The Innocence of Sayyida Aisha Radi Allahu Anha
The hypocrites accused Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Aisha Siddiqah Radi Allahu Anha, but Allah Almighty revealed her innocence in the Holy Quran.
It is about Tabi’i Kabir, Masruq Rahimahullah (62 AH):
كان إذا حدث عن عائشة، قال: حدثتني الصديقة ابنة الصديق، البريئة المبرأة كذا وكذا.
“When he, Rahimahullah, narrated from Sayyida Aisha Radi Allahu Anha, he said: I was narrated hadith by Siddiqah bint Siddiq and pure, who was acquitted of the accusation, in this manner.”
Imam Ibn Shahin Rahimahullah (385 AH) says:
نزل القرآن ببراءتها ست عشرة آية متوالية.
“Sixteen consecutive verses were revealed regarding the innocence of Sayyida Aisha Radi Allahu Anha.”
Abu Mansur Muammar bin Ahmad Asbahani Rahimahullah (418 AH) says:
إن عائشة الصديقة بنت الصديق حبيبة حبيب الله مبرأة من كل دني، طاهرة من كل ريبة، فرضي الله عنها.
“Aisha Siddiqah bint Siddiq is the beloved of the Beloved of God, peace be upon him, free from every kind of defect and free from every accusation, may Allah be pleased with her.”
Imam Abu Nu’aym Asbahani, may Allah have mercy on him (430 AH), says:
الصديقة بنت الصديق العتيقة بنت العتيق حبيبة الحبيب وأليفة القريب سيد المرسلين محمد الخطيب المبرأة من العيوب المعراة من ارتياب القلوب لرؤيتها جبريل رسول علام الغيوب عائشة أم المؤمنين رضي الله تعالى عنها.
“Siddiqah bint Siddiq, Atiqah bint Atiq, the beloved of the Beloved of God, close to the heart of the Master of the Messengers Muhammad Karim, peace be upon him, free from defects, free from all doubts and suspicions born in the heart, whose image Angel Jibreel, peace be upon him, showed to the Messenger of Allah, the Knower of the unseen, peace be upon him. The Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her.”
Our master Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said to Sayyidah Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her:
أنزل الله براءتك من فوق سبع سماوات.
“Allah has sent down your innocence from above the seven heavens.”
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, declared this narration “Sahih” and Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, agreed with him.
The words of one narration are:
نزل عذرك من السماء.
“Your innocence has descended from the heavens.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
ما كان الله ليجعل عائشة زوجة لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلا وهى طيبة، لأنه أطيب من كل طيب من البشر، ولو كانت خبيثة لما صلحت له، لا شرعا ولا قدرا، ولهذا قال: اُولٰٓىٕكَ مُبَرَّءُوْنَ مِمَّا یَقُوْلُوْنَ أى هم بعداء عما يقوله أهل الإفك والعدوان.
“Allah Almighty made Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, the wife of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, because she was pure, for indeed the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is the most pure among all humans. If she had been impure, then legally she would not have been his wife, nor would it have been befitting for him. Therefore, Allah Almighty said: اُولٰٓىٕكَ مُبَرَّءُوْنَ مِمَّا يَقُوْلُوْنَ
“These personalities are free from the accusations of people. That is, they are far removed from the words of slanderers and enemies.”
Allah Almighty says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْغَافِلَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ لُعِنُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
“Those who accuse chaste, innocent believing women are cursed in this world and the Hereafter, and for them is a great punishment.”
The scholar of Ahl al-Bayt, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, says:
نزلت فى عائشة خاصة.
“This verse was revealed specifically about Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her.”
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (728 AH), says:
قد بين ابن عباس أن هذه الآية إنما نزلت فيمن يقذف عائشة وأمهات المؤمنين لما فى قذفهن من الطعن على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وعيبه فإن قذف المرأة أذى لزوجها كما هو أذى لابنها لأنه نسبة له إلى الدياثة وإظهار لفساد فراشه فإن زناء امرأته يؤذيه أذى عظيما، ولعل ما يلحق بعض الناس من العار والخزي بقذف أهله أعظم مما يلحقه لو كان هو المقذوف.
“Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما has clarified that this verse
was revealed concerning Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها and the other Mothers of the Believers رضي الله عنهن who were falsely accused, because this is essentially an insult to the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. An accusation against a wife is painful for the husband, just as it is for a son, because it indicates his lowliness and bad lineage. If a wife commits adultery, it is a disgrace for the husband. It is quite possible that if a man himself is accused, he may not face as much disgrace as when his wife is accused.”
The consensus belief of the Abbasid scholars is:
من سب سيدتنا عائشة رضي الله عنها فلا حظ له فى الإسلام.
“Whoever speaks ill of Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, has no share in Islam.”
Allama Abu Ishaq Shirazi, may Allah have mercy on him (476 AH), says:
قد أجمع المسلمون على عموم آية القذف وإن كانت نزلت فى شأن عائشة رضي الله عنها خاصة.
“The consensus of the Muslims is that the verse concerning the accusation is general, although it was revealed specifically regarding Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her.”
Allama Qurtubi, may Allah have mercy on him (671 AH), says:
قوله تعالى : يَعِظُكُمُ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَعُودُوا لِمِثْلِهِ أَبَدًا يعني فى عائشة، لأن مثله لا يكون إلا نظير القول فى المقول عنه بعينه، أو فيمن كان فى مرتبته من أزواج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، لما فى ذلك من أذاه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى عرضه وأهله، وذلك كفر من فاعله.
“The command of Allah Almighty: يَعِظُكُمُ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَعُودُوا لِمِثْلِهِ أَبَدًا refers to Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, because similarity can only be established when the same statement is made about someone or they are equal to the Pure Wives. Because this causes harm and distress to the honor and dignity of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and the Ahl al-Bayt, and this is an act of disbelief.”
Qadi Abu Ya’la Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him (458 AH), says:
من قذف عائشة بما برأها الله منه كفر بلا خلاف.
“Whoever has accused Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, with the same slander from which Allah has acquitted her, there is no difference that he is a disbeliever.”
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (728 AH), says:
قد حكى الإجماع على هذا غير واحد وصرح غير واحد من الأئمة بهذا الحكم.
“Many scholars have transmitted consensus on this, and countless Imams have explicitly stated this ruling.”
Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
يا معشر المسلمين، من يعذرني من رجل قد بلغني عنه أذاه فى أهلي، والله ما علمت على أهلي إلا خيرا، ولقد ذكروا رجلا ما علمت عليه إلا خيرا، وما يدخل على أهلي إلا معي، قالت: فقام سعد بن معاذ أخو بني عبد الأشهل، فقال: أنا يا رسول الله أعذرك، فإن كان من الأوس ضربت عنقه، وإن كان من إخواننا من الخزرج أمرتنا ففعلنا أمرك.
“O community of Muslims! Who will help me against this person (Abdullah bin Abi bin Salul) who has caused me distress regarding my wife? By Allah! I know nothing but good about my wife. These people have mentioned the name of a person (Safwan, may Allah be pleased with him), about whom I have seen nothing but good. Whenever he came to my house, he came in my company.” Then Sayyiduna Saad bin Muadh, may Allah be pleased with him, stood up. He belonged to the tribe of Banu Abd Al-Ashhal and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I will help you. If that person who accused you is from the tribe of Aws, then I will behead him, and if he is from our Khazraj brothers’ tribe, then whatever judgment you give regarding him, we will carry it out.”
Allama Fakhr al-Razi, may Allah have mercy on him (606 AH), says:
الإفك أبلغ ما يكون من الكذب والافتراء …. وأجمع المسلمون على أن المراد ما أفك به على عائشة، وإنما وصف الله تعالى ذلك الكذب بكونه إفكا لأن المعروف من حال عائشة خلاف ذلك لوجوه؛ أحدها: أن كونها زوجة للرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم المعصوم يمنع من ذلك.
“Afk is a word greater than falsehood and slander. There is a consensus among Muslims that it refers to the slander that was cast upon Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. Allah Almighty used the word Afk for this falsehood because Sayyida Aisha’s, may Allah be pleased with her, character was contrary to this accusation in many respects, one of which is that Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, was the innocent wife of the Prophet, peace be upon him, which prevents such an error.”
Allama Ibn Juzayy al-Gharnati, may Allah have mercy on him (741 AH), says:
الخير فى ذلك من خمسة أوجه، تبرئة أم المؤمنين، وكرامة الله لها بإنزال الوحي فى شأنها، والأجر الجزيل لها فى الفرية عليها، وموعظة المؤمنين، والانتقام من المفترين.
