Some people asked Messenger of Allah ﷺ, "Whose Islam is the best? i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands."  

قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الإِسْلاَمِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his two jaw-bones and what is between his two legs (i.e. his tongue and his private parts), I guarantee Paradise for him."  

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَنْ يَضْمَنْ لِي مَا بَيْنَ لَحْيَيْهِ وَمَا بَيْنَ رِجْلَيْهِ أَضْمَنْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةَ  

That he heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "A slave of Allah may utter a word without thinking whether it is right or wrong, he may slip down in the Fire as far away a distance equal to that between the east."  

سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ مَا يَتَبَيَّنُ فِيهَا يَزِلُّ بِهَا فِي النَّارِ أَبْعَدَ مِمَّا بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ  

The Prophet; said, "A slave (of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah without giving it much importance, and because of that Allah will raise him to degrees (of reward): a slave (of Allah) may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases Allah without thinking of its gravity and because of that he will be thrown into the Hell-Fire."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ مِنْ رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ لاَ يُلْقِي لَهَا بَالاً يَرْفَعُ اللَّهُ بِهَا دَرَجَاتٍ وَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ مِنْ سَخَطِ اللَّهِ لاَ يُلْقِي لَهَا بَالاً يَهْوِي بِهَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ  

I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Inform me about a matter that I may hold fast to." He said: 'Say: My Lord is Allah, then be steadfast.' I said: "O Messenger of Allah! What do you fear most for me?" So he took hold of his tongue and said: 'This.'"  

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ حَدِّثْنِي بِأَمْرٍ أَعْتَصِمُ بِهِ قَالَ قُلْ رَبِّيَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقِمْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَخْوَفُ مَا تَخَافُ عَلَىَّ فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِ نَفْسِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ هَذَا  

"Do not talk too much without remembrance of Allah. Indeed excessive talking without remembrance of Allah hardens the heart. And indeed the furthest of people from Allah is the harsh-hearted."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ تُكْثِرُوا الْكَلاَمَ بِغَيْرِ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ كَثْرَةَ الْكَلاَمِ بِغَيْرِ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ قَسْوَةٌ لِلْقَلْبِ وَإِنَّ أَبْعَدَ النَّاسِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْقَلْبُ الْقَاسِي حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي النَّضْرِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو النَّضْرِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حَاطِبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ نَحْوَهُ بِمَعْنَاهُ  

"For whomever Allah protects against the evil of what is between his jaws and the evil of what is between his legs, he shall enter Paradise."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ وَقَاهُ اللَّهُ شَرَّ مَا بَيْنَ لَحْيَيْهِ وَشَرَّ مَا بَيْنَ رِجْلَيْهِ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ  

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! What is the means to salvation?' He said: 'That you control your tongue, suffice yourself your house, and cry over your sins.'"  

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا النَّجَاةُ قَالَ أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ لِسَانَكَ وَلْيَسَعْكَ بَيْتُكَ وَابْكِ عَلَى خَطِيئَتِكَ  

I accompanied the Prophet ﷺ on a journey. One day I was near him while we were moving so I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Inform me about an action by which I will be admitted into Paradise, and which will keep me far from the Fire." He said: "You have asked me about something great, but it is easy for whomever Allah makes it easy: (1) Worship Allah and do not associate any partners with Him, (2) establish the Salah, (3) give the Zakat, (4) fast Ramadan and, (5) perform Hajj to the House.'

Then he ﷺ said: "Shall I not guide you to the doors of good? (1) Fasting is a shield, and (2) charity extinguishes sins like water extinguishes fire, and (3) a person's prayer in depths of the night." Then he ﷺ recited: "Their sides forsake their beds to call upon their Lord..." until he reached "what they used to do." [Sajdah 32:16-17]

Then he ﷺ said: "Shall I not inform you about the head of the entire matter, and its pillar, and its hump?" I said: "Of course, O Messenger of Allah!" He ﷺ said: "The head of the matter is Islam, and its pillar is the Salah, and its hump is Jihad."

Then he ﷺ said: "Shall I not inform you about what governs all of that?" I said: "Of course, O Messenger of Allah!" So he ﷺ grabbed his tongue and he said: "Restrain this." I said: "O Prophet of Allah! Will we be taken to account for what we say?" He said: "May your mother grieve your loss O Muadh! Are the people not tossed into the Hellfire upon their faces," or "upon their noses, except because of what their tongues have wrought?"  

كُنْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَصْبَحْتُ يَوْمًا قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ وَنَحْنُ نَسِيرُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ وَيُبَاعِدُنِي مِنَ النَّارِ قَالَ: «لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَنِي عَنْ عَظِيمٍ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ: (١) تَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا، (٢) وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلاَةَ، (٣) وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ، (٤) وَتَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ، (٥) وَتَحُجُّ الْبَيْتَ۔»

ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَلاَ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ؟ (١) الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ، (٢) وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا يُطْفِئُ الْمَاءُ النَّارَ، (٣) وَصَلاَةُ الرَّجُلِ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ۔» قَالَ ثُمَّ تَلاََ {تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ} حَتَّى بَلَغَ {يَعْمَلُونَ} [السجدة 16-17]»

ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِرَأْسِ الأَمْرِ كُلِّهِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذِرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ؟» قُلْتُ: بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ: «رَأْسُ الأَمْرِ الإِسْلاَمُ وَعَمُودُهُ الصَّلاَةُ وَذِرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ۔»

ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِمَلاَكِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ؟ قُلْتُ: بَلَى يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِهِ قَالَ: «كُفَّ عَلَيْكَ هَذَا۔» فَقُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ، وَإِنَّا لَمُؤَاخَذُونَ بِمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ؟ فَقَالَ: «ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا مُعَاذُ، وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ» أَوْ «عَلَى مَنَاخِرِهِمْ إِلاَّ حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ؟»  

Do you know what is backbiting? They (the Companions) said: Allah and His Messenger know best. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Backbiting implies your talking about your brother in a manner which he does not like. It was said to him: What is your opinion about this that if I actually find (that failing) in my brother which I made a mention of? He said: If (that failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert, you in fact backbited him, and if that is not in him it is a slander.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْغِيبَةُ قَالُوا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ قِيلَ أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي أَخِي مَا أَقُولُ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدِ اغْتَبْتَهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ فَقَدْ بَهَتَّهُ  

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, during the Farewell Pilgrimage: ‘Is not the most sacred of your days this day, is not the most sacred of your months this month, is not the most sacred of your lands this land? Your blood and your wealth are as sacred to you as this day of yours in this month of yours. Have I not conveyed (the message)?’ They said: ‘Yes.” He said: ‘O Allah, bear witness.’”  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي حِجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ أَلاَ إِنَّ أَحْرَمَ الأَيَّامِ يَوْمُكُمْ هَذَا أَلاَ وَإِنَّ أَحْرَمَ الشُّهُورِ شَهْرُكُمْ هَذَا أَلاَ وَإِنَّ أَحْرَمَ الْبَلَدِ بَلَدُكُمْ هَذَا أَلاَ وَإِنَّ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَأَمْوَالَكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ حَرَامٌ كَحُرْمَةِ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا فِي شَهْرِكُمْ هَذَا فِي بَلَدِكُمْ هَذَا أَلاَ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ  

I said to the Prophet ﷺ: It is enough for you in Safiyyah that she is such and such (the other version than Musaddad's has:) meaning that she was short-statured. He replied; You have said a word which would change the sea if it were mixed in it. She said: I imitated a man before him (out of disgrace). He said: I do not like that I imitate anyone even if I should get such and such.  

قُلْتُ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ حَسْبُكَ مِنْ صَفِيَّةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا قَالَ غَيْرُ مُسَدَّدٍ تَعْنِي قَصِيرَةً فَقَالَ لَقَدْ قُلْتِ كَلِمَةً لَوْ مُزِجَتْ بِمَاءِ الْبَحْرِ لَمَزَجَتْهُ قَالَتْ وَحَكَيْتُ لَهُ إِنْسَانًا فَقَالَ مَا أُحِبُّ أَنِّي حَكَيْتُ إِنْسَانًا وَأَنَّ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا  

The Prophet ﷺ said: When I was taken up to heaven I passed by people who had nails of copper and were scratching their faces and their breasts. I said: Who are these people, Gabriel? He replied: They are those who were given to back biting and who aspersed people's honour. Abu Dawud said: Yahya b. 'Uthman has also transmitted it from Baqiyyah, there is no mention of Anas in it.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمَّا عُرِجَ بِي مَرَرْتُ بِقَوْمٍ لَهُمْ أَظْفَارٌ مِنْ نُحَاسٍ يَخْمِشُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَصُدُورَهُمْ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَؤُلاَءِ يَا جِبْرِيلُ قَالَ هَؤُلاَءِ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ لُحُومَ النَّاسِ وَيَقَعُونَ فِي أَعْرَاضِهِمْ  

Everything of a Muslim is sacred to a Muslim : his property, honour and blood. It is enough evil for any man to despise his brother Muslim.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ مَالُهُ وَعِرْضُهُ وَدَمُهُ حَسْبُ امْرِئٍ مِنَ الشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ  

“The whole of the Muslim is sacred to his fellow Muslim, his blood, his wealth and his honor.”  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ كُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ دَمُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعِرْضُهُ  

"Whoever protects his brother's honor, Allah protects his face from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ مَنْ رَدَّ عَنْ عِرْضِ أَخِيهِ رَدَّ اللَّهُ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ النَّارَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ يَزِيدَ  

The Prophet ﷺ said, "I do not think that so-and-so and so-and-so know anything of our religion." (And Al-Laith said, "These two persons were among the hypocrites.")  

