فَرَكِبْتُهَا فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِيَ الرَّاحِلَةَ، حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا مُعَرِّسِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَ الْإِفْكِ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولٍ، فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فَاشْتَكَيْتُ بِهَا شَهْرًا، وَالنَّاسُ يُفِيضُونَ فِي قَوْلِ أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ، وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَيَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي أَنِّي لَا أَعْرِفُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَاهُ حِينَ أَمْرَضُ إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ فَيُسَلِّمُ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، فَذَلِكَ يَرِيبُنِي وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ حَتَّى نَقَهْتُ، فَخَرَجْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ، فَتَبَرَّزْنَا لَا نَخْرُجُ إِلَّا مِنْ لَيْلٍ إِلَى لَيْلٍ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُتَّخَذَ الْكُنُفُ قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ فِي التَّبَرُّزِ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ بِنْتُ أَبِي رُهْمٍ، لَمَّا قَضَيْنَا شَأْنِنَا نَمْشِي فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ أَتَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، فَقَالَتْ: يَا هَنْتَاهُ أَلَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ؟، قُلْتُ: وَمَا قَالَ؟، فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا عَلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ، فَقَالَ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، فَقُلْتُ: ائْذَنْ لِي أَنْ آتِيَ أَبَوَيَّ، قَالَتْ: وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، فَأَذِنَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ فَأَتَيْتُ أَبَوَيَّ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ بِهِ النَّاسُ؟، قَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكِ الشَّأْنَ، فَوَاللهِ لَقَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَة قَطُّ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا وَلَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، فَقُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَقَدْ يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا؟، قَالَتْ: فَبِتُّ لَيْلَتِي تِلْكَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ، حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْيُ يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، قَالَتْ: فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ بِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ، وَبِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ فِي نَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْوُدِّ لَهُمْ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَهْلُكَ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَسَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهَا: «هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْ عَائِشَةَ شَيْئًا يَرِيبُكِ؟» ، قَالَتْ بَرِيرَةُ: لَا، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ، مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْهَا أَمْرًا أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، تَنَامُ عَنِ الْعَجِينِ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَ الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلَهُ، قَالَتْ: فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ: «مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِي - قَالَهُ ثَلَاثًا -، فَوَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا وَمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا وَاللهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْنَا عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا بِهِ أَمْرَكَ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَكَانَ سَيِّدَ الْخَزْرَجِ، وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنِ احْتَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، قَالَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ، وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرِ بْنِ سِمَاكٍ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ، فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، فَثَارَ الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ قَائِمٌ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ، وَبَكَيْتُ يَوْمِي وَلَيْلَتِي لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا أَبْكِي إِذِ اسْتَأْذَنَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا، فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي، فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ فَجَلَسَ، وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ لِي مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا، وَقَدْ مَكَثَ شَهْرًا لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ فِي شَأْنِي فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ، فَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنْبٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ» ، فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيمَا قَالَ، قَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: فَقَالَتْ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَقُلْتُ وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، لَا أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ: وَاللهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ مَا تُحُدِّثَ بِهِ وَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَصَدَّقْتُمْ بِهِ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي بِذَلِكَ، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفْتُ لَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنَّنِي، وَاللهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا مَا قَالَ أَبُو يُوسُفَ: {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ} [يوسف: ١٨] ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ لَا أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي وَأَنَا أَرْجُو أَنْ يُبَرِّئَنِيَ اللهُ بِبَرَاءَتِي، وَلَكِنْ وَاللهِ مَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيٌ يُتْلَى، وَلَأَنَا كُنْتُ أَحْقَرَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ فِيَّ قُرْآنٌ، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُرِيَ اللهُ رَسُولَهُ فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي بِهَا، قَالَتْ: فَوَاللهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ، وَلَا خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ عِنْدَ الْوَحْيِ حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّاتِي، فَسُرِّيَ عَنْهُ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ أَنْ قَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ احْمَدِي اللهَ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ اللهُ» ، فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي: قُومِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْتُ: لَا وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ} الْآيَاتِ كُلَّهَا، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ: وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ لِقَرَابَتِهِ مِنْهُ: وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا بَعْدَ الَّذِي قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ} إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: بَلَى أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ الَّذِي كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ، قَالَتْ: وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ سَأَلَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ، عَنْ أَمْرِي فَقَالَ: «يَا زَيْنَبُ مَا عَلِمْتِ مَا رَأَيْتِ؟» ، فَقَالَتْ: أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي، وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا خَيْرًا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِالْوَرَعِ، وَكَانَتْ أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ تُحَارِبُ عَنْهَا فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ
Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to set out on a journey, he would cast lots among his pure wives, and whichever of them had her name come out in the lot, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would take her with him. So in a military expedition that he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook, lots were cast among us and my name came out, and after the command of the veil (hijab) had been revealed I set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). I would be placed in the howdah and set down in it. So we travelled on until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished that expedition and set off to return, and we drew near Madinah, the departure was announced one night. When the departure was announced, I got up and walked until I had gone beyond the army, and when I had finished my need and came back towards my howdah, I felt my chest and found that my necklace of Zafar beads had broken and fallen. I went back in search of my necklace, and that search held me back. Meanwhile, the people who used to lift my howdah came, lifted my howdah and loaded it onto the camel I used to ride, thinking that I was riding in it. In those days women were light; they did not become heavy with excess flesh, but ate only a little food. So when the people lifted the howdah, they were not surprised at its lightness, and I was still a young girl. So they drove the camel on and all set off. I found my necklace after the army had moved on, and then I came to their camp, but there was neither anyone calling nor anyone answering. So I went to the place where I had been before, thinking that the people would miss me and come back. While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) had stayed behind the army; he travelled in the last part of the night and reached the vicinity of my place in the morning. He saw the shape of a person sleeping and came to me, and he used to see me before the command of the veil was revealed. I woke at the sound of his saying "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we return)". By Allah, he did not say a single word to me, nor did I hear any word from him other than the istirja', until he made his mount kneel and put his foot on its foreleg, and I mounted it. Then he set off ahead, leading the mount, until we reached the army, which had halted in the intense heat of midday. On this occasion, whoever was to be ruined was ruined, and the one who bore the greatest burden of this slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Then we reached Madinah, and after reaching Madinah I was ill for a month. People were busy with the talk of the slanderers, but I knew nothing of it. However, it kept troubling me in my illness that I was not finding from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness and attention I usually saw during illness. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would only come in, greet me with salam, and then say: "How is she?" This troubled me, but I had no sense of the evil. Until, after recovering, Umm Mistah (may Allah be pleased with her) and I went out towards al-Manasi', which was our place for relieving ourselves. We would only go out at night. This was at the time when toilets were not built near houses, and our practice was like that of the early Arabs, going out into the open to relieve ourselves. Then, when we had finished our need, Umm Mistah bint Abi Ruhm and I set off (back), and Umm Mistah tripped in her wrap and stumbled, and she said: "May Mistah perish!" I said: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who took part in the battle of Badr?" She said: "O you! Do you not know what he has said?" I asked: "What has he said?" So she told me what the slanderers were saying, and my illness grew worse. When I returned home, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and said: "How is she?" I said: "Will you permit me to go to my parents?" (At that time I wanted to investigate the matter fully with them.) The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me permission. I came to my parents and asked my mother: "Mother, what are people talking about?" She said: "Daughter, take it lightly. By Allah, it very rarely happens that a beautiful woman is with a husband who loves her, and she also has co-wives, without their talking about her." I said: "Subhan Allah! Have people really said this?" So I wept that night until morning; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. When morning came, and the revelation was delayed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) to consult them about separating from his wife. Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) advised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in keeping with what he knew of the innocence of his wife and the love for them in his heart, and Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, she is your wife, and we know nothing about her but good." As for Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has not restricted you; there are many women besides her, and if you ask the slave girl, she will tell you the truth." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "O Barirah, have you seen anything in Aishah that seems doubtful to you?" Barirah said: "No, by the One who sent you with the truth, I have not seen anything in her for which I would blame her, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep while kneading her family's dough, and the goat comes and eats it." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up that same day and sought (people's) support against Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm has reached my family? (He (peace and blessings be upon him) repeated this three times.) By Allah, I have known nothing in my family but good, and about the man they have mentioned I have also known nothing but good, and he never came to my family without me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I will excuse you regarding him. If he is from al-Aws, we will strike off his head, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you command us and we will act upon it." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up. He was the chief of al-Khazraj, and before that he had been a righteous man, but at that time tribal zeal stirred him up. He said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor do you have the power to kill him." At this, Usayd bin Hudayr bin Simak (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said to Sa'd bin Ubadah: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite, arguing in support of the hypocrites." So both tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, became enraged, while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), standing on the pulpit, was calming them, until they all fell silent, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) too fell silent. And I wept that day and night; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me, until I felt that the weeping would split my liver. I was weeping when an Ansari woman asked permission to come in. I gave her permission, and she too began weeping with me. We were in this state when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in and sat down, although he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since this thing had been said, and a month had passed without any revelation coming down to him about me. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, he recited the tashahhud and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, such and such has reached me about you. If you are innocent of it, Allah will soon declare you innocent; and if you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him, for when a servant confesses a sin and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I did not feel a single drop of them. I said to my father: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding what he has said." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said to my mother: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She too said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." So I said myself (and I was a young girl who had not read much of the Qur'an): "By Allah, I know that you people have heard this thing until it has become fixed in your hearts and you have believed it. Now if I tell you that I am innocent (and Allah knows that I am innocent), you will not believe me; and if I confess to you some sin (while Allah knows that I am innocent of it), you will believe me. By Allah, I find no example for me and for you except what the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: 'So patience is best' (Yusuf: 18)." Then I turned over on my bed and lay down, and I hoped that Allah would declare me innocent because of my innocence. But by Allah, I did not think that Allah Almighty would send down about me any revelation that would be recited; I considered myself too insignificant for Allah Almighty to say anything about me that would be recited. Rather, I hoped that Allah Almighty would show His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) a vision in a dream through which he would make my innocence known. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet risen from his gathering, nor had any of the household gone out, when Allah Almighty sent down revelation upon him, and the state that used to come over him at the time of revelation came over him (peace and blessings be upon him), until sweat like pearls began to drip from him even on a winter day. Then, when that state passed from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) was laughing, and the first words he (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke were: "O Aishah, praise Allah, for Allah has declared you innocent." My mother said: "Get up and go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "No, by Allah, I will not go to him, nor will I praise anyone but Allah." So Allah Almighty sent down these verses: "Indeed, those who brought the slander" (all the verses). When Allah Almighty sent this down about my innocence, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to spend on Mistah bin Uthathah because of his kinship with him, said: "By Allah, I will not spend anything on Mistah now, after what he said about Aishah." At this Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear that they will not give to their relatives, the poor and those who emigrated in the cause of Allah; rather, let them pardon and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you?" So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes indeed, I wish that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed for Mistah the spending he used to make on him before. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) about me; he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Zaynab, what do you know and what have you seen?" Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "I protect my hearing and my sight. By Allah, I have known nothing about her but good." And it was Zaynab who, among the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), used to compete with me, but Allah Almighty protected her (from speaking falsely) because of her piety. And her sister Hamnah kept fighting on her behalf, and so she too was ruined along with those who were ruined.
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي الطَّاهِرِ بْنِ السَّرْحِ الْمِصْرِيُّ، وَزَكَرِيَّا بْنُ يَحْيَى السَّاجِيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَزِيزٍ الْأَيْلِيُّ، ثنا سَلَامَةُ بْنُ رَوْحٍ، حَدَّثَنِي عَقِيلُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ حَدِيثِ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ، وَكُلٌّ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ وَبَعْضُ حَدِيثِهِمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضًا، وَإِنْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْعَى لَهُ مِنْ بَعْضٍ، زَعَمُوا أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ - زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَى سَفَرٍ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ مَعَهُ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا، فَخَرَجَ بِهَا سَهْمِي، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَمَا أُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ وَأُنْزَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي، فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللهِ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ، وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ قَافِلِينَ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنَ بِالرَّحِيلِ لِحَاجَتِي، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى رَحْلِي، فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى عِقْدِي نَحْوَ ابْتِغَائِهِ، وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرْحَلُونَ فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ، وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يُهَبِّلْهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ، إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلْنَ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَلَمْ يُنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ خِفَّةَ الْهَوْدَجِ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ، فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا وَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ، فَجِئْتُ مَنَازِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ بِهَا دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ، فَتَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ، وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونَنِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ، فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي، فَنِمْتُ، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ فَأَدْلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ فَأَتَانِي فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي، وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ عَرَفَنِي فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي بِجِلْبَابِي، فَمَا كَلَّمَنِي كَلِمَةً وَلَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حَتَّى أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ، فَوَطِئَ عَلَى يَدِهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا، فَانْطَلَقَ بِي يَقُودُ بِيَ الرَّاحِلَةَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَ الْإِفْكِ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فَاشْتَكَيْتُ شَهْرًا وَالنَّاسُ يُفِيضُونَ فِي قَوْلِ أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ، لَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَهُوَ يَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي، أَنِّي لَا أَعْرِفُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ حِينَ أَشْتَكِي إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ فَيَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، ثُمَّ يَنْصَرِفُ فَذَلِكَ يَرِيبُنِي وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِالشَّرِّ حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ بَعْدَمَا أَفَقْتُ وَخَرَجَتْ مَعِي أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ، وَهُوَ مُتَبَرَّزُنَا، وَكُنَّا لَا نَخْرُجُ إِلَّا لَيْلًا إِلَى لَيْلٍ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُتَّخَذَ الْكُنُفُ قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ فِي التَّنَزُّهِ قِبَلَ الْغَائِطِ، وَكُنَّا نَتَأَذَّى بِالْكُنُفِ أَنْ نَتَّخِذَهَا عِنْدَ بُيُوتِنَا، فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ وَهِيَ بِنْتُ أَبِي رُهْمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، وَأُمُّهَا أُمُّ صَخْرٍ بِنْتُ عَامِرٍ، خَالَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ، وَابْنُهَا مِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ بَيْتِي حِينَ فَرَغْنَا مِنْ شَأْنِنَا، فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ تَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، قَالَتْ: يَا هَنْتَاهُ أَوَ لَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ؟، قُلْتُ: وَمَا قَالَ؟، فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا عَلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا إِلَى بَيْتِي دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، قُلْتُ لَهُ: أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ آتِيَ أَبَوَيَّ؟ وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، قَالَتْ: فَأَذِنَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَجِئْتُ لِأُمِّي فَقُلْتُ: يَا أُمَّتَاهُ مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ؟، فَقَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكِ، فَوَاللهِ لَقَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ مَنْ يُحِبُّهَا لَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، قَالَتْ: فَقُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ، وَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا؟، فَبَكَيْتُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ أَصْبَحْتُ أَبْكِي، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْيُ فَشَاوَرَهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ بِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ، وَبِالَّذِيِ كَانَ فِي نَفْسِهِ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْوُدِّ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ: أَهْلُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، لَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ وَالنِّسَاءُ، سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْخَادِمَ تَصْدُقْكَ، قَالَتْ: فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهَا: «أَيْ بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ يَرِيبُكِ؟» ، قَالَتْ بَرِيرَةُ: وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْهَا أَمْرًا أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا، أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، تَنَامُ عَنْ عَجِينِ أَهْلِهَا فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ: «يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي، وَوَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْ أَهْلِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا أَمْرَكَ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَهُوَ يَوْمَئِذٍ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ، وَكَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنْ حَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ، وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ، فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، قَالَتْ: فَتَثَاوَرَ الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا أَنْ يَقْتَتِلُوا، وَرَسُولُ اللهِ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ، قَالَتْ: فَلَبِثْتُ يَوْمِي ذَلِكَ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، قَالَتْ: فَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَايَ عِنْدِي، وَقَدْ بَكَيْتُ لَيْلَتِي لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، يَظُنَّانِ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي، فَاسْتَأْذَنَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا، فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي، فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَجَلَسَ، قَالَتْ: وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ لِي مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا، وَلَقَدْ لَبِثَ شَهْرًا لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَيْءٍ، قَالَتْ: فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ حِينَ جَلَسَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنَبِهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ» ، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيمَا قَالَ، فَقَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، قَالَتْ: فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيمَا قَالَ، فَقَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، لَا أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ: إِنِّي وَاللهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمْ بِهِ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفْتُ لَكُمْ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنَّنِي، وَإِنِّي وَاللهِ مَا أَعْلَمُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا أَبَا يُوسُفَ، قَالَ: {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨] ، قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ فَاضْطَجَعْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ حِينَئِذٍ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ، وَأَنَّ اللهَ سَيُبَرِّئُنِي بِبَرَاءَتِي، وَلَكِنْ وَاللهِ مَا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ اللهَ يُنْزِلُ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيًا يُتْلَى، وَلَشَأْنِي كَانَ أَحْقَرَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ اللهُ فِيَّ بِأَمْرٍ يُتْلَى، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللهِ فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي اللهُ بِهَا، قَالَتْ: فَوَاللهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ وَلَا خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ، حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّاتِي مِنْ ثِقَلِ الْقُرْآنِ الَّذِي يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْهِ، قَالَتْ: فَسُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا: «أَمَّا اللهُ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ» ، فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي: قَوْمِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ إِنِّي لَا أَقُومُ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ} - الْعَشْرَ الْآيَاتِ كُلَّهَا -، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ وَهُوَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ لِقَرَابَتِهِ مِنْهُ وَفَقْرِهِ: وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا بَعْدَ الَّذِي قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ: {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: {وَاللهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} [البقرة: ٢١٨] ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: بَلَى، وَاللهِ إِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ النَّفَقَةَ الَّتِي كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: وَاللهِ لَا أَنْزِعُهَا عَنْهُ أَبَدًا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ يَسْأَلُ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ - زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، عَنْ أَمْرِي، فَقَالَ: «يَا زَيْنَبُ مَاذَا عَلِمْتِ أَوْ رَأَيْتِ؟» ، قَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي، وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، قَالَتْ: وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِالْوَرَعِ، وَطَفِقَتْ أُخْتُهَا تُحَارِبُ فَأُهْلِكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ، قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: فَهَذَا مَا انْتَهَى إِلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهَا
Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to set out on a journey, he would cast lots among his pure wives, and whichever of them had her name come out in the lot, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would take her with him. So in a military expedition that he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook, lots were cast among us and my name came out, and after the command of the veil (hijab) had been revealed I set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). I would be placed in the howdah and set down in it. So we travelled on until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished that expedition and set off to return, and we drew near Madinah, the departure was announced one night. When the departure was announced, I got up for my need, and when I had finished my need and came back towards my howdah, I found that my necklace of Zafar beads had broken and fallen. So I went back in search of my necklace. Meanwhile, the people who used to lift my howdah came, lifted my howdah and loaded it onto the camel I used to ride, thinking that I was riding in it. In those days women were light; they did not become heavy with excess flesh, but ate only a little food. So when the people lifted the howdah, they were not surprised at its lightness, and I was still a young girl. So they drove the camel on and all set off. I found my necklace after the army had moved on, and then I came to their camp, but there was neither anyone calling nor anyone answering. So I went to the place where I had been before, thinking that the people would miss me and come back. While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) had stayed behind the army; he travelled in the last part of the night and reached the vicinity of my place in the morning. He saw the shape of a person sleeping, and he recognised me as soon as he saw me, for he had seen me before the command of the veil was revealed. I woke at the sound of his saying "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we return)", and I covered my face with my outer sheet. By Allah, he did not say a single word to me, nor did I hear any word from him other than the istirja', until he made his mount kneel and put his foot on its foreleg, and I mounted it. Then he set off with me, leading the mount, until we reached the army after they had halted. On this occasion, whoever was to be ruined was ruined, and the one who bore the greatest burden of this slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Then we reached Madinah, and after reaching Madinah I was ill for a month. People were busy with the talk of the slanderers, but I knew nothing of it. However, it kept troubling me in my illness that I was not finding from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness and attention I usually saw during illness. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would only come in and say: "How is she?" and then leave. This troubled me, but I had no sense of the evil. Until, after recovering, I went out, and Umm Mistah (may Allah be pleased with her) also went out with me towards al-Manasi', which was our place for relieving ourselves. We would only go out at night. This was at the time when toilets were not built near houses, and our practice was like that of the early Arabs, going out into the open to relieve ourselves, and we found it distasteful to build toilets near our houses. So Umm Mistah and I set out. (She was the daughter of Abu Ruhm bin Abd Manaf; her mother, Umm Sakhr bint Amir, was the maternal aunt of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), and her son was Mistah bin Uthathah bin al-Muttalib.) When we had finished our need and were walking back towards my house, Umm Mistah tripped in her wrap and stumbled, and she said: "May Mistah perish!" I said: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who took part in the battle of Badr?" She said: "O you! Do you not know what he has said?" I asked: "What has he said?" So she told me what the slanderers were saying, and my illness grew worse. When I returned home, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and said: "How is she?" I said: "Will you permit me to go to my parents?" (At that time I wanted to investigate the matter fully with them.) The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me permission. I came to my parents and asked my mother: "Mother, what are people talking about?" She said: "Daughter, take it lightly. By Allah, it very rarely happens that a beautiful woman is with a husband who loves her, and she also has co-wives, without their talking about her." I said: "Subhan Allah! Have people really said this?" So I wept that night until morning; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. Then morning came, and still I kept weeping. When the revelation was delayed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) to consult them about separating from his wife. Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) advised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in keeping with what he knew of the innocence of his wife and the love for them in his heart, and Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, she is your wife, and we know nothing about her but good." As for Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has not restricted you; there are many women besides her, and if you ask the slave girl, she will tell you the truth." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "O Barirah, have you seen anything that seems doubtful to you?" Barirah said: "By the One who sent you with the truth, I have not seen anything in her for which I would blame her, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep while kneading her family's dough, and the goat comes and eats it." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up that same day and sought (people's) support against Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said on the pulpit: "O company of Muslims, who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm has reached my family? By Allah, I have known nothing in my family but good, and about the man they have mentioned I have also known nothing but good, and he never came to my family without me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will excuse you regarding him. If he is from al-Aws, I will strike off his head, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you command us and we will act upon it." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up. He was the chief of al-Khazraj, and before that he had been a righteous man, but at that time tribal zeal stirred him up. He said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor do you have the power to kill him." At this, Usayd bin Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the cousin of Sa'd bin Mu'adh, stood up and said to Sa'd bin Ubadah: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite, arguing in support of the hypocrites." So both tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, became enraged, until they were intent on fighting each other, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kept calming them until they all fell silent, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) too fell silent. That day I remained in such a state that my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. In the morning my parents were with me, and I had wept the whole night; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me, and they thought that the weeping would split my liver. The two of them were sitting with me and I was weeping when an Ansari woman asked permission to come in. I gave her permission, and she too began weeping with me. We were in this state when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in and sat down, although he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since this thing had been said, and a month had passed without any revelation coming down to him about me. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, he recited the tashahhud and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, such and such has reached me about you. If you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him, for when a servant confesses a sin and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I did not feel a single drop of them. I said to my father: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding what he has said." