I asked Um Ruman, ʿAisha's mother about the accusation forged against ʿAisha. She said, "While I was sitting with ʿAisha, an Ansari woman came to us and said, 'Let Allah condemn such-and-such person.' I asked her, 'Why do you say so?' She replied, 'For he has spread the (slanderous) story.' ʿAisha said, 'What story?' The woman then told her the story. ʿAisha asked, 'Have Abu Bakr and Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard about it ?' She said, 'Yes.' ʿAisha fell down senseless (on hearing that), and when she came to her senses, she got fever and shaking of the body. The Prophet ﷺ came and asked, 'What is wrong with her?' I said, 'She has got fever because of a story which has been rumored.' ʿAisha got up and said, 'By Allah! Even if I took an oath, you would not believe me, and if I put forward an excuse, You would not excuse me. My example and your example is just like that example of Jacob and his sons. Against that which you assert, it is Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be sought.' (12.18) The Prophet ﷺ left and then Allah revealed the Verses (concerning the matter), and on that ʿAisha said, 'Thanks to Allah (only) and not to anybody else."  

سَأَلْتُ أُمَّ رُومَانَ وَهْىَ أُمُّ عَائِشَةَ عَمَّا قِيلَ فِيهَا مَا قِيلَ قَالَتْ بَيْنَمَا أَنَا مَعَ عَائِشَةَ جَالِسَتَانِ إِذْ وَلَجَتْ عَلَيْنَا امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ وَهْىَ تَقُولُ فَعَلَ اللَّهُ بِفُلاَنٍ وَفَعَلَ قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ لِمَ قَالَتْ إِنَّهُ نَمَا ذِكْرَ الْحَدِيثِ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ أَىُّ حَدِيثٍ فَأَخْبَرَتْهَا قَالَتْ فَسَمِعَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ فَخَرَّتْ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيْهَا فَمَا أَفَاقَتْ إِلاَّ وَعَلَيْهَا حُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَا لِهَذِهِ قُلْتُ حُمَّى أَخَذَتْهَا مِنْ أَجْلِ حَدِيثٍ تُحُدِّثَ بِهِ فَقَعَدَتْ فَقَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ حَلَفْتُ لاَ تُصَدِّقُونِي وَلَئِنِ اعْتَذَرْتُ لاَ تَعْذِرُونِي فَمَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَمَثَلِ يَعْقُوبَ وَبَنِيهِ فَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ فَانْصَرَفَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ مَا أَنْزَلَ فَأَخْبَرَهَا فَقَالَتْ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ لاَ بِحَمْدِ أَحَدٍ  

Um Ruman, the mother of ʿAisha said that while ʿAisha and she were sitting, an Ansari woman came and said, "May Allah harm such and-such a person!" Um Ruman said to her, What is the matter?" She replied, "My son was amongst those who talked of the story (of the Slander)." Um Ruman said, "What is that?" She said, "So-and-so...." and narrated the whole story. On that ʿAisha said, "Did Allah's Apostle hear about that?" She replies, "yes." ʿAisha further said, "And Abu Bakr too?" She replied, "Yes." On that, ʿAisha fell down fainting, and when she came to her senses, she had got fever with rigors. I put her clothes over her and covered her. The Prophet ﷺ came and asked, "What is wrong with this (lady)?" Um Ruman replied, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! She (i.e. ʿAisha) has got temperature with rigors." He said, "Perhaps it is because of the story that has been talked about?" She said, "Yes." ʿAisha sat up and said, "By Allah, if I took an oath (that I am innocent), you would not believe me, and if I said (that I am not innocent), you would not excuse me. My and your example is like that of Jacob and his sons (as Jacob said ): 'It is Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be sought against that you assert.' Um Ruman said, "The Prophet ﷺ then went out saying nothing. Then Allah declared her innocence. On that, ʿAisha said (to the Prophet), "I thank Allah only; thank neither anybody else nor you."  

