\nNarrated Aisha:\n \n\n(The wife of the Prophet) Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) intended to go on a journey, he used to draw lots \namong his wives and would take with him the one on whom the lot had fallen. Once he drew lots \nwhen he wanted to carry out a Ghazwa, and the lot came upon me. So I proceeded with Allah's \nApostle after Allah's order of veiling (the women) had been revealed and thus I was carried in my \nhowdah (on a camel) and dismounted while still in it. We carried on our journey, and when Allah's \nApostle had finished his Ghazwa and returned and we approached Medina, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered to \nproceed at night. When the army was ordered to resume the homeward journey, I got up and walked \non till I left the army (camp) behind. When I had answered the call of nature, I went towards my \nhowdah, but behold ! A necklace of mine made of Jaz Azfar (a kind of black bead) was broken and I \nlooked for it and my search for it detained me. \nThe group of people who used to carry me, came and carried my howdah on to the back of my camel \non which I was riding, considering that I was therein. At that time women were light in weight and \nwere not fleshy for they used to eat little (food), so those people did not feel the lightness of the \nhowdah while raising it up, and I was still a young lady. They drove away the camel and proceeded. \nThen I found my necklace after the army had gone. I came to their camp but found nobody therein so I \nwent to the place where I used to stay, thinking that they would miss me and come back in my search. \nWhile I was sitting at my place, I felt sleepy and slept. Safwan bin Al-Mu'attil As-Sulami Adh- \nDhakw-ani was behind the army. He had started in the last part of the night and reached my stationing \nplace in the morning and saw the figure of a sleeping person. He came to me and recognized me on \nseeing me for he used to see me before veiling. I got up because of his saying: "Inna Li l-lahi wa inna \nilaihi rajiun," which he uttered on recognizing me. I covered my face with my garment, and by Allah, \nhe did not say to me a single word except, "Inna Li l-lahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun," till he made his shecamel \nkneel down whereupon he trod on its forelegs and I mounted it. Then Safwan set out, leading \nthe she-camel that was carrying me, till we met the army while they were resting during the hot \nmidday. \nThen whoever was meant for destruction, fell in destruction, and the leader of the Ifk (forged \nstatement) was `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul. After this we arrived at Medina and I became ill for one \nmonth while the people were spreading the forged statements of the people of the Ifk, and I was not \naware of anything thereof. But what aroused my doubt while I was sick, was that I was no longer \nreceiving from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) the same kindness as I used to receive when I fell sick. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) \nwould enter upon me, say a greeting and add, "How is that (lady)?" and then depart. \nThat aroused my suspicion but I was not aware of the propagated evil till I recovered from my \nailment. I went out with Um Mistah to answer the call of nature towards Al-Manasi, the place where \nwe used to relieve ourselves, and used not to go out for this purpose except from night to night, and \nthat was before we had lavatories close to our houses. And this habit of ours was similar to the habit \nof the old 'Arabs (in the deserts or in the tents) concerning the evacuation of the bowels, for we \nconsidered it troublesome and harmful to take lavatories in the houses. So I went out with Um Mistah \nwho was the daughter of Abi Ruhm bin `Abd Manaf, and her mother was daughter of Sakhr bin Amir \nwho was the aunt of Abi Bakr As-Siddiq, and her son was Mistah bin Uthatha. When we had finished \nour affair, Um Mistah and I came back towards my house. Um Mistah stumbled over her robe \nwhereupon she said, "Let Mistah be ruined ! " I said to her, "What a bad word you have said! Do you \nabuse a man who has taken part in the Battle of Badr?' She said, "O you there! Didn't you hear what \nhe has said?" I said, "And what did he say?" She then told me the statement of the people of the Ifk \n(forged statement) which added to my ailment. When I returned home, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me, \nand after greeting, he said, "How is that (lady)?" I said, "Will you allow me to go to my parents?" At \nthat time I intended to be sure of the news through them. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) allowed me and I went to my \nparents and asked my mother, "O my mother! What are the people talking about?" My mother said, \n"O my daughter! Take it easy, for by Allah, there is no charming lady who is loved by her husband \nwho has other wives as well, but that those wives would find fault with her." I said, "Subhan Allah! \nDid the people really talk about that?" \nThat night I kept on weeping the whole night till the morning. My tears never stopped, nor did I sleep, \nand morning broke while I was still weeping, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called `Ali bin Abi Talib and Usama bin \nZaid when the Divine Inspiration delayed, in order to consult them as to the idea of divorcing his wife. \nUsama bin Zaid told Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) of what he knew about the innocence of his wife and of his \naffection he kept for her. He said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! She is your wife, and we do not know anything \nabout her except good." But `Ali bin Abi Talib