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said to my mother: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She too said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." So I said myself (and I was a young girl who had not read much of the Qur'an): "By Allah, I know that you people have heard this thing until it has become fixed in your hearts and you have believed it. Now if I tell you that I am innocent (and Allah knows that I am innocent), you will not believe me; and if I confess to you some sin (while Allah knows that I am innocent of it), you will believe me. By Allah, I find no example for me and for you except what the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: 'So patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe.'" Then I turned over and lay down on my bed. At that time I was certain that I was innocent and that Allah Almighty would make my innocence known. But by Allah, I did not think that Allah Almighty would send down about me any revelation that would be recited; I considered myself too insignificant for Allah Almighty to say anything about me that would be recited. Rather, I hoped that Allah Almighty would show His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) a vision in a dream through which he would make my innocence known. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet risen from his gathering, nor had any of the household gone out, when Allah Almighty sent down revelation upon him, and the state that used to come over him at the time of revelation came over him (peace and blessings be upon him), until sweat like pearls began to drip from him even on a winter day, because of the weight that the Qur'an bore upon him as it was sent down. Then, when that state passed from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) was laughing, and the first words he (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke were: "As for Allah, He has declared you innocent." My mother said: "Get up and go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "By Allah, I will not get up, nor will I praise anyone but Allah." So Allah Almighty sent down these verses: "Indeed, those who brought the slander are a group from among you" (all ten verses). When Allah Almighty sent down these verses about my innocence, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to spend on Mistah because of his kinship and his poverty, said: "By Allah, I will never spend anything on Mistah again, after what he said about Aishah." At this Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear that they will not give to their relatives, the poor and those who emigrated in the cause of Allah; rather, let them pardon and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes indeed, by Allah, I do wish that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed for Mistah the spending he used to make on him before, and said: "By Allah, I will never take it away from him now." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) about me; he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Zaynab, what do you know and what have you seen?" Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "I protect my hearing and my sight. By Allah, I have known nothing about her but good." And it was Zaynab who, among the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), used to compete with me, but Allah Almighty protected her (from speaking falsely) because of her piety. Her sister, however, began to quarrel and fight, and so she too was destroyed along with those of the slanderers who were ruined. Al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This is the report from these narrators that has reached us in this hadith of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ هَارُونَ، ثنا الْحَارِثُ بْنُ. . . .، ثنا أَبُو مَعْشَرٍ نَجِيحٌ الْمَدَنِيُّ، ثنا أَفْلَحُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ عِنْدَ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ لَيْلَةً مِنَ اللَّيَالِيِ وَهُوَ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ النُّورِ مُسْتَلْقِيًا فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ} حَتَّى بَلَغَ {وَالَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ} [النور: ١١] جَلَسَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ مَنْ تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ أَلَيْسَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ؟، قُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي: مَاذَا أَقُولُ؟ لَئِنْ قُلْتُ: لَا، لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ أَلْقَى مِنْهُ شَرًّا، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، لَقَدْ جِئْتُ بِأَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ، قُلْتُ لِرَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ مَا لَمْ يَقُلْ، ثُمَّ قُلْتُ: فِي نَفْسِي، لَقَدْ عَوَّدَنِيَ اللهُ عَلَى الصِّدْقِ خَيْرًا لَا يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قَالَ: فَضَرَبَ بِقَضِيبِهِ السَّرِيرَ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: فَمَنْ؟ حَتَّى رَدَّدَ ذَلِكَ مِرَارًا، قُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، حَدَّثَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، وَبَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ أَحْسَنُ سِيَاقًا مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَكُلٌّ قَدْ حَفِظَ حَدِيثَهُ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: - إِنَّ عَلِيًّا أَشَارَ فِي شَأْنِي وَاللهُ يَغْفِرُ لَهُ -، ثُمَّ قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ، فَغَزَا غَزْوَةَ بَنِي الْمُصْطَلِقِ فَسَاهَمَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ، فَخَرَجَ سَهْمِي فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ بَعْدَمَا أُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي وَأُنْزَلُ مِنْهُ، فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللهِ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ قَفَلَ وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنَ بِالرَّحِيلِ فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي وَأَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى رَحْلِي إِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَرَجَعْتُ فِي الْتِمَاسِ عِقْدِي فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ، وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرْحَلُونَ، فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ، وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ وَكُنَّ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يُهَبِّلْهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ، إِنَّمَا تَأْكُلُ إِحْدَانَا الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ خِفَّةَ الْهَوْدَجِ حِينَ رَفَعُوهُ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ، فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا، وَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ، فَجِئْتُ مَنْزِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ بِهِ دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ، فَتَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ، فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ فَأَدْلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ، فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ، فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ عَرَفَنِي، فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي بِجِلْبَابِي، وَاللهِ مَا كَلَّمَنِي كَلَامًا وَلَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ، فَوَطِئَ عَلَى يَدِهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا، فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِيَ الرَّاحِلَةَ، حَتَّى أَتَى الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا مُوغِرِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَ الْإِثْمِ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيِّ بْنِ سَلُولٍ، فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فَاشْتَكَيْتُ حِينَ قَدِمْنَا شَهْرًا وَالنَّاسُ يُفِيضُونَ فِي قَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ، وَهُوَ يَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي أَنِّي لَا أَعْرِفُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ حِينَ أَشْتَكِي، إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيَّ فَيَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، ثُمَّ يَنْصَرِفُ فَذَلِكَ يَرِيبُنِي وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِالشَّرِّ، حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ بَعْدَمَا نَقَهْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ بَيْتِي حِينَ فَرَغْنَا مِنْ شَأْنِنَا، فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ أَتَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، قَالَتْ: أَيْ هَنْتَاهُ أَوَلَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ؟، قُلْتُ: وَمَا قَالَ؟، فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا عَلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ، فَقَالَ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، فَقُلْتُ: أَتَأْذَنُ لِي إِلَى أَبَوَيَّ؟، قَالَ: «نَعَمْ» ، وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، فَأَذِنَ لِي فَجِئْتُ إِلَى أُمِّي وَأَبِي، فَقُلْتُ: يَا أُمَّتَاهُ مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ؟، قَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكِ، فَوَاللهِ لَقَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا لَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، فَقُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ، وَلَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا؟، قَالَتْ: فَبَكَيْتُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، ثُمَّ أَصْبَحْتُ أَبْكِي، وَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْيُ يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالَّذِيِ يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ، وَالَّذِي يَعْلَمُ فِي نَفْسِهِ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْوُدِّ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَهْلُكَ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ: «يَا بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ يَرِيبُكِ؟» ، قَالَتْ بَرِيرَةُ: لَا، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ، إِنْ رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا أَمْرًا قَطُّ أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، تَنَامُ عَنْ عَجِينِ أَهْلِهَا فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، فَقَالَ: «يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي، فَوَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا أَمْرَكَ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَهُوَ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ يَوْمَئِذٍ، وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا وَلَكِنْ أَخَذْتُهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ، وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ، فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، قَالَتْ: فَثَارَ الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا أَنْ يَقْتَتِلُوا، وَرَسُولُ اللهِ قَائِمٌ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ، قَالَتْ: وَبَكَيْتُ يَوْمِي ذَلِكَ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، وَأَبَوَايَ عِنْدِي، وَقَدْ بَكَيْتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ وَيَوْمًا أَظُنُّ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي اسْتَأْذَنَتْ عَلَيَّ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا، فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي، فَبَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ وَجَلَسَ، قَالَتْ: وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ لِي مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا، وَقَدْ لَبِثَ شَهْرًا لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَأْنِي، قَالَتْ: فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ حِينَ جَلَسَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ، فَإِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ، ثُمَّ تُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنَبِهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ إِلَى اللهِ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ» ، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيمَا قَالَ، قَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، لَا أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ: إِنَّكُمْ وَاللهِ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمْ بِهِ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونَنِي بِذَلِكَ، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفَتُ بِذَنْبٍ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنَّنِي، وَاللهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا أَبَا يُوسُفَ، قَالَ: {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨] ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ فَاضْطَجَعْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي، وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ، وَأَنَّ اللهَ مُبَرِّئِي بِبَرَاءَتِي، وَلَكِنْ وَاللهِ مَا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ اللهَ يُنْزِلُ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيًا يُتْلَى، لَشَأْنِي فِي نَفْسِي كَانَ أَحْقَرَ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ اللهُ فِيَّ بِأَمْرٍ يُتْلَى، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُرِيَ اللهُ رَسُولَهُ فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي بِهَا، قَالَتْ: فَوَاللهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ، وَلَا خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّاتِي مِنْ ثِقَلِ الْقُرْآنِ الَّذِي يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا سُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا، أَنْ قَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ أَمَّا اللهُ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ» ، فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي: قَوْمِي إِلَيْهِ، فَقُلْتُ: لَا وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَمَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ، وَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ} - الْعَشْرَ الْآيَاتِ كُلَّهَا -، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ لِقَرَابَتِهِ وَفَقْرِهِ: وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ نَفَقَةَ شَيْءٍ أَبَدًا لِلَّذِي قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ} الْآيَةَ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: وَاللهِ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ النَّفَقَةَ الَّتِي كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: وَاللهِ لَا أَنْزِعُهُ مِنْهُ أَبَدًا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ يَسْأَلُ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ، عَنْ أَمْرِي، فَقَالَ: «يَا زَيْنَبُ مَاذَا عَلِمْتِ أَوْ رَأَيْتِ؟» ، فَقَالَتْ زَيْنَبُ: أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي، وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِالْوَرَعِ، وَطَفِقَتْ أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ تُحَارِبُ لَهَا فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ، قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: فَهَذَا مَا انْتَهَى إِلَيْنَا مِنْ حَدِيثِ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ.
Al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: One night I was with al-Walid bin Abd al-Malik. He was reclining and reciting Surah al-Nur. When he reached this verse: "Indeed, those who brought the slander are a group from among you" until he reached this verse: "And the one among them who took upon himself the greater part of it, for him is a great punishment", he sat up straight and said: "O Abu Bakr, the one who took upon himself the greater part of it, was it not Ali bin Abi Talib?" I thought to myself: What shall I say? If I say "No", I feared that some harm would reach me from him; and if I say "Yes", it would be a tremendous thing that I should say about one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) what he did not say. Then I said to myself: Allah has accustomed me to truthfulness, and in it is good. So I said: "No, O Commander of the Believers." The narrator said: At this he struck the throne with his rod two or three times, and then said: "Then who was it?" and he repeated this several times. I said: "O Commander of the Believers, it was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Urwah bin al-Zubayr, Sa'id bin al-Musayyab, Alqamah bin Waqqas and Ubaydullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah narrated this hadith to me (some of them had a better way of relating it than others, and each one had memorised his narration) that Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: 'Ali gave advice (about separation) in my affair; may Allah forgive him.'" Then she related: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to set out on a journey, he would cast lots among his pure wives, and whichever of them had her name come out in the lot, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would take her with him. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook the expedition of Banu al-Mustaliq and cast lots among his wives, and my name came out, and after the command of the veil (hijab) had been revealed I set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). I would be placed in the howdah and set down in it. So we travelled on until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished that expedition and set off to return, and we drew near Madinah, the departure was announced one night. When the departure was announced, I got up and walked until I had gone beyond the army, and when I had finished my need and came back towards my howdah, I found that my necklace of Zafar beads had broken and fallen. I went back in search of my necklace, and that search held me back. Meanwhile, the people who used to lift my howdah came, lifted my howdah and loaded it onto the camel I used to ride, thinking that I was riding in it. In those days women were light; they did not become heavy with excess flesh, but ate only a little food. So when the people lifted the howdah, they were not surprised at its lightness, and I was still a young girl. So they drove the camel on and all set off. I found my necklace after the army had moved on, and then I came to their camp, but there was neither anyone calling nor anyone answering. So I went to the place where I had been before, thinking that the people would miss me and come back. While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) had stayed behind the army; he travelled in the last part of the night and reached the vicinity of my place in the morning. He saw the shape of a person sleeping, and he recognised me as soon as he saw me, for he had seen me before the command of the veil was revealed. I woke at the sound of his saying "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we return)", and I covered my face with my outer sheet. By Allah, he did not say a single word to me, nor did I hear any word from him other than the istirja', until he made his mount kneel and put his foot on its foreleg, and I mounted it. Then he set off ahead, leading the mount, until we reached the army, which had halted in the intense heat of midday. On this occasion, whoever of the slanderers was to be ruined was ruined, and the one who bore the greatest burden of this slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Then we reached Madinah, and after reaching Madinah I was ill for a month. People were busy with the talk of the slanderers, but I knew nothing of it. However, it kept troubling me in my illness that I was not finding from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness and attention I usually saw during illness. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would only come in and say: "How is she?" and then leave. This troubled me, but I had no sense of the evil. Until, after recovering, Umm Mistah (may Allah be pleased with her) and I went out. When we had finished our need and were coming (back) towards my house, Umm Mistah stumbled and said: "May Mistah perish!" I said: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who took part in the battle of Badr?" She said: "O you! Do you not know what he has said?" I asked: "What has he said?" So she told me what the slanderers were saying, and my illness grew worse. When I returned home, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and said: "How is she?" I said: "Will you permit me to go to my parents?" (At that time I wanted to investigate the matter fully with them.) He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes," and so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me permission. I came to my parents and asked my mother: "Mother, what are people talking about?" She said: "Daughter, take it lightly. By Allah, it very rarely happens that a beautiful woman is with a husband who loves her, and she also has co-wives, without their talking about her." I said: "Subhan Allah! Have people really said this?" So I wept that night until morning; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. Then morning came, and still I kept weeping. When the revelation was delayed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) to consult them about separating from his wife. Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) advised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in keeping with what he knew of the innocence of his wife and the love for them in his heart, and Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, she is your wife, and we know nothing about her but good." As for Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has not restricted you; there are many women besides her, and if you ask the slave girl, she will tell you the truth." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "O Barirah, have you seen anything that seems doubtful to you?" Barirah said: "No, by the One who sent you with the truth, I have not seen anything in her for which I would blame her, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep while kneading her family's dough, and the goat comes and eats it." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up on the pulpit that same day and sought (people's) support against Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, and said: "O company of Muslims, who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm has reached my family? By Allah, I have known nothing in my family but good, and about the man they have mentioned I have also known nothing but good, and he never came to my family without me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will excuse you regarding him. If he is from al-Aws, I will strike off his head, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you command us and we will act upon it." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up. He was the chief of al-Khazraj, and before that he had been a righteous man, but at that time tribal zeal stirred him up. He said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor do you have the power to kill him." At this, Usayd bin Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the cousin of Sa'd bin Mu'adh, stood up and said to Sa'd bin Ubadah: "You have lied! By Allah, we will certainly kill him; you are a hypocrite, arguing in support of the hypocrites." So both tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, became enraged, until they were on the verge of fighting each other, while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was standing on the pulpit. He (peace and blessings be upon him) kept calming them until they all fell silent, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) too fell silent. That day I wept the whole day; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. My parents were with me, and I remained for two nights and a day in this state, with no sleep coming and my tears not stopping; I felt that the weeping would split my liver. The two of them were sitting with me and I was weeping when an Ansari woman asked permission to come in. I gave her permission, and she too began weeping with me. We were in this state when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in and sat down, although he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since this thing had been said, and a month had passed without any revelation coming down to him about me. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, he recited the tashahhud and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, such and such has reached me about you. If you are innocent of it, Allah will soon declare you innocent; and if you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him, for when a servant confesses a sin and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I did not feel a single drop of them. I said to my father: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding what he has said." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said to my mother: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She too said: "By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." So I said myself (and I was a young girl who had not read much of the Qur'an): "By Allah, I know that you people have heard this thing until it has become fixed in your hearts and you have believed it. Now if I tell you that I am innocent (and Allah knows that I am innocent), you will not believe me; and if I confess to you some sin (while Allah knows that I am innocent of it), you will believe me. By Allah, I find no example for me and for you except what the father of Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: 'So patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe.'" Then I turned over and lay down on my bed. At that time I was certain that I was innocent and that Allah Almighty would make my innocence known. But by Allah, I did not think that Allah Almighty would send down about me any revelation that would be recited; I considered myself too insignificant for Allah Almighty to say anything about me that would be recited. Rather, I hoped that Allah Almighty would show His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) a vision in a dream through which he would make my innocence known. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet risen from his gathering, nor had any of the household gone out, when Allah Almighty sent down revelation upon him, and the state that used to come over him at the time of revelation came over him (peace and blessings be upon him), until sweat like pearls began to drip from him even on a winter day, because of the weight that the Qur'an bore upon him as it was sent down. Then, when that state passed from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) was laughing, and the first words he (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke were: "O Aishah, Allah has declared you innocent." My mother said: "Get up and go to him." I said: "By Allah, I will not go to him, nor will I praise anyone but Allah." So Allah Almighty sent down these verses: "Indeed, those who brought the slander are a group from among you" (all ten verses). When Allah Almighty sent down these verses about my innocence, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to spend on Mistah because of his kinship and his poverty, said: "By Allah, I will never spend anything on Mistah again, after what he said about Aishah." At this Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear that they will not give to their relatives, the poor and those who emigrated in the cause of Allah; rather, let them pardon and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you?" So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah, I do wish that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed for Mistah the spending he used to make on him before, and said: "By Allah, I will never take it away from him now." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) about me; he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Zaynab, what do you know and what have you seen?" Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "I protect my hearing and my sight. By Allah, I have known nothing about her but good." And it was Zaynab who, among the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), used to compete with me, but Allah Almighty protected her (from speaking falsely) because of her piety. Her sister Hamnah, however, began to fight for her sake, and so she too was ruined along with those of the slanderers who were ruined. Ibn Shihab (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This is the narration that has reached us from these narrators.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدَوسِ بْنِ كَامِلٍ السَّرَّاجُ، ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي مَعْشَرٍ، ثنا أَبُو مَعْشَرٍ، عَنْ أَفْلَحَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ، وَأَبِي رَافِعٍ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَافِعٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَعَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ حَدِيثِ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ مِمَا قَالُوا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ
Sa'id bin al-Musayyab, Urwah bin al-Zubayr, Alqamah bin Waqqas and Ubaydullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah narrate from this same hadith of the slander (ifk) of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), that when the slanderers said what they said, Allah declared her innocent of it. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to go on a journey, he would cast lots among his wives; then the narrator related the hadith in the same way as has preceded.
حَدَّثَنَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمُجَاشِعِيُّ، ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ الْكَرْمَانِيُّ، ثنا سَهْلُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، ثنا صَالِحُ بْنُ أَبِي الْأَخْضَرِ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، وَأَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَعَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ حَدِيثِ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: - لَمَا قَالَ أَصْحَابُ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ وَكُلُّهُمْ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا وَبَعْضُهُمْ كَانَ أَثْبَتَ لِحَدِيثِهَا وَأَحْسَنَ اقْتِصَاصًا -، قَالُوا: قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَوْ وَجْهًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا أَخْرَجَهَا مَعَهُ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزَاةٍ غَزَاهَا فَخَرَجَ فِيهَا سَهْمِي، وَذَلِكَ بَعْدَمَا أُنْزِلَتْ آيَةُ الْحِجَابِ، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ وَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي وَأُنْزَلُ فِيهِ، وَالنِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافٌ، قَالَتْ: فَآذَنَ رَسُولُ اللهِ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ فَجَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى رَحْلِي فَلَمَسْتُ صَدْرِي فَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدًا مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ سَقَطَتَ، فَرَجَعْتُ فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ، وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ يَرْحَلُونَ هَوْدَجِي، فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ فَرَحَلُونِي عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ، ثُمَّ انْطَلَقُوا يَقُودُونَهُ، فَجِئْتُ مَنَازِلَهُمْ لَيْسَ بِهَا دَاعٍ وَلَا مُجِيبٌ، فَتَيَمَّمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ بِهِ وَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونَنِي، فَيَبْغُونِي، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ، فَأَقْبَلَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ، وَكَانَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ، فَأَدْلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ، فَعَرَفَنِي، وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَاسْتَرْجَعَ فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ، فَأَنَاخَ لِي رَاحِلَتَهُ، فَوَطِئَ لِي فَرَكِبْتُهَا، فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِي حَتَّى جِئْنَا النَّاسَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، وَقَدْ هَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ اشْتَكَيْتُ شَهْرًا لَا أَشْعُرُ بِالشَّرِّ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ يَرِيبُنِي أَنِّي لَا أَرَى مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ حِينَ أَشْتَكِي، إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ فَيُسَلِّمُ قَائِمًا، وَيَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» وَلَا أَشْعُرُ بِالشَّرِّ، فَلَمَّا نَقَهْتُ مِنْ مَرَضِي، خَرَجْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ إِلَى الْمَنَاصِعِ، وَهُوَ مُتَبَرَّزُنَا، إِنَّمَا نَخْرُجُ لَيْلًا إِلَى لَيْلٍ، إِنَّمَا نَأْكُلُ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ، وَكُنَّا نَتَأَذَّى أَنْ تُتَّخَذَ الْكُنُفُ قُرْبَ بُيُوتِنَا، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا شَأْنَنَا أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِي، فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، قَالَتْ: قُلْتُ لَهَا: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ، أَتَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، قَالَتْ: أَيْ هَنْتَاهُ أَوَلَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ؟، قُلْتُ: مَاذَا قَالَ؟، قَالَتْ: كَذَا وَكَذَا، قَالَتْ: فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا عَلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللهِ قُلْتُ: ائْذَنْ لِي فَآتِي أَبَوَيَّ، وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ حِينَئِذٍ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، قَالَتْ: فَأَذِنَ لِي، فَجِئْتُ أُمِّي فَقُلْتُ: يَا أُمَّهْ مَاذَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ؟، فَقَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكِ، فَإِنَّهُ قَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا لَهَا كَنَائِنُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا، قَالَتْ: قُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ أَوَقَدْ تَحَدِّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا، فَمَكَثْتُ لَيْلَتِي لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، فَلَمَّا أَبْطَأَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ الْوَحْيُ دَعَا عَلِيًّا وَأُسَامَةَ يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ بِمَا يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ، وَمَا يَعْلَمُ فِي نَفْسِ رَسُولِ اللهِ مِنَ الْوُدِّ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَهْلُكَ وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ: لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْخَادِمَ تَصْدُقْكَ، قَالَتْ: فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَرِيرَةَ، فَقَالَ: «أَيْ بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ يَرِيبُكِ؟» ، فَقَالَتْ: لَا، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ أَمْرٍ قَطُّ أَغْمِصُهَا بِهِ إِلَّا أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، فَتَنَامُ فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُ الْعَجِينَ، فَلَمَّا قَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ فَرَقَى، فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِي وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي» ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا أَمْرَكَ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنْ حَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ، وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَقَالَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ: كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَيَقْتُلَنَّهُ، قَالَتْ: فَتَثَاوَرَ الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولُ اللهِ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ وَيُسْكِتُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا، قَالَتْ: فَبَكَيْتُ لَيْلَتِي لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، وَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدِي أَبَوَايَ يَظُنَّانِ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي اسْتَأْذَنَتْ عَلَيَّ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي، فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ثُمَّ قَعَدَ وَاللهِ مَا قَعَدَ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ لِي مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا فَتَشَهَّدَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ، فَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاعْتَرِفِي وَتُوبِي إِلَى اللهِ وَاسْتَغْفِرِي، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنْبٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ» ، فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ مَقَالَتَهُ، قَلَصَ دَمْعِي مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ: يَا أُمَّهْ أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللهِ، قَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، قَالَتْ: قُلْتُ: يَا أَبَهْ أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللهِ، قَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ: وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، لَا أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ: وَاللهِ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمْ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ إِنِّي لَبَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي، وَلَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا، إِلَّا قَوْلَ أَبِي يُوسُفَ: {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨] ، ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُ وَجْهِي إِلَى الْجِدَارِ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ، وَلَنَفْسِي كَانَتْ أَحْقَرَ عِنْدِي مِنْ أَنْ يُنْزِلَ اللهُ فِيَّ وَحْيًا وَتِلَاوَةً، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرَى أَنْ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللهِ رُؤْيَا فَيُبَرِّئُنِي اللهُ بِهَا، قَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا قَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ، وَلَا رَامَ أَهْلُ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أَخَذَتْهُ الْبُرَحَاءُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تَأْخُذُهُ حِينَ يَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِ الْوَحْيُ، حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّاتِي مِنْ ثِقَلِ الْوَحْيِ، فَسُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَقَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ أَمَا وَاللهِ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ اللهُ» ، فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي: قَوْمِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ، قُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ، قَالَتْ: وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيِّ بْنِ سَلُولٍ، قَالَتْ: وَقَدْ كَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ لِقَرَابَتِهِ وَيُتْمِهِ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ: {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ} الْآيَةَ، {أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ} [النور: ٢٢] ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: بَلَى يَا رَبِّ، فَرَدَّ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ نَفَقَتَهُ .