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَا أَظُنُّ فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا يَعْرِفَانِ مِنْ دِينِنَا شَيْئًا قَالَ اللَّيْثُ كَانَا رَجُلَيْنِ مِنَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ  

While I was taking part in a Ghazwa. I heard ʿAbdullah bin Ubai (bin Abi Salul) saying. "Don't spend on those who are with Messenger of Allah ﷺ, that they may disperse and go away from him. If we return (to Medina), surely, the more honorable will expel the meaner amongst them." I reported that (saying) to my uncle or to ʿUmar who, in his turn, informed the Prophet ﷺ of it. The Prophet ﷺ called me and I narrated to him the whole story. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for ʿAbdullah bin Ubai and his companions, and they took an oath that they did not say that. So Messenger of Allah ﷺ disbelieved my saying and believed his. I was distressed as I never was before. I stayed at home and my uncle said to me. "You just wanted Messenger of Allah ﷺ to disbelieve your statement and hate you." So Allah revealed (the Sura beginning with) 'When the hypocrites come to you.' (63.1) The Prophet ﷺ then sent for me and recited it and said, "O Zaid! Allah confirmed your statement."  

فَسَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أُبَىٍّ يَقُولُ لاَ تُنْفِقُوا عَلَى مَنْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَنْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِهِ وَلَوْ رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ لَيُخْرِجَنَّ الأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الأَذَلَّ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِعَمِّي أَوْ لِعُمَرَ فَذَكَرَهُ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَدَعَانِي فَحَدَّثْتُهُ فَأَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أُبَىٍّ وَأَصْحَابِهِ فَحَلَفُوا مَا قَالُوا فَكَذَّبَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَصَدَّقَهُ فَأَصَابَنِي هَمٌّ لَمْ يُصِبْنِي مِثْلُهُ قَطُّ فَجَلَسْتُ فِي الْبَيْتِ فَقَالَ لِي عَمِّي مَا أَرَدْتَ إِلَى أَنْ كَذَّبَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَقَتَكَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ} فَبَعَثَ إِلَىَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَرَأَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ صَدَّقَكَ يَا زَيْدُ  

I was with my uncle and I heard ʿAbdullah bin Ubai bin Salul, saying, "Don't spend on those who are with Messenger of Allah ﷺ that they may disperse and go away from him." He also said, "If we return to Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel the meaner." So I informed my uncle of that and then my uncle informed Messenger of Allah ﷺ thereof. Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for ʿAbdullah bin Ubai and his companions. They swore that they did not say anything of that sort Messenger of Allah ﷺ deemed their statement true and rejected mine. Thereof I became as distressed as I have never been before, and stayed at home. Then Allah revealed (Surat Al-Munafiqin): 'When the hypocrites come to you.....(63.1) They are the ones who say: Spend nothing on those who are with Messenger of Allah ﷺ ..(63.7) Verily the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner..' (63.7-8) Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for me and recited that Sura for me and said, "Allah has confirmed your statement."  

فَسَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أُبَىٍّ ابْنَ سَلُولَ يَقُولُ لاَ تُنْفِقُوا عَلَى مَنْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَنْفَضُّوا وَقَالَ أَيْضًا لَئِنْ رَجَعْنَا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لَيُخْرِجَنَّ الأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الأَذَلَّ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِعَمِّي فَذَكَرَ عَمِّي لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أُبَىٍّ وَأَصْحَابِهِ فَحَلَفُوا مَا قَالُوا فَصَدَّقَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَكَذَّبَنِي فَأَصَابَنِي هَمٌّ لَمْ يُصِبْنِي مِثْلُهُ فَجَلَسْتُ فِي بَيْتِي فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ {إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {هُمُ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ لاَ تُنْفِقُوا عَلَى مَنْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {لَيُخْرِجَنَّ الأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الأَذَلَّ} فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَىَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ صَدَّقَكَ  

We went out with the Prophet ﷺ : on a journey and the people suffered from lack of provisions. So ʿAbdullah bin Ubai said to his companions, "Don't spend on those who are with Messenger of Allah ﷺ, that they may disperse and go away from him." He also said, "If we return to Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner. So I went to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him of that. He sent for ʿAbdullah bin Ubai and asked him, but ʿAbdullah bin Ubai swore that he did not say so. The people said, "Zaid told a lie to 'Messenger of Allah ﷺ." What they said distressed me very much. Later Allah revealed the confirmation of my statement in his saying:-- '(When the hypocrites come to you.' (63.1) So the Prophet ﷺ called them that they might ask Allah to forgive them, but they turned their heads aside. (Concerning Allah's saying: 'Pieces of wood propped up,' Zaid said; They were the most handsome men.)  

خَرَجْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي سَفَرٍ أَصَابَ النَّاسَ فِيهِ شِدَّةٌ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أُبَىٍّ لأَصْحَابِهِ لاَ تُنْفِقُوا عَلَى مَنْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَنْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِهِ وَقَالَ لَئِنْ رَجَعْنَا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لَيُخْرِجَنَّ الأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الأَذَلَّ فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أُبَىٍّ فَسَأَلَهُ فَاجْتَهَدَ يَمِينَهُ مَا فَعَلَ قَالُوا كَذَبَ زَيْدٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي مِمَّا قَالُوا شِدَّةٌ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ تَصْدِيقِي فِي {إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ} فَدَعَاهُمُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لِيَسْتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ فَلَوَّوْا رُءُوسَهُمْ وَقَوْلُهُ {خُشُبٌ مُسَنَّدَةٌ} قَالَ كَانُوا رِجَالاً أَجْمَلَ شَىْءٍ  

While I was with my uncle, I heard ʿAbdullah bin Ubai bin Salul saying, "Do not spend on those who are with Messenger of Allah ﷺ, that they may disperse and go away (from him). And if we return to Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner. "I mentioned that to my uncle who, in turn, mentioned it to the Prophet. The Prophet ﷺ called me and I told him about that. Then he sent for ʿAbdullah bin Ubai and his companions, and they swore that they did not say so. The Prophet ﷺ disbelieved my statement and believed theirs. I was distressed as I have never been before, and I remained in my house. My uncle said to me, "You just wanted the Prophet ﷺ to consider you a liar and hate you." Then Allah revealed:-- 'When the hypocrites come to you, they say: 'We bear witness that you are indeed the Apostle of Allah." (63.1) So the Prophet ﷺ sent for me and recited it and said, "Allah has confirmed your statement."  

فَسَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أُبَىٍّ ابْنَ سَلُولَ يَقُولُ لاَ تُنْفِقُوا عَلَى مَنْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَنْفَضُّوا وَلَئِنْ رَجَعْنَا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لَيُخْرِجَنَّ الأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الأَذَلَّ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِعَمِّي فَذَكَرَ عَمِّي لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ {فَدَعَانِي فَحَدَّثْتُهُ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أُبَىٍّ وَأَصْحَابِهِ فَحَلَفُوا مَا قَالُوا وَكَذَّبَنِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ} وَصَدَّقَهُمْ فَأَصَابَنِي غَمٌّ لَمْ يُصِبْنِي مِثْلُهُ قَطُّ فَجَلَسْتُ فِي بَيْتِي وَقَالَ عَمِّي مَا أَرَدْتَ إِلَى أَنْ كَذَّبَكَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَمَقَتَكَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ} وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَرَأَهَا وَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ صَدَّقَكَ  

Hind bint ʿUtba said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Abu Sufyan is a miser and he does not give me what is sufficient for me and my children. Can I take of his property without his knowledge?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Take what is sufficient for you and your children, and the amount should be just and reasonable.  

أَنَّ هِنْدَ بِنْتَ عُتْبَةَ قَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ رَجُلٌ شَحِيحٌ وَلَيْسَ يُعْطِينِي مَا يَكْفِينِي وَوَلَدِي إِلاَّ مَا أَخَذْتُ مِنْهُ وَهْوَ لاَ يَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ خُذِي مَا يَكْفِيكِ وَوَلَدَكِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ  

A mischief-maker will not enter paradise.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ قَتَّاتٌ  

I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying: The tale-bearer shall not enter Paradise.  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ نَمَّامٌ  

"The Messenger of Allah passed by two new graves, and he said: 'They are being punished, but they are not being punished for anything major. One of them was heedless about preventing urine from getting on his clothes, and the other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip.'"  

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِقَبْرَيْنِ جَدِيدَيْنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَنْزِهُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ وَأَمَّا الآخَرُ فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ happened to pass by two graves and said: They (their occupants) are being tormented, but they are not tormented for a grievous sin. One of them carried tales and the other did not keep himself safe from being defiled by urine. He then called for a fresh twig and split it into two parts, and planted them on each grave and then said: Perhaps, their punishment way be mitigated as long as these twigs remain fresh.  

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ وَأَمَّا الآخَرُ فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَتِرُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ قَالَ فَدَعَا بِعَسِيبٍ رَطْبٍ فَشَقَّهُ بِاثْنَيْنِ ثُمَّ غَرَسَ عَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا وَعَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا ثُمَّ قَالَ لَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يُخَفَّفَ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا  

The Prophet ﷺ said: None of my Companions must tell me anything about anyone, for I like to come out to you with no ill-feelings.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ يُبَلِّغْنِي أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِي عَنْ أَحَدٍ شَيْئًا فَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنَا سَلِيمُ الصَّدْرِ  

from Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "You find that people are ˹like˺ minerals (hidden gems): those who were the best in the pre-Islamic period, are also the best in Islam, if they have ˹deep˺ understanding. You see that the best amongst the people in this respect (in positions of authority/leadership) are those who hate it most. And you see that the worst among the people is the two-faced ˹person˺ who appears to these with one face and others with another face."  

