\nNarrated Aisha:\n \n\n(the wife of the Prophet) "Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) intended to go on a journey, he would draw lots \namongst his wives and would take with him the one upon whom the lot fell. During a Ghazwa of his, \nhe drew lots amongst us and the lot fell upon me, and I proceeded with him after Allah had decreed \nthe use of the veil by women. I was carried in a Howdah (on the camel) and dismounted while still in \nit. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was through with his Ghazwa and returned home, and we approached the \ncity of Medina, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered us to proceed at night. When the order of setting off was \ngiven, I walked till I was past the army to answer the call of nature. After finishing I returned (to the \ncamp) to depart (with the others) and suddenly realized that my necklace over my chest was missing. \nSo, I returned to look for it and was delayed because of that. The people who used to carry me on the \ncamel, came to my Howdah and put it on the back of the camel, thinking that I was in it, as, at that \ntime, women were light in weight, and thin and lean, and did not use to eat much. So, those people did \nnot feel the difference in the heaviness of the Howdah while lifting it, and they put it over the camel. \nAt that time I was a young lady. They set the camel moving and proceeded on. I found my necklace \nafter the army had gone, and came to their camp to find nobody. So, I went to the place where I used \nto stay, thinking that they would discover my absence and come back in my search. While in that \nstate, I felt sleepy and slept. \nSafwan bin Mu'attal As-Sulami Adh-Dhakwani was behind the army and reached my abode in the \nmorning. When he saw a sleeping person, he came to me, and he used to see me before veiling. So, I \ngot up when I heard him saying, "Inna lil-lah-wa inn a ilaihi rajiun (We are for Allah, and we will \nreturn to Him)." He made his camel knell down. He got down from his camel, and put his leg on the \nfront legs of the camel and then I rode and sat over it. Safwan set out walking, leading the camel by \nthe rope till we reached the army who had halted to take rest at midday. Then whoever was meant for \ndestruction, fell into destruction, (some people accused me falsely) and the leader of the false accusers \nwas `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul. After that we returned to Medina, and I became ill for one month \nwhile the people were spreading the forged statements of the false accusers. I was feeling during my \nailment as if I were not receiving the usual kindness from the Prophet (ﷺ) which I used to receive from \nhim when I got sick. But he would come, greet and say, 'How is that (girl)?' I did not know anything \nof what was going on till I recovered from my ailment and went out with Um Mistah to the Manasi \nwhere we used to answer the call of nature, and we used not to go to answer the call of nature except \nfrom night to night and that was before we had lavatories near to our houses. And this habit of ours \nwas similar to the habit of the old 'Arabs in the open country (or away from houses). So. I and Um \nMistah bint Ruhm went out walking. Um Mistah stumbled because of her long dress and on that she \nsaid, 'Let Mistah be ruined.' I said, 'You are saying a bad word. Why are you abusing a man who took \npart in (the battle of) Badr?' She said, 'O Hanata (you there) didn't you hear what they said?' Then she \ntold me the rumors of the false accusers. \nMy sickness was aggravated, and when I returned home, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me, and after \ngreeting he said, 'How is that (girl)?' I requested him to allow me to go to my parents. I wanted then to \nbe sure of the news through them I Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) allowed me, and I went to my parents and asked \nmy mother, 'What are the people talking about?' She said, 'O my daughter! Don't worry much about \nthis matter. By Allah, never is there a charming woman loved by her husband who has other wives, \nbut the women would forge false news about her.' I said, 'Glorified be Allah! Are the people really \ntaking of this matter?' That night I kept on weeping and could not sleep till morning. In the morning \nAllah's Messenger (ﷺ) called `Ali bin Abu Talib and Usama bin Zaid when he saw the Divine Inspiration \ndelayed, to consul them about divorcing his wife (i.e. `Aisha). Usama bin Zaid said what he knew of \nthe good reputation of his wives and added, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Keep you wife, for, by Allah, we \nknow nothing about her but good.' `Ali bin Abu Talib said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Allah has no imposed \nrestrictions on you, and there are many women other than she, yet you may ask the woman-servant \nwho will tell you the truth.' On that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called Buraira and said, 'O Burair. Did you ever \nsee anything which roused your suspicions about her?' Buraira said, 'No, by Allah Who has sent you \nwith the Truth, I have never seen in her anything faulty except that she is a girl of immature age, who \nsometimes sleeps and leaves the dough for the goats to eat.' On that day Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ascended the \npulpit and requested that somebody support him in punishing `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul. Allah's \nApostle said, 'Who will support me to punish that person (`Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul) who has hurt \nme by slandering the reputation of my family? By Allah, I know nothing about my family but good, \nand they have accused a person about whom I know nothing