When the people of the slander said what they said, Allah declared Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) innocent of it. Al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: All of them (the four narrators) narrated to me some part of this incident, and some of them had firmer memory than others and related it in a better way. They said: Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended a journey or to go in some direction, he would cast lots among his wives, and whichever of them drew the lot, he would take her with him. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: In a military expedition he (peace and blessings be upon him) cast lots among us, and my lot came out, and this was after the verse of the veil (hijab) had been revealed. So I set out with him (peace and blessings be upon him), and I would be carried and set down in my howdah, and in those days women were slender. She said: One night the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) announced the departure. I got up and went beyond the army. When I had finished my need, I came towards my camp, and I touched my chest and found that a necklace of shell beads had fallen. So I went back and was held up searching for it. Meanwhile, the people who used to lift my howdah came and lifted my howdah, thinking that I was in it, and they placed it on the same camel I used to ride; then they set off with it. Then I came to their place, but there was neither anyone calling nor anyone answering. So I made for my earlier camp, and I was sure that they would miss me and come back looking for me. She said: While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept. Meanwhile Safwan bin al-Mu'attal came; he was behind the army. Travelling in the last part of the night, he reached the vicinity of my camp in the morning and saw the shape of a person, and he recognised me, for he used to see me before the veil was revealed. He recited the istirja', and I woke at the sound of his istirja'. Then he made his mount kneel for me and put his foot on its foreleg, and I mounted it. Then he set off with me until we reached the people right at midday, and whoever was to be ruined had been ruined. When we reached Madinah, I was ill for a month. I had no sense of any evil, except that it troubled me that I was not finding from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the gentleness I used to find during illness before. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would only come in, greet me with salam while standing, and say: "How is she?" And I had no sense of any evil. When I had recovered somewhat from my illness, the mother of Mistah bin Uthathah and I went out towards al-Manasi', which was our place for relieving ourselves. We would only go out at night, we ate only a little food, and our practice was like that of the early Arabs; we found it distasteful that toilets should be built near our houses. When we had finished our need and were coming back home, the mother of Mistah tripped in her wrap and fell, and she said: "May Mistah perish!" I said to her: "What an evil thing you have said! Do you revile a man who took part in Badr?" She said: "O simple one! Have you not heard what he said?" I asked: "What did he say?" She told me: "Such and such." My illness increased on top of my illness. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came, I said: "Permit me to go to my parents," and I wanted to confirm this news from them. He (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me permission. I came to my mother and asked: "Mother, what are people talking about?" She said: "Daughter, take this lightly, for it rarely happens that a beautiful woman, whose husband loves her and who also has co-wives, is not talked about much by people." I said: "Subhan Allah! Are people really talking about this?" That night I wept; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. When the revelation (on this matter) was delayed for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ali and Usamah and consulted them about separating from his wife. Usamah advised on the basis of what he knew of the innocence of his wife and the love he knew to be in his (peace and blessings be upon him) heart, and he said: "O Messenger of Allah, about your wife, by Allah, we have known nothing but good." As for Ali, he said: "Allah has not restricted you, and there are many women besides her, and if you ask the servant girl, she will tell you the truth." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Barirah and said: "O Barirah, have you seen anything that troubles you?" She said: "No, by the One who sent you with the truth, I have not seen anything in her for which I would blame her, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep, and the goat comes and eats the dough." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up, he ascended the pulpit, praised and extolled Allah, and then said: "To proceed: O Muslims, who will excuse me (in taking action) regarding a man whose harm concerning my wife has reached me? By Allah, I have known nothing about my wife but good, and they have mentioned a man about whom I have also known nothing but good, and he only used to come to my house with me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will excuse you regarding him. If he is from the tribe of al-Aws, I will strike off his head, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, we will carry out whatever you command us." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah stood up (and before that he had been a righteous man, but tribal zeal overcame him) and he said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, you will not kill him, nor do you have the power to kill him." At this, Usayd bin Hudayr said: "You have lied! By Allah, they will certainly kill him." At this, both tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, flared up, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kept calming them and quietening them until they fell silent. I wept that night; my tears did not stop and no sleep came to me. My parents stayed with me until morning, and they thought that the weeping would split my liver. The two of them were with me and I was weeping when a woman of the Ansar asked permission, came in and began weeping with me. We were in this state when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and then sat down (by Allah, he (peace and blessings be upon him) had not sat with me since what had been said about me). Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited the testimony of faith and said: "To proceed: O Aishah, this and that has reached me. If you have committed a sin, then confess it, repent to Allah and seek forgiveness, for when a servant confesses a sin and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance." When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished speaking, my tears dried up so completely that I did not feel a single drop. I said: "Mother, answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She said: "By Allah, I do not know what answer to give the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "Father, answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." He said: "By Allah, I do not know what answer to give the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." So I, while I was a young girl who did not read much of the Qur'an, said: "By Allah, you have heard this thing in such a way that it has become fixed in your hearts and you have believed it. If I say that I am innocent (and Allah knows that I am innocent), you will not believe me. And I find no example for me and for you except the saying of the father of Yusuf: 'So beautiful patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe' [Surah Yusuf: 18]." Then I turned my face towards the wall (and Allah knows that I am innocent), and in my own eyes I was far too insignificant for Allah to send down any revelation and recited speech about me; rather, I was thinking that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would see a dream through which Allah would declare my innocence. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not rise from his place, nor did any of the household go out, until the same intense state that used to come over him when revelation came down came over him (peace and blessings be upon him), until drops of sweat like pearls began to drip from him (peace and blessings be upon him) even on a winter day, because of the weight of the revelation. Then that state passed from him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) was smiling, and he said: "O Aishah, listen! By Allah, Allah has declared your innocence." My mother said to me: "Get up and go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "By Allah, I will not get up and go to him, nor will I praise anyone but Allah." And the one who took the greatest part in this matter was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. Abu Bakr used to spend on Mistah bin Uthathah because of his kinship and his being an orphan, and Abu Bakr said: "By Allah, I will never spend anything on Mistah again." At this Allah revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you?" [Surah al-Nur: 22]. So Abu Bakr said: "Yes indeed, O my Lord!" and then he restored Mistah's allowance.
حَدَّثَنَا الْمُفَضَّلُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْجَنَدِيُّ، ثنا أَبُو حُمَةَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ الزُّبَيْدِيُّ، ثنا أَبُو قُرَّةَ مُوسَى بْنُ طَارِقٍ، قَالَ: ذَكَرَ زَمْعَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ عَطَاءٍ، وَزِيَادِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَعُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَعَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنْ حَدِيثِ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ، وَكُلٌّ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا، وَبَعْضُ حَدِيثِهِمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضًا، وَإِنْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْعَى لِحَدِيثِهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَأَثْبَتَ اقْتِصَاصًا، ذَكَرُوا أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ - زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَى سَفَرٍ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ، وَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ
Imam al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This is the hadith of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), from the time when the people of the slander said about her what they said, and then Allah declared her innocent. Each of them narrated to me a part of her hadith, and some of their narrations confirm others, though some of them remembered her hadith better than others and were firmer in relating it. They all related that Sayyidah Aishah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to go on a journey, he would cast lots among his wives; and then (the narrator) related the whole hadith.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، وَأَبُو مُسْلِمٍ الْكَشِّيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ الْمِنْهَالِ، ثنا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، إِنَّهَا قَالَتْ: لَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ وَشَاعَ وَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ فِيهِ خَطِيبًا، وَمَا أَشْعُرُ بِهِ فَدَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ عَلَى جَارِيَةٍ لِي نُوبِيَّةٍ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ: «مَا تَعْلَمِينَ مِنْ عَائِشَةَ؟» ، فَقَالَتْ: مَا أَعْلَمُ عَلَيْهَا عَيْبًا غَيْرَ أَنَّهَا تَنَامُ، فَتَدْخُلُ الشَّاةُ، فَتَأْكُلُ خَمِيرَتَهَا وَحَصِيرَهَا، فَقَالَ: «لَسْتُ عَنْ هَذَا أَسْأَلُكِ» ، قَالَتْ: فَعَمَّهْ، فَلَمَّا فَطِنَتْ، قَالَتْ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ، وَمَا أَعْلَمُ مِنْ عَائِشَةَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَعْلَمُ الصَّائِغُ مِنَ التِّبْرِ الْأَحْمَرِ، فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَشِيرُوا عَلَيَّ مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فِي قَوْمٍ أَبَنُوا أَهْلِي مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ سُوءٍ قَطُّ، وَأَبَنُوهُمْ بِمَنْ وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سُوءٍ قَطُّ، وَلَا تَغَيَّبْتُ قَطُّ إِلَّا وَهُوَ مَعِي، وَلَا دَخَلَ بَيْتِي قَطُّ إِلَّا وَأَنَا شَاهِدٌ» ، فَقَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ: أَرَى أَنْ يُضْرَبَ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ: كَذَبْتَ وَاللهِ أَمَا وَاللهِ لَوْ كَانُوا مِنْ رَهْطِكَ مَا أَمَرْتَ بِقَتْلِهِمْ، وَكَانَ حَسَّانُ مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ حَتَّى كَانَ بَيْنَ الْأَوْسِ وَالْخَزْرَجِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ كَوْنٌ وَكَانَ مِمَّنْ يَذِيعُهُ حَسَّانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ، وَمِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ، وَحَمْنَةُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ فِي آخَرِينَ، وَكَانَ يَتَحَدَّثُ بِهِ عِنْدَ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ فَيَسْمَعُهُ فَيَسْتَوْشِيهِ وَيَذِيعُهُ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَخَرَجْتُ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ مَعَ أُمِّ مِسْطَحٍ لِحَاجَتِي، فَبَيْنَمَا نَمْشِي إِذْ عَثَرَتْ، فَقَالَتْ تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ عَلَى منَ تَسُبِّينَ ابْنَكِ مِسْطَحًا وَهُوَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَقَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟، ثُمَّ مَشَتْ سَاعَةً فَعَثَرَتْ، فَقَالَتْ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا أَسُبُّهُ إِلَّا فِيكِ، قَالَتْ: قُلْتُ: وَمَا شَأْنِي؟، فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِالْأَمْرِ، فَذَهَبْتُ حَاجَتِي فَرَجَعْتُ، فَحُمِمْتُ، فَدَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: «مَا شَأْنُكِ يَا عَائِشَةُ؟» ، قُلْتُ: حُمَمَةٌ فَائْذَنْ لِي فَآتِي أَبَوَيَّ، فَأَذِنَ لِي فَذَهَبْتُ، فَإِذَا أُمِّي أَسْفَلُ وَأَبِي فَوْقَ الْبَيْتِ يُصَلِّي، فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي: مَا شَأْنُكِ يَا عَائِشَةُ؟، فَقُلْتُ: أَخْبَرَتْنِي أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ بِكَذَا وَكَذَا، فَقَالَتْ: أَمَا سَمِعْتِ بِهِ إِلَّا الْآنَ؟، فَبَكَيْتُ وَبَكَتْ وَسَمِعَ أَبِي الْبُكَاءَ، فَقَالَ: مَا شَأْنُ ابْنَتِي؟، فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي: سَمِعَتْ بِذَلِكَ الْأَمْرِ الْآنَ، فَقَالَ: أَيْ بُنَيَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَى بَيْتِكِ حَتَّى نَغْدُوَ عَلَيْكِ غَدًا، فَجَاءَ مِنَ الْغَدِ وَعِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، فَلَمْ يَمْنَعِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَكَانَهَا أَنْ يُكَلِّمَ، فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَسَأْتِ وَأَخْطَأْتِ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ وَتُوبِي» ، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: تَكَلَّمْ، فَقَالَ: بِمَ أَتَكَلَّمُ؟، قُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: تَكَلَّمِي، قَالَتْ: بِمَ أَتَكَلَّمُ؟، فَحَمِدْتُ اللهَ وَأَثْنَيْتُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَوَاللهِ لَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فَعَلْتُ لَتَقُولُنَّ قَدْ أَقَرَّتْ وَمَا فَعَلْتُ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَمْ أَفْعَلْ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فَعَلْتُ لَتَقُولُنَّ كَذَبَتْ، وَلَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا مَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨]
، فَنَزَلَ الْوَحْيُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأُسْرِيَ عَنْهُ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ السُّرُورَ بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ أَبْشِرِي أَبْشِرِي فَقَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عُذْرَكِ» ، وَقَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ، فَقَالَ أَبَوَايَ: قَوْمِي فَقَبِّلِي رَأْسَ رَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ: أَحْمَدُ اللهَ لَا إِيَّاكُمَا، وَكَانَ مِسْطَحٌ قَرِيبًا لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَكَانَ يَتِيمًا فِي حِجْرِهِ، فَحَلَفَ أَنْ لَا يُنْفِقَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ} - حَتَّى خَتَمَ الْآيَةَ -، وَكَانَ حَسَّانُ إِذَا سُبَّ عِنْدَهَا قَالَتْ: لَا تَسُبُّوهُ، فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يُنَافِحُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ، وَأَيُّ عَذَابٍ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ ذَهَابِ عَيْنَيْهِ، عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
، فَنَزَلَ الْوَحْيُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأُسْرِيَ عَنْهُ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ السُّرُورَ بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ أَبْشِرِي أَبْشِرِي فَقَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عُذْرَكِ» ، وَقَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ، فَقَالَ أَبَوَايَ: قَوْمِي فَقَبِّلِي رَأْسَ رَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلْتُ: أَحْمَدُ اللهَ لَا إِيَّاكُمَا، وَكَانَ مِسْطَحٌ قَرِيبًا لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَكَانَ يَتِيمًا فِي حِجْرِهِ، فَحَلَفَ أَنْ لَا يُنْفِقَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ} - حَتَّى خَتَمَ الْآيَةَ -، وَكَانَ حَسَّانُ إِذَا سُبَّ عِنْدَهَا قَالَتْ: لَا تَسُبُّوهُ، فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يُنَافِحُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ، وَأَيُّ عَذَابٍ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ ذَهَابِ عَيْنَيْهِ، عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: People talked about this matter and the news spread, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon about it, and I was not even aware of it. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), with some of his Companions, went to a Nubian slave girl of mine and said: "What do you know about Aishah?" She said: "I know no fault in her except that she falls asleep and the goat comes and eats her leaven and her mat." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is not what I am asking you about." She said: "Then what are you asking about?" When she understood, she said: "Subhan Allah! I know of Aishah only what the goldsmith knows of pure red gold." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out, praised and extolled Allah, and then said: "O Muslims, advise me about a people who have slandered my wife, though I have never known any evil about them, and they have accused them with a man about whom too, by Allah, I have never known any evil. I never went on a journey except that he was with me, and he never entered my house except when I was present." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh said: "My view is that their necks should be struck." At this, a man of al-Khazraj said: "You have lied! By Allah, if they had been from your own tribe, you would not have ordered them to be killed." Hassan was from al-Khazraj. Matters reached the point that a quarrel broke out between al-Aws and al-Khazraj in the mosque. Among those who spread this talk were Hassan bin Thabit, Mistah bin Uthathah and Hamnah bint Jahsh, along with some others, and they would mention it in the presence of Abdullah bin Ubayy, who would hear it, fan it further and spread it. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: One night I went out with the mother of Mistah for my need. We were walking when she fell and said: "May Mistah perish!" I said: "Subhan Allah! Why do you revile your son Mistah, when he is one of the first Muhajirun and took part in Badr?" Then she walked for a while, fell again and said the same thing, and I gave her the same reply again. She said: "By Allah, I revile him only because of you." I asked: "What is my matter?" So she told me the whole thing. I finished my need and came back, and a fever came over me. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came and said: "Aishah, what is the matter with you?" I said: "It is a fever; permit me to go to my parents." He (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me permission and I went. I saw that my mother was downstairs and my father was upstairs praying. My mother asked: "Aishah, what has happened to you?" I said: "The mother of Mistah has told me such and such." She said: "Have you only now come to know of it?" I began to weep, and she began to weep too. My father heard the weeping and asked: "What has happened to my daughter?" My mother said: "She has only just learnt of this matter." He said: "My daughter, go back to your house; we will come to you tomorrow morning." The next day he came, and a woman of the Ansar was sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but her presence did not stop the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from speaking. He (peace and blessings be upon him) praised and extolled Allah, and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, if you have done some evil or made some mistake, then seek Allah's forgiveness and repent." I said to my father: "You speak." He said: "What shall I say?" I said to my mother: "You speak." She too said: "What shall I say?" So I praised and extolled Allah, and then said: "To proceed: By Allah, if I say to you that I have done this thing (while Allah knows that I have not done it), you will say that she has confessed, though I have not done it. And if I say that I have not done it (while Allah knows that I have not done it), you will say that she has lied. And I find no example for me and for you except the saying of that righteous servant: 'So beautiful patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe' [Surah Yusuf: 18]." At this, revelation came down upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then, when (the state of revelation) passed, I saw joy between his (peace and blessings be upon him) eyes. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Aishah, rejoice, rejoice! Allah has sent down your vindication." And he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited the Qur'an (the verses). My parents said: "Get up and kiss the head of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "I praise Allah, not the two of you." Mistah was a relative of Abu Bakr and an orphan under his guardianship, and Abu Bakr swore that he would not spend anything on him. So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear" to the end of the verse. And whenever Hassan was reviled in her presence, she would say: "Do not revile him, for he used to defend the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And what punishment could be greater than the loss of the sight of both his eyes? That is a great punishment."
