Ayesha reported,

When the people of the slander said about her what they said, all of them narrated to me a portion of her story. Some of them retained her account more completely than others and were more precise in recounting it. I have memorized from each one the narration he reported to me about Ayesha, and parts of their narrations confirm one another, even though some of them retained it better than others.They said that Ayesha said, "Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to set out on a journey, he would draw lots among his wives, and whichever of them was chosen by lot would accompany him."Ayesha continued, "He drew lots among us during one of his military expeditions, and my lot came out, so I went out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ after the verse of the veil had been revealed. I was carried in my litter and would dismount while still in it. We traveled until, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had finished his expedition and we were returning, drawing close to Madinah, he announced one night that we would depart. When the announcement was made, I rose and walked until I had passed beyond the army. After I had relieved myself, I returned to my mount, and when I touched my chest I found that my necklace of Zafari onyx had broken and fallen. So I went back and searched for my necklace, and the search delayed me.The party who used to load my litter came and lifted it onto the camel I rode, thinking I was inside, since women in those days were light, not heavy or fleshy, eating only small amounts of food. So the men did not notice the lightness of the litter when they lifted and loaded it. I was a young girl. They drove the camel and went on. I found my necklace after the army had moved off, and when I came to their camping place, no one was there to call out to or to answer. So I made for the spot where I had been, thinking they would miss me and come back for me. While I was sitting in my place, sleep overcame me and I slept.Safwan bin Muattal al-Sulami, of the Zakwan clan, was behind the army and reached my position by morning. He saw the dark form of someone sleeping and recognized me when he saw me, for he had seen me before the verse of the veil. I awoke at his saying, 'To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return,' when he recognized me, and I covered my face with my outer garment. By Allah, we did not exchange a single word, nor did I hear a word from him beyond his saying, 'To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.' He made his camel kneel and stepped on its foreleg, and I rose and mounted it. He led the camel by the halter until we reached the army, which had stopped to rest at the height of midday."She said, "Then those who were destined to perish, perished. The one who took the leading role in the slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul."Urwa said, "I was told that the slander used to be circulated and spoken of in his presence, and he would approve of it, listen to it, and spread it further."Urwa also said, "None of the people of the slander were named except Hassan bin Thabit, Mistah bin Uthatha, and Hamna bint Jahsh, along with others I have no knowledge of, except that they were a group, as Allah Most High said. The one who took the greatest part in it is said to have been Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul."Urwa said, "Ayesha disliked that Hassan be cursed in her presence, and she would say, 'He is the one who said, "My father, his father, and my honor are a shield for the honor of Muhammad against you."'"Ayesha said, "When we arrived in Madinah, I fell ill for a month after our return. Meanwhile, the people were spreading the talk of the slanderers, while I was unaware of any of it. What troubled me during my illness was that I did not perceive from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ the kindness I used to see from him whenever I fell ill. He would only come in, greet, then say, 'How is that one of yours?' and then leave. That troubled me, but I did not perceive the wickedness behind it.When I had recovered somewhat, I went out with Umm Mistah toward al-Manasi, which was where we used to relieve ourselves. We would not go out except from one night to the next. This was before we had latrines near our houses. Our practice followed that of the early Arabs in the open country, and we found it offensive to have latrines near our homes."She said, "So I set out with Umm Mistah. She was the daughter of Abu Ruhm bin al-Muttalib bin Abd Manaf, and her mother was the daughter of Sakhr bin Amir, the maternal aunt of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, and her son was Mistah bin Uthatha bin Abbad bin al-Muttalib. Umm Mistah and I came toward my house when we had finished our business. Umm Mistah stumbled in her cloak and said, 'May Mistah perish!'I said to her, 'How wretched is what you have said! Do you curse a man who fought at Badr?'She said, 'Dear lady, have you not heard what he said?'I said, 'What did he say?'So she informed me of the slanderers' words, and I grew worse in my illness. When I returned to my house, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came in to me, greeted, and said, 'How is that one of yours?'I said to him, 'Will you give me leave to go to my parents?' I wanted to verify the news from them.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave me permission, so I said to my mother, 'Mother, what is it that the people are saying?'She said, 'My little daughter, take it lightly. By Allah, scarcely is there a beautiful woman with a husband who loves her, and who has co-wives, but they say much against her.'I said, 'Glory be to Allah! Have the people really been talking about this?'I wept that night until morning, my tears never ceasing, and I never tasted sleep. Then I rose still weeping."She continued, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ called Ali bin Abu Talib and Usama bin Zayd, when the revelation had been delayed, to ask their opinion concerning the parting from his wife. As for Usama, he advised the Messenger of Allah ﷺ according to what he knew of his family's innocence and the affection he himself felt for them. Usama said, 'They are your family, and we know nothing but good of them.'As for Ali, he said, 'Messenger of Allah, Allah has not placed any restriction on you. Women besides her are many. Ask the maidservant, she will tell you the truth.'So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called Barira and said, 'Barira, have you ever seen anything that aroused your suspicion about her?'Barira said to him, 'By the One who sent you with the truth, I have never seen anything in her that I could fault, except that she is a young girl who falls asleep over her family's dough so that the household sheep comes and eats it.'