“I heard `Uthman bin `Affan (ra) saying:
‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “There is no worshiper who says, in the morning of every day, and the evening of every night: ‘In the Name of Allah, who with His Name, nothing in the earth or the heavens can cause harm, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing (Bismillāh, alladhi lā yaḍurru ma`a ismihi shai'un fil-arḍi wa lā fis-samā', wa huwas-Samī`ul `Alīm)’ – three times, (except that) nothing shall harm him.” And Aban had been stricken with a type of semi-paralysis, so a man began to look at him, so Aban said to him, “What are you looking at? Indeed the Hadith is as I reported it to you, but I did not say it one day, so Allah brought about His decree upon me.”
Jami` at-Tirmidhi Book 48, Hadith 19
Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) intended to go on a journey, he used to draw lots amongst his wives, and
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to take with him the one on whom lot fell. He drew lots amongst us during one of
the Ghazwat which he fought. The lot fell on me and so I proceeded with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) after Allah's
order of veiling (the women) had been revealed. I was carried (on the back of a camel) in my howdah
and carried down while still in it (when we came to a halt). So we went on till Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had
finished from that Ghazwa of his and returned.
When we approached the city of Medina he announced at night that it was time for departure. So
when they announced the news of departure, I got up and went away from the army camps, and after
finishing from the call of nature, I came back to my riding animal. I touched my chest to find that my
necklace which was made of Zifar beads (i.e. Yemenite beads partly black and partly white) was
missing. So I returned to look for my necklace and my search for it detained me. (In the meanwhile)
the people who used to carry me on my camel, came and took my howdah and put it on the back of
my camel on which I used to ride, as they considered that I was in it. In those days women were light
in weight for they did not get fat, and flesh did not cover their bodies in abundance as they used to eat
only a little food. Those people therefore, disregarded the lightness of the howdah while lifting and
carrying it; and at that time I was still a young girl. They made the camel rise and all of them left
(along with it). I found my necklace after the army had gone.
Then I came to their camping place to find no call maker of them, nor one who would respond to the
call. So I intended to go to the place where I used to stay, thinking that they would miss me and come
back to me (in my search). While I was sitting in my resting place, I was overwhelmed by sleep and
slept. Safwan bin Al-Muattal As-Sulami Adh-Dhakwani was behind the army. When he reached my
place in the morning, he saw the figure of a sleeping person and he recognized me on seeing me as he
had seen me before the order of compulsory veiling (was prescribed). So I woke up when he recited
Istirja' (i.e. "Inna li l-lahi wa inna llaihi raji'un") as soon as he recognized me. I veiled my face with
my head cover at once, and by Allah, we did not speak a single word, and I did not hear him saying
any word besides his Istirja'. He dismounted from his camel and made it kneel down, putting his leg
on its front legs and then I got up and rode on it. Then he set out leading the camel that was carrying
me till we overtook the army in the extreme heat of midday while they were at a halt (taking a rest).
(Because of the event) some people brought destruction upon themselves and the one who spread the
Ifk (i.e. slander) more, was `Abdullah bin Ubai Ibn Salul."
(Urwa said, "The people propagated the slander and talked about it in his (i.e. `Abdullah's) presence
and he confirmed it and listened to it and asked about it to let it prevail." `Urwa also added, "None
was mentioned as members of the slanderous group besides (`Abdullah) except Hassan bin Thabit and
Mistah bin Uthatha and Hamna bint Jahsh along with others about whom I have no knowledge, but
they were a group as Allah said. It is said that the one who carried most of the slander was `Abdullah
bin Ubai bin Salul." `Urwa added, "`Aisha disliked to have Hassan abused in her presence and she
used to say, 'It was he who said: My father and his (i.e. my father's) father and my honor are all for the
protection of Muhammad's honor from you.").
`Aisha added, "After we returned to Medina, I became ill for a month. The people were propagating
the forged statements of the slanderers while I was unaware of anything of all that, but I felt that in my
present ailment, I was not receiving the same kindness from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as I used to receive when
I got sick. (But now) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) would only come, greet me and say,' How is that (lady)?' and
leave. That roused my doubts, but I did not discover the evil (i.e. slander) till I went out after my
convalescence, I went out with Um Mistah to Al-Manasi' where we used to answer the call of nature
and we used not to go out (to answer the call of nature) except at night, and that was before we had
latrines near our houses. And this habit of our concerning evacuating the bowels, was similar to the
habits of the old 'Arabs living in the deserts, for it would be troublesome for us to take latrines near
our houses. So I and Um Mistah who was the daughter of Abu Ruhm bin Al-Muttalib bin `Abd
Manaf, whose mother was the daughter of Sakhr bin 'Amir and the aunt of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and
whose son was Mistah bin Uthatha bin `Abbas bin Al-Muttalib, went out. I and Um Mistah returned to
my house after we finished answering the call of nature. Um Mistah stumbled by getting her foot
entangled in her covering sheet and on that she said, 'Let Mistah be ruined!' I said, 'What a hard word
you have said. Do you abuse a man who took part in the battle of Badr?' On that she said, 'O you
Hantah! Didn't you hear what he (i.e. Mistah) said? 'I said, 'What did he say?'