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَالِمٍ الرَّازِيُّ، قَالَ: ثنا سَهْلُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، ثنا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، ثنا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: لَمَّا ذُكِرَ مِنْ شَأْنِي الَّذِي ذُكِرَ وَمَا عَلِمْتُ قَامَ فِيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَطِيبًا، فَتَشَهَّدَ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ أَشِيرُوا عَلَيَّ فِي أُنَاسٍ أَبَنُوا أَهْلِي، وَأَيْمُ اللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي مِنْ سُوءٍ قَطُّ، وَأَبَنُوهُمْ بِمَنْ وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سُوءٍ قَطُّ وَلَا دَخَلَ بَيْتِي إِلَّا وَأَنَا حَاضِرٌ، وَلَا غِبْتُ فِي سَفَرٍ إِلَّا غَابَ مَعِي» ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، فَقَالَ: نَرَى يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنْ نَضْرِبَ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ، فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ وَكَانَتْ أُمُّ حَسَّانَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ مِنْ رَهْطِ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ، فَقَالَ: كَذَبَتْ أَمَ وَاللهِ لَوْ كَانُوا مِنَ الْأَوْسِ مَا أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ تُضْرَبَ أَعْنَاقُهُمْ حَتَّى كَادَ أَنْ يَكُونَ بَيْنَ الْأَوْسِ وَالْخَزْرَجِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ شَرٌّ وَمَا عَلِمْتُ بِهِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ مَسَاءُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ خَرَجْتُ لِبَعْضِ حَاجَتِي وَمَعِي أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فَعَثَرَتْ، فَقَالَتْ : تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَانْتَهَرْتُهَا، فَقُلْتُ: أَوَ تَسُبِّينَ ابْنَكِ؟، فَقَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا أَسُبُّهُ إِلَّا فِيكِ، فَقُلْتُ: فِي أَيِّ شَأْنِي، فَنَقَرَتِ الْحَدِيثَ، فَقُلْتُ: وَقَدْ كَانَ هَذَا؟ فَقَالَتْ: نَعَمْ وَاللهِ، فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي لَكَأَنَّ الَّذِي خَرَجْتُ لَهُ لَمْ أَخْرُجْ لَهُ وَلَا أَجِدُ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا وَلَا كَثِيرًا وَوُعِكْتُ، فَقُلْتُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ: أَرْسِلْنِي إِلَى بَيْتِ أَبِي، فَأَرْسَلَ مَعِيَ الْغُلَامَ، فَدَخَلْتُ الدَّارَ فَوَجَدْتُ أُمَّ رُومَانَ فِي السُّفْلِ، وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ فَوْقَ الْبَيْتِ يَقْرَأُ، فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي: مَا جَاءَ بِكِ يَا بُنَيَّةُ؟، فَأَخْبَرْتُهَا وَذَكَرْتُ لَهَا الْحَدِيثَ، وَإِذَا هِي لَمْ يَبْلُغْ مِنْهَا مَا بَلَغَ مِنِّي، فَقَالَتْ: أَيْ بُنَيَّةُ خَفِّفِي عَلَيْكِ الشَّأْنَ فَإِنَّهُ وَاللهِ لَقَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ حَسْنَاءَ عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا وَلَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا حَسَدْنَهَا وَقِيلَ فِيهَا، قُلْتُ: وَقَدْ عَلِمَ بِهَا أَبِي؟، قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ، قُلْتُ: وَرَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟، قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ، قَالَتْ: وَاسْتَعْبَرْتُ، فَبَكَيْتُ فَسَمِعَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ صَوْتِي وَهُوَ فَوْقَ الْبَيْتِ يَقْرَأُ، فَنَزَلَ فَقَالَ لِأُمِّي: مَا شَأْنُهَا؟، قَالَتْ: بَلَغَهَا الَّذِي ذُكِرَ مِنْ شَأْنِهَا، فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ، فَقَالَ: أَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْكِ يَا بُنَيَّةُ إِلَّا رَجَعْتِ إِلَى بَيْتِكِ، قَالَتْ: فَرَجَعْتُ، قَالَتْ: وَلَقَدْ جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللهِ بَيْتِي فَسَأَلَ عَنِّي خَادِمَتِي، فَقَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا عَيْبًا إِلَّا أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَرْقُدُ حَتَّى تَدْخُلَ الشَّاةُ فَتَأْكُلَ خَمِيرَهَا أَوْ عَجِينَهَا، قَالَتْ: فَانْتَهَرَهَا بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَقَالَ: أَصْدِقِي رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَتْ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ، مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا مَا يَعْلَمُ الصَّائِغُ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ الْأَحْمَرِ، فَبَلَغَ الْأَمْرُ ذَاكَ الرَّجُلَ الَّذِي كَانَ قِيلَ لَهُ فِيهَا، فَقَالَ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ، مَا كَشَفْتُ أُنْثَى قَطُّ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَقُتِلَ شَهِيدًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، قَالَتْ: وَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَايَ عِنْدِي فَلَمْ يَزَالَا عِنْدِي حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ وَقَدْ صَلَّى الْعَصْرَ وَقَدِ اكْتَنَفَنِي أَبَوَايَ عَنْ يَمِينِي وَشِمَالِي، فَتَشَهَّدَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ، يَا عَائِشَةُ فَإِنْ كُنْتِ قَارَفْتِ سُوءًا أَوْ ظَلَمْتِ فَتُوبِي إِلَى اللهِ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ» ، قَالَتْ: وَقَدْ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَهِيَ جَالِسَةٌ بِالْبَابِ، فَقُلْتُ: أَلَا تَسْتَحْي مِنْ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةِ أَنْ تَذْكُرَ شَيْئًا، فَوَعَظَ رَسُولُ اللهِ فَالْتَفَتُّ إِلَى أَبِي، فَقُلْتُ: أَجِبْهُ، فَقَالَ: أَقُولُ مَاذَا؟، فَالْتَفَتُّ إِلَى أُمِّي، فَقُلْتُ: أَجِيبِيهِ، فَقَالَتْ: أَقُولُ مَاذَا؟، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا لَمْ يُجِيبَاهُ تَشَهَّدْتُ فَحَمِدْتُ اللهَ وَأَثْنَيْتُ عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ، ثُمَّ قُلْتُ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَوَاللهِ لَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي لَمْ أَفْعَلْ وَاللهُ يَشْهَدُ أَنِّي لَصَادِقَةٌ مَا ذَاكَ بِنَافِعِي عِنْدَكُمْ، لَقَدْ تَكَلَّمْتُمْ بِهِ وَأَشْرَبْتُمُوهُ قُلُوبَكُمْ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ إِنِّي قَدْ فَعَلْتُ وَاللهُ يَشْهَدُ أَنِّي لَمْ أَفْعَلْ لَتَقُولُنَّ قَدْ بَاتَ بِهِ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا وَاللهُ يَشْهَدُ أَنِّي لَمْ أَفْعَلْ، وَإِنِّي وَاللهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا، قَالَتْ: وَالْتَمَسْتُ اسْمَ يَعْقُوبَ فَلَمْ أَقْدِرْ عَلَيْهِ، فَقُلْتُ: إِلَّا أَبَا يُوسُفَ حِينَ قَالَ: {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ} [يوسف: ١٨] الْآيَةَ، قَالَتْ: فَأُنْزِلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ فَرُفِعَ عَنْهُ، وَإِنِّي لَأَتَبَيَّنُ السُّرُورَ فِي وَجْهِهِ، وَهُوَ يَمْسَحُ جَبِينَهُ وَيَقُولُ: «أَبْشِرِي يَا عَائِشَةُ فَقَدْ أَبْرَأَكِ اللهُ بِبَرَاءَتِكِ» ، قَالَتْ: فَكُنْتُ أَشَدَّ مَا كُنْتُ غَضَبًا، فَقَالَ لِي أَبَوَايَ: قَوْمِي إِلَيْهِ، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا أَحْمَدُهُ وَلَا أَحْمَدُكُمَا، وَلَكِنِّي أَحْمَدُ اللهَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ بَرَاءَتِي لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ فَمَا أَنْكَرْتُمُوهُ، وَلَكِنْ أَحْمَدُ اللهَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ بَرَاءَتِي، فَأَمَّا زَيْنَبُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِدِينِهَا، فَلَمْ تَقُلْ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ، وَكَانَ الَّذِينَ تَكَلَّمُوا بِهِ مِسْطَحَ بْنَ أُثَاثَةَ وَحَسَّانَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ وَحَمْنَةَ وَالْمُنَافِقَ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَسْتَوْشِيهِ وَيَجْمَعُهُمْ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ، فَحَلَفَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ مِسْطَحًا أَبَدًا بِنَافِعَةٍ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ} - يَعْنِي: أَبَا بَكْرٍ -، {أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ} [النور: ٢٢]- يَعْنِي: مِسْطَحًا -، {أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ وَاللهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} [النور: ٢٢] ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: بَلَى وَاللهِ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّا لَنُحِبُّ أَنْ يُغْفَرَ لَنَا فَعَادَ لِمَا كَانَ يَنْفَعُهُ بِهِ
It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her); she said: When what was said about me was said, and I did not know of it, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up to deliver a sermon about me. He recited the testimony of faith, praised and extolled Allah as befits Him, and then said: "To proceed: advise me about the people who have slandered my family. By Allah, I have never known any evil about my family, and they have accused them with a man about whom too, by Allah, I have never known any evil. He never entered my house except in my presence, and I was never away on a journey except that he was away with me." At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, our view is that we should strike their necks." At this, a man of al-Khazraj stood up (and the mother of Hassan bin Thabit was from that man's clan) and said: "You have lied! Listen, by Allah, if they had been from al-Aws, you would not have liked to order their necks to be struck." At this, evil was about to break out between al-Aws and al-Khazraj in the mosque, and I knew nothing of it. When the evening of that day came, I went out for some need of mine, and the mother of Mistah was with me. She fell and said: "May Mistah perish!" I rebuked her and said: "Do you revile your own son?" She said: "By Allah, I revile him only because of you." I asked: "In what matter of mine?" So she told me the whole thing. I asked: "Did this really happen?" She said: "Yes, by Allah." I returned to my house as if the need for which I had gone out had not been fulfilled at all; I felt no relief from it, and a fever came over me. I said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): "Send me to my father's house." He (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a servant boy with me. I entered the house and found Umm Ruman downstairs, while Abu Bakr was upstairs reciting the Qur'an. My mother said: "My daughter, what has brought you?" I told her the whole thing. It did not affect her as it had affected me. She said: "My daughter, take this matter lightly, for by Allah, it rarely happens that a beautiful woman, whose husband loves her and who also has co-wives, is not envied and talked about." I asked: "Does my father also know of it?" She said: "Yes." I asked: "And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) too?" She said: "Yes." At this, tears came to my eyes and I began to weep. Abu Bakr heard my voice while he was upstairs reciting the Qur'an. He came down and asked my mother: "What has happened to her?" She said: "What has been said about her has reached her." His eyes filled with tears, and he said: "My daughter, I adjure you to go back to your house." So I went back. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to my house and asked my servant girl about me. She said: "By Allah, I know no fault in her except that she falls asleep and the goat comes and eats her leaven or her dough." Some of his Companions rebuked her and said: "Tell the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the truth." She said: "Subhan Allah! I know of her only what the goldsmith knows of red gold." This reached the man about whom this accusation had been made, and he said: "Subhan Allah! I have never uncovered a woman." Sayyidah Aishah said: And he was killed as a martyr in the path of Allah. My parents came to me in the morning and stayed with me continuously, until the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me after praying Asr, while my parents were sitting on my right and my left. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited the testimony of faith, praised and extolled Allah as befits Him, and then said: "To proceed: O Aishah, if you have committed some evil or wrong, then repent to Allah, for Allah accepts the repentance of His servants." A woman of the Ansar had come and was sitting at the door. I said: "Do you not feel shy before this woman to mention anything?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) continued his admonition. I turned to my father and said: "Answer him." He said: "What shall I say?" I turned to my mother and said: "Answer him." She too said: "What shall I say?" When neither of them answered, I recited the testimony of faith, praised and extolled Allah as befits Him, and then said: "To proceed: By Allah, if I say to you that I have not done this thing (while Allah is witness that I am truthful), it will not benefit me at all in your eyes; you have already spoken about it and let it soak into your hearts. And if I say that I have done it (while Allah is witness that I have not done it), you will certainly say that she has confessed against herself. Allah is witness that I have not done it. By Allah, I find no example for me and for you." I searched for the name of Ya'qub but could not recall it, so I said: "except the father of Yusuf, when he said: 'So beautiful patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe' [Surah Yusuf: 18]." At that very moment revelation came down upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Then that state passed, and I clearly saw joy on his (peace and blessings be upon him) face as he wiped his forehead and said: "Rejoice, O Aishah! Allah has declared you innocent with your vindication." At that moment I was angrier than I had ever been. My parents said: "Get up and go to him." I said: "By Allah, I will not get up and go to him, nor will I praise him, nor the two of you; rather, I will praise Allah who has sent down my vindication. You heard this thing and did not reject it; but I praise Allah who has sent down my vindication." As for Sayyidah Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her), Allah protected her because of her religion, and she said nothing but good. As for her sister Hamnah, she was among those who were ruined. Those who spoke of this were Mistah bin Uthathah, Hassan bin Thabit, Hamnah and the hypocrite Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul; it was he who fanned it and gathered people, and it was he who took the greatest part in it (the slander). Abu Bakr swore that he would never again benefit Mistah in any way, so Allah revealed this verse: "And let not those of virtue and means among you" (meaning Abu Bakr) "swear that they will not give to their relatives and the poor" [Surah al-Nur: 22] (meaning Mistah) "Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful" [Surah al-Nur: 22]. So Abu Bakr said: "Yes indeed, by Allah, O our Lord, we do love to be forgiven." So he went back to spending on him as he used to benefit him before.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ الصَّنْعَانِيُّ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْعُمَرِيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي أُوَيْسٍ، قَالَ: ثنا أَبِي، قَالَ: ثنا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ، قَالَ: أَبُو أُوَيْسٍ، وَحَدَّثَنِي أَيْضًا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ حَزْمٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ النَّجَّارِيُّ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ بِنْتِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْأَنْصَارِيَّةِ ثُمَّ النَّجَّارِيَّةِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَتْ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يُسَافَرَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا مَعَهُ فَخَرَجَ سَهْمُ عَائِشَةَ فِي غَزْوَةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَنِي الْمُصْطَلِقِ مِنْ خُزَاعَةَ، فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَكَانَ قَرِيبًا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَكَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ جُوَيْرِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ قَلِيلَةَ اللَّحْمِ خَفِيفَةً، وَكَانَتْ تَلْزَمُ خِدْرَهَا، فَإِذَا أَرَادَ النَّاسُ الرَّحِيلَ ذَهَبَتْ فَتَوَضَّأَتْ وَرَجَعَتْ فَدَخَلَتْ مِحَفَّتَهَا فَيُرْحَلُ بَعِيرُهَا ثُمَّ يُحْمَلُ مِحَفَّتُهَا فَتُوضَعُ عَلَى الْبَعِيرِ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَا قَالَ فِيهَا الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَغَيْرُهُمْ مِمَّنْ أَشْرَكَ فِي عَائِشَةَ أَنَّهَا خَرَجَتْ تَتَوَضَّأُ حِينَ دَنَوْا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، فَانْسَلَّ مِنْ عُنُقِهَا عِقْدٌ لَهَا مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ، فَارْتَحَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالنَّاسُ وَهِيَ فِي ابْتِغَاءِ الْعِقْدِ وَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ بِرَحِيلِهِمْ، فَشَدُّوا عَلَى بَعِيرِهَا الْمِحَفَّةَ وَهُمْ يَرَوْنَ أَنَّهَا فِيهَا كَمَا كَانَتْ، فَرَجَعَتْ عَائِشَةُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهَا فَلَمْ تَجِدْ فِي الْعَسْكَرِ أَحَدًا فَغَلَبَتْهَا عَيْنَاهَا، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ صَاحِبُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَخَلَّفَ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَنِ الْعَسْكَرِ حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ، قَالَتْ: فَمَرَّ بِي فَرَآنِي فَاسْتَرْجَعَ، وَأَعْظَمَ مَكَانِي حِينَ رَآنِي وَحْدِي، وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْرِفُهُ وَيَعْرِفُنِي قَبْلَ أَنْ يُضْرَبَ عَلَيْنَا الْحِجَابُ، قَالَتْ: فَسَأَلَنِي عَنْ أَمْرِي فَسَتَرْتُ وَجْهِي عَنْهُ بِجِلْبَابِي، وَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِأَمْرِي فَقَرَّبَ بَعِيرَهُ، فَوَطِئَ عَلَى ذِرَاعِهِ، وَوَلَّانِي قَفَاهُ حَتَّى رَكِبْتُ وَسَوَّيْتُ ثِيَابِي، ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ فَأَقْبَلَ يَسِيرُ بِي حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ نِصْفَ النَّهَارِ أَوْ نَحْوَهُ، فَهُنَالِكَ قَالَ فِيَّ وَفِيهِ مَنْ قَالَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ، وَأَنَا لَا أَعْلَمُ شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَلَا مِمَّا يَخُوضُ النَّاسُ فِيهِ مِنْ أَمْرِي، وَكُنْتُ تِلْكَ اللَّيَالِيَ شَاكِيَةً، وَكَانَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ مَا أَنْكَرْتُ مِنْ أَمْرِ النَّبِيِّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَعُودُنِي قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ إِذَا مَرِضْتُ، وَكَانَ تِلْكَ اللَّيَالِيَ لَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيَّ وَلَا يَعُودُنِي، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ يَقُولُ وَهُوَ مَارٌّ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟» ، فَيَسْأَلُ عَنِّي بَعْضَ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا أَكْثَرَ النَّاسُ فِيهِ مِنْ أَمْرِي غَمَّهُ ذَلِكَ وَقَدْ كُنْتُ شَكَوْتُ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى أُمِّي مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنَ الْجَفْوَةِ، فَقَالَتْ لِي: يَا بُنَيَّةُ اصْبِرِي فَوَاللهِ لَقَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ حَسْنَاءُ يُحِبُّهَا زَوْجُهَا، لَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا رَمَيْنَهَا، قَالَتْ: فَوَجَدْتُ حِسًّا تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ الَّتِي بَعَثَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ صُبْحِهَا إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، فَاسْتَشَارَهُمَا فِي أَمْرِي وَكُنَّا ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانَ لَيْسَتْ لَنَا كُنُفٌ نَذْهَبُ فِيهَا، إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَذْهَبُ كَمَا يَذْهَبُ الْعَرَبُ لَيْلًا إِلَى لَيْلٍ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّ مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ: خُذِي الْإِدَاوَةَ فَامْلَئِيهَا مَاءً فَاذْهَبِي بِهَا إِلَى الْمَنَاصِعِ، وَكَانَتْ هِيَ وَابْنُهَا مِسْطَحُ بَيْنَهُمَا وَبَيْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ قَرَابَةٌ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِمَا، فَكَانَ يَكُونَانِ مَعَهُ وَمَعَ أَهْلِهِ، فَأَخَذْتُ الْإِدَاوَةَ وَخَرَجْنَا نَحْوَ الْمَنَاصِعِ، فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ، قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ مَشَيْنَا فَعَثَرَتْ أَيْضًا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ لِصَاحِبِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَصَاحِبِ بَدْرٍ، فَقَالَتْ: إِنَّكِ لَغَافِلَةٌ عَمَّا فِيهِ النَّاسُ مِنْ أَمْرِكِ، قُلْتُ: أَجَلْ فَمَا ذَاكَ؟، فَقَالَتْ: إِنَّ مِسْطَحًا وَفُلَانًا وَفُلَانَةَ فِيمَنِ اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي بَيْتِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ أَخِي بَنِي الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْخَزْرَجِ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ عَنْكِ، وَعَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ الْمُعَطَّلِ وَيَرْمُونَكِ بِهِ، قَالَتْ: فَذَهَبَ عَنِّي مَا كُنْتُ أَجِدُ مِنَ الْغَائِطِ، وَرَجَعْتُ عَوْدِي عَلَى بَدْئِي إِلَى بَيْتِي، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْنَا مِنْ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ بَعَثَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ فَأَخْبَرَهُمَا بِمَا قِيلَ فِيَّ، وَاسْتَشَارَهُمَا فِي أَمْرِي، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ: وَاللهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَى أَهْلِكَ سُوءًا، وَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، مَا أَكْثَرَ النِّسَاءِ، وَإِنْ أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَعْلَمَ الْخَبَرَ فَتَوَعَّدِ الْجَارِيَةَ - يَعْنِي بَرِيرَةَ -، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِعَلِيٍّ: «فَشَأْنَكَ ائْتِ الْخَادِمَ» ، فَسَأَلَهَا عَلِيٌّ عَنِّي فَلَمْ تُخْبِرْهُ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ إِلَّا بِخَيْرٍ، قَالَتْ: وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ سُوءًا إِلَّا أَنَّهَا جُوَيْرِيَةٌ تُصْبِحُ عَنْ عَجِينِ أَهْلِهَا، فَتَدْخُلُ الشَّاةُ الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُ مِنَ الْعَجِينِ، قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ سَمِعَ مَا قَالَتْ فِيَّ بَرِيرَةُ لِعَلِيٍّ إِلَى النَّاسِ، فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعُوا إِلَيْهِ، قَالَ: «يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ لِي مِنْ رِجَالٍ يُؤْذُونِي فِي أَهْلِي فَمَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي سُوءًا، وَيَذُمُّونَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِي مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ سُوءًا، وَلَا خَرَجْتُ مَخْرَجًا إِلَّا خَرَجَ مَعِي فِيهِ» ، فَقَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ ثُمَّ الْأَشْهَلِيُّ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ كَفَيْنَاكَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فِيهِ أَمْرَكَ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ ثُمَّ الْخَزْرَجِيُّ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ: كَذَبْتَ وَاللهِ وَهَذَا الْبَاطِلُ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ ثُمَّ الْأَشْهَلِيُّ، وَرِجَالٌ مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ فَاسْتَبَّوْا وَتَنَازَعَوْا حَتَّى كَادَ أَنْ يَعْظُمَ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُمْ، فَدَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَيْتِي ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَى أَبَوَيَّ، فَأَتَيَاهُ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: «يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّمَا أَنْتِ مِنْ بَنَاتِ آدَمَ، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَخْطَأْتِ فَتُوبِي إِلَى اللهِ وَاسْتَغْفِرِيهِ» ، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي: أَجِبْ عَنِّي رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَ لِي أَبِي: لَا أَفْعَلُ، هُوَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ وَالْوَحْيُ يَأْتِيَهِ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي: أَجِيبِي عَنِّي رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَتْ لِي كَمَا قَالَ أَبِي، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَئِنْ أَقْرَرْتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي بِبَاطِلٍ لَتُصَدِّقُنَّنِي، وَلَئِنْ بَرَّأْتُ نَفْسِي وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُكَذِّبُنَّنِي، فَمَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا قَوْلَ أَبِي يُوسُفَ {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨] ، وَنَسِيتُ اسْمَ يَعْقُوبَ لِمَا بِي مِنَ الْحُزْنِ وَالْبُكَاءِ وَاحْتِرَاقِ الْجَوْفِ، فَتَغَشَّى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا كَانَ يَتَغَشَّاهُ مِنَ الْوَحْيِ، ثُمَّ سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ فَمَسَحَ وَجْهَهُ بِيَدِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: «أَبْشِرِي يَا عَائِشَةُ، فَقَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ بَرَاءَتَكِ» ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَاللهِ مَا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ الْقُرْآنُ فِي أَمْرِي، وَلَكِنِّي كُنْتُ أَرْجُو كَمَا يَعْلَمُ اللهُ مِنْ بَرَاءَتِي، أَنْ يَرَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي أَمْرِي رُؤْيَا فَيُبَرِّئَنِي اللهُ بِهَا عِنْدَ نَبِيِّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَقَالَ لِي أَبَوَايَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ: قَوْمِي فَقَبِّلِي رَأْسَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ لَا أَفْعَلُ بِحَمْدِ اللهِ كَانَ لَا بِحَمْدِكُمْ، قَالَتْ: وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ وَأُمِّهِ فَلَمَّا رَمَانِي حَلَفَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنْ لَا يَنْفَعَهُ بِشَيْءٍ أَبَدًا، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا تَلَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَوْلَ اللهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى {وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ} [النور: ٢٢] ، بَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ: بَلَى يَا رَبُّ، وَعَادَ لِلنَّفَقَةِ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ وَأُمِّهِ، قَالَتْ: وَقَعَدَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ لِحَسَّانَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ بِالسَّيْفِ فَضَرَبَهُ ضَرْبَةً، فَقَالَ صَفْوَانُ لِحَسَّانَ فِي الشَّعْرِ حِينَ ضَرَبَهُ:
[البحر الطويل]
تَلْقَ ذُبَابَ السَّيْفِ مِنِّي فَإِنَّنِي ... غُلَامٌ إِذَا هُوجِيتُ لَيْسَ بِشَاعِرِ
وَلَكِنَّنِي أَحْمِي حِمَايَ وَأَنْتَقِمْ ... مِنَ الْبَاهِتِ الرَّامِي الْبُرَاةِ الطَّوَاهِرِ
ثُمَّ صَاحَ حَسَّانُ فَاسْتَغَاثَ النَّاسَ عَلَى صَفْوَانَ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ النَّاسُ فَرَّ صَفْوَانُ فَجَاءَ حَسَّانُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاسْتَعْدَاهُ عَلَى صَفْوَانَ فِي ضَرْبَتِهِ إِيَّاهُ، فَسَأَلَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَهَبَ لَهُ ضَرْبَةَ صَفْوَانَ إِيَّاهُ، فَوَهَبَهَا لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَعَاضَهُ مِنْهَا حَائِطًا مِنْ نَخْلٍ عَظِيمٍ وَجَارِيَةً رُومِيَّةً وَيُقَالُ قِبْطِيَّةً تُدْعَى سِيرِينَ، فَوَلَدَتْ لِحَسَّانَ ابْنَهُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ الشَّاعِرَ. قَالَ أَبُو أُوَيْسٍ: أَخْبَرَنِي بِذَلِكَ حُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: ثُمَّ بَاعَ حَسَّانُ ذَلِكَ الْحَائِطَ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فِي وِلَايَتِهِ بِمَالٍ عَظِيمٍ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَبَلَغَنِي وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الَّذِي قَالَ اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فِيهِ {وَالَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ} [النور: ١١] ، أَنَّهُ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيِّ بْنِ سَلُولٍ أَحَدُ بَنِي الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْخَزْرَجِ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَقِيلَ فِي أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ الْأَشْعَارُ، وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لمِسْطَحٍ فِي رَمْيَهِ عَائِشَةَ فَكَانَ يُدْعَى عَوْفًا:
[البحر البسيط]
يَا عَوْفُ وَيْحَكَ هَلَّا قُلْتَ عَارِفَةً ... مِنَ الْكَلَامِ وَلَمْ تَبْغِ بِهِ طَمَعَا
فَأَدْرَكَتْكَ حَمِيَّا مَعْشَرٍ أَنْفٍ ... فَلَمْ يَكُنْ قَاطِعٌ يَا عَوْفُ مَنْ قَطَعَا
هَلَّا حَرْبَتٌ مِنَ الْأَقْوَامِ إِذْ حَسَدُوا ... فَلَا تَقُولُ وَإِنْ عَادَيْتَهُمْ قَذْعَا
لَمَّا رَمَيْتَ حَصَانًا غَيْرَ مُقْرِفَةٍ ... أَمِينَةَ الْجَيْبِ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ لَهَا خَضَعَا
فِيمَنْ رَمَاهَا وَكُنْتُمْ مَعْشَرًا إِفْكًا ... فِي سِيِّءِ الْقَوْلِ مِنْ لَفْطِ الْخَنَا شُرَّعًا
فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عُذْرًا فِي بَرَاءَتِهَا ... وَبَيْنَ عَوْفٍ وَبَيْنَ اللهِ مَا صَنَعَا
فَإِنْ أَعِشْ أُجِبْ عَوْفًا فِي مَقَالَتِهِ ... سُوءَ الْجَزَاءِ بِمَا أَلْفِيتَهُ تَبَعَا
وَقَالَتْ أُمُّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ فِي الَّذِينَ رَمَوْا عَائِشَةَ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ:
[البحر المديد]
شَهِدَ الْأَوْسُ كُلُّهَا وَفِنَاؤُهَا ... وَالْخُمَاسِيُّ مِنْ نَسْلِهَا وَالنَّطِيمُ
وَنِسَاءُ الْخَزْرَجِينَ يَشْهَدْنَ ... بِحَقٍّ وَذَلِكُمْ مَعْلُومُ
أَنَّ ابْنَةَ الصِّدِّيقِ كَانَتْ حَصَانًا ... عِفَّة الْجَيْبِ دِينُهَا مُسْتَقِيمِ
تَتَّقِي اللهَ فِي الْمَغِيبِ ... عَلَيْهَا نِعْمَةُ اللهِ سِتْرِهَا مَا يَرِيمُ
خَيْرُ هَدْيِ النِّسَاءِ حَالًا وَنَفْسًا ... وَأَبَا لِلْعُلَى نَمَاهَا كَرِيمُ
لِلْمَوَالِي إِذْ رَمَوْهَا بِإِفْكٍ ... أَخَذَتْهُمْ مَقَامِعُ وَجَحِيمُ
لَيْتَ مَنْ كَانَ قَدْ رَمَاهَا بِسُوءٍ ... فِي حُطَامٍ حَتَّى يَبُولَ اللَّئِيمُ
وَعَوَانٌ مِنَ الْحُرُوبِ تَلَظَّى ... نَفَسًا قُوَّتُهَا عَقَارٌ صَرِيمُ
لَيْتَ سَعْدًا وَمَنْ رَمَاهَا بِسُوءٍ ... فِي كِظَاظٍ حَتَّى يَتُوبَ الظَّلُومُ
وَقَالَ حَسَّانُ وَهُوَ يُبَرِّئُ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهَا فِيمَا قِيلَ فِيهَا وَيَعْتَذِرُ إِلَيْهَا:
[البحر الطويل]