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «تَجِدُونَ النَّاسَ مَعَادِنَ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا؛ وَتَجِدُونَ خَيْرَ النَّاسِ فِي هَذَا الشَّأْنِ أَشَدَّهُمْ لَهُ كَرَاهِيَةً؛ وَتَجِدُونَ شَرَّ النَّاسِ ذَا الْوَجْهَيْنِ الَّذِي يَأْتِي هَؤُلاَءِ بِوَجْهٍ وَيَأْتِي هَؤُلاَءِ بِوَجْهٍ۔»  

Some people said to Ibn ʿUmar, "When we enter upon our ruler(s) we say in their praise what is contrary to what we say when we leave them." Ibn ʿUmar said, "We used to consider this as hypocrisy."  

أُنَاسٌ لاِبْنِ عُمَرَ إِنَّا نَدْخُلُ عَلَى سُلْطَانِنَا فَنَقُولُ لَهُمْ خِلاَفَ مَا نَتَكَلَّمُ إِذَا خَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِهِمْ قَالَ كُنَّا نَعُدُّهَا نِفَاقًا  

The Prophet ﷺ said, "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: «إِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْبِرِّ وَإِنَّ الْبِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصْدُقُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ صِدِّيقًا۔ وَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَكْذِبُ حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَذَّابًا۔»  

The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up. 1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays. 2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie. 3. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous. 4. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner."  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا خَالِصًا وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا إِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ وَإِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ  

The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever has (the following) four characters will be a hypocrite, and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy until he gives it up. These are: (1 ) Whenever he talks, he tells a lie; (2) whenever he makes a promise, he breaks it; (3) whenever he makes a covenant he proves treacherous; (4) and whenever he quarrels, he behaves impudently in an evil insulting manner." (See Hadith No. 33 Vol. 1)  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا أَوْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةٍ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Whoever has (the following) four characteristics will be a pure hypocrite: "If he speaks, he tells a lie; if he gives a promise, he breaks it, if he makes a covenant he proves treacherous; and if he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent evil insulting manner (unjust). And whoever has one of these characteristics, has one characteristic of a hypocrite, unless he gives it us."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْبَعُ خِلاَلٍ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا خَالِصًا مَنْ إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا  

that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Shām (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan), at the time when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had a truce with Abū Sufyān and the Quraysh. So Abū Sufyān and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilyāʾ (Jerusalem).

Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius's question said to them, "Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abū Sufyān replied, "I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group)." Heraclius said, "Bring him (Abū Sufyān) close to me and make his companions stand behind him." Abu Sufyan added, Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (the Prophet ﷺ) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me." Abu Sufyan added, "By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about the Prophet.

(1) The first question he asked me about him was: 'What is his family status among you?' I replied, 'He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.'

(2) Heraclius further asked, 'Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same (i.e. to be a Prophet) before him?' I replied, 'No.'

(3) He said, 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?' I replied, 'No.'

(4) Heraclius asked, 'Do the nobles or the poor follow him?' I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him.'

(5) He said, 'Are his followers increasing or decreasing (day by day)?' I replied, 'They are increasing.'

(6) He then asked, 'Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion become displeased and renounce the religion afterward?' I replied, 'No.'

(7) Heraclius said, 'Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a Prophet)?' I replied, 'No. '

(8) Heraclius said, 'Does he break his promises?' I replied, 'No. We are at truce with him but we do not know what he will do in it.' I could not find an opportunity to say anything against him except that.

(9) Heraclius asked, 'Have you ever had a war with him?' I replied, 'Yes.'

(10) Then he said, 'What was the outcome of the battles?' I replied, 'Sometimes he was victorious, and sometimes we.'

(11) Heraclius said, 'What does he order you to do?' I said, 'He tells us to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste, and to keep good relations with our kith and kin.'

Heraclius asked the translator to convey to me the following:

(1) I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact, all the Apostles come from noble families amongst their respective peoples.

(2) I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man's statement.

(3) Then I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom.

(7) I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah.

(4) I, then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact, all the Apostles have been followed by this very class of people.

(5) Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and in fact, this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects.

(6) I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact, this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the hearts and mixes with them completely.

(8) I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise, the Apostles never betray.

(11) Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth, and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would be from you, and if I could reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.'

Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allah's Apostle which was delivered by Diḥyah to the Governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as follows: "In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful. (This letter is) from Muḥammad, the servant of Allah and His Apostle to Heraclius, the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon him, who follows the right path. Furthermore, I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you will be committing a sin of Arisiyin (tillers, farmers i.e. your people). And (Allah's Statement:) 'O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah).' (Āl ʿImrān 3:64).

Abū Sufyān then added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told my companions that the question of Ibn Abī Kabshah (the Prophet ﷺ Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the King of Banū al-Aṣfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become sure that he (the Prophet) would be the conqueror in the near future till I embraced Islam (i.e. Allah guided me to it)."

The sub-narrator adds, "Ibn al-Natur was the Governor of llyāʾ (Jerusalem) and Heraclius was the head of the Christians of Sham. Ibn al-Natur narrates that once while Heraclius was visiting ilya' (Jerusalem), he got up in the morning in a sad mood. Some of his priests asked him why he was in that mood. Heraclius was a foreteller and an astrologer. He replied, 'At night when I looked at the stars, I saw that the leader of those who practice circumcision had appeared (become the conqueror). Who are they who practice circumcision?' The people replied, 'Except for the Jews nobody practices circumcision, so you should not be afraid of them (Jews). 'Just issue orders to kill every Jew present in the country.' While they were discussing it, a messenger sent by the king of Ghassān to convey the news of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to Heraclius was brought in. Having heard the news, he (Heraclius) ordered the people to go and see whether the messenger of Ghassān was circumcised. The people, after seeing him, told Heraclius that he was circumcised. Heraclius then asked him about the Arabs. The messenger replied, 'Arabs also practice circumcision.' (After hearing that) Heraclius remarked that the sovereignty of the 'Arabs had appeared. Heraclius then wrote a letter to his friend in Rome who was as good as Heraclius in knowledge. Heraclius then left for Homs (a town in Syria) and stayed there till he received the reply to his letter from his friend who agreed with him in his opinion about the emergence of the Prophet ﷺ and the fact that he was a Prophet. On that, Heraclius invited all the heads of the Byzantines to assemble in his palace in Homs. When they assembled, he ordered that all the doors of his palace be closed. Then he came out and said, 'O Byzantines! If success is your desire and if you seek the right guidance and want your empire to remain then give a pledge of allegiance to this Prophet.' (On hearing the views of Heraclius) the people ran towards the gates of the palace like onagers but found the doors closed. Heraclius realized their hatred towards Islam and when he lost hope of their embracing Islam, he ordered that they should be brought back in audience. (When they returned) he said, 'What was already said was just to test the strength of your conviction and I have seen it.' The people prostrated before him and became pleased with him, and this was the end of Heraclius's story.

أَنَّ هِرَقْلَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ فِي رَكْبٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ۔ وَكَانُوا تُجَّارًا بِالشَّأْمِ فِي الْمُدَّةِ الَّتِي كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَادَّ فِيهَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ وَكُفَّارَ قُرَيْشٍ۔ فَأَتَوْهُ وَهُمْ بِإِيلِيَاءَ۔

فَدَعَاهُمْ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ وَحَوْلَهُ عُظَمَاءُ الرُّومِ ثُمَّ دَعَاهُمْ، وَدَعَا بِتَرْجُمَانِهِ۔ فَقَالَ: أَيُّكُمْ أَقْرَبُ نَسَبًا بِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ؟ فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقُلْتُ: أَنَا أَقْرَبُهُمْ نَسَبًا۔ فَقَالَ: أَدْنُوهُ مِنِّي وَقَرِّبُوا أَصْحَابَهُ فَاجْعَلُوهُمْ عِنْدَ ظَهْرِهِ۔ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ: قُلْ لَهُمْ إِنِّي سَائِلٌ هَذَا عَنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ، فَإِنْ كَذَبَنِي فَكَذِّبُوهُ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْلاَ الْحَيَاءُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْثِرُوا عَلَىَّ كَذِبًا لَكَذَبْتُ عَنْهُ۔ ثُمَّ كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا سَأَلَنِي عَنْهُ أَنْ

(١) قَالَ: كَيْفَ نَسَبُهُ فِيكُمْ؟ قُلْتُ: هُوَ فِينَا ذُو نَسَبٍ۔

(٢) قَالَ: فَهَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ قَطُّ قَبْلَهُ؟ قُلْتُ: لاَ۔

(٣) قَالَ: فَهَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ؟ قُلْتُ: لاَ۔

(٤) قَالَ: فَأَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ يَتَّبِعُونَهُ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ؟ فَقُلْتُ: بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ۔

(٥) قَالَ: أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ؟ قُلْتُ: بَلْ يَزِيدُونَ۔

(٦) قَالَ: فَهَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ سَخْطَةً لِدِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ؟ قُلْتُ: لاَ۔

(٧) قَالَ: فَهَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ؟ قُلْتُ: لاَ۔