except good, and he never entered my \nhouse except in my company.' \nSa`d bin Mu`adh got up and said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! by Allah, I will relieve you from him. If that \nman is from the tribe of the Aus, then we will chop his head off, and if he is from our brothers, the \nKhazraj, then order us, and we will fulfill your order.' On that Sa`d bin 'Ubada, the chief of the \nKhazraj and before this incident, he had been a pious man, got up, motivated by his zeal for his tribe \nand said, 'By Allah, you have told a lie; you cannot kill him, and you will never be able to kill him.' \nOn that Usaid bin Al-Hadir got up and said (to Sa`d bin 'Ubada), 'By Allah! you are a liar. By Allah, \nwe will kill him; and you are a hypocrite, defending the hypocrites.' On this the two tribes of Aus and \nKhazraj got excited and were about to fight each other, while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was standing on the \npulpit. He got down and quieted them till they became silent and he kept quiet. On that day I kept on \nweeping so much so that neither did my tears stop, nor could I sleep. \nIn the morning my parents were with me and I had wept for two nights and a day, till I thought my \nliver would burst from weeping. While they were sitting with me and I was weeping, an Ansari \nwoman asked my permission to enter, and I allowed her to come in. She sat down and started weeping \nwith me. While we were in this state, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came and sat down and he had never sat with me \nsince the day they forged the accusation. No revelation regarding my case came to him for a month. \nHe recited Tashah-hud (i.e. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is His \nApostle) and then said, 'O `Aisha! I have been informed such-and-such about you; if you are innocent, \nthen Allah will soon reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin, then repent to Allah and \nask Him to forgive you, for when a person confesses his sin and asks Allah for forgiveness, Allah \naccepts his repentance.' When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) finished his speech my tears ceased completely and \nthere remained not even a single drop of it. I requested my father to reply to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on my \nbehalf. My father said, By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).' I said to my mother, \n'Talk to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on my behalf.' She said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's \nApostle. \nI was a young girl and did not have much knowledge of the Qur'an. I said. 'I know, by Allah, that you \nhave listened to what people are saying and that has been planted in your minds and you have taken it \nas a truth. Now, if I told you that I am innocent and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would not \nbelieve me and if I confessed to you falsely that I am guilty, and Allah knows that I am innocent you \nwould believe me. By Allah, I don't compare my situation with you except to the situation of Joseph's \nfather (i.e. Jacob) who said, 'So (for me) patience is most fitting against that which you assert and it is \nAllah (Alone) whose help can be sought.' Then I turned to the other side of my bed hoping that Allah \nwould prove my innocence. By Allah I never thought that Allah would reveal Divine Inspiration in \nmy case, as I considered myself too inferior to be talked of in the Holy Qur'an. I had hoped that \nAllah's Messenger (ﷺ) might have a dream in which Allah would prove my innocence. By Allah, Allah's \nApostle had not got up and nobody had left the house before the Divine Inspiration came to Allah's \nApostle. So, there overtook him the same state which used to overtake him, (when he used to have, on \nbeing inspired divinely). He was sweating so much so that the drops of the sweat were dropping like \npearls though it was a (cold) wintry day. When that state of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was over, he was smiling \nand the first word he said, `Aisha! Thank Allah, for Allah has declared your innocence.' My mother \ntold me to go to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . I replied, 'By Allah I will not go to him and will not thank but Allah.' \nSo Allah revealed: "Verily! They who spread the slander are a gang among you . . ." (24.11) \nWhen Allah gave the declaration of my Innocence, Abu Bakr, who used to provide for Mistah bin \nUthatha for he was his relative, said, 'By Allah, I will never provide Mistah with anything because of \nwhat he said about Aisha.' But Allah later revealed: -- \n"And let not those who are good and wealthy among you swear not to help their kinsmen, those in \nneed and those who left their homes in Allah's Cause. Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish \nthat Allah should forgive you? Verily! Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful." (24.22) After that Abu \nBakr said, 'Yes ! By Allah! I like that Allah should forgive me,' and resumed helping Mistah whom he \nused to help before. \nAllah's Messenger (ﷺ) also asked Zainab bint Jahsh (i.e. the Prophet's wife about me saying, 'What do you \nknow and what did you see?' She replied, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I refrain to claim hearing or seeing what \nI have not heard or seen. By Allah, I know nothing except goodness about Aisha." Aisha further added \n"Zainab was competing with me (in her beauty and the Prophet's love), yet Allah protected her (from \nbeing malicious), for she had piety."\n