said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Allah does not impose \nrestrictions on you; and there are plenty of women other than her. If you however, ask (her) slave girl, \nshe will tell you the truth." `Aisha added: So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called for Barira and said, "O Barira! Did \nyou ever see anything which might have aroused your suspicion? (as regards Aisha). Barira said, "By \nAllah Who has sent you with the truth, I have never seen anything regarding Aisha which I would \nblame her for except that she is a girl of immature age who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough of \nher family unprotected so that the domestic goats come and eat it." \nSo Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up (and addressed) the people an asked for somebody who would take revenge \non `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul then. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), while on the pulpit, said, "O Muslims! Who \nwill help me against a man who has hurt me by slandering my family? By Allah, I know nothing \nexcept good about my family, and people have blamed a man of whom I know nothing except good, \nand he never used to visit my family except with me," Sa`d bin Mu`adh Al-Ansari got up and said, "O \nAllah's Messenger (ﷺ)! By Allah, I will relieve you from him. If he be from the tribe of (Bani) Al-Aus, then I \nwill chop his head off; and if he be from our brethren, the Khazraj, then you give us your order and we \nwill obey it." \nOn that, Sa`d bin 'Ubada got up, and he was the chief of the Khazraj, and before this incident he had \nbeen a pious man but he was incited by his zeal for his tribe. He said to Sa`d (bin Mu`adh), "By Allah \nthe Eternal, you have told a lie! You shall not kill him and you will never be able to kill him!" On that, \nUsaid bin Hudair, the cousin of Sa`d (bin Mu`adh) got up and said to Sa`d bin 'Ubada, "You are a liar! \nBy Allah the Eternal, we will surely kill him; and you are a hypocrite defending the hypocrites!" So \nthe two tribes of Al-Aus and Al-Khazraj got excited till they were on the point of fighting with each \nother while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was standing on the pulpit. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) continued quietening them till \nthey became silent whereupon he became silent too. On that day I kept on weeping so much that \nneither did my tears stop, nor could I sleep. In the morning my parents were with me, and I had wept \nfor two nights and a day without sleeping and with incessant tears till they thought that my liver would \nburst with weeping. While they were with me and I was weeping, an Ansari woman asked permission \nto see me. I admitted her and she sat and started weeping with me. While I was in that state, Allah's \nApostle came to us, greeted, and sat down,. He had never sat with me since the day what was said, \nwas said. He had stayed a month without receiving any Divine Inspiration concerning my case. \nAllah's Messenger (ﷺ) recited the Tashahhud after he had sat down, and then said, "Thereafter, O `Aisha! I \nhave been informed such and-such a thing about you; and if you are innocent, Allah will reveal your \ninnocence, and if you have committed a sin, then ask for Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him, for \nwhen a slave confesses his sin and then repents to Allah, Allah accepts his repentance." When Allah's \nApostle had finished his speech, my tears ceased completely so that I no longer felt even a drop \nthereof. Then I said to my father, "Reply to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on my behalf as to what he said." He said, \n"By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)." Then I said to my mother, "Reply to Allah's \nApostle." \nShe said, "I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)." Still a young girl as I was and though I had \nlittle knowledge of Qur'an, I said, "By Allah, I know that you heard this story (of the Ifk) so much so \nthat it has been planted in your minds and you have believed it. So now, if I tell you that I am \ninnocent, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you will not believe me; and if I confess something, \nand Allah knows that I am innocent of it, you will believe me. By Allah, I cannot find of you an \nexample except that of Joseph's father: "So (for me) patience is most fitting against that which you \nassert and it is Allah (Alone) Whose help can be sought. Then I turned away and lay on my bed, and \nat that time I knew that I was innocent and that Allah would reveal my innocence. But by Allah, I \nnever thought that Allah would sent down about my affair, Divine Inspiration that would be recited \n(forever), as I considered myself too unworthy to be talked of by Allah with something that was to be \nrecited: but I hoped that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) might have a vision in which Allah would prove my \ninnocence. By Allah, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had not left his seat and nobody had left the house when the \nDivine Inspiration came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . So there overtook him the same hard condition which \nused to overtake him (when he was Divinely Inspired) so that the drops of his sweat were running \ndown, like pearls, though it was a (cold) winter day, and that was because of the heaviness of the \nStatement which was revealed to him. When that state of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was over, and he was \nsmiling when he was relieved, the first word he said was, "Aisha, Allah has declared your innocence." \nMy mother said to me, "Get up and go to him." I said, "By Allah, I will not go to him and I will not \nthank anybody but Allah." So Allah revealed: "Verily! They who spread the Slander are a gang among \nyou. Think it not...." (24.11-20). \nWhen Allah revealed this to confirm my innocence, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq who used to provide for \nMistah bin Uthatha because of the latter's kinship to him and his poverty, said, "By Allah, I will never \nprovide for Mistah anything after what he has said about Aisha". So Allah revealed: \n(continued...) \n(continuing... 