(٨) قَالَ: فَهَلْ يَغْدِرُ؟ قُلْتُ: لاَ، وَنَحْنُ مِنْهُ فِي مُدَّةٍ لاَ نَدْرِي مَا هُوَ فَاعِلٌ فِيهَا۔ قَالَ: وَلَمْ تُمْكِنِّي كَلِمَةٌ أُدْخِلُ فِيهَا شَيْئًا غَيْرُ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَةِ۔

(٩) قَالَ: فَهَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ۔

(١٠) قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ كَانَ قِتَالُكُمْ إِيَّاهُ؟ قُلْتُ: الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالٌ يَنَالُ مِنَّا وَنَنَالُ مِنْهُ۔

(١١) قَالَ: مَاذَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ؟ قُلْتُ: يَقُولُ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَاتْرُكُوا مَا يَقُولُ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَيَأْمُرُنَا بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالصِّدْقِ وَالْعَفَافِ وَالصِّلَةِ۔

فَقَالَ لِلتَّرْجُمَانِ قُلْ لَهُ:

(١) سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ نَسَبِهِ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّهُ فِيكُمْ ذُو نَسَبٍ، فَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْعَثُ فِي نَسَبِ قَوْمِهَا۔

(٢) وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَالَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ، فَقُلْتُ لَوْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ قَبْلَهُ لَقُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَأْتَسِي بِقَوْلٍ قِيلَ قَبْلَهُ۔

(٣) وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ، قُلْتُ فَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَطْلُبُ مُلْكَ أَبِيهِ۔

(٧) وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ، فَقَدْ أَعْرِفُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَذَرَ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكْذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ۔

(٤) وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ اتَّبَعُوهُ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّ ضُعَفَاءَهُمُ اتَّبَعُوهُ، وَهُمْ أَتْبَاعُ الرُّسُلِ۔

(٥) وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّهُمْ يَزِيدُونَ، وَكَذَلِكَ أَمْرُ الإِيمَانِ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ۔

(٦) وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَيَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ سَخْطَةً لِدِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ، وَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ حِينَ تُخَالِطُ بَشَاشَتُهُ الْقُلُوبَ۔

(٨) وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَغْدِرُ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ، وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ لاَ تَغْدِرُ۔

(١١) وَسَأَلْتُكَ بِمَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّهُ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَيَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ الأَوْثَانِ وَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالصِّدْقِ وَالْعَفَافِ، فَإِنْ كَانَ مَا تَقُولُ حَقًّا فَسَيَمْلِكُ مَوْضِعَ قَدَمَىَّ هَاتَيْنِ، وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ خَارِجٌ لَمْ أَكُنْ أَظُنُّ أَنَّهُ مِنْكُمْ، فَلَوْ أَنِّي أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أَخْلُصُ إِلَيْهِ لَتَجَشَّمْتُ لِقَاءَهُ، وَلَوْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهُ لَغَسَلْتُ عَنْ قَدَمِهِ۔

ثُمَّ دَعَا بِكِتَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الَّذِي بَعَثَ بِهِ دِحْيَةُ إِلَى عَظِيمِ بُصْرَى فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ فَقَرَأَهُ فَإِذَا فِيهِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ سَلاَمٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ بِدِعَايَةِ الإِسْلاَمِ أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ إِثْمَ الأَرِيسِيِّينَ وَ{يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَنْ لاَ نَعْبُدَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ وَلاَ نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ}

قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَلَمَّا قَالَ مَا قَالَ وَفَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ الْكِتَابِ كَثُرَ عِنْدَهُ الصَّخَبُ وَارْتَفَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ وَأُخْرِجْنَا فَقُلْتُ لأَصْحَابِي حِينَ أُخْرِجْنَا لَقَدْ أَمِرَ أَمْرُ ابْنِ أَبِي كَبْشَةَ إِنَّهُ يَخَافُهُ مَلِكُ بَنِي الأَصْفَرِ فَمَا زِلْتُ مُوقِنًا أَنَّهُ سَيَظْهَرُ حَتَّى أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ الإِسْلاَمَ۔وَكَانَ ابْنُ النَّاظُورِ صَاحِبُ إِيلِيَاءَ وَهِرَقْلَ سُقُفًّا عَلَى نَصَارَى الشَّأْمِ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ هِرَقْلَ حِينَ قَدِمَ إِيلِيَاءَ أَصْبَحَ يَوْمًا خَبِيثَ النَّفْسِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُ بَطَارِقَتِهِ قَدِ اسْتَنْكَرْنَا هَيْئَتَكَ قَالَ ابْنُ النَّاظُورِ وَكَانَ هِرَقْلُ حَزَّاءً يَنْظُرُ فِي النُّجُومِ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ حِينَ سَأَلُوهُ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ اللَّيْلَةَ حِينَ نَظَرْتُ فِي النُّجُومِ مَلِكَ الْخِتَانِ قَدْ ظَهَرَ فَمَنْ يَخْتَتِنُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ قَالُوا لَيْسَ يَخْتَتِنُ إِلاَّ الْيَهُودُ فَلاَ يُهِمَّنَّكَ شَأْنُهُمْ وَاكْتُبْ إِلَى مَدَايِنِ مُلْكِكَ فَيَقْتُلُوا مَنْ فِيهِمْ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِهِمْ أُتِيَ هِرَقْلُ بِرَجُلٍ أَرْسَلَ بِهِ مَلِكُ غَسَّانَ يُخْبِرُ عَنْ خَبَرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمَّا اسْتَخْبَرَهُ هِرَقْلُ قَالَ اذْهَبُوا فَانْظُرُوا أَمُخْتَتِنٌ هُوَ أَمْ لاَ فَنَظَرُوا إِلَيْهِ فَحَدَّثُوهُ أَنَّهُ مُخْتَتِنٌ وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْعَرَبِ فَقَالَ هُمْ يَخْتَتِنُونَ فَقَالَ هِرَقْلُ هَذَا مَلِكُ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ قَدْ ظَهَرَ ثُمَّ كَتَبَ هِرَقْلُ إِلَى صَاحِبٍ لَهُ بِرُومِيَةَ وَكَانَ نَظِيرَهُ فِي الْعِلْمِ وَسَارَ هِرَقْلُ إِلَى حِمْصَ فَلَمْ يَرِمْ حِمْصَ حَتَّى أَتَاهُ كِتَابٌ مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ يُوَافِقُ رَأْىَ هِرَقْلَ عَلَى خُرُوجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَأَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَأَذِنَ هِرَقْلُ لِعُظَمَاءِ الرُّومِ فِي دَسْكَرَةٍ لَهُ بِحِمْصَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِأَبْوَابِهَا فَغُلِّقَتْ ثُمَّ اطَّلَعَ فَقَالَ يَا مَعْشَرَ الرُّومِ هَلْ لَكُمْ فِي الْفَلاَحِ وَالرُّشْدِ وَأَنْ يَثْبُتَ مُلْكُكُمْ فَتُبَايِعُوا هَذَا النَّبِيَّ فَحَاصُوا حَيْصَةَ حُمُرِ الْوَحْشِ إِلَى الأَبْوَابِ فَوَجَدُوهَا قَدْ غُلِّقَتْ فَلَمَّا رَأَى هِرَقْلُ نَفْرَتَهُمْ وَأَيِسَ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ قَالَ رُدُّوهُمْ عَلَىَّ وَقَالَ إِنِّي قُلْتُ مَقَالَتِي آنِفًا أَخْتَبِرُ بِهَا شِدَّتَكُمْ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ فَسَجَدُوا لَهُ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ آخِرَ شَأْنِ هِرَقْلَ رَوَاهُ صَالِحُ بْنُ كَيْسَانَ وَيُونُسُ وَمَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ

Whenever the Prophet ﷺ finished the (morning) prayer, he would face us and ask, "Who amongst you had a dream last night?" So if anyone had seen a dream he would narrate it. The Prophet ﷺ would say: "Ma sha'a-llah" (An Arabic maxim meaning literally, 'What Allah wished,' and it indicates a good omen.) One day, he asked us whether anyone of us had seen a dream. We replied in the negative. The Prophet said, "But I had seen (a dream) last night that two men came to me, caught hold of my hands, and took me to the Sacred Land (Jerusalem). There, I saw a person sitting and another standing with an iron hook in his hand pushing it inside the mouth of the former till it reached the jawbone, and then tore off one side of his cheek, and then did the same with the other side; in the meantime the first side of his cheek became normal again and then he repeated the same operation again. I said, 'What is this?' They told me to proceed on and we went on till we came to a man Lying flat on his back, and another man standing at his head carrying a stone or a piece of rock, and crushing the head of the Lying man, with that stone. Whenever he struck him, the stone rolled away. The man went to pick it up and by the time he returned to him, the crushed head had returned to its normal state and the man came back and struck him again (and so on). I said, 'Who is this?' They told me to proceed on; so we proceeded on and passed by a hole like an oven; with a narrow top and wide bottom, and the fire was kindling underneath that hole. Whenever the fire-flame went up, the people were lifted up to such an extent that they about to get out of it, and whenever the fire got quieter, the people went down into it, and there were naked men and women in it. I said, 'Who is this?' They told me to proceed on. So we proceeded on till we reached a river of blood and a man was in it, and another man was standing at its bank with stones in front of him, facing the man standing in the river. Whenever the man in the river wanted to come out, the other one threw a stone in his mouth and caused him to retreat to his original position; and so whenever he wanted to come out the other would throw a stone in his mouth, and he would retreat to his original position. I asked, 'What is this?' They told me to proceed on and we did so till we reached a well-flourished green garden having a huge tree and near its root was sitting an old man with some children. (I saw) Another man near the tree with fire in front of him and he was kindling it up. Then they (i.e. my two companions) made me climb up the tree and made me enter a house, better than which I have ever seen. In it were some old men and young men, women and children. Then they took me out of this house and made me climb up the tree and made me enter another house that was better and superior (to the first) containing old and young people. I said to them (i.e. my two companions), 'You have made me ramble all the night. Tell me all about that I have seen.' They said, 'Yes. As for the one whose cheek you saw being torn away, he was a liar and he used to tell lies, and the people would report those lies on his authority till they spread all over the world. So, he will be punished like that till the Day of Resurrection. The one whose head you saw being crushed is the one whom Allah had given the knowledge of Qur'an (i.e. knowing it by heart) but he used to sleep at night (i.e. he did not recite it then) and did not use to act upon it (i.e. upon its orders etc.) by day; and so this punishment will go on till the Day of Resurrection. And those you saw in the hole (like oven) were adulterers (those men and women who commit illegal sexual intercourse). And those you saw in the river of blood were those dealing in Riba (usury). And the old man who was sitting at the base of the tree was Abraham and the little children around him were the offspring of the people. And the one who was kindling the fire was Malik, the gatekeeper of the Hell-fire. And the first house in which you have gone was the house of the common believers, and the second house was of the martyrs. I am Gabriel and this is Michael. Raise your head.' I raised my head and saw a thing like a cloud over me. They said, 'That is your place.' I said, 'Let me enter my place.' They said, 'You still have some life which you have not yet completed, and when you complete (that remaining portion of your life) you will then enter your place.' "  