حَصَانٌ رَزَانٌ مَا تُزَنُّ بِرِيبَةٍ ... وَتُصْبِحُ غَرْثَى مِنْ لُحُومِ الْغَوَافِلِ
خَلِيلَةُ خَيْرِ النَّاسِ دِينًا وَمَنْصِبًا ... نَبِيِّ الْهُدَى وَالْمَكْرُمَاتِ الْفَوَاضِلِ
عَقِيلَةُ حَيٍّ مِنْ لُؤَيِّ بْنِ غَالِبٍ ... كِرَامِ الْمَسَاعِي مَجْدُهَا غَيْرُ زَائِلِ
مُهَذَّبَةٌ قَدْ طَيَّبَ اللهُ خِيمَهَا ... فَطَهَّرَهَا مِنْ كُلِّ سُوءٍ وَبَاطِلِ
فَإِنْ كَانَ مَا قَدْ جَاءَ عَنِّيَ قُلْتُهُ ... فَلَا رَفَعَتْ سَوْطِي إِلَيَّ أَنَامِلِي
وَإِنَّ الَّذِي قَدْ قِيلَ لَيْسَ بِلَائِطٍ ... بِكِ الدَّهْرُ بَلْ قَوْلُ امْرِئٍ غَيْرِ مَاحِلِ
وَكَيْفَ وَوُدِّي مَا حَيِيتُ وَنُصْرَتِي ... لِآلِ رَسُولِ اللهِ زَيْنِ الْمَحَافِلِ
لَهُ رُتَبٌ عَالٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَضْلُهَا ... تَقَاصَرَ عَنْهَا سَوْرَةُ الْمُتَطَاوِلِ
قَالَ أَبُو أُوَيْسٍ: وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَرَ بِالَّذِينِ رَمَوْا عَائِشَةَ فَجُلِدُوا الْحَدَّ جَمِيعًا ثَمَانِينَ ثَمَانِينَ، وَقَالَ حَسَّانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ فِي الشِّعْرِ حِينَ جُلِدُوا:
[البحر الطويل]
لَقَدْ كَانَ عَبْدُ اللهُ مَا كَانَ أَهْلِهِ ... وَحَمْنَةُ إِذْ قَالُوا هَجِيرًا وَمِسْطَحُ
تَعَاطَوْا بِرَجْمِ الْقَوْلِ زَوْجَ نَبِيِّهِمْ ... وَسَخَطِهِ ذِي الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ فَأَتْرَحُوا
فَآذَوْا رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيهَا وَعَمَّمُوا ... مَخَازِيَ سُوءٍ حَلَّلُوهَا وَفَضَّحُوا
[البحر الطويل]
تَلْقَ ذُبَابَ السَّيْفِ مِنِّي فَإِنَّنِي ... غُلَامٌ إِذَا هُوجِيتُ لَيْسَ بِشَاعِرِ
وَلَكِنَّنِي أَحْمِي حِمَايَ وَأَنْتَقِمْ ... مِنَ الْبَاهِتِ الرَّامِي الْبُرَاةِ الطَّوَاهِرِ
ثُمَّ صَاحَ حَسَّانُ فَاسْتَغَاثَ النَّاسَ عَلَى صَفْوَانَ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ النَّاسُ فَرَّ صَفْوَانُ فَجَاءَ حَسَّانُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاسْتَعْدَاهُ عَلَى صَفْوَانَ فِي ضَرْبَتِهِ إِيَّاهُ، فَسَأَلَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَهَبَ لَهُ ضَرْبَةَ صَفْوَانَ إِيَّاهُ، فَوَهَبَهَا لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَعَاضَهُ مِنْهَا حَائِطًا مِنْ نَخْلٍ عَظِيمٍ وَجَارِيَةً رُومِيَّةً وَيُقَالُ قِبْطِيَّةً تُدْعَى سِيرِينَ، فَوَلَدَتْ لِحَسَّانَ ابْنَهُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ الشَّاعِرَ. قَالَ أَبُو أُوَيْسٍ: أَخْبَرَنِي بِذَلِكَ حُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: ثُمَّ بَاعَ حَسَّانُ ذَلِكَ الْحَائِطَ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فِي وِلَايَتِهِ بِمَالٍ عَظِيمٍ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَبَلَغَنِي وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الَّذِي قَالَ اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فِيهِ {وَالَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ} [النور: ١١] ، أَنَّهُ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيِّ بْنِ سَلُولٍ أَحَدُ بَنِي الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْخَزْرَجِ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَقِيلَ فِي أَصْحَابِ الْإِفْكِ الْأَشْعَارُ، وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لمِسْطَحٍ فِي رَمْيَهِ عَائِشَةَ فَكَانَ يُدْعَى عَوْفًا:
[البحر البسيط]
يَا عَوْفُ وَيْحَكَ هَلَّا قُلْتَ عَارِفَةً ... مِنَ الْكَلَامِ وَلَمْ تَبْغِ بِهِ طَمَعَا
فَأَدْرَكَتْكَ حَمِيَّا مَعْشَرٍ أَنْفٍ ... فَلَمْ يَكُنْ قَاطِعٌ يَا عَوْفُ مَنْ قَطَعَا
هَلَّا حَرْبَتٌ مِنَ الْأَقْوَامِ إِذْ حَسَدُوا ... فَلَا تَقُولُ وَإِنْ عَادَيْتَهُمْ قَذْعَا
لَمَّا رَمَيْتَ حَصَانًا غَيْرَ مُقْرِفَةٍ ... أَمِينَةَ الْجَيْبِ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ لَهَا خَضَعَا
فِيمَنْ رَمَاهَا وَكُنْتُمْ مَعْشَرًا إِفْكًا ... فِي سِيِّءِ الْقَوْلِ مِنْ لَفْطِ الْخَنَا شُرَّعًا
فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عُذْرًا فِي بَرَاءَتِهَا ... وَبَيْنَ عَوْفٍ وَبَيْنَ اللهِ مَا صَنَعَا
فَإِنْ أَعِشْ أُجِبْ عَوْفًا فِي مَقَالَتِهِ ... سُوءَ الْجَزَاءِ بِمَا أَلْفِيتَهُ تَبَعَا
وَقَالَتْ أُمُّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ فِي الَّذِينَ رَمَوْا عَائِشَةَ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ:
[البحر المديد]
شَهِدَ الْأَوْسُ كُلُّهَا وَفِنَاؤُهَا ... وَالْخُمَاسِيُّ مِنْ نَسْلِهَا وَالنَّطِيمُ
وَنِسَاءُ الْخَزْرَجِينَ يَشْهَدْنَ ... بِحَقٍّ وَذَلِكُمْ مَعْلُومُ
أَنَّ ابْنَةَ الصِّدِّيقِ كَانَتْ حَصَانًا ... عِفَّة الْجَيْبِ دِينُهَا مُسْتَقِيمِ
تَتَّقِي اللهَ فِي الْمَغِيبِ ... عَلَيْهَا نِعْمَةُ اللهِ سِتْرِهَا مَا يَرِيمُ
خَيْرُ هَدْيِ النِّسَاءِ حَالًا وَنَفْسًا ... وَأَبَا لِلْعُلَى نَمَاهَا كَرِيمُ
لِلْمَوَالِي إِذْ رَمَوْهَا بِإِفْكٍ ... أَخَذَتْهُمْ مَقَامِعُ وَجَحِيمُ
لَيْتَ مَنْ كَانَ قَدْ رَمَاهَا بِسُوءٍ ... فِي حُطَامٍ حَتَّى يَبُولَ اللَّئِيمُ
وَعَوَانٌ مِنَ الْحُرُوبِ تَلَظَّى ... نَفَسًا قُوَّتُهَا عَقَارٌ صَرِيمُ
لَيْتَ سَعْدًا وَمَنْ رَمَاهَا بِسُوءٍ ... فِي كِظَاظٍ حَتَّى يَتُوبَ الظَّلُومُ
وَقَالَ حَسَّانُ وَهُوَ يُبَرِّئُ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهَا فِيمَا قِيلَ فِيهَا وَيَعْتَذِرُ إِلَيْهَا:
[البحر الطويل]
حَصَانٌ رَزَانٌ مَا تُزَنُّ بِرِيبَةٍ ... وَتُصْبِحُ غَرْثَى مِنْ لُحُومِ الْغَوَافِلِ
خَلِيلَةُ خَيْرِ النَّاسِ دِينًا وَمَنْصِبًا ... نَبِيِّ الْهُدَى وَالْمَكْرُمَاتِ الْفَوَاضِلِ
عَقِيلَةُ حَيٍّ مِنْ لُؤَيِّ بْنِ غَالِبٍ ... كِرَامِ الْمَسَاعِي مَجْدُهَا غَيْرُ زَائِلِ
مُهَذَّبَةٌ قَدْ طَيَّبَ اللهُ خِيمَهَا ... فَطَهَّرَهَا مِنْ كُلِّ سُوءٍ وَبَاطِلِ
فَإِنْ كَانَ مَا قَدْ جَاءَ عَنِّيَ قُلْتُهُ ... فَلَا رَفَعَتْ سَوْطِي إِلَيَّ أَنَامِلِي
وَإِنَّ الَّذِي قَدْ قِيلَ لَيْسَ بِلَائِطٍ ... بِكِ الدَّهْرُ بَلْ قَوْلُ امْرِئٍ غَيْرِ مَاحِلِ
وَكَيْفَ وَوُدِّي مَا حَيِيتُ وَنُصْرَتِي ... لِآلِ رَسُولِ اللهِ زَيْنِ الْمَحَافِلِ
لَهُ رُتَبٌ عَالٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَضْلُهَا ... تَقَاصَرَ عَنْهَا سَوْرَةُ الْمُتَطَاوِلِ
قَالَ أَبُو أُوَيْسٍ: وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَرَ بِالَّذِينِ رَمَوْا عَائِشَةَ فَجُلِدُوا الْحَدَّ جَمِيعًا ثَمَانِينَ ثَمَانِينَ، وَقَالَ حَسَّانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ فِي الشِّعْرِ حِينَ جُلِدُوا:
[البحر الطويل]
لَقَدْ كَانَ عَبْدُ اللهُ مَا كَانَ أَهْلِهِ ... وَحَمْنَةُ إِذْ قَالُوا هَجِيرًا وَمِسْطَحُ
تَعَاطَوْا بِرَجْمِ الْقَوْلِ زَوْجَ نَبِيِّهِمْ ... وَسَخَطِهِ ذِي الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ فَأَتْرَحُوا
فَآذَوْا رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيهَا وَعَمَّمُوا ... مَخَازِيَ سُوءٍ حَلَّلُوهَا وَفَضَّحُوا
Whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to go on a journey, he would cast lots among his wives, and whichever of them drew the lot, he would take her with him. In the expedition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) against Banu al-Mustaliq (of Khuza'ah), the lot of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) came out. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set off back and drew near Madinah (and Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was at that time a young girl, slight and light, who kept to her screened quarters), whenever the people intended to depart, she would go and perform ablution, come back and sit in her litter; then her camel would be saddled, and the litter would be lifted and placed on the camel. So the first thing said by the hypocrites and others who spread this talk about Sayyidah Aishah was that, when they drew near Madinah, she went out to perform ablution, and a necklace of shell beads slipped from her neck. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the people departed while she was searching for the necklace, and she did not know of their departure. The people tied the litter onto her camel, for they thought she was in it as before. Sayyidah Aishah came back to her place and found no one in the camp, and sleep came over her. Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him), a Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), had stayed behind the army that night until morning. She said: He passed by me, saw me and recited the istirja', and when he saw me alone, my situation weighed heavily on him; he used to know me and I used to know him before the veil was imposed upon us. She said: He asked me about my situation, and I covered my face from him with my outer sheet and told him what had happened. So he brought his camel near and put his foot on its foreleg, and turned his back to me until I had mounted and set my clothes in order. Then he set it off and began travelling with me until we entered Madinah at midday or close to it. On that occasion, whoever of the people of the slander was to speak said (the slanderous) words about me and about Safwan, while I knew nothing of it, nor of what people were saying about me. I was ill during those nights, and the first thing that troubled me regarding the Prophet (peace be upon him) was that before this, whenever I fell ill, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would visit me, but during those nights he (peace and blessings be upon him) neither came in nor visited me; he would only say in passing: "How is she?" and ask some of the household about me. When the news reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that people were talking a great deal about me, it grieved him (peace and blessings be upon him). Before that I had complained to my mother of the coldness I felt from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and she said to me: "My daughter, be patient. By Allah, it rarely happens that a beautiful woman, whose husband loves her and who also has co-wives, is not accused by them (the co-wives)." (Sayyidah Aishah said:) That night I sensed something, the night after which, in the morning, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd and consulted them about my affair. In those days we had no toilets; we would simply go out as the Arabs used to go, at night. I said to the mother of Mistah bin Uthathah: "Take the water skin, fill it with water and come to al-Manasi'." She and her son Mistah were related to Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr used to spend on them both; they lived with him and his family. I took the water skin and we went out towards al-Manasi'. The mother of Mistah fell and said: "May Mistah perish!" I said to her: "What an evil thing you have said!" Then we walked on and she fell again and said the same: "May Mistah perish!" I said to her: "What an evil thing you have said about a Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and one who took part in Badr!" She said: "You really are unaware of what people are saying about you." I said: "Yes; what is it?" She said: "Mistah, and so-and-so, and such-and-such a woman, among the hypocrites whom Satan has caused to slip, gather in the house of Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, the brother of Banu al-Harith bin al-Khazraj, and talk about you and Safwan bin al-Mu'attal, and accuse you with him." (Sayyidah Aishah said:) The urge to relieve myself left me altogether, and I returned home by the same way. When morning came, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for Ali bin Abi Talib and Usamah bin Zayd, told them what had been said about me, and consulted them about my affair. Usamah said: "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, we have known no evil about your wife." Ali said to him (peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah, how many women there are! And if you want to know the real news, question the servant girl (meaning Barirah) sternly." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Ali: "You go to the servant girl yourself." Ali asked her about me, and she told him nothing (praise be to Allah) except good. (Barirah) said: "By Allah, I know no evil about Aishah, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep, neglecting her family's dough, and the goat comes and eats the dough." Then, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard what Barirah had said to Ali about me, he (peace and blessings be upon him) went out to the people. When the people had gathered, he said: "O Muslims, who will help me against men who hurt me concerning my wife, though I have known no evil about my wife, and who also blame one of my Companions about whom too I have known no evil, and I never went out on any journey except that he went out with me?" At this, Sa'd bin Mu'adh al-Ansari, then al-Ashhali, of the tribe of al-Aws, stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, if this was done by anyone of al-Aws, we will suffice you against him, and if by anyone of al-Khazraj, give us your command." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah al-Ansari, then al-Khazraji, stood up and said to Sa'd bin Mu'adh: "You have lied! By Allah, this is falsehood." At this, Usayd bin Hudayr al-Ansari, then al-Ashhali, stood up, and some men of both sides reviled one another and began quarrelling, until the matter was about to become grave. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered my house and sent for my parents. They both came to him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) praised and extolled Allah as befits Him, and then said to me: "O Aishah, you are only one of the daughters of Adam; if you have made a mistake, then repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness." I said to my father: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on my behalf." My father said: "I will not do so; he is the Prophet of Allah and revelation comes to him." I said to my mother: "Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on my behalf." She too said the same as my father had said. I said: "By Allah, if I confess to something false against myself, you will believe me; and if I declare myself innocent (while Allah knows that I am innocent), you will call me a liar. So I find no example for me and for you except this saying of the father of Yusuf." (Because of grief, sorrow and the burning in my heart, I had forgotten the name of Ya'qub.) "'So beautiful patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe' [Surah Yusuf: 18]." Then the state that used to come over him at the time of revelation came over the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Then it passed, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) passed his hand over his face and said: "Rejoice, O Aishah! Allah has sent down your vindication." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: By Allah, I did not think that Qur'an would be sent down about my affair; rather, I hoped (as Allah knows my innocence) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would see a dream about my affair through which Allah would declare me innocent before His Prophet (peace be upon him). At that time my parents said to me: "Get up and kiss the head of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." I said: "By Allah, I will not do it; this came about through the praise of Allah, not through your praise." Abu Bakr used to spend on Mistah and his mother. When he accused me, Abu Bakr swore that he would never benefit him with anything. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this saying of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted: "And let them pardon and overlook. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?" [Surah al-Nur: 22], Abu Bakr wept and said: "Yes indeed, O my Lord!" and he resumed spending on Mistah and his mother. And Safwan bin al-Mu'attal lay in wait for Hassan bin Thabit with a sword, and then struck him a blow. At the time of that blow, Safwan said this verse about Hassan:
(In the metre al-Tawil)
"Beware the edge of my sword, for I am a young man who, when lampooned, does not answer as a poet;
rather, I guard what is sacred to me and take revenge on the one who slanders chaste and pure women."
Then Hassan cried out and called on the people for help against Safwan. When the people came, Safwan fled. Hassan came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and sought redress from Safwan for that blow. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him to forgive Safwan's blow, so he gifted this right to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and in exchange he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him a large garden of date palms and a Roman (or, it is said, Coptic) slave girl named Sirin, who bore Hassan his son, the poet Abd al-Rahman. Abu Uways said: Husayn bin Abdullah bin Ubaydullah bin Abbas informed me of this, through Ikrimah, from Ibn Abbas. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Later Hassan sold that garden to Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan during his rule for a great sum of money. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: It has reached me (and Allah knows best) that the one about whom Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said: "And the one among them who took upon himself the greater part of it, for him is a great punishment" [Surah al-Nur: 11], was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, one of Banu al-Harith bin al-Khazraj. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Poems were composed about the people of the slander, and Abu Bakr said these verses to Mistah, whose name was Awf, about his accusing Aishah:
(In the metre al-Basit)
"O Awf, woe to you! Why did you not say words that are known and good, without seeking any gain by them?
The zeal of a proud people seized you; so, O Awf, no blame was upon you from the one who cut off ties.
Why did you not keep away from those people when they envied, so that even if you were hostile to them, you would not speak foully?
When you accused a chaste woman of no blemished lineage, trustworthy and pure of bosom, in whom no crookedness was known,
along with those who accused her, and you were all a band openly immersed in evil talk and the language of indecency,
then Allah sent down an excuse in her vindication, and between Awf and Allah is whatever he has done.
If I live, I will repay Awf for this saying of his with an evil reward, for what he did in following others."
And the mother of Sa'd bin Mu'adh composed these verses about those who accused Aishah:
(In the metre al-Madid)
"All the people of al-Aws and their descendants bear witness, those of five generations and others too,
and the women of al-Khazraj also bear witness truthfully, and this is known to all,
that the daughter of al-Siddiq was most chaste, pure of bosom, and upright in religion.
She feared Allah even in absence, and the favour of Allah remained over her protection.
She was the best of women in state and nature, and her father of lofty lineage was of exalted rank.
As for those who attacked her with slander, instruments of punishment and Hellfire have seized them.
Would that the one who accused her of evil were afflicted with such ruin that the base one wets himself,
and like a war, a flame that blazes up, its force sharp and cutting.
Would that Sa'd (bin Ubadah) and whoever accused her of evil were in severe distress until the wrongdoer repents."
And Hassan composed these verses when he declared Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) innocent of that accusation and apologised to her:
(In the metre al-Tawil)
"She is chaste and dignified; no charge of suspicion attaches to her, and she remains hungry from the flesh of heedless women (backbiting).
She is the beloved of the best of men in religion and rank, the Prophet of guidance and of lofty character.
She is the chosen one of a noble tribe of Lu'ayy bin Ghalib, whose glory of noble striving will never fade.
She is of refined qualities, whose nature Allah has made pure, and He has cleansed her of every evil and falsehood.
If I said what has been attributed to me, then may my fingers never raise my whip to me.
And what has been said is not something that will cling to you through the ages; rather, it is the word of a lying man.
And how could that be, when as long as I live my love and my support are for the family of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the adornment of every gathering?
For them are lofty ranks whose excellence is above all people, which no arrogant one can ever reach."
Abu Uways said: My father told me that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the command regarding those who had accused Aishah, and all of them were given eighty lashes each. And when they were lashed, Hassan bin Thabit composed these verses:
(In the metre al-Tawil)
"Abdullah (bin Ubayy) and his family were what they were, and Hamnah and Mistah, when they spoke obscene words,
attacked the wife of their Prophet with words of stoning (slander), and earned the displeasure of the Lord of the Noble Throne, so they came to grief.
They hurt the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in this matter and spread evil disgraces, treating them as lawful, and brought shame."
(In the metre al-Tawil)
"Beware the edge of my sword, for I am a young man who, when lampooned, does not answer as a poet;
rather, I guard what is sacred to me and take revenge on the one who slanders chaste and pure women."
Then Hassan cried out and called on the people for help against Safwan. When the people came, Safwan fled. Hassan came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and sought redress from Safwan for that blow. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him to forgive Safwan's blow, so he gifted this right to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and in exchange he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him a large garden of date palms and a Roman (or, it is said, Coptic) slave girl named Sirin, who bore Hassan his son, the poet Abd al-Rahman. Abu Uways said: Husayn bin Abdullah bin Ubaydullah bin Abbas informed me of this, through Ikrimah, from Ibn Abbas. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Later Hassan sold that garden to Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan during his rule for a great sum of money. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: It has reached me (and Allah knows best) that the one about whom Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said: "And the one among them who took upon himself the greater part of it, for him is a great punishment" [Surah al-Nur: 11], was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, one of Banu al-Harith bin al-Khazraj. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Poems were composed about the people of the slander, and Abu Bakr said these verses to Mistah, whose name was Awf, about his accusing Aishah:
(In the metre al-Basit)
"O Awf, woe to you! Why did you not say words that are known and good, without seeking any gain by them?
The zeal of a proud people seized you; so, O Awf, no blame was upon you from the one who cut off ties.
Why did you not keep away from those people when they envied, so that even if you were hostile to them, you would not speak foully?
When you accused a chaste woman of no blemished lineage, trustworthy and pure of bosom, in whom no crookedness was known,
along with those who accused her, and you were all a band openly immersed in evil talk and the language of indecency,
then Allah sent down an excuse in her vindication, and between Awf and Allah is whatever he has done.
If I live, I will repay Awf for this saying of his with an evil reward, for what he did in following others."
And the mother of Sa'd bin Mu'adh composed these verses about those who accused Aishah:
(In the metre al-Madid)
"All the people of al-Aws and their descendants bear witness, those of five generations and others too,
and the women of al-Khazraj also bear witness truthfully, and this is known to all,
that the daughter of al-Siddiq was most chaste, pure of bosom, and upright in religion.
She feared Allah even in absence, and the favour of Allah remained over her protection.
She was the best of women in state and nature, and her father of lofty lineage was of exalted rank.
As for those who attacked her with slander, instruments of punishment and Hellfire have seized them.
Would that the one who accused her of evil were afflicted with such ruin that the base one wets himself,
and like a war, a flame that blazes up, its force sharp and cutting.
Would that Sa'd (bin Ubadah) and whoever accused her of evil were in severe distress until the wrongdoer repents."
And Hassan composed these verses when he declared Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) innocent of that accusation and apologised to her:
(In the metre al-Tawil)
"She is chaste and dignified; no charge of suspicion attaches to her, and she remains hungry from the flesh of heedless women (backbiting).
She is the beloved of the best of men in religion and rank, the Prophet of guidance and of lofty character.
She is the chosen one of a noble tribe of Lu'ayy bin Ghalib, whose glory of noble striving will never fade.
She is of refined qualities, whose nature Allah has made pure, and He has cleansed her of every evil and falsehood.
If I said what has been attributed to me, then may my fingers never raise my whip to me.
And what has been said is not something that will cling to you through the ages; rather, it is the word of a lying man.
And how could that be, when as long as I live my love and my support are for the family of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the adornment of every gathering?
For them are lofty ranks whose excellence is above all people, which no arrogant one can ever reach."
Abu Uways said: My father told me that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the command regarding those who had accused Aishah, and all of them were given eighty lashes each. And when they were lashed, Hassan bin Thabit composed these verses:
(In the metre al-Tawil)
"Abdullah (bin Ubayy) and his family were what they were, and Hamnah and Mistah, when they spoke obscene words,
attacked the wife of their Prophet with words of stoning (slander), and earned the displeasure of the Lord of the Noble Throne, so they came to grief.
They hurt the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in this matter and spread evil disgraces, treating them as lawful, and brought shame."