Then she told me the slander of the people of Ifk. So my ailment was aggravated, and when I reached
my home, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me, and after greeting me, said, 'How is that (lady)?' I said, 'Will
you allow me to go to my parents?' as I wanted to be sure about the news through them. Allah's
Apostle allowed me (and I went to my parents) and asked my mother, 'O mother! What are the people
talking about?' She said, 'O my daughter! Don't worry, for scarcely is there a charming woman who is
loved by her husband and whose husband has other wives besides herself that they (i.e. women) would
find faults with her.' I said, 'Subhan-Allah! (I testify the uniqueness of Allah). Are the people really
talking in this way?' I kept on weeping that night till dawn I could neither stop weeping nor sleep then
in the morning again, I kept on weeping. When the Divine Inspiration was delayed.
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called `Ali bin Abi Talib and Usama bin Zaid to ask and consult them about divorcing
me. Usama bin Zaid said what he knew of my innocence, and the respect he preserved in himself for
me. Usama said, '(O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!) She is your wife and we do not know anything except good
about her.' `Ali bin Abi Talib said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Allah does not put you in difficulty and there
are plenty of women other than she, yet, ask the maid-servant who will tell you the truth.' On that
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called Barira (i.e. the maid-servant) and said, 'O Barira! Did you ever see anything
which aroused your suspicion?' Barira said to him, 'By Him Who has sent you with the Truth. I have
never seen anything in her (i.e. Aisha) which I would conceal, except that she is a young girl who
sleeps leaving the dough of her family exposed so that the domestic goats come and eat it.'
So, on that day, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up on the pulpit and complained about `Abdullah bin Ubai (bin
Salul) before his companions, saying, 'O you Muslims! Who will relieve me from that man who has
hurt me with his evil statement about my family? By Allah, I know nothing except good about my
family and they have blamed a man about whom I know nothing except good and he used never to
enter my home except with me.' Sa`d bin Mu`adh the brother of Banu `Abd Al-Ashhal got up and
said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I will relieve you from him; if he is from the tribe of Al-Aus, then I will chop
his head off, and if he is from our brothers, i.e. Al-Khazraj, then order us, and we will fulfill your
order.' On that, a man from Al-Khazraj got up. Um Hassan, his cousin, was from his branch tribe, and
he was Sa`d bin Ubada, chief of Al-Khazraj. Before this incident, he was a pious man, but his love for
his tribe goaded him into saying to Sa`d (bin Mu`adh). 'By Allah, you have told a lie; you shall not
and cannot kill him. If he belonged to your people, you would not wish him to be killed.'
On that, Usaid bin Hudair who was the cousin of Sa`d (bin Mu`adh) got up and said to Sa`d bin
'Ubada, 'By Allah! You are a liar! We will surely kill him, and you are a hypocrite arguing on the
behalf of hypocrites.' On this, the two tribes of Al-Aus and Al Khazraj got so much excited that they
were about to fight while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was standing on the pulpit. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) kept on
quietening them till they became silent and so did he. All that day I kept on weeping with my tears
never ceasing, and I could never sleep.
In the morning my parents were with me and I wept for two nights and a day with my tears never
ceasing and I could never sleep till I thought that my liver would burst from weeping. So, while my
parents were sitting with me and I was weeping, an Ansari woman asked me to grant her admittance. I
allowed her to come in, and when she came in, she sat down and started weeping with me. While we
were in this state, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came, greeted us and sat down. He had never sat with me since that
day of the slander. A month had elapsed and no Divine Inspiration came to him about my case. Allah's
Apostle then recited Tashah-hud and then said, 'Amma Badu, O `Aisha! I have been informed so-andso
about you; if you are innocent, then soon Allah will reveal your innocence, and if you have
committed a sin, then repent to Allah and ask Him for forgiveness for when a slave confesses his sins
and asks Allah for forgiveness, Allah accepts his repentance.'
(continued...)
(continuing... 1): -5.462:... ...