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلاَةً أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا بِوَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ رُؤْيَا قَالَ فَإِنْ رَأَى أَحَدٌ قَصَّهَا فَيَقُولُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ فَسَأَلَنَا يَوْمًا فَقَالَ هَلْ رَأَى أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ رُؤْيَا قُلْنَا لاَ قَالَ لَكِنِّي رَأَيْتُ اللَّيْلَةَ رَجُلَيْنِ أَتَيَانِي فَأَخَذَا بِيَدِي فَأَخْرَجَانِي إِلَى الأَرْضِ الْمُقَدَّسَةِ فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ جَالِسٌ وَرَجُلٌ قَائِمٌ بِيَدِهِ كَلُّوبٌ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ قَالَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ مُوسَى إِنَّهُ يُدْخِلُ ذَلِكَ الْكَلُّوبَ فِي شِدْقِهِ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ قَفَاهُ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ بِشِدْقِهِ الآخَرِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَيَلْتَئِمُ شِدْقُهُ هَذَا فَيَعُودُ فَيَصْنَعُ مِثْلَهُ قُلْتُ مَا هَذَا قَالاَ انْطَلِقْ فَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا عَلَى رَجُلٍ مُضْطَجِعٍ عَلَى قَفَاهُ وَرَجُلٌ قَائِمٌ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ بِفِهْرٍ أَوْ صَخْرَةٍ فَيَشْدَخُ بِهِ رَأْسَهُ فَإِذَا ضَرَبَهُ تَدَهْدَهَ الْحَجَرُ فَانْطَلَقَ إِلَيْهِ لِيَأْخُذَهُ فَلاَ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى هَذَا حَتَّى يَلْتَئِمَ رَأْسُهُ وَعَادَ رَأْسُهُ كَمَا هُوَ فَعَادَ إِلَيْهِ فَضَرَبَهُ قُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا قَالاَ انْطَلِقْ فَانْطَلَقْنَا إِلَى ثَقْبٍ مِثْلِ التَّنُّورِ أَعْلاَهُ ضَيِّقٌ وَأَسْفَلُهُ وَاسِعٌ يَتَوَقَّدُ تَحْتَهُ نَارًا فَإِذَا اقْتَرَبَ ارْتَفَعُوا حَتَّى كَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا فَإِذَا خَمَدَتْ رَجَعُوا فِيهَا وَفِيهَا رِجَالٌ وَنِسَاءٌ عُرَاةٌ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا قَالاَ انْطَلِقْ فَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا عَلَى نَهَرٍ مِنْ دَمٍ فِيهِ رَجُلٌ قَائِمٌ عَلَى وَسَطِ النَّهَرِ رَجُلٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ حِجَارَةٌ فَأَقْبَلَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي فِي النَّهَرِ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ رَمَى الرَّجُلُ بِحَجَرٍ فِي فِيهِ فَرَدَّهُ حَيْثُ كَانَ فَجَعَلَ كُلَّمَا جَاءَ لِيَخْرُجَ رَمَى فِي فِيهِ بِحَجَرٍ فَيَرْجِعُ كَمَا كَانَ فَقُلْتُ مَا هَذَا قَالاَ انْطَلِقْ فَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى رَوْضَةٍ خَضْرَاءَ فِيهَا شَجَرَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ وَفِي أَصْلِهَا شَيْخٌ وَصِبْيَانٌ وَإِذَا رَجُلٌ قَرِيبٌ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ نَارٌ يُوقِدُهَا فَصَعِدَا بِي فِي الشَّجَرَةِ وَأَدْخَلاَنِي دَارًا لَمْ أَرَ قَطُّ أَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا فِيهَا رِجَالٌ شُيُوخٌ وَشَبَابٌ وَنِسَاءٌ وَصِبْيَانٌ ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَانِي مِنْهَا فَصَعِدَا بِي الشَّجَرَةَ فَأَدْخَلاَنِي دَارًا هِيَ أَحْسَنُ وَأَفْضَلُ فِيهَا شُيُوخٌ وَشَبَابٌ قُلْتُ طَوَّفْتُمَانِي اللَّيْلَةَ فَأَخْبِرَانِي عَمَّا رَأَيْتُ قَالاَ نَعَمْ أَمَّا الَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ يُشَقُّ شِدْقُهُ فَكَذَّابٌ يُحَدِّثُ بِالْكَذْبَةِ فَتُحْمَلُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ الآفَاقَ فَيُصْنَعُ بِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَالَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ يُشْدَخُ رَأْسُهُ فَرَجُلٌ عَلَّمَهُ اللَّهُ الْقُرْآنَ فَنَامَ عَنْهُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَلَمْ يَعْمَلْ فِيهِ بِالنَّهَارِ يُفْعَلُ بِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَالَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ فِي الثَّقْبِ فَهُمُ الزُّنَاةُ وَالَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ فِي النَّهَرِ آكِلُو الرِّبَا وَالشَّيْخُ فِي أَصْلِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَالصِّبْيَانُ حَوْلَهُ فَأَوْلاَدُ النَّاسِ وَالَّذِي يُوقِدُ النَّارَ مَالِكٌ خَازِنُ النَّارِ وَالدَّارُ الأُولَى الَّتِي دَخَلْتَ دَارُ عَامَّةِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَمَّا هَذِهِ الدَّارُ فَدَارُ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَأَنَا جِبْرِيلُ وَهَذَا مِيكَائِيلُ فَارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَإِذَا فَوْقِي مِثْلُ السَّحَابِ قَالاَ ذَاكَ مَنْزِلُكَ قُلْتُ دَعَانِي أَدْخُلْ مَنْزِلِي قَالاَ إِنَّهُ بَقِيَ لَكَ عُمْرٌ لَمْ تَسْتَكْمِلْهُ فَلَوِ اسْتَكْمَلْتَ أَتَيْتَ مَنْزِلَكَ  