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْحَرَّانِيُّ، ثنا أَبِي، ثنا عَتَّابُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ، عَنْ خُصَيْفٍ، عَنْ مِقْسَمٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: دَخَلَتْ عَلَيَّ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فَخَرَجْنَا إِلَى حَيْرِ عَادٍ، فَوَطِئَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ عَلَى عَظْمٍ أَوْ شَوْكَةٍ، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ، رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَقَالَتْ: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكِ مِنَ الْغَافِلَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ، أَتَدْرِينَ مَا قَدْ طَارَ عَلَيْكِ؟، قُلْتُ: لَا وَاللهِ، قَالَتْ: مَتَى عَهْدُ رَسُولِ اللهِ بِكِ؟، قُلْتُ: رَسُولُ اللهِ يَفْعَلُ فِي أَزْوَاجِهِ مَا أَحَبَّ، يَبْدَأُ بِمَنْ أَحَبَّ مِنْهُنَّ وَيَأْتِي مَنْ أَحَبَّ، قَالَتْ: فَإِنَّهُ طَبَّقَ عَلَيْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَخَرَرْتُ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيَّ، فَبَلَغَ أُمَّ رُومَانَ أُمِّي، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَهَا الْأَمْرُ أَتَتْنِي فَحَمَلَتْنِي فَذَهَبَتْ إِلَى بَيْتِهَا، فَبَلَغَ رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ قَدْ بَلَغَهَا الْأَمْرُ، فَجَاءَ إِلَيْهَا فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَجَلَسَ عِنْدَهَا وَقَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ وَسَّعَ التَّوْبَةَ» ، فَازْدَدْتُ شَرًّا إِلَى مَا بِي، فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ جَاءَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيَّ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا تَنْتَظِرُ بِهَذِهِ الَّتِي خَانَتْكَ وَفَضَحَتْنِي، قَالَتْ: فَازْدَدْتُ شَرًّا إِلَى شَرٍّ، قَالَتْ: فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَ: «يَا عَلِيُّ مَا تَرَى فِي عَائِشَةَ؟» ، قَالَ: اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: «لَتُخْبِرَنِّي مَا تَرَى فِي عَائِشَةَ» ، قَالَ: قَدْ وَسَّعَ اللهُ النِّسَاءَ، وَلَكِنْ أَرْسِلْ إِلَى بَرِيرَةَ خَادِمَتِهَا فَسَلْهَا، فَعَسَى أَنْ تَكُونَ قَدِ اطَّلَعَتْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنْ أَمْرِهَا، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى بَرِيرَةَ فَجَاءَتْ فَقَالَ لَهَا: «أَتَشْهَدِينَ أَنِّي رَسُولُ اللهِ؟» ، قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: «فَإِنِّي سَائِلُكِ عَنْ شَيْءٍ فَلَا تَكْتُمِينِي» ، قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، مَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ تَسْأَلُنِي عَنْهُ إِلَّا أَخْبَرْتُكَ بِهِ، وَلَا أَكْتُمُكَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ شَيْئًا، قَالَ: «قَدْ كُنْتِ عِنْدَ عَائِشَةَ، فَهَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْهَا مَا تَكْرَهِينَهُ؟» ، قَالَتْ: لَا، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالنُّبُوَّةِ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْهَا مُذُّ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهَا إِلَّا خَلَّةً، قَالَ: «وَمَا هِيَ؟» ، قَالَتْ: عَجَنْتُ عَجِينًا لِي فَقُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ: احْفَظِي هَذِهِ الْعَجِينَةَ حَتَّى اقْتَبِسَ نَارًا فَأَخْبِزَ، فَقَامَتْ تُصَلِّي، فَغَفَلَتْ عَنِ الْخَمِيرِ فَجَاءَتْ شَاةٌ فَأَكَلَتْهَا، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى أُسَامَةَ فَقَالَ: «يَا أُسَامَةُ مَا تَرَى فِي عَائِشَةَ؟» ، قَالَ: اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: «لَتُخْبِرَنِّي بِمَا تَرَى فِيهَا» ، قَالَ: فَإِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تُمْسِكَ فِيهَا حَتَّى يُحْدِثَ اللهُ إِلَيْكَ فِيهَا، قَالَتْ: فَمَا كَانَ إِلَّا يَسِيرًا حَتَّى نَزَلَ الْوَحْيُ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُرَى فِي وَجْهِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ السُّرُورُ، وَجَاءَ عُذْرُهَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ - يَعْنِي: مِنَ اللهِ - فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ: «أَبْشِرِي يَا عَائِشَةُ، ثُمَّ أَبْشِرِي يَا عَائِشَةُ، فَقَدْ أَنْبَأَنِيَ اللهُ بِعُذْرِكِ» ، فَقُلْتُ: بِغَيْرِ حَمْدِكَ وَحَمْدِ صَاحِبِكَ، قَالَتْ: فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ تَكَلَّمْتُ، وَكَانَتْ إِذَا أَتَاهَا يَقُولُ: «كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ؟»
Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The mother of Mistah came to me, and we went out towards Hayr Ad. The mother of Mistah stepped on a bone or a thorn and said: "May Mistah perish!" I said: "What an evil thing you have said! He is one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She said: "I bear witness that you are one of the heedless believing women. Do you know what has spread about you?" I said: "No, by Allah." She said: "Since when has the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) not come to you?" I said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) does as he wishes regarding his wives; he calls first whomever he wishes and goes to whomever he wishes." She said: "Such and such has spread about you." Hearing this, I fell down unconscious. This reached my mother, Umm Ruman. When she (Umm Ruman) learnt of it, she came to me, carried me and took me to her house. The news reached the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that Aishah had learnt of the matter, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) came to her, came in, sat with her and said: "O Aishah, Allah has kept the door of repentance wide." My distress grew worse. We were in this state when Abu Bakr came, came in to me and said: "O Messenger of Allah, what are you waiting for concerning this woman who has betrayed you and disgraced me?" My distress increased further. He (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for Ali and asked: "Ali, what is your view about Aishah?" He said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You must tell me what your view is about Aishah." He said: "Allah has given ample choice among women; but call her servant girl Barirah and ask her; perhaps she knows something about her affair." He (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for Barirah, and when she came he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Do you bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah?" She said: "Yes." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I am going to ask you about something; do not hide anything from me." She said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah. Whatever you ask me about, I will tell you, and, if Allah wills, I will not hide anything from you." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have been staying with Aishah; have you seen anything in her that you dislike?" She said: "No, by the One who sent you with prophethood, while staying with her I have not seen any such thing in her except one thing." He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "What is it?" She said: "I kneaded some dough of mine and said to Aishah: 'Look after this kneaded dough until I fetch fire and bake bread.' She stood up to pray and forgot about the leaven, and a goat came and ate it." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for Usamah and asked: "Usamah, what is your view about Aishah?" He said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You must tell me what your view is about her." He said: "My view is that you should wait concerning her until Allah makes some new decision known to you about it." (Sayyidah Aishah said:) Only a little time had passed when revelation came down, and joy continued to be seen on the face of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and my vindication came from the heavens, meaning from Allah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Rejoice, O Aishah! Again rejoice, O Aishah! Allah has informed me of your vindication." I said: "Without praise of you or of your companion (but only with the praise of Allah)." (The narrator said:) It was then that I spoke. And whenever he (peace and blessings be upon him) came to her, he would say: "How is she?"
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ، ثنا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحَرِيشِ، ثنا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمُحَارِبِيُّ، ثنا أَبُو سَعْدٍ الْبَقَّالُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْأَسْوَدِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ الْأَسْوَدِ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَوْ يَا أُمَّتَاهُ أَلَا تُحَدِّثِينِي كَيْفَ كَانَ - يَعْنِي: أَمْرُ الْإِفْكِ؟ -، قَالَتْ: تَزَوَّجَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَأَنَا أَخُوضُ الْمَطَرَ بِمَكَّةَ، وَمَا عِنْدِي مَا يَرْغَبُ فِيهِ الرِّجَالُ وَأَنَا بِنْتُ سِتِّ سِنِينَ ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَنِي أَنَّهُ تَزَوَّجَنِي أَلْقَى الله عَلَيَّ الْحَيَاءَ، ثُمَّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ هَاجَرَ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ، فَاحْتُمِلْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَقَدْ جَاءَنِي وَأَنَا بِنْتُ تِسْعِ سِنِينَ، فَسَارَ رَسُولُ اللهِ مَسِيرًا فَخَرَجَ بِي مَعَهُ، وَكُنْتُ خَفِيفَةً فِي حَدَجَةٍ لِي عَلَيْهَا سُتُورٌ، فَإِذَا ارْتَحَلُوا جَلَسْتُ عَلَيْهَا وَاحْتَمَلُوا وَأَنَا فِيهَا، فَشَدُّوهَا عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْبَعِيرِ فَنَزَلُوا مَنْزِلًا وَخَرَجْتُ لِحَاجَتِي، فَرَجَعْتُ وَقَدْ بَادَرُوا بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَجَلَسْتُ فِي الْحَدَاجَةِ وَقَدْ رَأَوْنِي حِينَ حَرَّكْتُ السُّتُورَ، فَلَمَّا جَلَسْتُ فِيهَا ضَرَبْتُ بِيَدِي عَلَى صَدْرِي فَإِذَا قَدْ نَسِيتُ قِلَادَةً كَانَتْ مَعِي، فَخَرَجْتُ مُسْرِعَةً أَطْلُبُهَا، فَرَجَعْتُ فَإِذَا الْقَوْمُ قَدْ سَارُوا فَإِذَا أَنَا لَا أَرَى إِلَّا الْغُبَارَ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ، فَإِذَا هُمْ قَدْ وَضَعُوا الْحَدَاجَةَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْبَعِيرِ لَا يَرَوْنِي إِلَّا أَنِّي فِيهَا لِمَا رَأَوْا مِنْ خِفَّتِي، فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ آخِذٌ بِرَأْسِ بَعِيرِهِ، فَقُلْتُ: مَنِ الرَّجُلُ؟، قَالَ: صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ، أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْتِ؟، قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، قُلْتُ: أَدِرْ عَنِّي وَجْهَكَ وَضَعْ رِجْلَكَ عَلَى ذِرَاعِ بَعِيرِكَ، قَالَ: أَفْعَلُ وَنُعْمَةُ عَيْنٍ وَكَرَامَةٌ، قَالَتْ: فَأَدْرَكْتُ النَّاسَ حِينَ نَزَلُوا، فَذَهَبَ فَوَضَعَنِي عِنْدَ الْحَدَاجَةِ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيَّ النَّاسُ وَلَا أَشْعُرُ، قَالَتْ: وَأَنْكَرْتُ لُطْفَ أَبَوَيَّ وَأَنْكَرْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ مَا قَدْ كَانَ قِيلَ حَتَّى دَخَلَتْ خَادِمَتِي أَوْ رَبِيبَتِي فَقَالَتْ: كَذَا، قَالَتْ: وَقَالَ لِي رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ: مَا أَغْفَلَكِ؟، فَأَخَذَتْنِي حُمَّى نَافِضٌ، فَأَخَذَتْ أُمِّي كُلَّ ثَوْبٍ فِي الْبَيْتِ فَأَلْقَتْهُ عَلَيَّ، فَاسْتَشَارَ رَسُولُ اللهِ أُنَاسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَقَالَ: «مَا تَرَوْنَ؟» ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: مَا أَكْثَرَ النِّسَاءِ وَتَقْدِرُ عَلَى الْبَدَلِ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللهِ وَعَلَيْكَ يَنْزِلُ الْوَحْيُ وَأَمْرُنَا لِأَمْرِكَ تَبَعٌ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: وَاللهِ لَيُبَيِّنُنَّهُ اللهُ فَلَا تَعْجَلْ، قَالَتْ: وَقَدْ صَارَ وَجْهُ أَبِي كَأَنَّهُ صُبَّ عَلَيْهِ الزِّرْنِيخُ، قَالَتْ: فَدَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ فَرَأَى مَا بِي، قَالَ: «مَا لِهَذِهِ؟» ، قَالَتْ أُمِّي: مِمَّا لِهَذِهِ مِمَّا قُلْتُمْ وَقِيلَ، فَلَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا، قَالَتْ: فَزَادَنِي ذَلِكَ عَلَى مَا عِنْدِي، قَالَتْ: وَأَتَانِي فَقَالَ: «اتَّقِي اللهَ يَا عَائِشَةُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ قَارَفْتِ مِنْ هَذَا شَيْئًا فَتُوبِي إِلَى اللهِ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ» ، قَالَتْ: وَطَلَبْتُ اسْمَ يَعْقُوبَ فَلَمْ أَقْدِرْ عَلَيْهِ، فَقُلْتُ: غَيْرَ أَنِّي أَقُولُ كَمَا قَالَ أَبُو يُوسُفَ {فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨] {إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي} [يوسف: ٨٦] وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ، قَالَتْ: فَبَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ مَعَ أَصْحَابِهِ وَوَجْهُهُ كَأَنَّمَا ذِيبَ عَلَيْهِ الزِّرْنِيخُ حَتَّى نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْوَحْيُ، وَكَانَ إِذَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْهِ لَمْ يَطْرِفْ، فَعَرَفَ أَصْحَابُهُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ وَجَعَلُوا يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى وَجْهِهِ، وَهُوَ يَتَهَلَّلُ وَيُسْفِرُ، فَلَمَّا قُضِيَ الْوَحْيُ، قَالَ: «أَبْشِرْ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، قَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عُذْرَ ابْنَتِكَ وَبَرَاءَتَهَا» فَانْطَلَقَ إِلَيْهَا فَبَشَّرَهَا، قَالَتْ: وَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ مَا نَزَلَ فِيَّ، قَالَتْ: وَأَقْبَلَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ مُسْرِعًا يَكَادُ أَنْ يَنْكَبَّ، قَالَتْ: فَقُلْتُ بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِ صَاحِبِكَ الَّذِي جِئْتَ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ، فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللهِ فَجَلَسَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِي فَأَخَذَ بِكَفِّي فَانْتَزَعْتُ يَدَيَّ مِنْهُ، فَضَرَبَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَقَالَ: أَتَنْزِعِينَ كَفَّكِ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ؟ أَوَبِرَسُولِ اللهِ تَفْعَلِينَ هَذَا؟ فَضَحِكَ رَسُولُ اللهِ، قَالَتْ: فَهَذَا كَانَ أَمْرِي
Al-Aswad bin Yazid (may Allah have mercy on him) said: I said to Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "O Mother of the Believers" (or "O my mother"), "will you not tell me how the incident of the slander came about?" She said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married me while I was playing in the rainwater in Makkah, and I had nothing that men desire, and I was six years old. When I came to know that he (peace and blessings be upon him) had married me, Allah placed modesty in me. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) emigrated and I was with him (peace and blessings be upon him); I was brought to him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me for the consummation when I was nine years old. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out on a journey and took me with him, and I was light, in my curtained howdah. When they departed, I would sit in it and they would lift it with me inside, and they would fasten it onto the camel's back. They halted at a stopping place, and I went out for my need. Then I came back, and they were already hurrying to depart, so I sat in the howdah, and when I moved the curtains they had seen me and knew I was there. When I sat in it, I touched my chest with my hand and found that I had left behind a necklace that I had with me, so I hurried out to look for it. Then I came back, and the people had already left, and from afar I could see only the dust. Because of my lightness they had placed the howdah on the camel's back, thinking that I was in it. Then a man appeared, holding the halter of his camel. I asked: "Who are you?" He said: "Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami. Are you the Mother of the Believers?" I said: "Yes." He said: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we return)." I said: "Turn your face away from me and put your foot on your camel's foreleg." He said: "Very well, with pleasure and honour." She said: I reached the people when they had halted, and he went and set me down by the howdah. The people saw me, and I was not even aware of it. She said: I felt a lessening in the gentleness of my parents, and also from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and I did not know what had been said, until my servant girl, or the girl I was raising, came in and told me such and such. She said: And a man of the Muhajirun said to me: "How unaware you are!" A shivering fever came over me, and my mother brought every garment in the house and threw it over me. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) consulted some of his Companions and asked: "What is your view?" One of them said: "How many women there are, and you are able to take another." Another said: "You are the Messenger of Allah; revelation comes down upon you, and our affair follows yours." Another said: "By Allah, Allah will surely make this matter clear, so do not hasten." (The narrator said:) My father's face became as if arsenic (a poisonous powder) had been sprinkled on it. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me, saw my state and said: "What is the matter with her?" My mother said: "She is grieving over what you people have said and what has been said." He (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke not a word and said nothing. This increased my distress further. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and said: "Aishah, fear Allah, and if anything of this has occurred from you, then repent to Allah, for Allah accepts the repentance of His servants and pardons evil deeds." I tried to recall the name of Ya'qub but could not, so I said: "I can only say what the father of Yusuf said: 'So beautiful patience is best, and it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe' [Surah Yusuf: 18]; 'I only complain of my anguish and my grief to Allah' [Surah Yusuf: 86]; and I know from Allah what you do not know." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was with his Companions, and his (peace and blessings be upon him) face had become as if arsenic had been rubbed on it, until revelation came down upon him (peace and blessings be upon him). Whenever revelation came down upon him (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) would not blink, and from this the Companions would understand that revelation was coming down upon him (peace and blessings be upon him), and they would begin looking at his (peace and blessings be upon him) face as it brightened and shone. When the revelation was complete, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Abu Bakr, rejoice! Allah has sent down the vindication and innocence of your daughter." He went to her and gave her this good news. (The narrator said:) And he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited what had been sent down about me. (The narrator said:) Abu Bakr hurried forward as if about to fall. I said: "With the praise of Allah, not with praise of your companion from whom you have come." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came, sat by my head and took hold of my hand, and I pulled my hand away. Abu Bakr struck me and said: "Are you pulling your hand away from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? Is this how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is treated?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) laughed. (The narrator said:) This was my affair.
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْخَلَّالُ الْمَكِّيُّ، ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ الْعَدَنِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعْدٍ الْأَعْوَرِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْأَسْوَدِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: «تَزَوَّجَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعَلَيَّ حَوْفٌ، فَمَا هُوَ أَنْ تَزَوَّجَنِي حَتَّى أَلْقَى الله عَلَيَّ الْحَيَاءَ، وَالْحَوْفَ» . قَالَ: وَالْحَوْفُ: شَيْءٌ يَصْنَعُهُ الْأَعْرَافُ عَلَى الصِّبْيَانِ مِنْ سُوَرٍ يُلْبِسُهُ الْأَعْرَابُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ
It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her); she said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) married me while I was wearing a hawf (a garment worn by young children), and as soon as he (peace and blessings be upon him) married me, Allah placed modesty in me. The narrator said: The hawf is something that the desert people used to make for their children; the Bedouins would dress their children in it.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، قَالَ: ثنا هُشَيْمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: «لَمَّا نَزَلَ عُذْرِي مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، جَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَخْبَرَنِي بِذَلِكَ» ، فَقُلْتُ: «بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِكَ»
It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her); she said: When my vindication came down from the heavens, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and informed me of it, and I said: "With the praise of Allah, not with praise of you."
حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ التُّسْتَرِيُّ، ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الْحِمَّانِيُّ، ثنا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: رُمِيتُ بِالَّذِيِ رُمِيتُ بِهِ وَأَنَا غَافِلَةٌ، فَبَيْنَمَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عِنْدِي جَالِسٌ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى قَاعِدًا وَمَسَحَ وَجْهَهُ، فَقَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ أَبْشِرِي» قُلْتُ: بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِكَ، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَلَيَّ هَذِهِ الْآيَاتِ: {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْغَافِلَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ} [النور: ٢٣] الْآيَاتِ
It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her); she said: I was accused of what I was accused of while I was unaware of it. Meanwhile, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting with me when he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat up straight, passed his hand over his face and said: "O Aishah, rejoice!" I said: "With the praise of Allah, not with praise of you." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited these verses to me: "Indeed, those who accuse chaste, unaware, believing women" [Surah al-Nur: 23] and the verses that follow.
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُسَاوِرٍ الْجَوْهَرِيُّ، ثنا خَالِدُ بْنُ خِدَاشٍ، ثنا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَيُّوبِ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: «لَمَّا بَلَغَنِي مَا تَكَلَّمُوا بِهِ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ آتِيَ قَلِيبًا فَأَطْرَحَ نَفْسِي فِيهِ» .
Ibn Abi Mulaykah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her); she said: When what they had said reached me, I felt like going to a well and throwing myself into it.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْحَرَّانِيُّ، ثنا أَبُو شُعَيْبٍ، ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الرَّقِّيُّ، ثنا ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ مِغْوَلٍ، عَنْ أَبِي حُصَيْنٍ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: لَمَّا قِيلَ، فَذَكَرَهُ
Mujahid narrates from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): When this was said; then he related (the whole hadith).
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ الْخَطَّابِيُّ، ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ الرَّازِيُّ، ثنا سَلَمَةُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُخْتَارِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبَّادِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا، قَالَتْ: «لَمَّا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِ عِقْدِي مَا كَانَ قَالَ أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي غَزْوَةٍ أُخْرَى فَسَقَطَ أَيْضًا عِقْدِي، حَتَّى حَبَسَ الْتِمَاسُهُ النَّاسَ، وَاطَّلَعَ الْفَجْرُ، فَلَقِيتُ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ» ، وَقَالَ لِي: يَا بُنَيَّةُ فِي سَفَرٍ تَكُونِينَ عَنَاءً وَبَلَاءً وَلَيْسَ مَعَ النَّاسِ مَاءٌ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ الرُّخْصَةَ بِالتَّيَمُّمِ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: أَمَا وَاللهِ يَا بُنَيَّةُ إِنَّكِ لِمَا عَلِمْتُ مُبَارَكَةٌ
It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her); she said: When the incident of my necklace took place as it did, and the people of the slander said what they said, I went out with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on another military expedition, and my necklace fell again, until searching for it held the people back, and dawn broke. At this I had to hear from Abu Bakr whatever Allah willed. He said to me: "My daughter, on a journey you have become a hardship and a trial, and the people have no water." At this Allah sent down the concession of tayammum. Abu Bakr said: "By Allah, my daughter, as far as I know, you are indeed blessed."
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى بْنِ شَيْبَةَ الْمِصْرِيُّ، قَالَ: ثنا سَعِيدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْأُمَوِيُّ، قَالَ: ثنا أَبِي، عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبَّادِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: «دَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيًّا، وَأُسَامَةَ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمَا» ، فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَقَالَ خَيْرًا، وَقَالَ: أَهْلُكَ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَهَذَا الْبَاطِلُ وَالْكَذِبُ، وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ: إِنَّ النِّسَاءَ لَكَثِيرٌ، وَإِنَّكَ لَقَادِرٌ أَنْ تَسْتَخْرِجَ وَتَسْأَلَ الْجَارِيَةَ فَإِنَّهَا سَتَصْدُقُ، وَذَكَرَ حَدِيثَ الْإِفْكِ
It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her); she said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Sayyiduna Ali and Sayyiduna Usamah (may Allah be pleased with them both) and consulted them. As for Sayyiduna Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him), he spoke well and said: "She is your wife; we know nothing about her but good, and this is falsehood and a lie." As for Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "There are many women, and you are able to bring out (the real situation); ask the servant girl, she will tell you the truth." Then (the narrator) related the hadith of the slander.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الصَّائِغُ، ثنا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، ثنا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، ثنا حُصَيْنٌ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، أَنَّ أُمَّ رُومَانَ حَدَّثَتْهُمْ، قَالَتْ: بَيْنَا أَنَا قَاعِدَةٌ، عِنْدَ عَائِشَةَ إِذْ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، فَقَالَتْ: فَعَلَ اللهُ بِفُلَانٍ وَفُلَانٍ وَفَعَلَ، فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَمَا هُوَ؟، قَالَتْ: كَذَا وَكَذَا، قَالَتْ: فَسَمِعَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟، قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ، قَالَتْ: وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ؟، قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ، قَالَتْ: فَخَرَجَتْ عَائِشَةُ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيْهَا، فَمَا أَفَاقَتْ إِلَّا وَعَلَيْهَا حُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ، فَطُرِحَ عَلَيْهَا الثِّيَابُ، فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهِيَ مُضْطَجِعَةٌ، فَقَالَ: «مَا شَأْنُهَا؟» ، قَالُوا: أَخَذَتْهَا الحُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ، قَالَ: «فلَعَلَّهُ فِي حَدِيثٍ حُدِّثَتْ» ، فَقَعَدَتْ عَائِشَةُ، فَقَالَتْ: وَاللهِ لَئِنْ حَلَفْتُ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَذَرْتُ لَا تَعْذُرُونِي، وَإِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ مَثَلُ يَعْقُوبَ وَبَنِيهِ {وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف: ١٨] ، فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَنَزَلَ عُذْرُهَا، فَقَالَتْ: بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِكَ - أَوْ قَالَتْ: - بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِ أَحَدٍ
Masruq (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Umm Ruman (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated to them; she said: I was sitting with Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) when a woman of the Ansar came and said: "May Allah do such and such to so-and-so and so-and-so!" Sayyidah Aishah asked: "What is the matter?" She said: "Such and such." Sayyidah Aishah asked: "Has the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) heard this?" She said: "Yes." She asked: "And Abu Bakr too?" She said: "Yes." The narrator said: Sayyidah Aishah fell down unconscious, and when she came to, a shivering fever had come over her, and garments were thrown over her. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came while she was lying down and asked: "What has happened to her?" The people said: "A shivering fever has come over her." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Perhaps it is because of something she has been told." Sayyidah Aishah sat up and said: "By Allah, if I swear an oath, you will not believe me, and if I offer an excuse, you will not excuse me. My example and yours is like that of Ya'qub and his sons: 'And it is Allah whose help is sought against what you describe' [Surah Yusuf: 18]." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went out, and her vindication came down. She said: "With the praise of Allah, not with praise of you," or she said: "With the praise of Allah, not with praise of anyone."