1): -6.274:... ... \n"Let not those among you who are good and are wealthy swear not to give (help) to their kinsmen, \nthose in need, and those who have left their homes for Allah's Cause. Let them Pardon and forgive \n(i.e. do not punish them). Do you not love that should forgive you? Verily Allah is Oft-forgiving. \nMost Merciful." (24.22) \nAbu Bakr said, "Yes, by Allah, I wish that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed giving Mistah the \naid he used to give him before and said, "By Allah, I will never withold it from him at all." Aisha \nfurther said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) also asked Zainab bint Jahsh about my case. He said, "O Zainab! What \nhave you seen?" She replied, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I protect my hearing and my sight (by refraining \nfrom telling lies). I know nothing but good (about Aisha)." Of all the wives of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), it was \nZainab who aspired to receive from him the same favor as I used to receive, yet, Allah saved her \n(from telling lies) because of her piety. But her sister, Hamna, kept on fighting on her behalf so she \nwas destroyed as were those who invented and spread the slander.\n

\nNarrated Aisha:\n \n\n(The wife of the Prophet) Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) intended to go on a journey, he used to draw lots \namong his wives and would take with him the one on whom the lot had fallen. Once he drew lots \nwhen he wanted to carry out a Ghazwa, and the lot came upon me. So I proceeded with Allah's \nApostle after Allah's order of veiling (the women) had been revealed and thus I was carried in my \nhowdah (on a camel) and dismounted while still in it. We carried on our journey, and when Allah's \nApostle had finished his Ghazwa and returned and we approached Medina, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered to \nproceed at night. When the army was ordered to resume the homeward journey, I got up and walked \non till I left the army (camp) behind. When I had answered the call of nature, I went towards my \nhowdah, but behold ! A necklace of mine made of Jaz Azfar (a kind of black bead) was broken and I \nlooked for it and my search for it detained me. \nThe group of people who used to carry me, came and carried my howdah on to the back of my camel \non which I was riding, considering that I was therein. At that time women were light in weight and \nwere not fleshy for they used to eat little (food), so those people did not feel the lightness of the \nhowdah while raising it up, and I was still a young lady. They drove away the camel and proceeded. \nThen I found my necklace after the army had gone. I came to their camp but found nobody therein so I \nwent to the place where I used to stay, thinking that they would miss me and come back in my search. \nWhile I was sitting at my place, I felt sleepy and slept. Safwan bin Al-Mu'attil As-Sulami Adh- \nDhakw-ani was behind the army. He had started in the last part of the night and reached my stationing \nplace in the morning and saw the figure of a sleeping person. He came to me and recognized me on \nseeing me for he used to see me before veiling. I got up because of his saying: "Inna Li l-lahi wa inna \nilaihi rajiun," which he uttered on recognizing me. I covered my face with my garment, and by Allah, \nhe did not say to me a single word except, "Inna Li l-lahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun," till he made his shecamel \nkneel down whereupon he trod on its forelegs and I mounted it. Then Safwan set out, leading \nthe she-camel that was carrying me, till we met the army while they were resting during the hot \nmidday. \nThen whoever was meant for destruction, fell in destruction, and the leader of the Ifk (forged \nstatement) was `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul. After this we arrived at Medina and I became ill for one \nmonth while the people were spreading the forged statements of the people of the Ifk, and I was not \naware of anything thereof. But what aroused my doubt while I was sick, was that I was no longer \nreceiving from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) the same kindness as I used to receive when I fell sick. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) \nwould enter upon me, say a greeting and add, "How is that (lady)?" and then depart. \nThat aroused my suspicion but I was not aware of the propagated evil till I recovered from my \nailment. I went out with Um Mistah to answer the call of nature towards Al-Manasi, the place where \nwe used to relieve ourselves, and used not to go out for this purpose except from night to night, and \nthat was before we had lavatories close to our houses. And this habit of ours was similar to the habit \nof the old 'Arabs (in the deserts or in the tents) concerning the evacuation of the bowels, for we \nconsidered it troublesome and harmful to take lavatories in the houses. So I went out with Um Mistah \nwho was the daughter of Abi Ruhm bin `Abd Manaf, and her mother was daughter of Sakhr bin Amir \nwho was the aunt of Abi Bakr As-Siddiq, and her son was Mistah bin Uthatha. When we had finished \nour affair, Um Mistah and I came back towards my house. Um Mistah stumbled over her robe \nwhereupon she said, "Let Mistah be ruined ! " I said to her, "What a bad word you have said! Do you \nabuse a man who has taken part in the Battle of Badr?' She said, "O you there! Didn't you hear what \nhe has said?" I said, "And what did he say?" She then told me the statement of the people of the Ifk \n(forged statement) which added to my ailment. When I returned home, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me, \nand after greeting, he said, "How is that (lady)?" I said, "Will you allow me to go to my parents?" At \nthat time I intended to be sure of the news through them. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) allowed me and I went to my \nparents and asked my mother, "O my mother! What are the people talking about?" My mother said, \n"O my daughter! Take it easy, for by Allah, there is no charming lady who is loved by her husband \nwho has other wives as well, but that those wives would find fault with her." I said, "Subhan Allah! \nDid the people really talk about that?" \nThat night I kept on weeping the whole night till the morning. My tears never stopped, nor did I sleep, \nand morning broke while I was still weeping, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called `Ali bin Abi Talib and Usama bin \nZaid when the Divine Inspiration delayed, in order to consult them as to the idea of divorcing his wife. \nUsama bin Zaid told Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) of what he knew about the innocence of his wife and of his \naffection he kept for her. He said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! She is your wife, and we do not know anything \nabout her except good." But `Ali bin Abi Talib said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Allah does not impose \nrestrictions on you; and there are plenty of women other than her. If you however, ask (her) slave girl, \nshe will tell you the truth." `Aisha added: So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called for Barira and said, "O Barira! Did \nyou ever see anything which might have aroused your suspicion? (as regards Aisha). Barira said, "By \nAllah Who has sent you with the truth, I have never seen anything regarding Aisha which I would \nblame her for except that she is a girl of immature age who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough of \nher family unprotected so that the domestic goats come and eat it." \nSo Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up (and addressed) the people an asked for somebody who would take revenge \non `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul then. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), while on the pulpit, said, "O Muslims! Who \nwill help me against a man who has hurt me by slandering my family? By Allah, I know nothing \nexcept good about my family, and people have blamed a man of whom I know nothing except good, \nand he never used to visit my family except with me," Sa`d bin Mu`adh Al-Ansari got up and said, "O \nAllah's Messenger (ﷺ)! By Allah, I will relieve you from him. If he be from the tribe of (Bani) Al-Aus, then I \nwill chop his head off; and if he be from our brethren, the Khazraj, then you give us your order and we \nwill obey it." \nOn that, Sa`d bin 'Ubada got up, and he was the chief of the Khazraj, and before this incident he had \nbeen a pious man but he was incited by his zeal for his tribe. He said to Sa`d (bin Mu`adh), "By Allah \nthe Eternal, you have told a lie! You shall not kill him and you will never be able to kill him!" On that, \nUsaid bin Hudair, the cousin of Sa`d (bin Mu`adh) got up and said to Sa`d bin 'Ubada, "You are a liar! \nBy Allah the Eternal, we will surely kill him; and you are a hypocrite defending the hypocrites!" So \nthe two tribes of Al-Aus and Al-Khazraj got excited till they were on the point of fighting with each \nother while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was standing on the pulpit. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) continued quietening them till \nthey became silent whereupon he became silent too. On that day I kept on weeping so much that \nneither did my tears stop, nor could I sleep. In the morning my parents were with me, and I had wept \nfor two nights and a day without sleeping and with incessant tears till they thought that my liver would \nburst with weeping. While they were with me and I was weeping, an Ansari woman asked permission \nto see me. I admitted her and she sat and started weeping with me. While I was in that state, Allah's \nApostle came to us, greeted, and sat down,. He had never sat with me since the day what was said, \nwas said. He had stayed a month without receiving any Divine Inspiration concerning my case. \nAllah's Messenger (ﷺ) recited the Tashahhud after he had sat down, and then said, "Thereafter, O `Aisha! I \nhave been informed such and-such a thing about you; and if you are innocent, Allah will reveal your \ninnocence, and if you have committed a sin, then ask for Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him, for \nwhen a slave confesses his sin and then repents to Allah, Allah accepts his repentance." When Allah's \nApostle had finished his speech, my tears ceased completely so that I no longer felt even a drop \nthereof. Then I said to my father, "Reply to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on my behalf as to what he said." He said, \n"By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)." Then I said to my mother, "Reply to Allah's \nApostle." \nShe said, "I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)." Still a young girl as I was and though I had \nlittle knowledge