“The incident of Ifk was good in five respects: ➊ The innocence of the Mother of the Believers was established. ➋ Allah Almighty revealed verses in honor of Sayyida, thereby elevating her status. ➌ Sayyida received a great reward for her patience regarding this false accusation. ➍ The believers were given admonition and advice. ➎ Retribution was taken from those who made the false accusation.”
Hafiz Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him (456 AH), says:
هي ردة تامة، وتكذيب لله تعالى فى قطعه ببراءتها.
“To accuse Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, is complete apostasy and to deny Allah’s clear vindication of Sayyida.”
Allama Abdul Khaliq bin Isa Hashimi Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him (470 AH), says:
من رمى عائشة رضي الله عنها بما برأها الله منه فقد مرق من الدين ولم ينعقد له نكاح على مسلمة إلا أن يتوب ويظهر توبته.
“Whoever has accused Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, of that which Allah has acquitted her from, then he has left the religion (become a disbeliever). His marriage to a Muslim woman will not be valid unless he openly repents.”
Allama Ibn Arabi, may Allah have mercy on him (543 AH), says:
إن أهل الإفك رموا عائشة المطهرة بالفاحشة، فبرأها الله، فكل من سبها بما برأها الله منه فهو مكذب لله، ومن كذب الله فهو كافر.
“The people of slander accused the chaste Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, of evil, but Allah acquitted her. Therefore, whoever accuses Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, of that which Allah has acquitted her from, is one who denies Allah, and whoever denies Allah is a disbeliever.”
Hafiz Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi, may Allah have mercy on him (620 AH), says:
من قذفها بما برأها الله منه فقد كفر بالله العظيم.
“He who has falsely accused Sayyida, from whom Allah Almighty has acquitted, has committed disbelief against Allah the Great.”
Hafiz Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him (676 AH), says:
براءة عائشة رضي الله عنها من الإفك وهى براءة قطعية بنص القرآن العزيز فلو تشكك فيها إنسان والعياذ بالله صار كافرا مرتدا بإجماع المسلمين.
“The incident of slander has resulted in the acquittal of Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her; this acquittal is definitive, based on a Quranic text. Therefore, may Allah forgive! Whoever doubts this is unanimously agreed upon by Muslims to be a disbeliever and apostate.”
Hafiz Zahabi, may Allah have mercy on him (748 AH), says:
إياك يا رافضي أن تلوح بقذف أم المؤمنين بعد نزول النص فى براءتها، فتجب لك النار.
“Rafidhi! Refrain from accusing the Mother of the Believers, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, after the text has come regarding her acquittal, otherwise Hellfire will be obligatory for you.”
Allama Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him (751 AH), says:
اتفقت الأمة على كفر قاذفها.
“The entire Ummah agrees on the disbelief of the one who slanders Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him (774 AH), says:
قد أجمع العلماء رحمهم الله قاطبة على أن من سبها بعد هذا ورماها بما رماها به بعد هذا الذى ذكر فى هذه الآية، فإنه كافر، لأنه معاند للقرآن.
“All the scholars have reached consensus that the person who, even after the declaration of innocence, speaks ill of you, may Allah be pleased with her, and accuses her with this slander, after which these verses were revealed, is a clear enemy of the Holy Quran.”
Allama Zarqashi, may Allah have mercy on him (794 AH), says:
إن من قذفها فقد كفر لتصريح القرآن الكريم ببراءتها.
“Whoever slanders Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, is a disbeliever, because the Holy Quran has explicitly declared her innocence.”
Hafiz Iraqi, may Allah have mercy on him (806 AH), says:
صارت براءة عائشة رضي الله عنها من الإفك براءة قطعية بنص القرآن فلو شك فيها إنسان والعياذ بالله تعالى صار كافرا مرتدا بإجماع المسلمين.
“The incident of Ifk has cleared Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, of all accusations. This acquittal is definitive, based on a Quranic text. Therefore, may Allah forgive! Whoever doubts this is unanimously considered a disbeliever and apostate by the Muslims.”
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him (852 AH), says:
… وتحريم الشك فى براءة عائشة.
“This hadith is evidence that doubting the acquittal of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, is forbidden.”
