This post summarizes the slander that the hypocrites during Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) levied against mother of the believers, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). This was an important event in Islamic history that also led the revelation of important verses in Surah Nour in which Allah vindicated her.
Ayesha (May Allah be pleased with her – RadiaAllahu Anha (RA)) once accompanied the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) on a campaign and was travelling with a caravan. She accidentally got separated from the caravan during the journey and was stranded in the desert. Safwan bin Mu`attal, who was travelling separately happened to get to the same place where she was and seeing her stranded, brought his camel and made it kneel so that she could ride upon it. Then he set out leading the camel until they caught up with the army. This gave rise not just to suspicion, but allegations against them, with Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, the leader of the hypocrites, being the foremost in spreading them. He fabricated the lie and whispered it to others, until some of the Muslims started to believe it, and began to talk about their suspicions. As for Ayesha (RA), as she was ill during those days, she did not know about the slander that the people were indulging in. What upset her when she was ill was that she observed the Prophet’s behavior to have changed toward her. On inquiry, when she finally came to know about the slander from another lady, she sought the Prophet’s permission and went to her parents’ home. She said: “Rumours about this slander went on spreading in the city for about a month, which caused a great distress and anguish to the Holy Prophet. I cried due to helplessness and my parents were sick with mental agony.”
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) remained in great anxiety with regard to Aisha (RA) for one whole month. At last one day he (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) visited her and her parents. He sat near her (which she says he had not done since the slander had started). Feeling that something decisive was going to happen that day, Abu Bakr and Umm Ruman (Ayesha (RA)’s parents) also sat near them. The Holy Prophet gently said: “Ayesha, I have heard this about you. If you are innocent, I expect that Allah will declare your innocence. But if you have committed the sin, you should offer repentance, and ask for Allah’s forgiveness; when a servant (of Allah) confesses his guilt and repents, Allah forgives him.”
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Hearing these words, tears dried in her eyes, as Ayesha (RA) reported. She looked up to her father expecting that he would say something in her defense, but he said, `Daughter, I do not know what I should say.’ Then she turned to her mother, but she also did not know what to say. At last Ayesha (RA) replied, “You have all heard something about me and believed it. Now if I say that I am innocent – and Allah is my witness that I am innocent – you will not believe me; and if I confess something which I never did – and Allah knows that I never did it – you will believe me. I cannot but repeat the words which the father of Prophet Yousuf (Joseph) had spoken: ‘fa-sabrun jamil’: I will bear this patiently with good grace.”
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Saying this she lay down thinking that Allah was aware of her innocence, and He would certainly reveal the truth. At that moment, suddenly the state of receiving the Divine Revelation appeared on the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), when pearl-like drops of perspiration used to gather on his face even in severe winter. The revelation vindicated her stand and proved her innocence. When it was over, the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was overjoyed. The first words he spoke were: “Congratulations, Ayesha (RA), Allah has sent down proof of your innocence”, and then he recited the following ten verses of Sura An-Noor that had her vindication:
| Verily those who brought forth the slander (against ‘Aishah) are a group among you. Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay, it is good for you. Unto every man among them will be paid that which he had earned of the sin, and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be a great torment. (11). Why then, did not the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander), think good of their own people and say: “This (charge) is an obvious lie ?” (12) Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they (the slanderers) have not produced witnesses! Then with Allah they are the liars. (13) Had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had spoken. (14) When you were propagating it with your tongues, and uttering with your mouths that whereof you had no knowledge, you counted it a little thing, while with Allah it was very great. (15) And why did you not, when you heard it, say: “It is not right for us to speak of this. Glory be to You (O Allah)! This is a great lie.” (16) Allah forbids you from it and warns you not to repeat the like of it forever, if you are believers. (17) And Allah makes the Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) plain to you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (18) Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you know not. (19) And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, (Allah would have hastened the punishment upon you). And that Allah is full of Kindness, Most Merciful. (20) O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan), then, verily he commands Al-Fahsha [i.e. to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse)], and Al-Munkar [disbelief and polytheism (i.e. to do evil and wicked deeds; and to speak or to do what is forbidden in Islam)]. And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. But Allah purifies (guides to Islam) whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower. (21) |
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(Quran, Sura An-Noor:11-21).
Lessons that we can learn
This event provided many key lessons. Let’s review some of them below.
The Prophet’s ordeal and challenge until the verses were revealed
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)’s conduct and attitude proved beyond any doubt his moral purity, nobility, fairness, tolerance and forbearance. If he had wished, he could have punished the people responsible for the attack severely. But he bore everything with patience until the Divine injunction came down from Allah. Later, he enforced the punishment only on those three Muslims whose guilt was established, and spared the hypocrites who were responsible for spreading the mischief.