When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) finished his speech, my tears ceased flowing completely that I no longer felt a
single drop of tear flowing. I said to my father, 'Reply to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on my behalf concerning
what he has said.' My father said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) .' Then I
said to my mother, 'Reply to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on my behalf concerning what he has said.' She said, 'By
Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).' In spite of the fact that I was a young girl and had
a little knowledge of Quran, I said, 'By Allah, no doubt I know that you heard this (slanderous) speech
so that it has been planted in your hearts (i.e. minds) and you have taken it as a truth. Now if I tell you
that I am innocent, you will not believe me, and if confess to you about it, and Allah knows that I am
innocent, you will surely believe me. By Allah, I find no similitude for me and you except that of
Joseph's father when he said, '(For me) patience in the most fitting against that which you assert; it is
Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be sought.' Then I turned to the other side and lay on my bed; and
Allah knew then that I was innocent and hoped that Allah would reveal my innocence. But, by Allah, I
never thought that Allah would reveal about my case, Divine Inspiration, that would be recited
(forever) as I considered myself too unworthy to be talked of by Allah with something of my concern,
but I hoped that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) might have a dream in which Allah would prove my innocence. But,
by Allah, before Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) left his seat and before any of the household left, the Divine
inspiration came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).
So there overtook him the same hard condition which used to overtake him, (when he used to be
inspired Divinely). The sweat was dropping from his body like pearls though it was a wintry day and
that was because of the weighty statement which was being revealed to him. When that state of
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was over, he got up smiling, and the first word he said was, 'O `Aisha! Allah has
declared your innocence!' Then my Mother said to me, 'Get up and go to him (i.e. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)). I
replied, 'By Allah, I will not go to him, and I praise none but Allah. So Allah revealed the ten Verses:-
- "Verily! They who spread the slander Are a gang, among you............." (24.11-20)
Allah revealed those Quranic Verses to declare my innocence. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq who used to
disburse money for Mistah bin Uthatha because of his relationship to him and his poverty, said, 'By
Allah, I will never give to Mistah bin Uthatha anything after what he has said about Aisha.' Then
Allah revealed:--
"And let not those among you who are good and wealthy swear not to give (any sort of help) to their
kinsmen, those in need, and those who have 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."
(24.22)
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said, 'Yes, by Allah, I would like that Allah forgive me.' and went on giving
Mistah the money he used to give him before. He also added, 'By Allah, I will never deprive him of it
at all.'
Aisha further said:." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) also asked Zainab bint Jahsh (i.e. his wife) about my case. He
said to Zainab, 'What do you know and what did you see?" She replied, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I refrain
from claiming falsely that I have heard or seen anything. By Allah, I know nothing except good (about
`Aisha).' From amongst the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) Zainab was my peer (in beauty and in the love she
received from the Prophet) but Allah saved her from that evil because of her piety. Her sister Hamna,
started struggling on her behalf and she was destroyed along with those who were destroyed. The man
who was blamed said, 'Subhan-Allah! By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, I have never uncovered the
cover (i.e. veil) of any female.' Later on the man was martyred in Allah's Cause."
Sahih al-Bukhari Book 64, Hadith 185
"I saw Jarir bin 'Abdullah performing Wudu and he wiped over his Khuff. I asked him about that. He replied, 'I saw 'I saw Allah's Messenger performing Wudu and he wiped over his Khuff.' So I said to him, before Surah AI-Ma'idah (was revealed) or after AI-Ma'idah?' So he replied, 'I did not acceot Islam until after Al-Ma'idah.'" Qutaibah narrated this to us; (saying) Khalid bin Ziyad At-Tirmidhi narrated it to us, from Muqatil bin Hayyan, from Shahr bin Hawshah, from Jarir.
He said: Baqiyyah related it from Ibrahim bin Adham from Muqatil bin Hayyan, from Shahr bin Hawshah, from Jarir.
This Hadith is explanatory, because some who dislike wiping over the Khuff give the interpretation that the Prophet's wiping over the two Khuff was before the revelation of Sural Al-Ma'idah. But in his Hadlth, Jarir mentions that he saw the Prophet wiping over his Khuff after the revelation of Surat Al-Ma'idah.
Jami` at-Tirmidhi Book 1, Hadith 94
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) entered upon me and said, "Have I not been informed that you offer prayer all the
night and fast the whole day?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Do not do so; Offer prayer at night and also
sleep; Fast for a few days and give up fasting for a few days because your body has a right on you,
and your eye has a right on you, and your guest has a right on you, and your wife has a right on you. I
hope that you will have a long life, and it is sufficient for you to fast for three days a month as the
reward of a good deed, is multiplied ten times, that means, as if you fasted the whole year." I insisted
(on fasting more) so I was given a hard instruction. I said, "I can do more than that (fasting)" The
Prophet said, "Fast three days every week." But as I insisted (on fasting more) so I was burdened. I
said, "I can fast more than that." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Fast as Allah's prophet David used to fast." I said,
"How was the fasting of the prophet David?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "One half of a year (i.e. he used to fast
on alternate days). '
Sahih al-Bukhari Book 78, Hadith 161