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood that very day and asked for satisfaction concerning Abdullah bin Ubayy while he was on the pulpit. He said, 'Muslims, who will excuse me regarding a man whose harm against my family has reached me? By Allah, I know nothing of my wife but good, and they have mentioned a man of whom I know nothing but good, and he never enters upon my family except in my company.'Saad bin Muaz, brother of the Bani Abd al-Ashhal, stood and said, 'I will excuse you, Messenger of Allah. If he is from al-Aws, I will strike off his head, and if he is from our brothers of al-Khazraj, you have only to command us and we will carry out your order.'Then a man of al-Khazraj stood up. Hassan's mother was the daughter of his paternal uncle from his clan. He was Saad bin Ubada, the chief of al-Khazraj. He had been before that a righteous man, but tribal zeal carried him away. He said to Saad, 'You lie, by the life of Allah! You shall not kill him, nor are you able to kill him. Had he been from your clan, you would not have wished him to be killed.'Then Usayd bin Hudayr, the cousin of Saad, stood up and said to Saad bin Ubada, 'You lie, by the life of Allah! We will surely kill him, for you are a hypocrite arguing on behalf of the hypocrites.'The two tribes, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, rose up until they were on the verge of fighting, while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was standing on the pulpit. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ continued to calm them until they fell silent, and he too became silent.I wept the entire day, my tears never ceasing, and I never tasted sleep. My parents were with me. I had wept for two nights and a day, my tears never ceasing and never tasting sleep, until I thought weeping would split my liver. While my parents sat with me and I was weeping, a woman of the Ansar asked permission to come in. I gave her permission, and she sat weeping with me.While we were like that, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon us, greeted, then sat down. He had not sat with me since what was being said had been said, and a month had passed without revelation coming to him concerning my affair.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the testimony of faith when he sat down, then said, 'To proceed. Ayesha, such and such has reached me concerning you. If you are innocent, Allah will declare your innocence, but if you have committed a sin, then seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance, for when a servant confesses and then repents, Allah accepts his repentance.'When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had finished his words, my tears ceased so that I could not feel a single drop. I said to my father, 'Answer the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on my behalf concerning what he has said.'My father said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.'I said to my mother, 'Answer the Messenger of Allah ﷺ concerning what he has said.'My mother said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.'So I said, though I was a young girl who did not recite much of the Quran, 'By Allah, I know that you have heard this story until it has settled in your hearts and you have believed it. If I tell you I am innocent, and Allah knows I am innocent, you will not believe me, and if I confess to you something Allah knows I am innocent of, you will believe me. By Allah, I find no parable for me and you except that of the father of Yusuf when he said, "So patience is most fitting, and Allah is the One whose help is sought against what you describe" [Yusuf 12:18].'Then I turned away and lay down on my bed. Allah knew that I was at that moment innocent and that He would declare my innocence, but by Allah, I did not think that Allah would send down concerning me a revelation to be recited. I considered myself too insignificant for Allah to speak of me with something to be recited. I had only hoped that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would see in a dream a vision by which Allah would clear me. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had not left his sitting place, nor had anyone of the household gone out, before revelation came down upon him. He was seized by what used to seize him, until drops like pearls of perspiration ran down from him on a winter day, from the weight of the words being sent down upon him.When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was relieved, he was smiling. The first words he spoke were, 'Ayesha, Allah has declared your innocence.'My mother said to me, 'Get up to him.'I said, 'By Allah, I will not get up to him, for I praise none but Allah .'Allah Most High sent down, "Indeed, those who came with the slander are a group among you" [Nur 24:11], the ten verses. Allah sent these down concerning my innocence."Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, who used to provide for Mistah bin Uthatha because of their kinship and his poverty, said, "By Allah, I will never spend anything on Mistah after what he said about Ayesha." So Allah sent down, "And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give to relatives," until His saying, "Forgiving and Merciful" [Nur 24:22].Abu Bakr al-Siddiq said, "Yes, by Allah, I would love for Allah to forgive me." So he resumed providing for Mistah the maintenance he used to give him, and said, "By Allah, I will never withdraw it from him."Ayesha said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had asked Zaynab bint Jahsh about my affair. He said to Zaynab, 'What have you known or seen?'She said, 'Messenger of Allah, I protect my hearing and my sight. By Allah, I know nothing but good.'"Ayesha said, "She was the one among the wives of the Prophet ﷺ who used to vie with me, but Allah protected her through her piety. Her sister Hamna began to wage battle on her behalf, and so she perished among those who perished."Ibn Shihab said, "This is what reached me of the narration of this group."Then Urwa said, "Ayesha said, 'By Allah, the man about whom the things were said used to say, "Glory be to Allah! By the One in whose hand is my soul, I have never uncovered the garment of any woman."'" She said, "He was later killed in the cause of Allah."