Perseverance of Ayesha (RA) and her reaction after the fact was known
The incident also highlights Ayesha (RA)’s magnanimity. She did not allow the slander against her to color her judgment of the people circulating it. Hassan bin Thabit had played a prominent role in the campaign of slander against her, yet she continued to treat him with due honor and esteem. When people reminded her that he was the man who had slandered her, she replied, `…he it was who used to rebut the anti-Islamic poets on behalf of the Holy Prophet and Islam’, and thus she acknowledged his service to Islam more than his role in her slander. Thus, she didn’t allow the dictates of her ego to supersede her objective judgment.
Ayesha (RA)’s family’s response
Abu Bakr and his family responded to the slander against their daughter with dignified silence in spite of being convinced of their daughter’s moral character and the falsity of the accusation. Abu Bakr’s own relative, Mistah bin Uthatha, whose whole family he had supported all along, continued heaping disgrace on Abu Bakr (RA) publicly, yet Abu Bakr (RA) neither severed his family relations with him nor stopped monetary help to him and his family.
After the revelation of verses 11-21 of Surah Nour absolving her from the accusation, Abu Bakr swore that he would no longer support Mistah bin Uthatha. This was because the man had shown no regard for the relationship nor for the favors that Abu Bakr had all along been showing him and his family. At this verse 22 of Surah Noor was revealed:
| And let not those among you who are blessed with graces and wealth swear not to give (any sort of help) to their kinsmen, Al-Masakin (the poor), and those who left their homes for Allah’s Cause. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. |  |
(Quran, Sura An-Noor:11-22).
On hearing this verse, Abu Bakr immediately said: “By God! We do want that Allah should forgive us.” And he again started helping Mistah in a more liberal manner than before. His example was followed by some other companions who had also sworn that they would discontinue helping those who had taken an active part in the slander. All of them revoked their oaths, wiping out the ill-will that had been created by the mischief.
The response of the other wives of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)
Despite the jealousy that existed in the hearts of some of the other wives of the prophet, none of them took the least part in the slander nor even expressed the slightest approval of it. Even Zainab, for whose sake her real sister, Hamnah bint Jahsh, was taking part in the slander, did not utter anything about her rival (Ayesha (RA)) except good words. According to Ayesha (RA) herself: “Zainab among the wives of the Holy Prophet was my strongest rival, but when in connection with the incident of the slander, the Holy Prophet asked her opinion of me, she said, `O Messenger of Allah, I swear by God that I have perceived nothing in her except piety’.”
Zainab (RA) depicted an admirable quality in adhering to the truth about Ayesha (RA), refuting the false charge by declaring that she’d seen nothing except good in Ayesha (RA). She did not allow any feelings of jealousy to cloud the truth. By declaring the truth and not staying silent, she prevented any doubts to surface about Ayesha (RA).
The evils of slandering
The incident became the cause of some very important additions to the social law and injunctions of Islam. Through these, the Muslims received Commandments from Allah which ensured that the Muslim society could be kept clean and protected against the creation and propagation of moral evils.
“Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they (the slanderers) have not produced witnesses! Then with Allah they are the liars.” (Quran, Sura An-Noor:13).
This verse draws our attention to the fact that none of the accusers had actually witnessed what they were accusing the innocent about. The only basis of the accusation was that Ayesha (RA) had been left behind and Safwan bin Mu`attal had brought her to the camp on his camel.
The general principle laid down was that all dealings in the Islamic society must be based on `good faith. The question of a bad opinion should arise only when there is definite and concrete basis for it. Every person should, as a matter of principle, be considered innocent unless there are sound reasons to hold him guilty or suspect. Every person should be considered as truthful unless there are strong grounds for holding him unreliable.
And why did you not, when you heard it, say: “It is not right for us to speak of this. Glory be to You (O Allah)! This is a great lie.” (24:16).
Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) admonishes people regarding their response to the slander. The lady being accused was no other than the wife of the Holy Prophet of Allah, whom every Muslim esteemed higher than his own mother, and whom Allah Himself had forbidden for every Muslim just like his own mother. The man being accused was not only a follower of the same caravan, a soldier of the same army, and an inhabitant of the same city, but also a Muslim, who believed in the lady’s husband to be the Messenger of Allah and his religious leader and guide. He had even followed him and fought in the most dangerous battle at Badr. As such, the slander was an even greater sin.