I had been eager to ask ʿUmar about the two ladies from among the wives of the Prophet ﷺ regarding whom Allah said (in the Qur'an saying): If you two (wives of the Prophet ﷺ namely Aisha and Hafsa) turn in repentance to Allah your hearts are indeed so inclined (to oppose what the Prophet ﷺ likes) (66.4), till performed the Hajj along with ʿUmar (and on our way back from Hajj) he went aside (to answer the call of nature) and I also went aside along with him carrying a tumbler of water. When he had answered the call of nature and returned. I poured water on his hands from the tumbler and he performed ablution. I said, "O Chief of the believers! ' Who were the two ladies from among the wives of the Prophet ﷺ to whom Allah said: 'If you two return in repentance (66.4)? He said, "I am astonished at your question, O Ibn ʿAbbas. They were Aisha and Hafsa." Then ʿUmar went on relating the narration and said. "I and an Ansari neighbor of mine from Bani Umaiya bin Zaid who used to live in ʿAwali Al-Medina, used to visit the Prophet ﷺ in turns. He used to go one day, and I another day. When I went I would bring him the news of what had happened that day regarding the instructions and orders and when he went, he used to do the same for me. We, the people of Quraish, used to have authority over women, but when we came to live with the Ansar, we noticed that the Ansari women had the upper hand over their men, so our women started acquiring the habits of the Ansari women. Once I shouted at my wife and she paid me back in my coin and I disliked that she should answer me back. She said, 'Why do you take it ill that I retort upon you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet ﷺ retort upon him, and some of them may not speak with him for the whole day till night.' What she said scared me and I said to her, 'Whoever amongst them does so, will be a great loser.' Then I dressed myself and went to Hafsa and asked her, 'Does any of you keep Messenger of Allah ﷺ angry all the day long till night?' She replied in the affirmative. I said, 'She is a ruined losing person (and will never have success)! Doesn't she fear that Allah may get angry for the anger of Messenger of Allah ﷺ and thus she will be ruined? Don't ask Messenger of Allah ﷺ too many things, and don't retort upon him in any case, and don't desert him. Demand from me whatever you like, and don't be tempted to imitate your neighbor (i.e. ʿAisha) in her behavior towards the Prophet), for she (i.e. Aisha) is more beautiful than you, and more beloved to Messenger of Allah ﷺ. In those days it was rumored that Ghassan, (a tribe living in Sham) was getting prepared their horses to invade us. My companion went (to the Prophet ﷺ on the day of his turn, went and returned to us at night and knocked at my door violently, asking whether I was sleeping. I was scared (by the hard knocking) and came out to him. He said that a great thing had happened. I asked him: What is it? Have Ghassan come? He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, and added that Allah's Apostle had divorced all his wives. I said, Hafsa is a ruined loser! I expected that would happen some day.' So I dressed myself and offered the Fajr prayer with the Prophet. Then the Prophet ﷺ entered an upper room and stayed there alone. I went to Hafsa and found her weeping. I asked her, 'Why are you weeping? Didn't I warn you? Have Messenger of Allah ﷺ divorced you all?' She replied, 'I don't know. He is there in the upper room.' I then went out and came to the pulpit and found a group of people around it and some of them were weeping. Then I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the situation. So I went to the upper room where the Prophet ﷺ was and requested to a black slave of his: "Will you get the permission of (Allah's Apostle) for ʿUmar (to enter)? The slave went in, talked to the Prophet ﷺ about it and came out saying, 'I mentioned you to him but he did not reply.' So, I went and sat with the people who were sitting by the pulpit, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the slave again and said: "Will you get he permission for ʿUmar? He went in and brought the same reply as before. When I was leaving, behold, the slave called me saying, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ has granted you permission." So, I entered upon the Prophet and saw him lying on a mat without wedding on it, and the mat had left its mark on the body of the Prophet, and he was leaning on a leather pillow stuffed with palm fires. I greeted him and while still standing, I said: "Have you divorced your wives?' He raised his eyes to me and replied in the negative. And then while still standing, I said chatting: "Will you heed what I say, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! We, the people of Quraish used to have the upper hand over our women (wives), and when we came to the people whose women had the upper hand over them..." ʿUmar told the whole story (about his wife). "On that the Prophet ﷺ smiled." ʿUmar further said, "I then said, 'I went to Hafsa and said to her: Do not be tempted to imitate your companion (ʿAisha) for she is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Prophet.' The Prophet ﷺ smiled again. When I saw him smiling, I sat down and cast a glance at the room, and by Allah, I couldn't see anything of importance but three hides. I said (to Messenger of Allah ﷺ) "Invoke Allah to make your followers prosperous for the Persians and the Byzantines have been made prosperous and given worldly luxuries, though they do not worship Allah?' The Prophet ﷺ was leaning then (and on hearing my speech he sat straight) and said, 'O Ibn Al-Khattab! Do you have any doubt (that the Hereafter is better than this world)? These people have been given rewards of their good deeds in this world only.' I asked the Prophet ﷺ . 'Please ask Allah's forgiveness for me. The Prophet ﷺ did not go to his wives because of the secret which Hafsa had disclosed to ʿAisha, and he said that he would not go to his wives for one month as he was angry with them when Allah admonished him (for his oath that he would not approach Maria). When twenty-nine days had passed, the Prophet ﷺ went to Aisha first of all. She said to him, 'You took an oath that you would not come to us for one month, and today only twenty-nine days have passed, as I have been counting them day by day.' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The month is also of twenty-nine days.' That month consisted of twenty-nine days. ʿAisha said, 'When the Divine revelation of Choice was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ started with me, saying to me, 'I am telling you something, but you need not hurry to give the reply till you can consult your parents." ʿAisha knew that her parents would not advise her to part with the Prophet ﷺ . The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah had said: 'O Prophet! Say To your wives; If you desire The life of this world And its glitter, ... then come! I will make a provision for you and set you free In a handsome manner. But if you seek Allah And His Apostle, and The Home of the Hereafter, then Verily, Allah has prepared For the good-doers amongst you A great reward.' (33.28) ʿAisha said, 'Am I to consult my parents about this? I indeed prefer Allah, His Apostle, and the Home of the Hereafter.' After that the Prophet ﷺ gave the choice to his other wives and they also gave the same reply as ʿAisha did."  