حدثنا عبد العزيز بن عبد الله حدثنا إبراهيم بن سعد عن صالح عن ابن شهاب قال حدثني عروة بن الزبير وسعيد بن المسيب وعلقمة بن وقاص وعبيد الله بن عبد الله بن عتبة بن مسعود

عن عائشة رضي الله عنها زوج النبي ﷺ

حين قال لها أهل الإفك ما قالوا وكلهم حدثني طائفة من حديثها وبعضهم كان أوعى لحديثها من بعض وأثبت له اقتصاصا وقد وعيت عن كل رجل منهم الحديث الذي حدثني عن عائشة وبعض حديثهم يصدق بعضا وإن كان بعضهم أوعى له من بعض قالوا قالت عائشة كان رسول الله ﷺ إذا أراد سفرا أقرع بين أزواجه فأيهن خرج سهمها خرج بها رسول الله ﷺ معه قالت عائشة فأقرع بيننا في غزوة غزاها فخرج فيها سهمي فخرجت مع رسول الله ﷺ بعد ما أنزل الحجاب فكنت أحمل في هودجي وأنزل فيه فسرنا حتى إذا فرغ رسول الله ﷺ من غزوته تلك وقفل دنونا من المدينة قافلين آذن ليلة بالرحيل فقمت حين آذنوا بالرحيل فمشيت حتى جاوزت الجيش فلما قضيت شأني أقبلت إلى رحلي فلمست صدري فإذا عقد لي من جزع ظفار قد انقطع فرجعت فالتمست عقدي فحبسني ابتغاؤه قالت وأقبل الرهط الذين كانوا يرحلوني فاحتملوا هودجي فرحلوه على بعيري الذي كنت أركب عليه وهم يحسبون أني فيه وكان النساء إذ ذاك خفافا لم يهبلن ولم يغشهن اللحم إنما يأكلن العلقة من الطعام فلم يستنكر القوم خفة الهودج حين رفعوه وحملوه وكنت جارية حديثة السن فبعثوا الجمل فساروا ووجدت عقدي بعد ما استمر الجيش فجئت منازلهم وليس بها منهم داع ولا مجيب فتيممت منزلي الذي كنت به وظننت أنهم سيفقدوني فيرجعون إلي فبينا أنا جالسة في منزلي غلبتني عيني فنمت وكان صفوان بن المعطل السلمي ثم الذكواني من وراء الجيش فأصبح عند منزلي فرأى سواد إنسان نائم فعرفني حين رآني وكان رآني قبل الحجاب فاستيقظت باسترجاعه حين عرفني فخمرت وجهي بجلبابي و والله ما تكلمنا بكلمة ولا سمعت منه كلمة غير استرجاعه وهوى حتى أناخ راحلته فوطئ على يدها فقمت إليها فركبتها فانطلق يقود بي الراحلة حتى أتينا الجيش موغرين في نحر الظهيرة وهم نزول قالت فهلك من هلك وكان الذي تولى كبر الإفك عبد الله بن أبي ابن سلول قال عروة أخبرت أنه كان يشاع ويتحدث به عنده فيقره ويستمعه ويستوشيه وقال عروة أيضا لم يسم من أهل الإفك أيضا إلا حسان بن ثابت ومسطح بن أثاثة وحمنة بنت جحش في ناس آخرين لا علم لي بهم غير أنهم عصبة كما قال الله تعالى وإن كبر ذلك يقال له عبد الله بن أبي ابن سلول قال عروة كانت عائشة تكره أن يسب عندها حسان وتقول إنه الذي قال فإن أبي ووالده وعرضي لعرض محمد منكم وقاء قالت عائشة فقدمنا المدينة فاشتكيت حين قدمت شهرا والناس يفيضون في قول أصحاب الإفك لا أشعر بشيء من ذلك وهو يريبني في وجعي أني لا أعرف من رسول الله ﷺ اللطف الذي كنت أرى منه حين أشتكي إنما يدخل علي رسول الله ﷺ فيسلم ثم يقول كيف تيكم ثم ينصرف فذلك يريبني ولا أشعر بالشر حتى خرجت حين نقهت فخرجت مع أم مسطح قبل