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The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) had no knowledge of the unseen
The Muslims came to understand that the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) had no absolute knowledge of the unseen. He knew from the unseen and other knowledge only that which Allah had taught him. For a month he was upset and would make inquiries from the maid-servant, from his other wives, and sometimes from Ali and Usamah. Had he possessed any knowledge of the unseen, he wouldn’t have felt so upset, or made inquiries, nor counseled repentance. However, when the Divine Message revealed the truth, he happily received that knowledge and made it known to all. Thus Allah arranged to safeguard the Muslims, through direct experience and observation, against exaggerated notions which people tend to entertain regarding their religious leaders. Perhaps this was the reason why Allah withheld revelation for a month and Allah knows best.
Trust in Allah and obedience leads to receiving Blessings from Allah
The hypocrites had planned to inflict a defeat on the Muslims on the moral front. But Allah turned this mischief into a means of strength for the Muslims. The incident brought out the best in the conduct and attitude of the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr and his family, and even other Muslims. Nobility and forbearance stood out as their forte. For example, when Abu Ayyub Ansari’s wife mentioned before him the rumors of the slander, he said, “Mother of Ayyub, if you had been there in place of Aayesha (RA), would you have done that?” She replied, “By God, I would never have done it.” Ayyub then said, “Well, Aayesha (RA) is a much better woman than you. As for myself if I had been in place of Safwan, I could never have entertained such an evil thought and Safwan is a better Muslim than I.”
Thus, the result of the mischief engineered by the hypocrites was contrary to what they had planned to achieve, and the Muslims emerged out of this test morally stronger than before.
Eventually we should never forget that truth always prevails and shows itself when Allah’s Help is sought and His way is adopted. Anger and vindictiveness rarely leads to any good, which can only be achieved through patience and adherence to the straight path.
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References: (1) Quran interpretation (Tafsir) by Sayyid Abul A’la Mawdudi, (2) Tafsir Ibn Kathir
— End
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Assalamalaikum. What an admirable lesson in purity of character and magnanimity of heart! Also, an eye-opener to the evils of slandering. Let us learn to guard and control our tongues. Let us not give words to our thoughts if they are baseless and not weighed properly. We tend to take lightly the sins committed by our tongue but Allah (SWT) warns us that we’re indulging in a great sin when we indulge in slander. May Allah help us to stay clear of all sins of the tongue and all other sins as well – Aameen!
Allah is really wonderful. This story is a theory & practical lesson for every human being. O Allah protect us from slandering & slanders.
Assalam Alikum Rahmat Ullahi Barkatahu,
Very very thanks for sending The Slander against Ayesha (RA) (Mother of the Believers) and her Vindication by Allah. Jazakallah Khiar Brother
Assalamualaikum
I am thankful to Allah subhana wata’ala for this great favour He has done to the believers. May Allah also reward you abundantly for your efforts.
Allah Hu Akbar……This is a great lesson for everybody’s life.
May Allah protect all of us from slandering and slanders.
nadeem
Very very educative.Jazakalahul kairan.
Allah is Great… Let us not indulge in any form of slander against any Muslim… or anybody … it is not our business as a true Muslim… Let us learn to restrain our tongue from committing sins of this kind… I am enlightened … Thank you
Wonderful Islamm. On each & every respect of human life, there are clear and specific instructions tobe followed and observed, nothing left to chance…..it is only that God should give us proper understanding of things and keep us safe. AAMEEN
See, we know not to backbite, but after reading this story we get to know the details; our place as a muslim who backbites. Which by the way to me is really deep. It now took a place in my heart to really try hard to not de-rank myself and to seriously help others to see the major harm they are/will do to themselves by taken part in such evil actions.
I hope we all can be strong like Aisha(pbah).
And that all muslims wil be 4given 4 there tresspassings and sins!!
Theres no god but Allah and Muhammed is his prophet!!
Salam alaikum from holland.
Allah (SWT) Has addressed the issue extremely well and exonerated AISHA (RA) in the best way. Her husband, the holy prophet of Islam (SAW) remains the best to be emulated. May Allah keep us aright always and help us as Muslims.
Mashallah, what an article! Hoping that we will all be guided by it and make a great change since slandering has been the order of the day in our societies.
Jazaka Allahu khairan.
Thanks for presenting an eye opener article. May Allah protect us from the sins of slandering and slander. Ameen.
Very enlightening lesson for generations of Muslims to apply in personal as well as professional dealings. Please continue to post Islamic stories with easy-to-understand translations. Jazakallah Kair.