\nNarrated Aisha:\n \n\n(the wife of the Prophet) "Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) intended to go on a journey, he would draw lots \namongst his wives and would take with him the one upon whom the lot fell. During a Ghazwa of his, \nhe drew lots amongst us and the lot fell upon me, and I proceeded with him after Allah had decreed \nthe use of the veil by women. I was carried in a Howdah (on the camel) and dismounted while still in \nit. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was through with his Ghazwa and returned home, and we approached the \ncity of Medina, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered us to proceed at night. When the order of setting off was \ngiven, I walked till I was past the army to answer the call of nature. After finishing I returned (to the \ncamp) to depart (with the others) and suddenly realized that my necklace over my chest was missing. \nSo, I returned to look for it and was delayed because of that. The people who used to carry me on the \ncamel, came to my Howdah and put it on the back of the camel, thinking that I was in it, as, at that \ntime, women were light in weight, and thin and lean, and did not use to eat much. So, those people did \nnot feel the difference in the heaviness of the Howdah while lifting it, and they put it over the camel. \nAt that time I was a young lady. They set the camel moving and proceeded on. I found my necklace \nafter the army had gone, and came to their camp to find nobody. So, I went to the place where I used \nto stay, thinking that they would discover my absence and come back in my search. While in that \nstate, I felt sleepy and slept. \nSafwan bin Mu'attal As-Sulami Adh-Dhakwani was behind the army and reached my abode in the \nmorning. When he saw a sleeping person, he came to me, and he used to see me before veiling. So, I \ngot up when I heard him saying, "Inna lil-lah-wa inn a ilaihi rajiun (We are for Allah, and we will \nreturn to Him)." He made his camel knell down. He got down from his camel, and put his leg on the \nfront legs of the camel and then I rode and sat over it. Safwan set out walking, leading the camel by \nthe rope till we reached the army who had halted to take rest at midday. Then whoever was meant for \ndestruction, fell into destruction, (some people accused me falsely) and the leader of the false accusers \nwas `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul. After that we returned to Medina, and I became ill for one month \nwhile the people were spreading the forged statements of the false accusers. I was feeling during my \nailment as if I were not receiving the usual kindness from the Prophet (ﷺ) which I used to receive from \nhim when I got sick. But he would come, greet and say, 'How is that (girl)?' I did not know anything \nof what was going on till I recovered from my ailment and went out with Um Mistah to the Manasi \nwhere we used to answer the call of nature, and we used not to go to answer the call of nature except \nfrom night to night and that was before we had lavatories near to our houses. And this habit of ours \nwas similar to the habit of the old 'Arabs in the open country (or away from houses). So. I and Um \nMistah bint Ruhm went out walking. Um Mistah stumbled because of her long dress and on that she \nsaid, 'Let Mistah be ruined.' I said, 'You are saying a bad word. Why are you abusing a man who took \npart in (the battle of) Badr?' She said, 'O Hanata (you there) didn't you hear what they said?' Then she \ntold me the rumors of the false accusers. \nMy sickness was aggravated, and when I returned home, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me, and after \ngreeting he said, 'How is that (girl)?' I requested him to allow me to go to my parents. I wanted then to \nbe sure of the news through them I Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) allowed me, and I went to my parents and asked \nmy mother, 'What are the people talking about?' She said, 'O my daughter! Don't worry much about \nthis matter. By Allah, never is there a charming woman loved by her husband who has other wives, \nbut the women would forge false news about her.' I said, 'Glorified be Allah! Are the people really \ntaking of this matter?' That night I kept on weeping and could not sleep till morning. In the morning \nAllah's Messenger (ﷺ) called `Ali bin Abu Talib and Usama bin Zaid when he saw the Divine Inspiration \ndelayed, to consul them about divorcing his wife (i.e. `Aisha). Usama bin Zaid said what he knew of \nthe good reputation of his wives and added, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Keep you wife, for, by Allah, we \nknow nothing about her but good.' `Ali bin Abu Talib said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Allah has no imposed \nrestrictions on you, and there are many women other than she, yet you may ask the woman-servant \nwho will tell you the truth.' On that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called Buraira and said, 'O Burair. Did you ever \nsee anything which roused your suspicions about her?' Buraira said, 'No, by Allah Who has sent you \nwith the Truth, I have never seen in her anything faulty except that she is a girl of immature age, who \nsometimes sleeps and leaves the dough for the goats to eat.' On that day Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ascended the \npulpit and requested that somebody support him in punishing `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul. Allah's \nApostle said, 'Who will support me to punish that person (`Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul) who has hurt \nme by slandering the reputation of my family? By Allah, I know nothing about my family but good, \nand they have accused a person about whom I know nothing except good, and he never entered my \nhouse except in my company.' \nSa`d bin Mu`adh got up and said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! by Allah, I