حَدَّثَتْنِي أُمُّ رُومَانَ وَهْىَ أُمُّ عَائِشَةَ ؓ قَالَتْ بَيْنَا أَنَا قَاعِدَةٌ أَنَا وَعَائِشَةُ إِذْ وَلَجَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَتْ فَعَلَ اللَّهُ بِفُلاَنٍ وَفَعَلَ فَقَالَتْ أُمُّ رُومَانَ وَمَا ذَاكَ قَالَتْ ابْنِي فِيمَنْ حَدَّثَ الْحَدِيثَ قَالَتْ وَمَا ذَاكَ قَالَتْ كَذَا وَكَذَا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ سَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ قَالَتْ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ فَخَرَّتْ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيْهَا فَمَا أَفَاقَتْ إِلاَّ وَعَلَيْهَا حُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ فَطَرَحْتُ عَلَيْهَا ثِيَابَهَا فَغَطَّيْتُهَا فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَا شَأْنُ هَذِهِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخَذَتْهَا الْحُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ قَالَ فَلَعَلَّ فِي حَدِيثٍ تُحُدِّثَ بِهِ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ فَقَعَدَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَقَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ حَلَفْتُ لاَ تُصَدِّقُونِي وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لاَ تَعْذِرُونِي مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَيَعْقُوبَ وَبَنِيهِ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ قَالَتْ وَانْصَرَفَ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عُذْرَهَا قَالَتْ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ لاَ بِحَمْدِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ بِحَمْدِكَ  

[Machine] While I was with Aisha, a woman from the Ansar came to us and said, "Allah has taken away her son." Aisha asked her, "What did he say?" The woman replied, "He said such and such." Aisha then said, "Has the Messenger of Allah ﷺ been informed about this?" The woman answered, "Yes, he has been informed, as well as Abu Bakr." Aisha then fainted, and when she regained consciousness, she had a fever. Aisha said, "I got up and covered myself with a blanket." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered and asked, "What is wrong with her?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah, she has been struck with a fever." He said, "Perhaps there is some news that she speaks about." Aisha remained silent. After a while, Aisha said, "By Allah, if I swear to you that you will not believe me, and if I apologize to you, you will not excuse me. My situation is like the situation of Yaqub (Jacob) and his sons. "And Allah is the Best of Helpers." (Surah Yusuf, 18). Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ left. Allah revealed her innocence to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came back with Abu Bakr and entered. He said to Aisha, "O Aisha, Allah has revealed your innocence." Aisha said, "Praise be to Allah, not to you." Abu Bakr said to her, "Are you saying this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ?" She replied, "Yes." Abu Bakr then turned to a man who used to support him financially and swore not to provide for him anymore. Allah then revealed, "And let not those who [greedily] withhold what Allah has given them of His bounty ever think that it is better for them. Rather, it is worse for them. Their necks will be encircled by what they withheld on the Day of Resurrection." Abu Bakr then said that he would resume the support.  

بَيْنَا أَنَا عِنْدَ عَائِشَةَ إِذْ دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْنَا امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَتْ فَعَلَ اللهُ بِابْنِهَا وَفَعَلَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَلِمَ قَالَتْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِيمَنْ حَدَّثَ الْحَدِيثَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَأَيُّ حَدِيثٍ قَالَتْ كَذَا وَكَذَا قَالَتْ وَقَدْ بَلَغَ ذَاكَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ وَبَلَغَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ قَالَتْ فَخَرَّتْ عَائِشَةُ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيْهَا فَمَا أَفَاقَتْ إِلَّا وَعَلَيْهَا حُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ قَالَتْ فَقُمْتُ فَدَثَّرْتُهَا قَالَتْ وَدَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَا شَأْنُ هَذِهِ؟ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَخَذَتْهَا حُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ قَالَ فَلَعَلَّهُ فِي حَدِيثٍ تُحُدِّثَ بِهِ قَالَتْ فَاسْتَوَتْ لَهُ عَائِشَةُ قَاعِدَةً فَقَالَتْ وَاللهِ لَئِنْ حَلَفْتُ لَكُمْ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي وَلَئِنْ اعْتَذَرْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ لَا تَعْذِرُونِي فَمَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَمَثَلِ يَعْقُوبَ وَبَنِيهِ {وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف 18] قَالَتْ وَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ عُذْرَهَا فَرَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَعَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَدَخَلَ فَقَالَ يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ قَدْ أَنْزَلَ عُذْرَكِ قَالَتْ بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِكَ قَالَتْ قَالَ لَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ تَقُولِينَ هَذَا لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ قَالَتْ فَكَانَفِيمَنْ حَدَّثَ الْحَدِيثَ رَجُلٌ كَانَ يَعُولُهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَحَلَفَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنْ لَا يَصِلَهُ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ} إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَلَى فَوَصَلَهُ  