حَدَّثَنَا سَلَمَةُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ الْعَرَبِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ إِذَا سَافَرَ سَافَرَ بِبَعْضِ نِسَائِهِ وَيُقْسِمُ بَيْنَهُمْ، فَسَافَرَ بِعَائِشَةَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَكَانَ لَهَا هَوْدَجٌ، وَكَانَ الْهَوْدَجُ لَهُ رِجَالٌ يَحْمِلُونَهُ وَيَضَعُونَهُ، فَعَرَّسَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ، وَخَرَجَتْ عَائِشَةُ لِلْحَاجَةِ، فَتَبَاعَدَتْ فَلَمْ يُعْلَمْ بِهَا، فَاسْتَيْقَظَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالنَّاسُ قَدِ ارْتَحَلُوا، وَجَاءَ الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْهَوْدَجَ فَحَمَلُوهُ وَلَا يَعْلَمُونَ إِلَّا أَنَّهَا فِيهِ، فَسَارُوا وَأَقْبَلَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَوَجَدَتْهُمْ قَدِ ارْتَحَلُوا، فَجَلَسَتْ مَكَانَهَا، فَاسْتَيْقَظَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ يُقَالُ لَهُ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ، وَكَانَ لَا يَقْرَبُ النِّسَاءَ، فَتَقَرَّبَ مِنْهَا، وَكَانَ مَعَهُ بَعِيرٌ لَهُ، فَلَمَّا رَآهَا حَمَلَهَا، وَقَدْ كَانَ يَرَاهَا قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ، وَجَعَلَ يَقُودُ بِهَا الْبَعِيرَ حَتَّى أَتَوُا النَّاسَ وَالنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمَعَهُ عَائِشَةُ وَأَكْثَرُوا الْقَوْلَ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى اعْتَزَلَهَا، وَاسْتَشَارَ فِيهَا زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ وَغَيْرَهُ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ دَعْهَا لَعَلَّ اللهَ أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ لَكَ فِيهَا، فَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ: النِّسَاءُ كَثِيرٌ، فَحَمَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهَا، وَخَرَجَتْ عَائِشَةُ لَيْلَةً تَمْشِي فِي نِسَاءٍ فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ، تَقُولِينَ هَذَا لِرَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ؟، فَقَالَتْ: إِنَّكِ مَا تَدْرِينَ مَا يَقُولُونَ، وَأَخْبَرَتْهَا الْخَبَرَ، فَسَقَطَتْ عَائِشَةُ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيْهَا، ثُمَّ نَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ بِعُذْرِهَا فِي سُورَةِ النُّورِ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ} - حَتَّى بَلَغَ - {وَالَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ} [النور: ١١] وَنَزَلَ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ} - إِلَى قَوْلِهِ - {وَاللهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} [البقرة: ٢١٨] ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُعْطِي مِسْطَحًا وَيَبَرُّهُ وَيَصِلُهُ، وَكَانَ مِمَّنْ أَكْثَرَ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ، فَحَلَفَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنْ لَا يُعْطِيَهُ شَيْئًا، فَنَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ} [النور: ٢٢] فَأَمَرَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهَا وَيُبَشِّرَهَا، فَجَاءَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَأَخْبَرَهَا بِعُذْرِهَا وَبِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ، فَقَالَتْ: لَا بِحَمْدِكَ وَلَا بِحَمْدِ صَاحِبِكَ
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) travelled, he would take some of his wives with him, casting lots among them. Once he (peace and blessings be upon him) set out on a journey with Sayyidah Aishah bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her). She had a howdah, and some men were appointed for that howdah to lift it and set it down. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions halted for the night. Sayyidah Aishah went out for some need and went far off, and no one knew about her. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) woke up while the people had already begun to depart, and those who carried the howdah came and lifted it, thinking that she was in it, and they set off. Sayyidah Aishah came back and saw that the people had departed, so she sat down in her place. A man of the Ansar called Safwan bin al-Mu'attal woke up; he did not go near women. He came near her, and he had his camel with him. When he saw her, he mounted her on it (he had seen her before the veil), and he went on, leading the camel, until they reached the people, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), with Sayyidah Aishah along with him, and the people talked a great deal. This reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and it weighed heavily on him (peace and blessings be upon him), until he (peace and blessings be upon him) kept away from her. He consulted Zayd bin Thabit and others about her, and he said: "O Messenger of Allah, leave her; perhaps Allah will make something new known to you about her." Ali bin Abi Talib said: "There are many women." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was stern with her. One night Sayyidah Aishah was walking with some women when the mother of Mistah fell and said: "May Mistah perish!" Sayyidah Aishah said: "What an evil thing you have said! Are you saying this about one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?" She said: "You do not know what people are saying," and she told her the whole thing, and Sayyidah Aishah fell down unconscious. Then the Qur'an came down in Surah al-Nur declaring her innocence: from "Indeed, those who came with the slander are a group from among you" to "And the one among them who took upon himself the greater part of it, for him is a great punishment" [Surah al-Nur: 11], and there came down from "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear" to "And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful" [Surah al-Nur: 22]. Abu Bakr used to give to Mistah, treat him kindly and maintain ties with him, and he was among those who spoke most against Sayyidah Aishah, so Abu Bakr swore that he would not give him anything. At this this verse came down: "Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?" [Surah al-Nur: 22]. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to go to Sayyidah Aishah and give her the good news. Abu Bakr came and told her of her vindication and of what Allah had sent down, and she said: "Not with your praise, nor with the praise of your companion."
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ الْجَمَّالُ، ثنا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ صَالِحِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّيْمِيُّ، ثنا أَبُو مَعْشَرٍ الْمَدِينِيُّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْيَسَرِ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ: «يَا عَائِشَةُ قَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عُذْرَكِ» ، فَقَالَتْ: بِحَمْدِ اللهِ وَلَا بِحَمْدِكَ، فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ عَائِشَةَ فَبَعَثَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ فَضَرَبَهُ حَدَّيْنِ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ، وَحَمْنَةَ فَضَرَبَهُمْ
It is narrated from Abu al-Yasar al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "O Aishah, Allah has sent down your vindication." She said: "With the praise of Allah, not with praise of you." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) left Sayyidah Aishah and sent for Abdullah bin Ubayy and had the prescribed punishment (hadd) applied to him twice, and he sent for Mistah and Hamnah and had (the hadd) applied to them.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ خَلَّادٍ الدَّوْرَقِيُّ، ثنا سَعْدَانُ بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا الدَّوْرَقِيُّ، قَالَ: ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ التَّيْمِيُّ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ أَثْلَاثًا، فَمَنْ أَصَابَتْهُ الْقُرْعَةُ أَخْرَجَ بِهِنَّ مَعَهُ، فَكُنَّ يَخْرُجْنَ يَسْقِينَ الْمَاءَ وَيُدَاوِينَ الْجَرْحَى، فَلَمَّا غَزَا بَنِي الْمُصْطَلِقِ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَهُنَّ فَأَصَابَتِ الْقُرْعَةُ عَائِشَةَ وَأُمَّ سَلَمَةَ، فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِمَا مَعَهُ، فَلَمَّا كَانُوا فِي بَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ مَالَ رَحْلُ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ فَأَنَاخُوا بَعِيرَهَا لِيُصْلِحُوا رَحْلَهَا، وَكَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ تُرِيدُ قَضَاءَ حَاجَةٍ، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلُوا إِبِلَهُمْ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي إِلَى مَا يُصْلِحُوا رَحْلَ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ أَقْضِي حَاجَتِي، قَالَتْ: فَنَزَلْتُ مِنَ الْهَوْدَجِ فَأَخَذْتُ مَاءً فِي السَّطْلِ وَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا بِنُزُولِي فَأَتَيْتُ خَرِبَةً وَانْقَطَعَتْ قِلَادَتِي، فَاحْتَبَسْتُ فِي رَجْعِهَا وَنِظَامِهَا، وَبَعَثَ الْقَوْمُ إِبِلَهُمْ وَمَضَوْا، وَظَنُّوا أَنِّي فِي الْهَوْدَجِ لَمْ أَنْزَلْ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَرَجَعْتُ وَلَمْ أَرَ أَحَدًا، قَالَتْ: فَاتَّبَعْتُهُمْ حَتَّى أُعْيِيتُ فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي: إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ سَيَفْقِدُونِي وَيَرْجِعُونَ فِي طَلَبِي، قَالَتْ: فَقُمْتُ عَلَى بَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ، فَمَرَّ بِي صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ، وَكَانَ رَفِيقَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَكَانَ سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَهُ عَلَى السَّاقَةِ فَجَعَلَهُ، فَكَانَ إِذَا رَحَلَ النَّاسُ أَقَامَ يُصَلِّي ثُمَّ اتَّبَعَهُمْ، فَمَا سَقَطَ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ حَمَلَهُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ بِهِ أَصْحَابَهُ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَلَمَّا مَرَّ بِي ظَنَّ أَنِّي رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ: يَا نَوْمَانُ قُمْ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ مَضَوْا، قَالَتْ: فَقُلْتُ: إِنِّي لَسْتُ رَجُلًا أَنَا عَائِشَةُ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، ثُمَّ أَنَاخَ بَعِيرَهُ فَعَقَلَ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ وَلَّى عَنِّي، فَقَالَ: يَا أُمَّةَ قَوْمِي فَارْكَبِي، فَإِذَا رَكِبْتِ فَآذِنِينِي، قَالَتْ: فَرَكِبْتُ فَجَاءَ حَتَّى حَلَّ الْعِقَالَ، ثُمَّ بَعَثَ حِمْلَهُ فَأَخَذَ بِخِطَامِ الْجَمَلِ، فَقَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ: فَمَا كَلَّمَهَا كَلَامًا حَتَّى أَتَى بِهَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ الْمُنَافِقُ فَجَرَ بِهَا وَرَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ ، وَأَعَانَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ حَسَّانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ الْأَنْصَارِيَّ وَمِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ، وَحَمْنَةُ، وَشاعَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْعَسْكَرِ، وَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَكَانَ فِي قَلْبِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِمَا قَالُوا، حَتَّى رَجَعُوا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ، وَأَشَاعَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيِّ بْنِ سَلُولٍ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ، وَاشْتَدَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَدَخَلَتْ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فَرَأَتْنِي وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ الْمَذْهَبَ فَحَمَلَتْ مَعِي السَّطْلَ وَفِيهِ مَاءٌ، فَوَقَعَ السَّطْلُ مِنْهَا، فَقَالَتْ: تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، قَالَتْ لَهَا عَائِشَةُ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ، تُتْعِسِينَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُكِ؟، قَالَتْ لَهَا أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ: إِنَّهُ سَالَ بِكِ السَّيْلُ وَأَنْتِ لَا تَدْرِينَ، وَأَخْبَرَتْهَا الْخَبَرَ، قَالَتْ: فَلَمَّا أَخْبَرَتْنِي أَخَذَتْنِي الْحُمَّى وَتَقَلَّصَ مَا كَانَ بِي وَلَمْ أَبْعُدِ الْمَذْهَبَ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ جَفْوَةً، وَلَمْ أَدْرِ مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْءٍ هِيَ؟، فَلَمَّا حَدَّثَتْنِي أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّ جَفْوَةَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَتْ لِمَا أَخْبَرَتْنِي أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَقُلْتُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ أَذْهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِي؟، قَالَ: «اذْهَبِي» ، فَخَرَجَتْ عَائِشَةُ حَتَّى أَتَتْ أَبَاهَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، قَالَ لَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ: مَا لَكِ؟، قَالَتْ: أَخْرَجَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ، قَالَ لَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ: فَأَخْرَجَكِ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَآوِيكِ أَنَا وَاللهِ لَا آوِيكِ حَتَّى يَأْمُرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَمَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يُؤْوِيَهَا، فَقَالَ لَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ: وَاللهِ مَا قِيلَ لَنَا هَذَا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ قَطُّ، فَكَيْفَ وَقَدْ أَعَزَّنَا اللهُ بِالْإِسْلَامِ؟، فَبَكَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَأُمُّهَا أُمُّ رُومَانَ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَبَكَى مَعَهُمْ أَهْلُ الدَّارِ، وَبَلَغَ ذَاكَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَصَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: «أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ يَعْذُرُنِي مِمَّنْ يُؤْذِينِي؟» ، فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ فَسَلَّ سَيْفَهُ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا أَعْذُرُكَ مِنْهُ، إِنْ يَكَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ أَتَيْتُكَ بِرَأْسِهِ، وَإِنْ يَكُ مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا بِأَمْرِكَ فِيهِ، فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ، فَقَالَ: كَذَبْتَ، وَاللهِ مَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ إِنَّمَا طَلَبْتَنَا بِدُخُولٍ كَانَتْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، فَقَالَ هَذَا: يَا لَلْأَوْسِ، وَقَالَ هَذَا: يَا لَلْخَزْرَجِ، فَاضْطَرَبُوا بِالنِّعَالِ وَالْحِجَارَةِ وَتَلَاطَمُوا، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ، فَقَالَ: فِيمَ الْكَلَامُ؟ هَذَا رَسُولُ اللهِ يَأْمُرُنَا بِأَمْرِهِ فَسَفَدَ عَنْ رَغْمِ أَنْفِ مَنْ رَغِمَ، وَنَزَلَ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، فَصَعِدَ إِلَيْهِ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ فَاحْتَضَنَهُ، فَلَمَّا سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ أَوْمَأَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى النَّاسِ جَمِيعًا، ثُمَّ تَلَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا نَزَلَ بِهِ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَنَزَلَ {وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي} [الحجرات: ٩] بِالسَّيْفِ إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَاتِ، فَصَاحَ النَّاسُ: رَضِينَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، فَقَامَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ فَتَلَازَمُوا وَتَصَالَحُوا، وَنَزَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ الْمِنْبَرِ، وَانْتَظَرَ الْوَحْيَ فِي عَائِشَةَ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ وَأُسَامَةَ وَبَرِيرَةَ، وَكَانَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَسْتَشِيرَ امْرَأً لَمْ يَعْدُ عَلِيًّا وَأُسَامَةَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِ أَبِيهِ زَيْدٍ، فَقَالَ لِعَلِيٍّ: «مَا تَقُولُ فِي عَائِشَةَ؟ فَقَدْ أَهَمَّنِي مَا قَالَ النَّاسُ فِيهَا» ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَدْ قَالَ النَّاسُ وَقَدْ حَلَّ لَكَ طَلَاقُهَا، وَقَالَ لِأُسَامَةَ: «مَا تَقُولُ أَنْتَ؟» ، قَالَ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ مَا يَحِلُّ لَنَا أَنْ نَتَكَلَّمَ بِهَذَا، سُبْحَانَكَ هَذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ، فَقَالَ لِبَرِيرَةَ: «مَا تَقُولِينَ يَا بَرِيرَةُ؟» ، قَالَتْ: وَاللهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، إِلَّا أَنَّهَا امْرَأَةٌ نَؤُومٌ، تَنَامُ حَتَّى تَجِيءَ الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلَ عَجِينَهَا، وَإِنْ كَانَ شَيْءٌ مِنْ هَذَا لَيُخْبِرَنَّكَ اللهُ، فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى أَتَى مَنْزِلَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا، فَقَالَ لَهَا : «يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنْ كُنْتِ فَعَلْتِ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ فَقُولِي حَتَّى اسْتَغْفِرَ اللهَ لَكِ» ، قَالَتْ: وَاللهِ لَا أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ مِنْهُ أَبَدًا، إِنْ كُنْتُ فَعَلْتُهُ فَلَا غَفَرَ اللهُ لِي، وَمَا أَجِدُ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلَكُمْ إِلَّا مَثَلُ أَبِي يُوسُفَ - وَذَهَبَ اسْمُ يَعْقُوبَ مِنَ الْأَسَفِ -، {إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ} [يوسف: ٨٦] ، فَبَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُكَلِّمُهَا إِذْ نَزَلَ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ بِالْوَحْيِ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَخَذَتِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَعْسَةٌ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِعَائِشَةَ: قَوْمِي فَاحْتَضِنِي رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَتْ: لَا وَاللهِ لَا أَدْنُو مِنْهُ، فَقَامَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، فَاحْتَضَنَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَسُرِّيَ عَنْهُ وَهُوَ يَبْتَسِمُ، فَقَالَ: «عَائِشَةُ قَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عُذْرَكِ» ، قَالَتْ: بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِكَ، فَتَلَا عَلَيْهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سُورَةَ النُّورِ إِلَى الْمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي انْتَهَى خَبَرُهَا وَعُذْرُهَا وَبَرَاءَتُهَا، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «قُومِي إِلَى الْبَيْتِ» ، فَقَامَتْ وَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَدَعَا أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ بْنَ الْجَرَّاحِ فَجَمَعَ النَّاسَ ثُمَّ تَلَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنَ الْبَرَاءَةِ لِعَائِشَةَ، وَنَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَبَعَثَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ الْمُنَافِقِ، فَجِيءَ بِهِ فَضَرَبَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَدَّيْنِ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَى حَسَّانَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ وَمِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ، وَحَمْنَةَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ فَضُرِبُوا ضَرْبًا وَجِيعًا وَوُجِئَ فِي رِقَابِهِمْ، قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ: إِنَّمَا ضَرَبَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ أُبَيٍّ حَدَّيْنِ، لِأَنَّهُ مَنْ قَذَفَ أَزْوَاجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَعَلَيْهِ حَدَّانِ، فَبَعَثَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِلَى مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ، فَقَالَ: أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْكَ وَأَنْتَ ابْنُ خَالَتِي مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا قُلْتَ فِي عَائِشَةَ؟، أَمَّا حَسَّانُ فَرَجُلٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ لَيْسَ مِنْ قَوْمِي، وَأَمَّا حَمْنَةُ فَامْرَأَةٌ ضَعِيفَةٌ لَا عَقْلَ لَهَا، وَأَمَّا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ فَمُنَافِقٌ، وَأَنْتَ فِي عِيَالِي مُنْذُ مَاتَ أَبُوكَ وَأَنْتَ ابْنُ أَرْبَعِ حِجَجٍ، أُنْفِقُ عَلَيْكَ وَأَكْسُوكَ حَتَّى بَلَغْتَ، مَا قَطَعْتُ عَنْكَ نَفَقَةً إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا، وَاللهِ إِنَّكَ لِرَجُلٌ لَا وَصَلْتُكَ بِدِرْهَمٍ أَبَدًا وَلَا عَطَفْتُ عَلَيْكَ بِخَيْرٍ أَبَدًا، ثُمَّ طَرَدَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَأَخْرَجَهُ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ، فَنَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ} الْآيَةَ، فَلَمَّا قَالَ: {أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ} [النور: ٢٢] بَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ: أَمَّا إِذْ نَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ بِأَمْرِي فِيكَ لَأُضَاعِفَنَّ لَكَ النَّفَقَةَ وَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكَ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَغْفِرَ لَكَ، وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَةُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ مُنَافِقَةً مَعَهُ فَنَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ {الْخَبِيثَاتُ} [النور: ٢٦]- يَعْنِي: امْرَأَةَ عَبْدِ اللهِ - {لِلْخَبِيثِينَ} [النور: ٢٦] ، - يَعْنِي: عَبْدَ اللهِ - {وَالْخَبِيثُونَ لِلْخَبِيثَاتِ} [النور: ٢٦]- يَعْنِي: عَبْدَ اللهِ لِامْرَأَتِهِ - {وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ لِلطَّيِّبِينَ} [النور: ٢٦]- يَعْنِي: عَائِشَةَ، وَأَزْوَاجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، {وَالطَّيِّبُونَ} [النور: ٢٦]- يَعْنِي: النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، {لِلطَّيِّبَاتِ} [النور: ٢٦]- يَعْنِي: لِعَائِشَةَ، وَأَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - {أُولَئِكَ مُبَرَّءُونَ مِمَّا يَقُولُونَ} إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَاتِ
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to go on a journey, he would cast lots among his wives in threes, and those whose lot came out he would take with him; those wives would give water to drink and treat the wounded. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) marched against Banu al-Mustaliq, he cast lots among them, and the lot came out for Sayyidah Aishah and Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with them both), so he (peace and blessings be upon him) took them both with him. When they were somewhere along the way, the saddle of Sayyidah Umm Salamah tilted, so the people made her camel kneel in order to set her saddle right, and Sayyidah Aishah needed to relieve herself. When the people had made their camels kneel, Sayyidah Aishah said: I said to myself: "While they set right the saddle of Sayyidah Umm Salamah, I will finish my need." She said: So I got down from the howdah, took water in a jug and went to a deserted spot, and they did not know that I had got down. There my necklace broke, and I was held up re-stringing it. Meanwhile, the people set off with their camels, thinking that I was in the howdah and had not got down. Sayyidah Aishah said: I came back and found no one. She said: I followed them until I was exhausted, and I said to myself: "The people will surely miss me and come back looking for me." She said: So I stood by the way. Then Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by me. He was a companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he had asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to appoint him to the rear of the army (the saqah), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) had appointed him. So whenever the people departed, he would stay behind and pray, then follow them, and whatever of the people's belongings had fallen, he would pick up and deliver to their owners. Sayyidah Aishah said: When he passed by me, he thought I was a man and said: "O sleeper! Get up, for the people have gone." She said: I said: "I am not a man; I am Aishah." He said: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we return)." Then he made his camel kneel, hobbled its two forelegs, turned his back to me and said: "Mother, get up and mount, and when you have mounted, let me know." She said: I mounted, and he came and untied the rope, then raised the camel and took hold of its halter. Ibn Umar said: He did not say a word to her until he brought her to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). At this, the hypocrite Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul said: "By the Lord of the Ka'bah, he has committed indecency with her!" Hassan bin Thabit al-Ansari, Mistah bin Uthathah and Hamnah helped him in this, and the talk spread through the army. It reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and what they had said had some effect on the heart of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), until they returned to Madinah. Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul spread this talk in Madinah, and it weighed very heavily on the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyidah Aishah said: One day the mother of Mistah came in and saw me as I was about to go out to relieve myself, so she carried the water jug with me, and the jug fell from her hand, and she said: "May Mistah perish!" Sayyidah Aishah said to her: "Subhan Allah! Are you cursing a man who took part in Badr, when he is your own son?" The mother of Mistah said to her: "The flood has swept over you and you do not even know," and she told her the whole thing. She said: When she told me this, a fever came over me, and the need I had went away, and I had not gone far from the place of relief. Sayyidah Aishah said: Before this I used to feel some coldness from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and I did not know what it was due to. When the mother of Mistah told me, I realised that the coldness of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was because of what the mother of Mistah had told me. Sayyidah Aishah said: I said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah, will you permit me to go to my family?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Go." Sayyidah Aishah went out until she reached her father, Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr asked her: "What has happened to you?" She said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has put me out of his house." Abu Bakr said to her: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has put you out, and I should give you shelter? By Allah, I will not give you shelter until the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) himself commands it." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded him to give her shelter. Abu Bakr said to her: "By Allah, such a thing was never said about us even in the days of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah), so how can it be said now that Allah has honoured us with Islam?" Sayyidah Aishah, her mother Umm Ruman, Abu Bakr and Abd al-Rahman all wept, and the household wept with them. This reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so he (peace and blessings be upon him) ascended the pulpit, praised and extolled Allah, and then said: "O people, who will excuse me regarding one who hurts me?" Sa'd bin Mu'adh rose towards him (peace and blessings be upon him), drew his sword and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will excuse you regarding him. If he is from al-Aws, I will bring you his head, and if he is from al-Khazraj, give us your command." At this, Sa'd bin Ubadah stood up and said: "You have lied! By Allah, you do not have the power to kill him; you have only sought us out because of the (old) blood feuds that existed between us and you in the days of Ignorance." One said: "O Aws!" and the other said: "O Khazraj!" The people fell upon one another with sandals and stones and began striking one another. Usayd bin Hudayr stood up and said: "What is this talk? Here is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) giving us his command; let whoever is displeased be displeased." At that moment Jibril (peace be upon him) came down while he (peace and blessings be upon him) was on the pulpit. Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah climbed up to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and held him. When the state of revelation passed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gestured to all the people and then recited to them the verses that Jibril (peace be upon him) had brought down: "And if two groups of the believers fight each other, then make peace between them; but if one of them transgresses against the other, then fight the one that transgresses" [Surah al-Hujurat: 9] (with the sword) to the end of the verses. The people cried out: "We are content, O Messenger of Allah, with what Allah has sent down in the Qur'an." Then they went to one another, embraced and made peace. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came down from the pulpit and waited for revelation about Sayyidah Aishah, and he sent for Ali, Usamah and Barirah. Whenever he (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to consult anyone, after the death of Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) he would not go beyond Ali and Usamah. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Ali: "What is your view about Aishah? What people have said about her has troubled me." He said: "O Messenger of Allah, people have said it, and it has become lawful for you to divorce her." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Usamah: "What is your view?" He said: "Subhan Allah! It is not permissible for us to speak of this. Glory be to You! This is a tremendous slander." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Barirah: "Barirah, what do you say?" She said: "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I have known nothing about your wife but good, except that she is a woman who sleeps a great deal; she sleeps until the goat comes and eats her dough. And if there were anything (more) in this, Allah would surely inform you." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went out until he reached the house of Abu Bakr, went in to her and said: "O Aishah, if you have done this thing, then say so, so that I may seek Allah's forgiveness for you." She said: "By Allah, I will never seek forgiveness for it; if I have done it, may Allah never forgive me. And I find no example for me and for you except the example of the father of Yusuf" (and out of grief she forgot the name of Ya'qub) "'I only complain of my anguish and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah what you do not know' [Surah Yusuf: 86]." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was still speaking to her when Jibril (peace be upon him) came down with revelation upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and a drowsiness came over him (peace and blessings be upon him). Abu Bakr said to Sayyidah Aishah: "Get up and support the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." She said: "No, by Allah, I will not go near him." So Abu Bakr himself got up and supported the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). That state passed while he (peace and blessings be upon him) was smiling, and he said: "Aishah, Allah has sent down your vindication." She said: "With the praise of Allah, not with praise of you." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surah al-Nur to her up to the point where the account of her, her vindication and her innocence ends. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Get up and go to the house." She got up, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went out to the mosque, called Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah, gathered the people, and then recited to them the (verses) that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, had sent down in vindication of Sayyidah Aishah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came down from the pulpit and sent for the hypocrite Abdullah bin Ubayy. He was brought, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had the prescribed punishment (hadd) applied to him twice. He sent for Hassan bin Thabit, Mistah bin Uthathah and Hamnah bint Jahsh, and they were given a painful beating and struck on their necks (as punishment). Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) applied the hadd to Abdullah bin Ubayy twice because whoever slanders the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is liable to two hadd punishments. Abu Bakr sent for Mistah bin Uthathah and said: "Tell me, you are the son of my maternal aunt; what led you to say what you said about Aishah? As for Hassan, he is a man of the Ansar, not of my people; as for Hamnah, she is a weak woman with no sense; and as for Abdullah bin Ubayy, he is a hypocrite. But you have been under my care since your father died when you were four years old. I spent on you and clothed you until you reached maturity, and to this very day I have not cut off your allowance. By Allah, you are a man to whom I will never again give even a dirham, nor ever show you any kindness." Then Abu Bakr drove him away and put him out of his house. At this the Qur'an came down: "And let not those of virtue and means among you swear" to the end of the verse. When it said: "Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?" [Surah al-Nur: 22], Abu Bakr wept and said: "Since the Qur'an has come down concerning me in your favour, I will double your allowance, and I have forgiven you, for Allah has commanded me to forgive you." The wife of Abdullah bin Ubayy was a hypocrite like him, and the Qur'an came down: "Evil women" [Surah al-Nur: 26] (meaning the wife of Abdullah) "are for evil men" [Surah al-Nur: 26] (meaning Abdullah) "and evil men are for evil women" [Surah al-Nur: 26] (meaning Abdullah for his wife) "and good women are for good men" [Surah al-Nur: 26] (meaning Sayyidah Aishah and the other wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)) "and good men" [Surah al-Nur: 26] (meaning the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)) "are for good women" [Surah al-Nur: 26] (meaning for Sayyidah Aishah and the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)) "those are declared innocent of what they say" to the end of the verses.
حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ يَحْيَى السَّاجِيُّ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ زُهَيْرٍ التُّسْتَرِيُّ، قَالَا: ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، ثنا عُمَرُ بْنُ خَلِيفَةَ الْبَكْرَاوِيُّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: «كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ»
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to go on a journey, he would cast lots among his wives.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، ثنا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ الْمِنْهَالِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: " إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُ مَا قِيلَ، قَالَ: وَاللهِ مَا كَشَفْتُ مُنْذُ كُنْتُ أُنْثَى قَطُّ، وَلَقُتِلَ شَهِيدًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ " وَكَانَ عُرْوَةُ لَا يُسَمِّيهِ
Urwah bin al-Zubayr narrates from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her); she said: The man about whom that thing was said said: "By Allah, since I came of age I have never seen a woman uncovered." And he was killed as a martyr in the path of Allah. Urwah would not mention his name.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، ثنا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ الْمِنْهَالِ، ثنا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدِ بْنِ جُدْعَانَ، أَنَّ صَفْوَانَ بْنَ الْمُعَطَّلِ، «نَذَرَ أَنْ يَضْرِبَ حَسَّانَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ بِالسَّيْفِ ضَرْبَةً»
Ali bin Zayd bin Jud'an relates that Safwan bin al-Mu'attal had vowed that he would strike Hassan bin Thabit a single blow with the sword.
حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ الدِّمْيَاطِيُّ، ثنا عَبْدُ الْغَنِيِّ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الثَّقَفِيُّ، قَالَ: ثنا مُوسَى بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الصَّنْعَانِيُّ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَعَنْ مُقَاتِلِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ مُزَاحِمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ} يُرِيدُ أَنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ - يَعْنِي بِالْكَذِبِ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَرْبَعَةٌ مِنْكُمْ {لَا تَحْسِبُوهُ شَرًّا لَكُمْ بَلْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ} [النور: ١١] ، يُرِيدُ خَيْرًا لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَبَرَاءَةً لِسَيِّدَةِ نِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَخَيْرًا لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَأُمِّ عَائِشَةَ وَلِصَفْوَانَ بْنِ الْمُعَطَّلِ {لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ مَا اكْتَسَبَ مِنَ الْإِثْمِ وَالَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ} [النور: ١١] ، يُرِيدُ إِشَاعَتَهُ {مِنْهُمْ} [النور: ١١] ، يُرِيدُ عَبْدَ اللهَ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ {لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ} [النور: ١١] ، يُرِيدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا جَلَدَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثَمَانِينَ، وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ مَصِيرُهُ إِلَى النَّارِ {لَوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ} [النور: ١٢] ، يُرِيدُ أَفَلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ {ظَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ خَيْرًا وَقَالُوا هَذَا إِفْكٌ مُبِينٌ} [النور: ١٢] ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اسْتَشَارَ فِيهَا، فَقَالُوا خَيْرًا، وَقَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ هَذَا كَذِبٌ وَزُورٌ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُرِيدُ زَيْنَبَ - زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، وَبَرِيرَةَ مَوْلَاةَ عَائِشَةَ، وَجَمِيعَ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَقَالُوا هَذَا كَذِبٌ عَظِيمٌ، قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {لَوْلَا جَاءُوا عَلَيْهِ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ} يُرِيدُ لَوْ جَاءُوا عَلَيْهِ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ لَكَانُوا هُمْ وَالَّذِينَ شَهِدُوا كَاذِبَيْنَ، {فَإِذْ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بِالشُّهَدَاءِ فَأُولَئِكَ عِنْدَ اللهِ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ} [النور: ١٣] يُرِيدُ الْكَذِبَ بِعَيْنِهِ، {وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ} [النور: ١٤] يُرِيدُ فَلَوْلَا مَا مَنَّ اللهُ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَسَتَرَكُمْ، {لَمَسَّكُمْ فِي مَا أَفَضْتُمْ فِيهِ} [النور: ١٤] يُرِيدُ مِنَ الْكَذِبِ، {عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ} [النور: ١١] يُرِيدُ لَا انْقِطَاعَ لَهُ، {إِذْ تَلَقَّوْنَهُ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَتَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِكُمْ مَا لَيْسَ لَكُمْ بِهِ عِلْمٌ} [النور: ١٥] يَعْلَمُ اللهُ خِلَافَهُ، {وَتَحْسَبُونَهُ هَيِّنًا وَهُوَ عِنْدَ اللهِ عَظِيمٌ} [النور: ١٥] يُرِيدُ أَنْ تَرْمُوا سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَزَوْجَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَتَبْهَتُونَهَا بِمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهَا وَلَمْ يَقَعْ فِي قَلْبِهَا قَطُّ إِعْرَابُهَا، وَإِنَّمَا خَلَقْتُهَا طَيِّبَةً، وَعَصَمْتُهَا مِنْ كُلِّ قَبِيحٍ، {وَلَوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُمْ مَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَنْ نَتَكَلَّمَ بِهَذَا سُبْحَانَكَ هَذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ} [النور: ١٦] يُرِيدُ بِالْبُهْتَانِ الِافْتِرَاءَ، مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِ فِي مَرْيَمَ {وَقَوْلُهُمْ عَلَى مَرْيَمَ بُهْتَانًا عَظِيمًا} [النساء: ١٥٦] ، {يَعِظُكُمُ اللهُ أَنْ تَعُودُوا لِمِثْلِهِ أَبَدًا} [النور: ١٧] يُرِيدُ مِسْطَحَ بْنَ أُثَاثَةَ، وَحَمْنَةَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ، وَحَسَّانَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ، {إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ} [البقرة: ٩١] يُرِيدُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُصَدِّقِينَ بِاللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، {وَيُبَيِّنُ اللهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ} [النور: ١٨] يُرِيدُ الْآيَاتِ الَّتِي أَنْزَلَهَا فِي عَائِشَةَ، وَالْبَرَاءَةَ لَهَا، {وَاللهُ عَلِيمٌ} [النور: ١٨] بِمَا فِي قُلُوبُكُمْ مِنَ النَّدَامَةِ فِيمَا خُضْتُمْ فِيهِ، {حَكِيمٌ} [النور: ١٨] حَيْثُ حَكَمَ فِي الْقَذْفِ ثَمَانِينَ جَلْدَةً، {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ} [النور: ١٩] يُرِيدُ بَعْدَ هَذَا، {فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا} [النور: ١٩] يُرِيدُ الْمُحْصَنِينَ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتِ مِنَ الْمُصَدِّقِينَ، {لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ} [النور: ١٩] يُرِيدُ وَجِيعٌ، {فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ} [النور: ١٩] يُرِيدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا الْجَلْدَ، وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ الْعَذَابَ فِي النَّارِ، {وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ} [البقرة: ٢١٦] يُرِيدُ سُوءَ مَا دَخَلْتُمْ فِيهِ وَمَا فِيهِ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْعَذَابِ، وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شِدَّةَ سَخَطِ اللهِ عَلَى مَنْ فَعَلَ هَذَا، {وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ} [النور: ٢١] يُرِيدُ لَوْلَا مَا تَفَضَّلَ اللهُ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لِنَدَامَتِكُمْ، يُرِيدُ مِسْطَحًا، وَحَمْنَةَ، وَحَسَّانَ، {وَأَنَّ اللهَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ} يُرِيدُ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ رَؤُوفٌ بِكُمْ حَيْثُ نَدِمْتُمْ وَرَجَعْتُمْ إِلَى الْحَقِّ، {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا} [النور: ٢١] يُرِيدُ صَدَّقُوا بِتَوْحِيدِ اللهِ، {لَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ} [النور: ٢١] يُرِيدُ الزَّلَّاتِ، {فَإِنَّهُ يَأْمُرُ بِالْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ} [النور: ٢١] يُرِيدُ بِالْفَحْشَاءِ: عِصْيَانَ اللهِ، وَالْمُنْكَرِ: كُلَّمَا يَكْرَهُ اللهُ، {وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ} [النور: ٢١] يُرِيدُ مَا تَفَضَّلَ اللهُ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحِمَكُمْ بِهِ، {مَا زَكَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا} [النور: ٢١] يُرِيدُ مَا قَبْلَ تَوْبَةِ أَحَدٍ مِنْكُمْ أَبَدًا، {وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ يُزَكِّي مَنْ يَشَاءُ} [النور: ٢١] يُرِيدُ فَقَدْ شِئْتُ أَنْ أَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ، {وَاللهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ} [النور: ٢١] يُرِيدُ سُمَيْعٌ لِقَوْلِكُمْ، عَلِيمٌ بِمَا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنَ النَّدَامَةِ وَالتَّوْبَةِ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ} [النور: ٢٢] يُرِيدُ وَلَا يَحْلِفْ، {أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ} يُرِيدُ وَلَا يَحْلِفْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنْ لَا يُنْفِقَ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ، {أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا} [النور: ٢٢] فَقَدْ جَعَلْتُ فِيكَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ الْفَضْلَ، وَجَعَلْتُ عِنْدَكَ السَّعَةَ وَالْمَعْرِفَةَ بِاللهِ وَصِلَةَ الرَّحِمِ، فَتَعَطَّفْ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ قَرَابَةٌ وَلَهُ هِجْرَةٌ وَمَسْكَنَةٌ وَمُشَاهَدَةٌ وَرَضِيتُهَا مِنْكَ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ، {أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ} [النور: ٢٢] يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، {أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ} [النور: ٢٢] يُرِيدُ فَاغْفِرْ لمِسْطَحٍ، {وَاللهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} [البقرة: ٢١٨] يُرِيدُ فَإِنِّي غَفُورٌ لِمَنْ أَخْطَأَ رَحِيمٌ بِأَوْلِيَائِي، {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ} [النور: ٢٣] يُرِيدُ الْعَفَائِفَ، {الْغَافِلَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ} [النور: ٢٣] يُرِيدُ الْمُصَدِّقَاتِ بِتَوْحِيدِ اللهِ وَبِرُسُلِهِ. وَقَدْ قَالَ حَسَّانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ فِي عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ: حَصَانٌ رَزَانٌ مَا تُزَنُّ بِرِيبَةٍ وَتُصْبِحُ غَرْثَى مِنْ لُحُومِ الْغَوَافِلِ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ عَائِشَةُ: وَلَكِنَّكَ يَا حَسَّانُ مَا أَنْتَ كَذَلِكَ، {لُعِنُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ} [النور: ٢٣] ، يَقُولُ: أَخْرَجَهُمْ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ مِثْلُ قَوْلِهِ فِي سُورَةِ الْأَحْزَابِ لِلْمُنَافِقِينَ {مَلْعُونِينَ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُوا أُخِذُوا وَقُتِّلُوا تَقْتِيلًا} ، {وَالَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ} [النور: ١١] ، يُرِيدُ كِبْرَ الْقَذْفِ وَإِشَاعَتَهُ، يُرِيدُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ أُبَيٍّ ابْنَ سَلُولَ الْمَلْعُونَ، {يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهُمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ} [النور: ٢٤] يُرِيدُ أَنَّ اللهَ خَتَمَ عَلَى أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ فَتَكَلَّمَتِ الْجَوَارِحُ وَشَهِدَتْ عَلَى أَهْلِهَا وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا: تَعَالَوْا نَحْلِفُ بِاللهِ مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ، فَخَتَمَ اللهُ عَلَى أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ فَنَطَقَتِ الْجَوَارِحُ بِمَا عَمِلُوا، ثُمَّ شَهِدَتْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ يُرِيدُ يُجَازِيهِمْ بِأَعْمَالِهِمْ بِالْحَقِّ كَمَا يُجَازَى أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ بِالثَّوَابِ، كَذَلِكَ يَجْزِي أَعْدَاءَهُ بِالْعِقَابِ كَقَوْلِهِ فِي الْحَمْدِ {مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ} يُرِيدُ يَوْمَ الْجَزَاءِ، وَيَعْلَمُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَنَّ اللهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ أُبَيِّ بْنِ سَلُولٍ كَانَ يَشُكُّ فِي الدِّينِ، وَكَانَ رَأْسَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللهِ {يَوْمَئِذٍ يُوَفِّيهِمُ اللهُ دِينَهُمُ الْحَقَّ} [النور: ٢٥] وَيَعْلَمُ ابْنُ سَلُولٍ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَنَّ اللهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ، يُرِيدُ انْقَطَعَ الشَّكُّ وَاسْتَيْقَنَ حَيْثُ لَا يَنْفَعُهُ الْيَقِينُ، قَالَ: {الْخَبِيثَاتُ لِلْخَبِيثِينَ وَالْخَبِيثُونَ لِلْخَبِيثَاتِ} [النور: ٢٦] يُرِيدُ أَمْثَالَ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ وَمَنْ شَكَّ فِي اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَبِقَذْفِ مِثْلِ سَيِّدَةِ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: {وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ لِلطَّيِّبِينَ} [النور: ٢٦] عَائِشَةُ طَيَّبَهَا اللهُ لِرَسُولِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَتَى بِهَا جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي سَرَقَةٍ حَرِيرٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُصَوَّرَ فِي رَحِمِ أُمِّهَا، فَقَالَ لَهُ: هَذِهِ عَائِشَةُ بِنْتُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ زَوْجَتُكَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَزَوْجَتُكَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، عِوَضًا مِنْ خَدِيجَةَ بِنْتِ خُوَيْلِدٍ وَذَلِكَ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهَا، فَسُرَّ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَقَرَّ بِهَا عَيْنًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: {وَالطَّيِّبُونَ لِلطَّيِّبَاتِ} [النور: ٢٦] ، يُرِيدُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ طَيَّبَهُ اللهُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَجَعَلَهُ سَيِّدَ وَلَدِ آدَمَ، وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ يُرِيدُ عَائِشَةَ، {أُولَئِكَ مُبَرَّءُونَ مِمَّا يَقُولُونَ} يُرِيدُ بَرَاءَةَ اللهِ مِنْ كَذِبِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، {لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ} [المائدة: ٩] يُرِيدُ عِصْمَةٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَمَغْفِرَةٌ فِي الْآخِرَةِ، {وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ} [النور: ٢٦] يُرِيدُ رِزْقُ الْجَنَّةِ وَثَوَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "Indeed, those who brought the slander are a group from among you" means that those who brought this slander — that is, the lie against Sayyidah Aishah, the Mother of the Believers — were four people from among you. "Do not think it bad for you; rather, it is good for you" [Surah An-Nur: 11], meaning good for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), a declaration of innocence for the leader of the believing women (Sayyidah Aishah), and good also for Abu Bakr, for Sayyidah Aishah's mother and for Safwan bin al-Mu'attal. "For every person among them is the sin he has earned, and the one who took upon himself the greater part of it" [Surah An-Nur: 11], meaning spreading this accusation, "from among them" [Surah An-Nur: 11], meaning Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, "will have a great punishment" [Surah An-Nur: 11], meaning in this world, in that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him eighty lashes, and in the Hereafter his abode is Hell. "Why, when you heard it" [Surah An-Nur: 12], meaning why, when you heard it, did not "the believing men and believing women think well of their own selves and say: This is an obvious slander" [Surah An-Nur: 12]. The reason for this was that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sought counsel about it, and they (some people) spoke well and said: O Messenger of Allah, this is a lie and a falsehood. And "the believing women" refers to Sayyidah Zaynab — the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) — and Barirah, the freed slave-woman of Sayyidah Aishah, and all the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); they said: This is a tremendous lie. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: "Why did they (the accusers) not bring four witnesses to it?" meaning that if they had brought four witnesses to it, they and those who testified would all have been deemed liars. "And since they did not bring the witnesses, it is they who are the liars in the sight of Allah" [Surah An-Nur: 13], meaning sheer lying. "And had it not been for the favour of Allah upon you and His mercy in this world and the Hereafter" [Surah An-Nur: 14], meaning had Allah not shown you kindness and concealed your faults, "you would have been touched, because of what you indulged in" [Surah An-Nur: 14], meaning because of this lie, "by a great punishment" [Surah An-Nur: 11], meaning a punishment that would never cease. "When you received it with your tongues from one another and said with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge" [Surah An-Nur: 15], meaning Allah knows the opposite of it, "and you thought it insignificant, while in the sight of Allah it was tremendous" [Surah An-Nur: 15], meaning that you accused the leader of the believing women and the wife of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and attributed to her what was not in her and what had never even crossed her heart, whereas I (Allah) created her pure and protected her from every evil. "And why, when you heard it, did you not say: It is not for us to speak of this; Glory be to You! This is a tremendous slander" [Surah An-Nur: 16]; "slander" means a false accusation, as Allah said about Sayyidah Maryam: "And for their saying against Maryam a tremendous slander" [Surah An-Nisa: 156]. "Allah admonishes you never to return to the like of it" [Surah An-Nur: 17], meaning Mistah bin Uthathah, Hamnah bint Jahsh and Hassan bin Thabit, "if you are believers" [Surah Al-Baqarah: 91], meaning if you affirm the truth of Allah and His Messenger. "And Allah makes the verses clear to you" [Surah An-Nur: 18], meaning the verses which Allah revealed concerning Sayyidah Aishah and her innocence, "and Allah is All-Knowing" [Surah An-Nur: 18] of the remorse in your hearts over what you had indulged in, "All-Wise" [Surah An-Nur: 18], in that He decreed eighty lashes for false accusation. "Indeed, those who love that indecency should spread among the believers" [Surah An-Nur: 19], meaning even after this, "among those who believe" [Surah An-Nur: 19], meaning among the chaste men and women who affirm the truth, "will have a painful punishment" [Surah An-Nur: 19], "in this world and the Hereafter" [Surah An-Nur: 19], meaning lashes in this world and the punishment of Hell in the Hereafter. "And Allah knows and you do not know" [Surah Al-Baqarah: 216], meaning the evil of the wrong you fell into and the severe punishment it carries, and you do not know the severity of Allah's intense anger towards whoever does such a thing. "And had it not been for the favour of Allah upon you and His mercy" [Surah An-Nur: 21], meaning had it not been for Allah's favour upon you and His mercy on your remorse — meaning (the remorse) of Mistah, Hamnah and Hassan — "and that Allah is Most Kind, Most Merciful", meaning out of mercy, kind towards you since you felt remorse and returned to the truth. "O you who believe" [Surah An-Nur: 21], meaning those who affirmed the Oneness of Allah, "do not follow the footsteps of Satan" [Surah An-Nur: 21], meaning the slips, "for he commands indecency and wrongdoing" [Surah An-Nur: 21]; "indecency" means disobedience to Allah, and "wrongdoing" means everything that Allah dislikes. "And had it not been for the favour of Allah upon you and His mercy" [Surah An-Nur: 21], meaning the kindness and mercy Allah showed you, "not one of you would ever have been purified" [Surah An-Nur: 21], meaning the repentance of none of you would ever have been accepted, "but Allah purifies whom He wills" [Surah An-Nur: 21], meaning I (Allah) willed to accept your repentance, "and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing" [Surah An-Nur: 21], meaning hearing your words, knowing the remorse and repentance in your hearts. "And let them not swear" [Surah An-Nur: 22], meaning let him not swear an oath, "those of virtue and means among you", meaning let Abu Bakr not swear that he will not spend on Mistah, "that they will not give (anything) to relatives, the poor and those who emigrated in the cause of Allah; and let them pardon and overlook" [Surah An-Nur: 22]. O Abu Bakr, I have placed virtue in you, and I have given you means, knowledge of Allah and the upholding of family ties; so, O Abu Bakr, show kindness to Mistah, for he is related to you, he has the honour of emigration and of poverty, he was present at Badr, and I (Allah) had accepted that from you. "Do you not love" [Surah An-Nur: 22], O Abu Bakr, "that Allah should forgive you?" [Surah An-Nur: 22], meaning so forgive Mistah, "and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful", meaning I forgive whoever errs and I am merciful to My friends. "Indeed, those who accuse chaste women" [Surah An-Nur: 23], meaning virtuous women, "unaware, believing women" [Surah An-Nur: 23], meaning women who affirm the Oneness of Allah and His messengers. And Hassan bin Thabit had said about Sayyidah Aishah, the Mother of the Believers: "She is chaste and dignified, no suspicion is ever cast upon her, and she stays hungry of the flesh (backbiting) of unsuspecting women." Sayyidah Aishah said to him: But you, O Hassan, are not like that. "They are cursed in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have a great punishment" [Surah An-Nur: 23], meaning they were put out of faith, as He said in Surah Al-Ahzab about the hypocrites: "Accursed, wherever they are found they will be seized and killed with a (thorough) slaughter." "And the one who took upon himself the greater part of it among them" [Surah An-Nur: 11], meaning the greater part of the accusation and of spreading it; this refers to the accursed Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. "On the Day when their tongues, their hands and their feet will testify against them as to what they used to do" [Surah An-Nur: 24], meaning that Allah will seal their tongues, and the limbs (of the body) will speak and testify against their owners. The reason for this is that they used to say: Come, let us swear by Allah that we were not polytheists; so Allah will seal their tongues and the limbs will speak of their deeds, then after that their tongues too will testify against them; meaning He will give them the true recompense for their deeds — just as He rewards His friends with reward, so He will recompense His enemies with punishment — as He said in Surah Al-Fatihah: "Master of the Day of Recompense", meaning the Day of Requital; and on the Day of Resurrection they will know that Allah alone is the Truth, the One who makes manifest. The reason for this is that Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul had doubts about the religion and was the chief of the hypocrites, and that is Allah's saying: "On that Day Allah will pay them in full their true recompense" [Surah An-Nur: 25], and Ibn Salul will know on the Day of Resurrection that Allah alone is the Truth, the One who makes manifest — meaning on that day doubt will end and certainty will come, when certainty will be of no benefit to him. He said: "Evil women are for evil men, and evil men are for evil women" [Surah An-Nur: 26], meaning people like Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul and whoever has doubts about Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and accuses one such as the leader of the women of all the worlds. Then He said: "And good women are for good men" [Surah An-Nur: 26]: Sayyidah Aishah, whom Allah made pure for His Messenger (peace be upon him). Jibril (peace be upon him) brought her in a piece of silk before she was formed in her mother's womb, and said to him (peace and blessings be upon him): This is Aishah bint Abi Bakr, your wife in this world and your wife in Paradise, in place of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid — and this was at the time of her (Sayyidah Khadijah's) death — so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was pleased with her and his (peace and blessings be upon him) eyes were comforted. Then He said: "And good men are for good women" [Surah An-Nur: 26], meaning the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), whom Allah made pure for Himself and made the leader of the children of Adam, and "good women" refers to Sayyidah Aishah. "Those are declared innocent of what they say", meaning a declaration of innocence from Allah against the lie of Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, "for them is forgiveness" [Surah Al-Ma'idah: 9], meaning protection in this world and forgiveness in the Hereafter, "and a noble provision" [Surah An-Nur: 26], meaning the provision of Paradise and an immense reward.