will relieve you from him. If that \nman is from the tribe of the Aus, then we will chop his head off, and if he is from our brothers, the \nKhazraj, then order us, and we will fulfill your order.' On that Sa`d bin 'Ubada, the chief of the \nKhazraj and before this incident, he had been a pious man, got up, motivated by his zeal for his tribe \nand said, 'By Allah, you have told a lie; you cannot kill him, and you will never be able to kill him.' \nOn that Usaid bin Al-Hadir got up and said (to Sa`d bin 'Ubada), 'By Allah! you are a liar. By Allah, \nwe will kill him; and you are a hypocrite, defending the hypocrites.' On this the two tribes of Aus and \nKhazraj got excited and were about to fight each other, while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was standing on the \npulpit. He got down and quieted them till they became silent and he kept quiet. On that day I kept on \nweeping so much so that neither did my tears stop, nor could I sleep. \nIn the morning my parents were with me and I had wept for two nights and a day, till I thought my \nliver would burst from weeping. While they were sitting with me and I was weeping, an Ansari \nwoman asked my permission to enter, and I allowed her to come in. She sat down and started weeping \nwith me. While we were in this state, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came and sat down and he had never sat with me \nsince the day they forged the accusation. No revelation regarding my case came to him for a month. \nHe recited Tashah-hud (i.e. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is His \nApostle) and then said, 'O `Aisha! I have been informed such-and-such about you; if you are innocent, \nthen Allah will soon reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin, then repent to Allah and \nask Him to forgive you, for when a person confesses his sin and asks Allah for forgiveness, Allah \naccepts his repentance.' When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) finished his speech my tears ceased completely and \nthere remained not even a single drop of it. I requested my father to reply to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on my \nbehalf. My father said, By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).' I said to my mother, \n'Talk to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on my behalf.' She said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's \nApostle. \nI was a young girl and did not have much knowledge of the Qur'an. I said. 'I know, by Allah, that you \nhave listened to what people are saying and that has been planted in your minds and you have taken it \nas a truth. Now, if I told you that I am innocent and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would not \nbelieve me and if I confessed to you falsely that I am guilty, and Allah knows that I am innocent you \nwould believe me. By Allah, I don't compare my situation with you except to the situation of Joseph's \nfather (i.e. Jacob) who said, 'So (for me) patience is most fitting against that which you assert and it is \nAllah (Alone) whose help can be sought.' Then I turned to the other side of my bed hoping that Allah \nwould prove my innocence. By Allah I never thought that Allah would reveal Divine Inspiration in \nmy case, as I considered myself too inferior to be talked of in the Holy Qur'an. I had hoped that \nAllah's Messenger (ﷺ) might have a dream in which Allah would prove my innocence. By Allah, Allah's \nApostle had not got up and nobody had left the house before the Divine Inspiration came to Allah's \nApostle. So, there overtook him the same state which used to overtake him, (when he used to have, on \nbeing inspired divinely). He was sweating so much so that the drops of the sweat were dropping like \npearls though it was a (cold) wintry day. When that state of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was over, he was smiling \nand the first word he said, `Aisha! Thank Allah, for Allah has declared your innocence.' My mother \ntold me to go to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . I replied, 'By Allah I will not go to him and will not thank but Allah.' \nSo Allah revealed: "Verily! They who spread the slander are a gang among you . . ." (24.11) \nWhen Allah gave the declaration of my Innocence, Abu Bakr, who used to provide for Mistah bin \nUthatha for he was his relative, said, 'By Allah, I will never provide Mistah with anything because of \nwhat he said about Aisha.' But Allah later revealed: -- \n"And let not those who are good and wealthy among you swear not to help their kinsmen, those in \nneed and those who left their homes in Allah's Cause. Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish \nthat Allah should forgive you? Verily! Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful." (24.22) After that Abu \nBakr said, 'Yes ! By Allah! I like that Allah should forgive me,' and resumed helping Mistah whom he \nused to help before. \nAllah's Messenger (ﷺ) also asked Zainab bint Jahsh (i.e. the Prophet's wife about me saying, 'What do you \nknow and what did you see?' She replied, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I refrain to claim hearing or seeing what \nI have not heard or seen. By Allah, I know nothing except goodness about Aisha." Aisha further added \n"Zainab was competing with me (in her beauty and the Prophet's love), yet Allah protected her (from \nbeing malicious), for she had piety."\n

\nحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ، سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ وَأَفْهَمَنِي بَعْضَهُ أَحْمَدُ حَدَّثَنَا فُلَيْحُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَسَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، وَعَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ اللَّيْثِيِّ، وَعُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، فَبَرَّأَهَا اللَّهُ مِنْهُ، قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ، وَكُلُّهُمْ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا وَبَعْضُهُمْ أَوْعَى مِنْ بَعْضٍ، وَأَثْبَتُ لَهُ اقْتِصَاصًا، وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ عَنْ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمُ الْحَدِيثَ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، وَبَعْضُ حَدِيثِهِمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضًا‏.‏ زَعَمُوا أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ، فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا مَعَهُ، فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزَاةٍ غَزَاهَا فَخَرَجَ سَهْمِي، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ بَعْدَ مَا أُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجٍ وَأُنْزَلُ فِيهِ، فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ، وَقَفَلَ وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنُوا بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى الرَّحْلِ، فَلَمَسْتُ صَدْرِي، فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارٍ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، فَرَجَعْتُ فَالْتَمَسْتُ عِقْدِي، فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ، فَأَقْبَلَ الَّذِينَ يَرْحَلُونَ لِي، فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ، وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ، وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يَثْقُلْنَ وَلَمْ يَغْشَهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ، وَإِنَّمَا يَأْكُلْنَ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ حِينَ رَفَعُوهُ ثِقَلَ الْهَوْدَجِ فَاحْتَمَلُوهُ وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ، فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا، فَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَ مَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ، فَجِئْتُ مَنْزِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ أَحَدٌ، فَأَمَمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ بِهِ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَىَّ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنَاىَ فَنِمْتُ، وَكَانَ 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 بِي الرَّاحِلَةَ، حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَ مَا نَزَلُوا مُعَرِّسِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى الإِفْكَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أُبَىٍّ ابْنُ سَلُولَ، فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فَاشْتَكَيْتُ بِهَا شَهْرًا، يُفِيضُونَ مِنْ قَوْلِ أَصْحَابِ الإِفْكِ، وَيَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي أَنِّي لاَ أَرَى مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ حِينَ أَمْرَضُ، إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ فَيُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ ‏"‏ كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ لاَ أَشْعُرُ بِشَىْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى نَقَهْتُ، فَخَرَجْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ مُتَبَرَّزُنَا، لاَ نَخْرُجُ إِلاَّ لَيْلاً إِلَى لَيْلٍ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ نَتَّخِذَ الْكُنُفَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الأُوَلِ فِي الْبَرِّيَّةِ أَوْ فِي التَّنَزُّهِ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ بِنْتُ أَبِي رُهْمٍ نَمْشِي، فَعَثُرَتْ فِي مِرْطِهَا فَقَالَتْ تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ، فَقُلْتُ لَهَا بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ، أَتَسُبِّينَ رَجُلاً شَهِدَ بَدْرًا فَقَالَتْ يَا هَنْتَاهْ أَلَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالُوا فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الإِفْكِ، فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا إِلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ ائْذَنْ لِي إِلَى أَبَوَىَّ‏.‏ قَالَتْ وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، فَأَذِنَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَتَيْتُ أَبَوَىَّ فَقُلْتُ لأُمِّي مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَقَالَتْ يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَى نَفْسِكِ الشَّأْنَ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَقَلَّمَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ قَطُّ وَضِيئَةٌ عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا وَلَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلاَّ أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَلَقَدْ يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا قَالَتْ فَبِتُّ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لاَ يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلاَ أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، ثُمَّ أَصْبَحْتُ فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْىُ، يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ بِالَّذِي يَعْلَمُ فِي نَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْوُدِّ لَهُمْ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ أَهْلُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلاَ نَعْلَمُ وَاللَّهِ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَسَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ‏.‏ فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَرِيرَةَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ فِيهَا شَيْئًا يَرِيبُكِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ بَرِيرَةُ لاَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ، إِنْ رَأَيْتُ مِنْهَا أَمْرًا أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ تَنَامُ عَنِ الْعَجِينَ فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ‏.