Hafiz Sayuti, may Allah have mercy on him (911 AH), says:
قوله تعالى : إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ نزلت فى براءة عائشة رضي الله عنها فيما قذفت به ….. قال العلماء: قذف عائشة كفر لأن الله سبح نفسه عند ذكره، فقال : سُبْحَانَكَ هَذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ كما سبح نفسه عند ذكر ما وصفه به المشركون من الزوجة والولد.
“Blessed Verse: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ Those who have brought a great slander. It was revealed regarding the acquittal of Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) from the accusation made against her. Scholars say: accusing Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is disbelief, because when Allah Almighty mentioned this accusation, He declared His own glorification, saying: سُبْحَانَكَ هَذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ Allah is Pure; this is a great slander. When the polytheists attributed wives and children to Allah Almighty, He also declared His glorification and sanctification while mentioning it.”
Allama Bahruq Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) (930 AH) says:
حديث الإفك فى براءة عائشة رضي الله عنها عما قذفت به، فهي براءة قطعية بنص القرآن حتى إن من يشكك فى براءتها فهو كافر بالإجماع.
“The Hadith of Ifk concerns the acquittal of Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, from the accusation made against her. This acquittal is definitive and is established by the Quran, to the extent that if anyone doubts the acquittal of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, he is unanimously considered a disbeliever.”
Allama Ibn Najim Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him (970 AH), states:
… بقذفه عائشة رضي الله عنها.
“Accusing Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, of such an accusation makes a person a disbeliever.”
Allama Ibn Hajar Haithami, may Allah have mercy on him (974 AH), writes:
إن من نسب عائشة إلى الزنا كان كافرا وهو ما صرح به أئمتنا وغيرهم لأن فى ذلك تكذيب النصوص القرآنية ومكذبها كافر بإجماع المسلمين وبه يعلم القطع بكفر كثيرين من غلاة الروافض لأنهم ينسبونها إلى ذلك قاتلهم الله أنى يؤفكون.
“Whoever attributes adultery to Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, is a disbeliever. Our Imams and other scholars have explicitly stated this, because it necessarily entails the denial of Quranic texts, and there is consensus among Muslims on the disbelief of those who deny the texts. It is also conclusively known from this that many extremist Rafidis are disbelievers, because they attribute adultery to Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. May Allah destroy them, how misguided they are!”
Allama Ibn Abidin Al-Shami, may Allah have mercy on him (1252 AH), says:
لو كان يقذف السيدة عائشة رضي الله عنها فلا شك فى كفره.
“If anyone slanders Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, there is no doubt about his disbelief.”
He also says:
لا شك فى تكفير من قذف السيدة عائشة رضي الله تعالى عنها.
“There is no doubt about the disbelief of the person who slanders Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her.”
The unanimous fatwa of the Hanafi scholars is:
لو قذف عائشة رضي الله تعالى عنها بالزنا كفر بالله.
“Whoever accuses Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, of adultery, has committed disbelief against Allah.”
Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, may Allah have mercy on him (1206 AH), says:
من يقذف الطاهرة الطيبة أم المؤمنين زوجة رسول رب العالمين صلى الله عليه وسلم فى الدنيا والآخرة كما صح ذلك عنه فهو من ضرب عبد الله بن أبى ابن سلول رأس المنافقين، ولسان حال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: يا معشر المسلمين، من يعذرني فيمن آذاني فى أهلي، إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا 57 وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا ، فأين أنصار دينه ليقولوا: نحن نعذرك يا رسول الله؟
“The one who slanders the pure and chaste wife of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in this world and the Hereafter, is from the lineage of Abdullah bin Ubayy, the chief of the hypocrites. And the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is saying by way of implication: O Muslims! Who will help me against the one who harms my wife? Allah Almighty says: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا 57 وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا ‘Indeed, those who harm Allah and His Messenger – Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter and prepared for them a humiliating punishment. And those who harm believing men and believing women for [something] other than what they have earned have certainly born upon themselves a slander and manifest sin.’ Where are the helpers of Allah’s religion who say: O Messenger of Allah! We will defend you?”
All the wives of the noble Prophets, peace be upon them, were pure and chaste. They could not intend any evil. The marriage of the woman named Zulaikha to Sayyiduna Yusuf, peace be upon him, is not established; the statement of Muhammad bin Ishaq, may Allah have mercy on him, regarding this is baseless.