[Machine] I asked Umm Romān, who is Umm Aisha, the mother of the believers, or it was said to her, "What Allah has revealed as an excuse for her," meaning Aisha. She said, "While I was with Aisha, a woman from the Ansar entered upon us and she was saying, 'Allah has done such and such with so and so.' Aisha said, 'Why did she say this?' I said, 'Because he was one of the people who narrated the Hadith.' Aisha said, 'Which Hadith?' So I informed her. She said, 'And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abu Bakr heard it?' I said, 'Yes.' So she fainted and did not regain consciousness except with a high fever. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and said, 'What is this?' She said, 'We told him about the fever that took hold of her.' He said, 'Perhaps it is because of the Hadith that she narrated.' She said, 'She sat down and said, 'By Allah, if I swear to you, you will not believe me, and if I apologize, you will not accept my apology.' She said, 'My example and your example is like the example of Yaqub and his sons. And Allah is the one whose help is sought against what you describe.' She said, 'And Allah revealed what He revealed to him, so he informed her. She said, 'Praise be to Allah, not to anyone else.'"  

سَأَلْتُ أُمَّ رُومَانَ وَهِيَ أُمُّ عَائِشَةَ أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَوْ قِيلَ لَهَا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عُذْرَهَا يَعْنِي عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ بَيْنَمَا أَنَا عِنْدَ عَائِشَةَ إِذْ دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْنَا امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ وَإِذَا هِيَ تَقُولُ فَعَلَ اللَّهُ بِفُلَانٍ كَذَا فَقَالَتْ لِمَ قَالَتْ لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ فِيمَنْ حَدَّثَ الْحَدِيثَ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَأَيُّ حَدِيثٍ؟ فَأَخْبَرْتُهَا قَالَتْ فَسَمِعَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ فَخَرَّتْ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيْهَا فَمَا أَفَاقَتْ إِلَّا وَعَلَيْهَا حُمَّى نَافِضٌ قَالَتْ فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ «مَا هَذَا؟ » قَالَتْ فَقُلْنَا حُمَّى أَخَذَتْهَا قَالَ «فَلَعَلَّهُ مِنْ أَجْلِ حَدِيثٍ تُحَدِّثَ بِهِ» قَالَتْ فَقَعَدَتْ فَقَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ حَلَفْتُ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي وَلَئِنِ اعْتَذَرْتُ لَا تَعْذِرُونِي فَمَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ مِثْلُ يَعْقُوبَ وَبَنِيهِ {وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} قَالَتْ وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ مَا أَنْزَلَ فَأَخْبَرَهَا فَقَالَتْ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ لَا بِحَمْدِ أَحَدٍ  

[Machine] While I was sitting with Aisha, a woman from the Ansar came and said, "Allah has done such and such to so-and-so and so-and-so." Aisha asked, "What is that?" The woman replied, "So-and-so and so-and-so." Aisha said, "Has the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard about it?" The woman answered, "Yes." Aisha asked, "And Abu Bakr?" The woman replied, "Yes." Aisha then fainted and when she regained consciousness, she had a high fever. Her clothes were thrown on her and the Prophet ﷺ came and she was lying down. He asked, "What is wrong with her?" They said, "She has been overcome by a fever caused by distress." He said, "Perhaps her condition is because of a conversation she had with someone." So he sat down and Aisha said, "By Allah, if I was to take an oath with you that you would not believe me, and if I were to confess to you, you would not accept my confession. My likeness and your likeness is like the likeness of Jacob and his sons. (Allah knows) I called upon my father and he did not answer me. I called upon my mother and she did not answer me. I called upon my aunt and she responded to my call.' [Allah says] 'And Allah is the One whose help is to be sought over that which you describe. (12:18)' So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out and the excuse was revealed to him. He came back and said, 'It is due to the praise of Allah, not due to the praise of me or anyone else.'"  