المناصع وكان متبرزنا وكنا لا نخرج إلا ليلا إلى ليل وذلك قبل أن نتخذ الكنف قريبا من بيوتنا قالت وأمرنا أمر العرب الأول في البرية قبل الغائط وكنا نتأذى بالكنف أن نتخذها عند بيوتنا قالت فانطلقت أنا وأم مسطح وهي ابنة أبي رهم بن المطلب بن عبد مناف وأمها بنت صخر بن عامر خالة أبي بكر الصديق وابنها مسطح بن أثاثة بن عباد بن المطلب فأقبلت أنا وأم مسطح قبل بيتي حين فرغنا من شأننا فعثرت أم مسطح في مرطها فقالت تعس مسطح فقلت لها بئس ما قلت أتسبين رجلا شهد بدرا فقالت أي هنتاه ولم تسمعي ما قال قالت وقلت ما قال فأخبرتني بقول أهل الإفك قالت فازددت مرضا على مرضي فلما رجعت إلى بيتي دخل علي رسول الله ﷺ فسلم ثم قال كيف تيكم فقلت له أتأذن لي أن آتي أبوي قالت وأريد أن أستيقن الخبر من قبلهما قالت فأذن لي رسول الله ﷺ فقلت لأمي يا أمتاه ماذا يتحدث الناس قالت يا بنية هوني عليك فوالله لقلما كانت امرأة قط وضيئة عند رجل يحبها لها ضرائر إلا كثرن عليها قالت فقلت سبحان الله أولقد تحدث الناس بهذا قالت فبكيت تلك الليلة حتى أصبحت لا يرقأ لي دمع ولا أكتحل بنوم ثم أصبحت أبكي قالت ودعا رسول الله ﷺ علي بن أبي طالب وأسامة بن زيد حين استلبث الوحي يسألهما ويستشيرهما في فراق أهله قالت فأما أسامة فأشار على رسول الله ﷺ بالذي يعلم من براءة أهله وبالذي يعلم لهم في نفسه فقال أسامة أهلك ولا نعلم إلا خيرا وأما علي فقال يا رسول الله لم يضيق الله عليك والنساء سواها كثير وسل الجارية تصدقك قالت فدعا رسول الله ﷺ بريرة فقال أي بريرة هل رأيت من شيء يريبك قالت له بريرة والذي بعثك بالحق ما رأيت عليها أمرا قط أغمصه غير أنها جارية حديثة السن تنام عن عجين أهلها فتأتي الداجن فتأكله قالت فقام رسول الله ﷺ من يومه فاستعذر من عبد الله بن أبي وهو على المنبر فقال يا معشر المسلمين من يعذرني من رجل قد بلغني عنه أذاه في أهلي والله ما علمت على أهلي إلا خيرا ولقد ذكروا رجلا ما علمت عليه إلا خيرا وما يدخل على أهلي إلا معي قالت فقام سعد بن معاذ أخو بني عبد الأشهل فقال أنا يا رسول الله أعذرك فإن كان من الأوس ضربت عنقه وإن كان من إخواننا من الخزرج أمرتنا ففعلنا أمرك قالت فقام رجل من الخزرج وكانت أم حسان بنت عمه من فخذه وهو سعد بن عبادة وهو سيد الخزرج قالت وكان قبل ذلك رجلا صالحا ولكن احتملته الحمية فقال لسعد كذبت لعمر الله لا تقتله ولا تقدر على قتله ولو كان من رهطك ما أحببت أن يقتل فقام أسيد بن حضير وهو ابن عم سعد فقال لسعد بن عبادة كذبت لعمر الله لنقتلنه فإنك منافق تجادل عن المنافقين قالت فثار الحيان الأوس والخزرج حتى هموا أن يقتتلوا ورسول الله ﷺ قائم على المنبر قالت فلم يزل رسول الله ﷺ يخفضهم حتى سكتوا وسكت قالت فبكيت يومي ذلك كله لا يرقأ لي دمع ولا أكتحل بنوم قالت وأصبح أبواي عندي وقد بكيت ليلتين ويوما لا يرقأ لي دمع ولا أكتحل بنوم حتى إني لأظن