لَمْ أَزَلْ حَرِيصًا عَلَى أَنْ أَسْأَلَ عُمَرَ ؓ عَنِ الْمَرْأَتَيْنِ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ اللَّتَيْنِ قَالَ اللَّهُ لَهُمَا {إِنْ تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا} فَحَجَجْتُ مَعَهُ فَعَدَلَ وَعَدَلْتُ مَعَهُ بِالإِدَاوَةِ فَتَبَرَّزَ حَتَّى جَاءَ فَسَكَبْتُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الإِدَاوَةِ فَتَوَضَّأَ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَنِ الْمَرْأَتَانِ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ اللَّتَانِ قَالَ لَهُمَا {إِنْ تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ} فَقَالَ وَاعَجَبِي لَكَ يَا ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ عَائِشَةُ وَحَفْصَةُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبَلَ عُمَرُ الْحَدِيثَ يَسُوقُهُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ وَجَارٌ لِي مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فِي بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ وَهْىَ مِنْ عَوَالِي الْمَدِينَةِ وَكُنَّا نَتَنَاوَبُ النُّزُولَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَيَنْزِلُ يَوْمًا وَأَنْزِلُ يَوْمًا فَإِذَا نَزَلْتُ جِئْتُهُ مِنْ خَبَرِ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ مِنَ الأَمْرِ وَغَيْرِهِ وَإِذَا نَزَلَ فَعَلَ مِثْلَهُ وَكُنَّا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ نَغْلِبُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمْنَا عَلَى الأَنْصَارِ إِذَا هُمْ قَوْمٌ تَغْلِبُهُمْ نِسَاؤُهُمْ فَطَفِقَ نِسَاؤُنَا يَأْخُذْنَ مِنْ أَدَبِ نِسَاءِ الأَنْصَارِ فَصِحْتُ عَلَى امْرَأَتِي فَرَاجَعَتْنِي فَأَنْكَرْتُ أَنْ تُرَاجِعَنِي فَقَالَتْ وَلِمَ تُنْكِرُ أَنْ أُرَاجِعَكَ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ أَزْوَاجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ لَيُرَاجِعْنَهُ وَإِنَّ إِحْدَاهُنَّ لَتَهْجُرُهُ الْيَوْمَ حَتَّى اللَّيْلِ فَأَفْزَعَنِي فَقُلْتُ خَابَتْ مَنْ فَعَلَ مِنْهُنَّ بِعَظِيمٍ ثُمَّ جَمَعْتُ عَلَىَّ ثِيَابِي فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى حَفْصَةَ فَقُلْتُ أَىْ حَفْصَةُ أَتُغَاضِبُ إِحْدَاكُنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْيَوْمَ حَتَّى اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَتْ نَعَمْ فَقُلْتُ خَابَتْ وَخَسِرَتْ أَفَتَأْمَنُ أَنْ يَغْضَبَ اللَّهُ لِغَضَبِ رَسُولِهِ ﷺ فَتَهْلِكِينَ لاَ تَسْتَكْثِرِي عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلاَ تُرَاجِعِيهِ فِي شَىْءٍ وَلاَ تَهْجُرِيهِ وَاسْأَلِينِي مَا بَدَا لَكِ وَلاَ يَغُرَّنَّكِ أَنْ كَانَتْ جَارَتُكِ هِيَ أَوْضَأَ مِنْكِ وَأَحَبَّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرِيدُ عَائِشَةَ وَكُنَّا تَحَدَّثْنَا أَنَّ غَسَّانَ تُنْعِلُ النِّعَالَ لِغَزْوِنَا فَنَزَلَ صَاحِبِي يَوْمَ نَوْبَتِهِ فَرَجَعَ عِشَاءً فَضَرَبَ بَابِي ضَرْبًا شَدِيدًا وَقَالَ أَنَائِمٌ هُوَ فَفَزِعْتُ فَخَرَجْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَقَالَ حَدَثَ أَمْرٌ عَظِيمٌ قُلْتُ مَا هُوَ أَجَاءَتْ غَسَّانُ قَالَ لاَ بَلْ أَعْظَمُ مِنْهُ وَأَطْوَلُ طَلَّقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ نِسَاءَهُ قَالَ قَدْ خَابَتْ حَفْصَةُ وَخَسِرَتْ كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ هَذَا يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَكُونَ فَجَمَعْتُ عَلَىَّ ثِيَابِي فَصَلَّيْتُ صَلاَةَ الْفَجْرِ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَدَخَلَ مَشْرُبَةً لَهُ فَاعْتَزَلَ فِيهَا فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى حَفْصَةَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَبْكِي قُلْتُ مَا يُبْكِيكِ أَوَلَمْ أَكُنْ حَذَّرْتُكِ أَطَلَّقَكُنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ لاَ أَدْرِي هُوَ ذَا فِي الْمَشْرُبَةِ فَخَرَجْتُ فَجِئْتُ الْمِنْبَرَ فَإِذَا حَوْلَهُ رَهْطٌ يَبْكِي بَعْضُهُمْ فَجَلَسْتُ مَعَهُمْ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ غَلَبَنِي مَا أَجِدُ فَجِئْتُ الْمَشْرُبَةَ الَّتِي هُوَ فِيهَا فَقُلْتُ لِغُلاَمٍ لَهُ أَسْوَدَ اسْتَأْذِنْ لِعُمَرَ فَدَخَلَ فَكَلَّمَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَقَالَ ذَكَرْتُكَ لَهُ فَصَمَتَ فَانْصَرَفْتُ حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ مَعَ الرَّهْطِ الَّذِينَ عِنْدَ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ غَلَبَنِي مَا أَجِدُ فَجِئْتُ فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ فَجَلَسْتُ مَعَ الرَّهْطِ الَّذِينَ عِنْدَ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ غَلَبَنِي مَا أَجِدُ فَجِئْتُ الْغُلاَمَ فَقُلْتُ اسْتَأْذِنْ لِعُمَرَ فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ فَلَمَّا وَلَّيْتُ مُنْصَرِفًا فَإِذَا الْغُلاَمُ يَدْعُونِي قَالَ أَذِنَ لَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ مُضْطَجِعٌ عَلَى رِمَالِ حَصِيرٍ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُ فِرَاشٌ قَدْ أَثَّرَ الرِّمَالُ بِجَنْبِهِ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى وِسَادَةٍ مِنْ أَدَمٍ حَشْوُهَا لِيفٌ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ وَأَنَا قَائِمٌ طَلَّقْتَ نِسَاءَكَ فَرَفَعَ بَصَرَهُ إِلَىَّ فَقَالَ لاَ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ وَأَنَا قَائِمٌ أَسْتَأْنِسُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَوْ رَأَيْتَنِي وَكُنَّا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ نَغْلِبُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمْنَا عَلَى قَوْمٍ تَغْلِبُهُمْ نِسَاؤُهُمْ فَذَكَرَهُ فَتَبَسَّمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَوْ رَأَيْتَنِي وَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى حَفْصَةَ فَقُلْتُ لاَ يَغُرَّنَّكِ أَنْ كَانَتْ جَارَتُكِ هِيَ أَوْضَأَ مِنْكِ وَأَحَبَّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يُرِيدُ عَائِشَةَ فَتَبَسَّمَ أُخْرَى فَجَلَسْتُ حِينَ رَأَيْتُهُ تَبَسَّمَ ثُمَّ رَفَعْتُ بَصَرِي فِي بَيْتِهِ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُ فِيهِ شَيْئًا يَرُدُّ الْبَصَرَ غَيْرَ أَهَبَةٍ ثَلاَثَةٍ فَقُلْتُ ادْعُ اللَّهَ فَلْيُوَسِّعْ عَلَى أُمَّتِكَ فَإِنَّ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومَ وُسِّعَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأُعْطُوا الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ لاَ يَعْبُدُونَ اللَّهَ وَكَانَ مُتَّكِئًا فَقَالَ أَوَفِي شَكٍّ أَنْتَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ أُولَئِكَ قَوْمٌ عُجِّلَتْ لَهُمْ طَيِّبَاتُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اسْتَغْفِرْ لِي فَاعْتَزَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ الْحَدِيثِ حِينَ أَفْشَتْهُ حَفْصَةُ إِلَى عَائِشَةَ وَكَانَ قَدْ قَالَ مَا أَنَا بِدَاخِلٍ عَلَيْهِنَّ شَهْرًا مِنْ شِدَّةِ مَوْجَدَتِهِ عَلَيْهِنَّ حِينَ عَاتَبَهُ اللَّهُ فَلَمَّا مَضَتْ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ دَخَلَ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَبَدَأَ بِهَا فَقَالَتْ لَهُ عَائِشَةُ إِنَّكَ أَقْسَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ تَدْخُلَ عَلَيْنَا شَهْرًا وَإِنَّا أَصْبَحْنَا لِتِسْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً أَعُدُّهَا عَدًّا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ الشَّهْرُ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ الشَّهْرُ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَأُنْزِلَتْ آيَةُ التَّخْيِيرِ فَبَدَأَ بِي أَوَّلَ امْرَأَةٍ فَقَالَ إِنِّي ذَاكِرٌ لَكِ أَمْرًا وَلاَ عَلَيْكِ أَنْ لاَ تَعْجَلِي حَتَّى تَسْتَأْمِرِي أَبَوَيْكِ قَالَتْ قَدْ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ أَبَوَىَّ لَمْ يَكُونَا يَأْمُرَانِي بِفِرَاقِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ {يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لأَزْوَاجِكَ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ { عَظِيمًا} قُلْتُ أَفِي هَذَا أَسْتَأْمِرُ أَبَوَىَّ فَإِنِّي أُرِيدُ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالدَّارَ الآخِرَةَ ثُمَّ خَيَّرَ نِسَاءَهُ فَقُلْنَ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ  