Thanks for that article alot of lives are being ruined because this,families are being separated and unfortunately most people believe the slanders even if you try to tell the truth.May Allah guide and protect us all from all the evil that surrounds us Ameen.
Assalamu’alaikum, Uncountable thanks for this wonderful lesson. May Allah(swt) reward you aboundantly.
Allah (SWT) Has addressed the issue extremely well and exonerated AISHA (RA) in the best way. Her husband, the holy prophet of Islam (SAW) remains the best to be emulated. May Allah keep us aright always and help us as Muslims.
ammen
shabana
Salaam. Thx for this beautiful story. We all in our life get carried away by Shaitan and do wrong stuffs like backbiting. It’s bad. May Allah forgive us and guide us to the rite path. Ameen.
Thanks a lot for a very nice and informative article. Actually it alert us to be more careful about slanders of enemies and it existed from the beginning of Islam.
May Allah Protect all of our Muslim Brothers and Sisters from them Ameen.
very,very nice daa’wa may allah reward you all.
THIS IS VERY NICE STORY,MAY ALLAH FORGIVE US ALL AND OPEN HIS WAY FOR US.MAY ALLAH BLESS YOU FOR THIS GOOD JOB YOU ARE DOING.THANK YOU OUR BROTHER IN ISLAM
Allahu Akbar, this is indeed a great lesson for all muslims male and female, many a times we are carried away from the teaching of Islam and relay more on traditional beliefs. many women in our society today are suffering from slander and many more which as a result increasing the number of divorce in the society. may the almighty Allah guide us to the right path,ameen
THIS IS VERY INSTRESTING STORY.MAY ALLAH REWARD YOU WITH AL-JANNAH FIR’DAUS.FOR REMIND US ABOUT THIS STORY
Very goood topic, very real in our communities, people get labelled and get treated accordingly, most cases rumors are being spread by people that don’t even know you,may the Almighty Allah forgive us all, for even listening to all this nonsense, I feel soo sad for being part of this Astagfirullah Ya Allah!
Allahu Akbar.
May Allah(SWT)enable us to control our tongues and much more importantly,free us from evil thoughts.May He guide all our thoughts and actions.Ameen.
Masha Allah! I am glad to read this and the relevant Quranic verses. May Allah guides us to the straight path. Ameen!
Asalam,
Thanks so much for the wonderful articles sent. We indeed learn alot from them. May Allah be pleased with you.
Subhanallah, good lesson for all. If you find yourself in the position of any of the notable people and their dignified response you should endeavour to learn and adopt their noble reactions. Hypocrisy is evil and muslims should not associate with known hypocrites.
Jazaakallahu khairan.
We read Quran like parrots, thank you from explaining these Ayahs that exposed th truth which conversely proved Aishas RA innocense and brought back the dignity of Prophet’s PBUH and that of Aisha’s Parents RA.
Do not say a word against anyone unless you have seen him or her committing sin. And if you have seen it try to cover it. Do not lift the veil.
Jazakal lahu khairan for this important reminder. If we abide to the contents of the quoted verses and the espoused lessons learnt, there will be more peaceful co-existence amongst all of us. May Allah continue to bless us all.
Assalamu alaikum,
Jazak allah/…nice and informative one
Very interesting story from Qur’an.Alhamdullillah.Slanderer have never stopped since then the trial to disturb moral value of Muslims .May Allah hep as to be patient in our daily relation among Muslim brothers .It is great parable for us to derive huge benefit out of & apply for our daily life .Jezakallahu Kheyern May Allah reward you abundantly.
May ALLAH( SWT) forgive all our sins, and after reading this story may ALLAH guide all muslim brothers and sisters from the sins of slandering and all mischeives of satan. Ameen.
Patience is a great attribute we must always ask Allah to grant us. May Allah grant us patience and tolerance like that of the holy prophet, Abubakr and Aisha in respect of this incidence.
Assalamu Alaikum
Jazakallah khair…very infomative..
May Allah reward you
Really loved the story and learnt so many good lessons. May Allah guide us all to the right path. ameen
Fellow brothers and sisters, May God give us d mind and ability to emulate the patience of Aesh and Safwan (R.A)May He also continue to protect and guide muslim ummah against the evils of slendering
Assalamalaikum, NO DOUBT THIS IS A LESSON FOR THE FOLLOWERS TO AVOID RUMOURS. THIS IS BETTER FOR EVERY BELIEVER TO SURAH ALNOOR.
THANKS TO THE IQRA TEAM.