‏ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ يَوْمِهِ، فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أُبَىٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ مَنْ يَعْذِرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِي، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلاَّ خَيْرًا، وَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلاً مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلاَّ مَعِي ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَا وَاللَّهِ أَعْذِرُكَ مِنْهُ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الأَوْسِ ضَرَبْنَا عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا فِيهِ أَمْرَكَ‏.‏ فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَهُوَ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ، وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلاً صَالِحًا وَلَكِنِ احْتَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ فَقَالَ كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللَّهِ، لاَ تَقْتُلُهُ وَلاَ تَقْدِرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُضَيْرِ فَقَالَ كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللَّهِ، وَاللَّهِ لَنَقْتُلَنَّهُ، فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ‏.‏ فَثَارَ الْحَيَّانِ الأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَنَزَلَ فَخَفَّضَهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ، وَبَكَيْتُ يَوْمِي لاَ يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلاَ أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدِي أَبَوَاىَ، قَدْ بَكَيْتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ وَيَوْمًا حَتَّى أَظُنُّ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي ـ قَالَتْ ـ فَبَيْنَا هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي إِذِ اسْتَأْذَنَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا، فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي، فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَجَلَسَ، وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مِنْ يَوْمِ قِيلَ فِيَّ مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا، وَقَدْ مَكُثَ شَهْرًا لاَ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَأْنِي شَىْءٌ ـ قَالَتْ ـ فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ يَا عَائِشَةُ فَإِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللَّهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللَّهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنْبِهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً وَقُلْتُ لأَبِي أَجِبْ عَنِّي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ قَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ لأُمِّي أَجِيبِي عَنِّي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِيمَا قَالَ‏.‏ قَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ قَالَتْ وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ لاَ أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكُمْ سَمِعْتُمْ مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ بِهِ النَّاسُ، وَوَقَرَ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمْ بِهِ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ‏.‏ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنِّي لَبَرِيئَةٌ لاَ تُصَدِّقُونِي بِذَلِكَ، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفْتُ لَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ، وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنِّي وَاللَّهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلاً إِلاَّ أَبَا يُوسُفَ إِذْ قَالَ ‏{‏فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ‏}‏ ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي، وَأَنَا أَرْجُو أَنْ يُبَرِّئَنِي اللَّهُ، وَلَكِنْ وَاللَّهِ مَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنْ يُنْزِلَ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيًا، وَلأَنَا أَحْقَرُ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ أَنْ يُتَكَلَّمَ بِالْقُرْآنِ فِي أَمْرِي، وَلَكِنِّي كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي اللَّهُ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَامَ مَجْلِسَهُ وَلاَ خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ، حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ فِي يَوْمٍ شَاتٍ، فَلَمَّا سُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا أَنْ قَالَ لِي ‏"‏ يَا عَائِشَةُ، احْمَدِي اللَّهَ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ اللَّهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي قُومِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ لاَ وَاللَّهِ، لاَ أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ، وَلاَ أَحْمَدُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏{‏إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ‏}‏ الآيَاتِ، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ لِقَرَابَتِهِ مِنْهُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا بَعْدَ مَا قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ‏.‏ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏{‏وَلاَ يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ‏}‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ ‏{‏غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ‏}‏ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَلَى، وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ الَّذِي كَانَ يُجْرِي عَلَيْهِ‏.‏ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْأَلُ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ عَنْ أَمْرِي، فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا زَيْنَبُ، مَا عَلِمْتِ مَا رَأَيْتِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي، وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا إِلاَّ خَيْرًا، قَالَتْ وَهْىَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي، فَعَصَمَهَا اللَّهُ بِالْوَرَعِ‏.‏ قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا فُلَيْحٌ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، مِثْلَهُ‏.‏ قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا فُلَيْحٌ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَيَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، مِثْلَهُ‏.‏