بَيْنَا أَنَا قَاعِدَةٌ عِنْدَ عَائِشَةَ إِذْ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَتْ فَعَلَ اللهُ بِفُلَانٍ وَفُلَانٍ وَفَعَلَ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَمَا هُوَ؟ قَالَتْ كَذَا وَكَذَا قَالَتْ فَسَمِعَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ قَالَتْ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ؟ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ قَالَتْ فَخَرَجَتْ عَائِشَةُ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيْهَا فَمَا أَفَاقَتْ إِلَّا وَعَلَيْهَا حُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ فَطُرِحَ عَلَيْهَا الثِّيَابُ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَهِيَ مُضْطَجِعَةٌ فَقَالَ «مَا شَأْنُهَا؟» قَالُوا أَخَذَتْهَا الحُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ قَالَ «فلَعَلَّهُ فِي حَدِيثٍ حُدِّثَتْ» فَقَعَدَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَقَالَتْ وَاللهِ لَئِنْ حَلَفْتُ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي وَلَئِنِ اعْتَذَرْتُ لَا تَعْذُرُونِي وَإِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ مَثَلُ يَعْقُوبَ وَبَنِيهِ {وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَنَزَلَ عُذْرُهَا فَقَالَتْ بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِكَ أَوْ قَالَتْ بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِ أَحَدٍ  

[Machine] I asked Umm Roman, who is Umm Aisha, the mother of the believers, about the matter of Aisha when it was said to her what was said, so Allah revealed her excuse. She said Umm Mistah did this, so Allah treated Mistah as she did, and Aisha asked why. She said because he was among those who spread the talk. Aisha asked which talk? So she informed her that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abu Bakr heard it. She said yes, so she fainted. When she regained consciousness, she had a high fever. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and asked, "What is wrong with her?" She said, "We said she has a fever." He said, "Perhaps it is because of a story she narrated?" She said, "Then she sat down and said, "By Allah, if I swear, you will not believe me, and if I apologize, you will not accept my apology. My example and your example is like the example of Ya'qub and his sons. And Allah is the One Whose help is sought against what you describe." She said, "So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ left and Allah revealed what He revealed. He came to her and informed her, so she said, "Praise be to Allah, not to any one."  

سَأَلْتُ أُمَّ رُومَانَ وَهِيَ أُمُّ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَنْ أَمْرِ عَائِشَةَ إِذِ قِيلَ لَهَا مَا قِيلَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عُذْرَهَا فَقَالَتْ قَالَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فَعَلَ اللهُ بِمِسْطَحٍ وَفَعَلَ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ لِمَ؟ قَالَتْ لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ فِيمَنْ يُحَدِّثُ الْحَدِيثَ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَأَيُّ حَدِيثِهِ؟ فَأَخْبَرَتْهَا قَالَتْ «سَمِعَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ؟» قَالَتْ نَعَمْ فَخَرَّتْ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيْهَا فَمَا أَفَاقَتْ إِلَّا وَعَلَيْهَا حُمَّى نَافِضٍ قَالَتْ فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَا لِهَذِهِ؟ قَالَتْ فَقُلْنَا حُمَّى أَخَذْتَهَا قَالَ فَلَعَلَّهُ مِنْ أَجَلِّ حَدِيثٍ تُحَدِّثُ بِهِ قَالَتْ فَقَعَدَتْ وَقَالَتْ وَاللهِ لَئِنْ حَلَفْتُ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي وَإِنِ اعْتَذَرْتُ لَا تَعْذِرُونِي فَمَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ مَثَلُ يَعْقُوبَ وَبَنِيهِ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ قَالَتْ وَانْصَرَفَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ مَا أَنْزَلَ فَأَتَاهَا فَأَخْبَرَهَا فَقَالَتْ بِحَمْدِ اللهِ لَا بِحَمْدِ أَحَدٍ