Asalamualaikum,
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, praises and glory be to Allah Swt.
Personally i have read the hadeeth regarding this vindication and slander towards Ayesha R.A but was enlightened that there was a revelation behind the incident as informed in the article in the Sura An-Noor verse 11-21. I have also read that Ayesha R.A is said to be a woman whose dignity and courage should be an example for women.
Abundance appreciation for the article. I am a sinner myself who always share one of my colleagues shortcomings with my other colleagues..Although, the facts are true, I felt ashamed with what I am doing. This article strike me to reality on the gravity of the consequences. I hope Allah s.w.t pardon my sins and lead me to the right path. Thank you again for the educational post.
sobhana Allah. beautifully explained.. What we must take from this is that patience and proper conduct must be observed throughout any calamity that befalls on us..Only a noble prophet would conduct himself in such a noble manner and Mohammed saws was indeed most noble and most highest person in manners. Sadly we Muslims of today are miles away from this teachings and we are so quick to react without obtaining solid facts and we follow Satan in quickly trying to get revenge instead of what Mohammed saws has taught us which is patience patience and do not get angry do not get angry do not get angry(3 times). This is the reason why we are terrible Muslims and everyone run away from us. I pray to Allah swt to restore the true teaching of the most noble of us Mohammed saws.Amen
The slander that the hypocrites during present days imposed against women is very common. Despite the revelation of important Verses 11-21 in Sura An Noor in the Glorious Qur’an in which Allah (SWT) vindicated Hazrat Aisha (R.A.)’s position, slandering is happening in the Muslim families too. And in most cases people believe without any proofs and eyewitnesses. This is much more unfortunate, disgraceful and shocking for the Muslim. Although message and learning have set for all human being in the world. All people must have strong protest against it and follow the command of Allah (SAW) for the sake of the right, peace and justice in the society.. We the Muslim must circulate the Message of Allah (SWT) in the Qur’an that revealed on the Messenger of Allah (SWT) as much possible and socialize the practice in life. JazakAllah Khairun for this nice article.
I wonder why Shia’s, Ismailis’s etc still sending curse on Aisha (RA) and pour insult on her, standing on the evil of Abdullah Ibn Ubay Bin Salul who has been promised by Allah the severest of punishment for the slander he started. Don’t they fear that these slanderers, after Allah has revealed the innocence of Aisha (RA), the punishment is going to be even more than that which was promised to the leader of Munafiqeen? Now read what Allah says about he slanderers against Aisha (RA) …
[24:11]
Indeed, those who came with falsehood (Slander of Zina agaisnt Aisha’s innocence) are a group among you. Do not think it bad for you; rather it is good for you. For every person among them is what [punishment] he has earned from the sin, and he who took upon himself the greater portion thereof (Abd Ibn Ubay) – for him is a great punishment. (Azaabun Azeem).
[24:19]
Indeed, those who like that immorality (???????????? ) should be spread among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know.
[24:23]
Indeed, those who [falsely] accuse chaste, unaware and believing women are cursed in this world and the Hereafter; and they will have a great punishment –
(Don’t these directly apply to the Shia’s and Islmaili’s etc).
Nice article. Wisdom comes from the book of Allah. Muhammad was indeed Allah’s messenger I admire the patience he had during such a difficult test from Allah. May Allah make us amongst the guided ummah of muhammad peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family and companions. Ameen.
Sins of the tongue must be avoided. The ultimate lesson in this incident is that whatever challenge comes in the lives of true believers it only comes to elevate their status in front of Allah. Forgiveness is such a torch which strengthens the connection of the believer with Allah. If we want Allah to forgive us than we need to learn to forgive those whose actions hurt us mentally, emotionally and spiritually. By adopting this path of higher character traits we can strengthen our hope of salvation in the hereafter. One should be very clear in his mind that no matter how pious and good our actions and deeds become it will be only forgiveness from the Creator which will in the end guarantee our success on the day of Judgement.
Alhamdulillah!!! Greatest is Allah’s Majesty. He knows the hidden and the open and the best Justice is from Him. We must be patient and sustain prayers any time we have challenges like that of Ayesha (R. Anha) or any other type. Allah will eventually vindicate the innocent. May Allah help us pass every of His test we have to undergo. Alhamdulillah!!!.
May Allah, in His infinite mercies reward the writer and all other workers of Islaam with Jannatul Firdaos iinshs Allah. Articles like this are needed to raise the kind of Muslim personalities that Islaam desiires. May Allah help to transform the Ummah, amiin. JazakumulLahu Khayrah.