أن البكاء فالق كبدي فبينا أبواي جالسان عندي وأنا أبكي فاستأذنت علي امرأة من الأنصار فأذنت لها فجلست تبكي معي قالت فبينا نحن على ذلك دخل رسول الله ﷺ علينا فسلم ثم جلس قالت ولم يجلس عندي منذ قيل ما قيل قبلها وقد لبث شهرا لا يوحى إليه في شأني بشيء قالت فتشهد رسول الله ﷺ حين جلس ثم قال أما بعد يا عائشة إنه بلغني عنك كذا وكذا فإن كنت بريئة فسيبرئك الله وإن كنت ألممت بذنب فاستغفري الله وتوبي إليه فإن العبد إذا اعترف ثم تاب تاب الله عليه قالت فلما قضى رسول الله ﷺ مقالته قلص دمعي حتى ما أحس منه قطرة فقلت لأبي أجب رسول الله ﷺ عني فيما قال فقال أبي والله ما أدري ما أقول لرسول الله ﷺ فقلت لأمي أجيبي رسول الله ﷺ فيما قال قالت أمي والله ما أدري ما أقول لرسول الله ﷺ فقلت وأنا جارية حديثة السن لا أقرأ من القرآن كثيرا إني والله لقد علمت لقد سمعتم هذا الحديث حتى استقر في أنفسكم وصدقتم به فلئن قلت لكم إني بريئة لا تصدقوني ولئن اعترفت لكم بأمر والله يعلم أني منه بريئة لتصدقني فوالله لا أجد لي ولكم مثلا إلا أبا يوسف حين قال {فصبر جميل والله المستعان على ما تصفون} ثم تحولت واضطجعت على فراشي والله يعلم أني حينئذ بريئة وأن الله مبرئي ببراءتي ولكن والله ما كنت أظن أن الله منزل في شأني وحيا يتلى لشأني في نفسي كان أحقر من أن يتكلم الله في بأمر ولكن كنت أرجو أن يرى رسول الله ﷺ في النوم رؤيا يبرئني الله بها فوالله ما رام رسول الله ﷺ مجلسه ولا خرج أحد من أهل البيت حتى أنزل عليه فأخذه ما كان يأخذه من البرحاء حتى إنه ليتحدر منه من العرق مثل الجمان وهو في يوم شات من ثقل القول الذي أنزل عليه قالت فسري عن رسول الله ﷺ وهو يضحك فكانت أول كلمة تكلم بها أن قال يا عائشة أما الله فقد برأك قالت فقالت لي أمي قومي إليه فقلت والله لا أقوم إليه فإني لا أحمد إلا الله عز وجل قالت وأنزل الله تعالى {إن الذين جاءوا بالإفك عصبة منكم} العشر الآيات ثم أنزل الله هذا في براءتي قال أبو بكر الصديق وكان ينفق على مسطح بن أثاثة لقرابته منه وفقره والله لا أنفق على مسطح شيئا أبدا بعد الذي قال لعائشة ما قال فأنزل الله {ولا يأتل أولو الفضل منكم} إلى قوله {غفور رحيم} قال أبو بكر الصديق بلى والله إني لأحب أن يغفر الله لي فرجع إلى مسطح النفقة التي كان ينفق عليه وقال والله لا أنزعها منه أبدا قالت عائشة وكان رسول الله ﷺ سأل زينب بنت جحش عن أمري فقال لزينب ماذا علمت أو رأيت فقالت يا رسول الله أحمي سمعي وبصري والله ما علمت إلا خيرا قالت عائشة وهي التي كانت تساميني من أزواج النبي ﷺ فعصمها الله بالورع قالت وطفقت أختها حمنة تحارب لها فهلكت فيمن هلك قال ابن شهاب فهذا الذي بلغني من حديث هؤلاء الرهط ثم قال عروة قالت عائشة والله إن الرجل الذي قيل له ما قيل ليقول سبحان الله فوالذي نفسي بيده ما كشفت من كنف أنثى قط قالت ثم قتل بعد ذلك في سبيل الله