The Holy Prophet ﷺ said in a hadith that dogs of slander will bark at one of you (the pure wives). From this hadith, it is understood that Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was prevented by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from going out against Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Battle of Jamal. Yet, Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) still went out.
This incident is narrated in connection with the Battle of Jamal. The details of this incident are as follows: It is narrated from Qais bin Abi Hazim that when Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) set out on a journey, her caravan passed by the springs of Banu Amir. At night, someone woke her up, and Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) heard the barking of dogs. She asked: Which spring is this? People told her: This is the spring of Hawab. She said: I think I should return. People said: May Allah have mercy on you. Please be patient, you will proceed, Muslims will see you, and surely Allah will bring about reconciliation through you. She said: I am certain that I will return. Indeed, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say:
كَيْفَ بِإِحْدَاكُنَّ تَنْبَحُ عَلَيْهَا كِلَابُ الْحَوْأَبِ
Reference: Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 6, p. 52, Hadith No. 24299. Musnad Abi Ya'la, Vol. 8, p. 282, Hadith No. 4868. Sahih Ibn Hibban, Vol. 15, p. 126, Hadith No. 6732. Mustadrak Hakim, Vol. 3, p. 129
Translation: O my wives! What will be the condition of the one among you upon whom the dogs of Hawab will bark.
Hawab: There was a pond near Basra on the way to Mecca.
First Point
There is a difference of opinion regarding the authenticity of this hadith. A group of muhaddithin such as Yahya bin Saeed al-Qattan, Ibn Tahir al-Maqdisi, Ibn al-Jawzi, Ibn al-Arabi have declared it weak.
Reference: (Siyar A'lam al-Nubala: 4/200, Dhakirat al-Huffaz: 4/1922, Al-‘Ilal al-Mutanahiya: 1420, Kitab al-Malahim wal-Fitan, Al-‘Awasim min al-Qawasim: 128)
Some scholars have pointed out that its narrator Qais bin Abi Hazim was not present at the Battle of Jamal.
Reference: (Al-‘Ilal by Ibn al-Madini: 50)
However, other scholars have declared this hadith authentic, such as Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him,
Reference: (Siyar A'lam al-Nubala: 2/177)
, Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him,
Reference: (Al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya: 6/217)
, Allama Haithami
Reference: (Majma' al-Zawa'id: 7/237)
, and Allama Albani, may Allah have mercy on them.
Reference: (Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah: 474)
Second Point
If the narration is accepted as authentic, it becomes clear from the hadith that Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) wanted to return, and she mentioned this twice. However, Talha ibn Ubaidullah and Zubair ibn Awwam (may Allah be pleased with them) told her: You are going back, and it is possible that Allah Almighty will bring about reconciliation among the people through you? So she proceeded on the journey and did not return.
Why did Sayyiduna Zubair and Talha advise to proceed, and why did Sayyida Aisha continue? This also becomes clear from the same hadith that their intention was reconciliation.
Third Point
The scholars who have authenticated the chain of this hadith have also explained that at most, this implies that Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) should not have set out, so this was her ijtihadi (juridical) error.
Reference: (Silsila al-Sahiha: 474)
Unlike those who criticize Sayyida Aisha and the Companions, no inappropriate things like rebellion or oppression are mentioned.
Fourth Point
In the mentioned hadith, there is no explicit prohibition against travel, which would have contradicted ijtihad. This is why Sayyida Aisha, upon the advice of Sayyidna Zubair, considered it appropriate to proceed with the journey. If the Prophet ﷺ had clearly forbidden it, Sayyida Aisha would definitely not have continued the journey.
Fifth Point
Even if the intention was to forbid, Sayyida Aisha did not commit anything forbidden, because she exercised ijtihad and set out on the journey only when she was certain that the mentioned place was not on her route. Even if she intended to return, it would not have been possible for her to do so because no companion traveler supported her, whereas the mahram (unmarriageable kin) for your journey was your nephew Abdullah bin Zubair, who was the son of Zubair bin Awwam.
Sixth Point
If this hadith is interpreted as rebellion, then how is it possible that the Holy Prophet ﷺ continued to love Lady Aisha deeply until the last part of his life, and even during illness, all the other pure wives agreed to stay in Lady Aisha's chamber because they knew of the love Lady Aisha held in the heart of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
From this, it is understood that using this hadith to justify rebellion, oppression, or its incorrect meanings and speaking ill of Lady Aisha is itself against the relationship that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had with Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her.