of Qur'an, I said, "By Allah, I know that you heard this story (of the Ifk) so much so \nthat it has been planted in your minds and you have believed it. So now, if I tell you that I am \ninnocent, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you will not believe me; and if I confess something, \nand Allah knows that I am innocent of it, you will believe me. By Allah, I cannot find of you an \nexample except that of Joseph's father: "So (for me) patience is most fitting against that which you \nassert and it is Allah (Alone) Whose help can be sought. Then I turned away and lay on my bed, and \nat that time I knew that I was innocent and that Allah would reveal my innocence. But by Allah, I \nnever thought that Allah would sent down about my affair, Divine Inspiration that would be recited \n(forever), as I considered myself too unworthy to be talked of by Allah with something that was to be \nrecited: but I hoped that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) might have a vision in which Allah would prove my \ninnocence. By Allah, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had not left his seat and nobody had left the house when the \nDivine Inspiration came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . So there overtook him the same hard condition which \nused to overtake him (when he was Divinely Inspired) so that the drops of his sweat were running \ndown, like pearls, though it was a (cold) winter day, and that was because of the heaviness of the \nStatement which was revealed to him. When that state of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was over, and he was \nsmiling when he was relieved, the first word he said was, "Aisha, Allah has declared your innocence." \nMy mother said to me, "Get up and go to him." I said, "By Allah, I will not go to him and I will not \nthank anybody but Allah." So Allah revealed: "Verily! They who spread the Slander are a gang among \nyou. Think it not...." (24.11-20). \nWhen Allah revealed this to confirm my innocence, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq who used to provide for \nMistah bin Uthatha because of the latter's kinship to him and his poverty, said, "By Allah, I will never \nprovide for Mistah anything after what he has said about Aisha". So Allah revealed: \n(continued...) \n(continuing... 1): -6.274:... ... \n"Let not those among you who are good and are wealthy swear not to give (help) to their kinsmen, \nthose in need, and those who have left their homes for Allah's Cause. Let them Pardon and forgive \n(i.e. do not punish them). Do you not love that should forgive you? Verily Allah is Oft-forgiving. \nMost Merciful." (24.22) \nAbu Bakr said, "Yes, by Allah, I wish that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed giving Mistah the \naid he used to give him before and said, "By Allah, I will never withold it from him at all." Aisha \nfurther said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) also asked Zainab bint Jahsh about my case. He said, "O Zainab! What \nhave you seen?" She replied, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I protect my hearing and my sight (by refraining \nfrom telling lies). I know nothing but good (about Aisha)." Of all the wives of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), it was \nZainab who aspired to receive from him the same favor as I used to receive, yet, Allah saved her \n(from telling lies) because of her piety. But her sister, Hamna, kept on fighting on her behalf so she \nwas destroyed as were those who invented and spread the slander.\n

\nحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ، وَعَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ وَقَّاصٍ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنْ حَدِيثِ، عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا، فَبَرَّأَهَا اللَّهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا وَكُلٌّ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ، وَبَعْضُ حَدِيثِهِمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضًا، وَإِنْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْعَى لَهُ مِنْ بَعْضٍ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي عُرْوَةُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ، فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَعَهُ، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا، فَخَرَجَ سَهْمِي، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعْدَ مَا نَزَلَ الْحِجَابُ، فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي وَأُنْزَلُ فِيهِ فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ وَقَفَلَ، وَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ قَافِلِينَ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنُوا بِالرَّحِيلِ، فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى رَحْلِي، فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ ظَفَارِ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ فَالْتَمَسْتُ عِقْدِي وَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرْحَلُونَ لِي، فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي، فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ رَكِبْتُ، وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ، وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يُثْقِلْهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ، إِنَّمَا تَأْكُلُ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ خِفَّةَ الْهَوْدَجِ حِينَ رَفَعُوهُ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ، فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ وَسَارُوا، فَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَ مَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ، فَجِئْتُ مَنَازِلَهُمْ، وَلَيْسَ بِهَا دَاعٍ وَلاَ مُجِيبٌ، فَأَمَمْتُ مَنْزِلِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ بِهِ وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْقِدُونِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَىَّ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَنْزِلِي غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ، وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ ثُمَّ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْجَيْشِ، فَأَدْلَجَ فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي، فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ، فَأَتَانِي فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي، وَكَانَ يَرَانِي قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ، فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ عَرَفَنِي فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي بِجِلْبَابِي، وَاللَّهِ مَا كَلَّمَنِي كَلِمَةً وَلاَ سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ، حَتَّى أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَوَطِئَ عَلَى يَدَيْهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِي الرَّاحِلَةَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ، بَعْدَ مَا نَزَلُوا مُوغِرِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى الإِفْكَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أُبَىٍّ ابْنَ سَلُولَ فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ، فَاشْتَكَيْتُ حِينَ قَدِمْتُ شَهْرًا، وَالنَّاسُ يُفِيضُونَ فِي قَوْلِ أَصْحَابِ الإِفْكِ، لاَ أَشْعُرُ بِشَىْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَهْوَ يَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي أَنِّي لاَ أَعْرِفُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اللَّطَفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ حِينَ أَشْتَكِي، إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ ‏"‏ كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ يَنْصَرِفُ، فَذَاكَ الَّذِي يَرِيبُنِي، وَلاَ أَشْعُرُ حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ بَعْدَ مَا نَقَهْتُ، فَخَرَجَتْ مَعِي أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ، وَهْوَ مُتَبَرَّزُنَا، وَكُنَّا لاَ نَخْرُجُ إِلاَّ لَيْلاً إِلَى لَيْلٍ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ نَتَّخِذَ الْكُنُفَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الأُوَلِ فِي التَّبَرُّزِ قِبَلَ الْغَائِطِ، فَكُنَّا نَتَأَذَّى بِالْكُنُفِ أَنْ نَتَّخِذَهَا عِنْدَ بُيُوتِنَا فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ، وَهْىَ ابْنَةُ أَبِي رُهْمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، وَأُمُّهَا بِنْتُ صَخْرِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ خَالَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ، وَابْنُهَا مِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ بَيْتِي، قَدْ فَرَغْنَا مِنْ شَأْنِنَا، فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا فَقَالَتْ تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ أَتَسُبِّينَ رَجُلاً شَهِدَ بَدْرًا قَالَتْ أَىْ هَنْتَاهُ، أَوَلَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ وَمَا قَالَ فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الإِفْكِ فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا عَلَى مَرَضِي، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي وَدَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَعْنِي سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ آتِيَ أَبَوَىَّ قَالَتْ وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا، قَالَتْ فَأَذِنَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَجِئْتُ أَبَوَىَّ فَقُلْتُ لأُمِّي يَا أُمَّتَاهْ، مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ قَالَتْ يَا بُنَيَّةُ، هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكَ فَوَاللَّهِ، لَقَلَّمَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ قَطُّ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا وَلَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلاَّ كَثَّرْنَ عَلَيْهَا‏.‏ قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَلَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا قَالَتْ فَبَكَيْتُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لاَ يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ، وَلاَ أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ أَبْكِي فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْىُ، يَسْتَأْمِرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ، قَالَتْ فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالَّذِي يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ، وَبِالَّذِي يَعْلَمُ لَهُمْ فِي نَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْوُدِّ، فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَهْلَكَ، وَمَا نَعْلَمُ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا، وَأَمَّا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ، قَالَتْ فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَرِيرَةَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَىْ بَرِيرَةُ، هَلْ رَأَيْتِ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ شَىْءٍ يَرِيبُكِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَتْ بَرِيرَةُ لاَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ، إِنْ رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا أَمْرًا أَغْمِصُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ، تَنَامُ عَنْ عَجِينِ أَهْلِهَا، فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاسْتَعْذَرَ يَوْمَئِذٍ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أُبَىٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ، قَالَتْ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ ‏"‏ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ يَعْذِرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ، قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلاَّ خَيْرًا، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلاً، مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلاَّ مَعِي ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَا أَعْذِرُكَ مِنْهُ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الأَوْسِ، ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ، أَمَرْتَنَا، فَفَعَلْنَا أَمْرَكَ، قَالَتْ فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَهْوَ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ، وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلاً صَالِحًا، وَلَكِنِ احْتَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ فَقَالَ لِسَعْدٍ كَذَبْتَ، لَعَمْرُ اللَّهِ لاَ تَقْتُلُهُ، وَلاَ تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ، فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَهْوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدٍ، فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ كَذَبْتَ، لَعَمْرُ اللَّهِ لَنَقْتُلَنَّهُ، فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، فَتَثَاوَرَ الْحَيَّانِ الأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا أَنْ يَقْتَتِلُوا، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَائِمٌ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ، قَالَتْ فَمَكُثْتُ يَوْمِي ذَلِكَ لاَ يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلاَ أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ، قَالَتْ فَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَاىَ عِنْدِي ـ وَقَدْ بَكَيْتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ وَيَوْمًا لاَ أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ وَلاَ يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ ـ يَظُنَّانِ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي، قَالَتْ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي، فَاسْتَأْذَنَتْ عَلَىَّ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ، فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا، فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي، قَالَتْ فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ قَالَتْ وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا، وَقَدْ لَبِثَ شَهْرًا، لاَ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَأْنِي، قَالَتْ فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ جَلَسَ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللَّهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللَّهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنْبِهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَتْ فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَقَالَتَهُ، قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً، فَقُلْتُ لأَبِي أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِيمَا قَالَ‏.‏ قَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ لأُمِّي أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ قَالَتْ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ لاَ أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ، وَصَدَّقْتُمْ بِهِ فَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لاَ تُصَدِّقُونِي بِذَلِكَ، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفْتُ لَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ، وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنِّي، وَاللَّهِ مَا أَجِدُ لَكُمْ مَثَلاً إِلاَّ قَوْلَ أَبِي يُوسُفَ قَالَ ‏{‏فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ‏}‏ قَالَتْ ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ فَاضْطَجَعْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي، قَالَتْ وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ، وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ مُبَرِّئِي بِبَرَاءَتِي، وَلَكِنْ وَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ اللَّهَ مُنْزِلٌ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيًا يُتْلَى، وَلَشَأْنِي فِي نَفْسِي كَانَ أَحْقَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ اللَّهُ فِيَّ بِأَمْرٍ يُتْلَى، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي اللَّهُ بِهَا، قَالَتْ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلاَ خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ، وَهْوَ فِي يَوْمٍ شَاتٍ مِنْ ثِقَلِ الْقَوْلِ الَّذِي يُنْزَلُ عَلَيْهِ، قَالَتْ فَلَمَّا سُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ وَهْوَ يَضْحَكُ، فَكَانَتْ أَوَّلُ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا ‏"‏ يَا عَائِشَةُ، أَمَّا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي قُومِي إِلَيْهِ‏.‏ قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ، لاَ أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ، وَلاَ أَحْمَدُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ‏.‏ وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ‏{‏إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ لاَ تَحْسِبُوهُ‏}‏ الْعَشْرَ الآيَاتِ كُلَّهَا، فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ لِقَرَابَتِهِ مِنْهُ، وَفَقْرِهِ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا بَعْدَ الَّذِي قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ مَا قَالَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ‏{‏وَلاَ يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا أَلاَ تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ‏}‏ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَلَى، وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ النَّفَقَةَ الَّتِي كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَنْزِعُهَا مِنْهُ أَبَدًا‏.‏ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْأَلُ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةَ جَحْشٍ عَنْ أَمْرِي، فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا زَيْنَبُ مَاذَا عَلِمْتِ أَوْ رَأَيْتِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي، مَا عَلِمْتُ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا‏.‏ قَالَتْ وَهْىَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَعَصَمَهَا اللَّهُ بِالْوَرَعِ، وَطَفِقَتْ أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ تُحَارِبُ لَهَا فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الإِفْكِ‏.‏