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

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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ فَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ فَقُلْتُ ائْذَنْ لِي إِلَى أَبَوَىَّ قَالَتْ وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا فَأَذِنَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أُبَىٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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 قَالَتْ فَبَيْنَا هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي إِذِ اسْتَأْذَنَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَجَلَسَ وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مِنْ يَوْمِ قِيلَ فِيَّ مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا وَقَدْ مَكُثَ شَهْرًا لاَ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَأْنِي شَىْءٌ قَالَتْ 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 ﷺ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً وَقُلْتُ لأَبِي أَجِبْ عَنِّي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لأُمِّي أَجِيبِي عَنِّي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِيمَا قَالَ قَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا أَنْ قَالَ لِي يَا عَائِشَةُ احْمَدِي اللَّهَ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ اللَّهُ فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي قُومِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ؓ 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 ﷺ 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  

(whose narrations attest each other) Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out at the time of Al-Hudaibiya (treaty), and when they proceeded for a distance, he said, "Khalid bin Al-Walid leading the cavalry of Quraish constituting the front of the army, is at a place called Al-Ghamim, so take the way on the right." By Allah, Khalid did not perceive the arrival of the Muslims till the dust arising from the march of the Muslim army reached him, and then he turned back hurriedly to inform Quraish. The Prophet ﷺ went on advancing till he reached the Thaniya (i.e. a mountainous way) through which one would go to them (i.e. people of Quraish). The she-camel of the Prophet ﷺ sat down. The people tried their best to cause the she-camel to get up but in vain, so they said, "Al-Qaswa' (i.e. the she-camel's name) has become stubborn! Al-Qaswa' has become stubborn!" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Al-Qaswa' has not become stubborn, for stubbornness is not her habit, but she was stopped by Him Who stopped the elephant." Then he said, "By the Name of Him in Whose Hands my soul is, if they (i.e. the Quraish infidels) ask me anything which will respect the ordinances of Allah, I will grant it to them." The Prophet ﷺ then rebuked the she-camel and she got up. The Prophet ﷺ changed his way till he dismounted at the farthest end of Al-Hudaibiya at a pit (i.e. well) containing a little water which the people used in small amounts, and in a short while the people used up all its water and complained to Messenger of Allah ﷺ; of thirst. The Prophet ﷺ took an arrow out of his arrow-case and ordered them to put the arrow in that pit. By Allah, the water started and continued sprouting out till all the people quenched their thirst and returned with satisfaction. While they were still in that state, Budail bin Warqa-al- Khuzaʿi came with some persons from his tribe Khuzaʿa and they were the advisers of Messenger of Allah ﷺ who would keep no secret from him and were from the people of Tihama. Budail said, "I left Kaʿb bin Luai and 'Amir bin Luai residing at the profuse water of Al-Hudaibiya and they had milch camels (or their women and children) with them, and will wage war against you, and will prevent you from visiting the Kaʿba." Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "We have not come to fight anyone, but to perform the ʿUmra. No doubt, the war has weakened Quraish and they have suffered great losses, so if they wish, I will conclude a truce with them, during which they should refrain from interfering between me and the people (i.e. the 'Arab infidels other than Quraish), and if I have victory over those infidels, Quraish will have the option to embrace Islam as the other people do, if they wish; they will at least get strong enough to fight. But if they do not accept the truce, by Allah in Whose Hands my life is, I will fight with them defending my Cause till I get killed, but (I am sure) Allah will definitely make His Cause victorious." Budail said, "I will inform them of what you have said." So, he set off till he reached Quraish and said, "We have come from that man (i.e. Muhammad) whom we heard saying something which we will disclose to you if you should like." Some of the fools among Quraish shouted that they were not in need of this information, but the wiser among them said, "Relate what you heard him saying." Budail said, "I heard him saying so-and-so," relating what the Prophet ﷺ had told him. ʿUrwa bin Masʿud got up and said, "O people! Aren't you the sons? They said, "Yes." He added, "Am I not the father?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Do you mistrust me?" They said, "No." He said, "Don't you know that I invited the people of ʿUkaz for your help, and when they refused I brought my relatives and children and those who obeyed me (to help you)?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Well, this man (i.e. the Prophet) has offered you a reasonable proposal, you'd better accept it and allow me to meet him." They said, "You may meet him." So, he went to the Prophet ﷺ and started talking to him. The Prophet ﷺ told him almost the same as he had told Budail. Then ʿUrwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, Abu Bakr abused him and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet ﷺ alone?" ʿUrwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." ʿUrwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." ʿUrwa kept on talking to the Prophet ﷺ and seizing the Prophet's beard as he was talking while Al-Mughira bin Shuʿba was standing near the head of the Prophet, holding a sword and wearing a helmet. Whenever ʿUrwa stretched his hand towards the beard of the Prophet, Al-Mughira would hit his hand with the handle of the sword and say (to ʿUrwa), "Remove your hand from the beard of Messenger of Allah ﷺ." ʿUrwa raised his head and asked, "Who is that?" The people said, "He is Al-Mughira bin Shuʿba." ʿUrwa said, "O treacherous! Am I not doing my best to prevent evil consequences of your treachery?" Before embracing Islam Al-Mughira was in the company of some people. He killed them and took their property and came (to Medina) to embrace Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said (to him, "As regards your Islam, I accept it, but as for the property I do not take anything of it. (As it was taken through treason). ʿUrwa then started looking at the Companions of the Prophet. By Allah, whenever Messenger of Allah ﷺ spat, the spittle would fall in the hand of one of them (i.e. the Prophet's companions) who would rub it on his face and skin; if he ordered them they would carry his orders immediately; if he performed ablution, they would struggle to take the remaining water; and when they spoke to him, they would lower their voices and would not look at his face constantly out of respect. ʿUrwa returned to his people and said, "O people! By Allah, I have been to the kings and to Caesar, Khosrau and An- Najashi, yet I have never seen any of them respected by his courtiers as much as Muhammad is respected by his companions. By Allah, if he spat, the spittle would fall in the hand of one of them (i.e. the Prophet's companions) who would rub it on his face and skin; if he ordered them, they would carry out his order immediately; if he performed ablution, they would struggle to take the remaining water; and when they spoke, they would lower their voices and would not look at his face constantly out of respect." ʿUrwa added, "No doubt, he has presented to you a good reasonable offer, so please accept it." A man from the tribe of Bani Kinana said, "Allow me to go to him," and they allowed him, and when he approached the Prophet and his companions, Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "He is so-and-so who belongs to the tribe that respects the Budn (i.e. camels of the sacrifice). So, bring the Budn in front of him." So, the Budn were brought before him and the people received him while they were reciting Talbiya. When he saw that scene, he said, "Glorified be Allah! It is not fair to prevent these people from visiting the Kaʿba." When he returned to his people, he said, 'I saw the Budn garlanded (with colored knotted ropes) and marked (with stabs on their backs). I do not think it is advisable to prevent them from visiting the Kaʿba." Another person called Mikraz bin Hafs got up and sought their permission to go to Muhammad, and they allowed him, too. When he approached the Muslims, the Prophet ﷺ said, "Here is Mikraz and he is a vicious man." Mikraz started talking to the Prophet and as he was talking, Suhail bin ʿAmr came. When Suhail bin ʿAmr came, the Prophet ﷺ said, "Now the matter has become easy." Suhail said to the Prophet "Please conclude a peace treaty with us." So, the Prophet ﷺ called the clerk and said to him, "Write: By the Name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful." Suhail said, "As for 'Beneficent,' by Allah, I do not know what it means. So write: By Your Name O Allah, as you used to write previously." The Muslims said, "By Allah, we will not write except: By the Name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Write: By Your Name O Allah." Then he dictated, "This is the peace treaty which Muhammad, Messenger of Allah ﷺ has concluded." Suhail said, "By Allah, if we knew that you are Messenger of Allah ﷺ we would not prevent you from visiting the Kaʿba, and would not fight with you. So, write: "Muhammad bin ʿAbdullah." The Prophet ﷺ said, "By Allah! I am Apostle of Allah even if you people do not believe me. Write: Muhammad bin ʿAbdullah." (Az-Zuhri said, "The Prophet ﷺ accepted all those things, as he had already said that he would accept everything they would demand if it respects the ordinance of Allah, (i.e. by letting him and his companions perform ʿUmra.)" The Prophet ﷺ said to Suhail, "On the condition that you allow us to visit the House (i.e. Kaʿba) so that we may perform Tawaf around it." Suhail said, "By Allah, we will not (allow you this year) so as not to give chance to the 'Arabs to say that we have yielded to you, but we will allow you next year." So, the Prophet ﷺ got that written. Then Suhail said, "We also stipulate that you should return to us whoever comes to you from us, even if he embraced your religion." The Muslims said, "Glorified be Allah! How will such a person be returned to the pagans after he has become a Muslim? While they were in this state Abu- Jandal bin Suhail bin ʿAmr came from the valley of Mecca staggering with his fetters and fell down amongst the Muslims. Suhail said, "O Muhammad! This is the very first term with which we make peace with you, i.e. you shall return Abu Jandal to me." The Prophet ﷺ said, "The peace treaty has not been written yet." Suhail said, "I will never allow you to keep him." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Yes, do." He said, "I won't do.: Mikraz said, "We allow you (to keep him)." Abu Jandal said, "O Muslims! Will I be returned to the pagans though I have come as a Muslim? Don't you see how much I have suffered?" (continued...) (continuing... 1): -3.891:... ... Abu Jandal had been tortured severely for the Cause of Allah. ʿUmar bin Al-Khattab said, "I went to the Prophet ﷺ and said, 'Aren't you truly the Messenger of Allah?' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Yes, indeed.' I said, 'Isn't our Cause just and the cause of the enemy unjust?' He said, 'Yes.' I said, 'Then why should we be humble in our religion?' He said, 'I am Messenger of Allah ﷺ and I do not disobey Him, and He will make me victorious.' I said, 'Didn't you tell us that we would go to the Kaʿba and perform Tawaf around it?' He said, 'Yes, but did I tell you that we would visit the Kaʿba this year?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'So you will visit it and perform Tawaf around it?' " ʿUmar further said, "I went to Abu Bakr and said, 'O Abu Bakr! Isn't he truly Allah's Prophet?' He replied, 'Yes.' I said, 'Then why should we be humble in our religion?' He said, 'Indeed, he is Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he does not disobey his Lord, and He will make him victorious. Adhere to him as, by Allah, he is on the right.' I said, 'Was he not telling us that we would go to the Kaʿba and perform Tawaf around it?' He said, 'Yes, but did he tell you that you would go to the Kaʿba this year?' I said, 'No.' He said, "You will go to Kaʿba and perform Tawaf around it." (Az-Zuhri said, " ʿUmar said, 'I performed many good deeds as expiation for the improper questions I asked them.' ") When the writing of the peace treaty was concluded, Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to his companions, "Get up and' slaughter your sacrifices and get your head shaved." By Allah none of them got up, and the Prophet repeated his order thrice. When none of them got up, he left them and went to Um Salama and told her of the people's attitudes towards him. Um Salama said, "O the Prophet ﷺ of Allah! Do you want your order to be carried out? Go out and don't say a word to anybody till you have slaughtered your sacrifice and call your barber to shave your head." So, the Prophet ﷺ went out and did not talk to anyone of them till he did that, i.e. slaughtered the sacrifice and called his barber who shaved his head. Seeing that, the companions of the Prophet ﷺ got up, slaughtered their sacrifices, and started shaving the heads of one another, and there was so much rush that there was a danger of killing each other. Then some believing women came (to the Prophet ﷺ ); and Allah revealed the following Divine Verses:-- "O you who believe, when the believing women come to you as emigrants examine them . . ." (60.10) ʿUmar then divorced two wives of his who were infidels. Later on Muawiya bin Abu Sufyan married one of them, and Safwan bin Umaiya married the other. When the Prophet ﷺ returned to Medina, Abu Basir, a new Muslim convert from Quraish came to him. The Infidels sent in his pursuit two men who said (to the Prophet ﷺ ), "Abide by the promise you gave us." So, the Prophet ﷺ handed him over to them. They took him out (of the City) till they reached Dhul-Hulaifa where they dismounted to eat some dates they had with them. Abu Basir said to one of them, "By Allah, O so-and-so, I see you have a fine sword." The other drew it out (of the scabbard) and said, "By Allah, it is very fine and I have tried it many times." Abu Basir said, "Let me have a look at it." When the other gave it to him, he hit him with it till he died, and his companion ran away till he came to Medina and entered the Mosque running. When Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw him he said, "This man appears to have been frightened." When he reached the Prophet ﷺ he said, "My companion has been murdered and I would have been murdered too." Abu Basir came and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, by Allah, Allah has made you fulfill your obligations by your returning me to them (i.e. the Infidels), but Allah has saved me from them." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Woe to his mother! what excellent war kindler he would be, should he only have supporters." When Abu Basir heard that he understood that the Prophet ﷺ would return him to them again, so he set off till he reached the seashore. Abu Jandal bin Suhail got himself released from them (i.e. infidels) and joined Abu Basir. So, whenever a man from Quraish embraced Islam he would follow Abu Basir till they formed a strong group. By Allah, whenever they heard about a caravan of Quraish heading towards Sham, they stopped it and attacked and killed them (i.e. infidels) and took their properties. The people of Quraish sent a message to the Prophet ﷺ requesting him for the Sake of Allah and Kith and kin to send for (i.e. Abu Basir and his companions) promising that whoever (amongst them) came to the Prophet ﷺ would be secure. So the Prophet ﷺ sent for them (i.e. Abu Basir's companions) and Allah I revealed the following Divine Verses: "And it is He Who Has withheld their hands from you and your hands From them in the midst of Mecca, After He made you the victorious over them. ... the unbelievers had pride and haughtiness, in their hearts ... the pride and haughtiness of the time of ignorance." (48.24-26) And their pride and haughtiness was that they did not confess (write in the treaty) that he (i.e. Muhammad) was the Prophet of Allah and refused to write: "In the Name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the Most Merciful," and they (the mushriks) prevented them (the Muslims) from visiting the House (the Kaʿbah).  

خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ زَمَنَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ حَتَّى كَانُوا بِبَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنَّ خَالِدَ بْنَ الْوَلِيدِ بِالْغَمِيمِ فِي خَيْلٍ لِقُرَيْشٍ طَلِيعَةً فَخُذُوا ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا شَعَرَ بِهِمْ خَالِدٌ حَتَّى إِذَا هُمْ بِقَتَرَةِ الْجَيْشِ فَانْطَلَقَ يَرْكُضُ نَذِيرًا لِقُرَيْشٍ وَسَارَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ بِالثَّنِيَّةِ الَّتِي يُهْبَطُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْهَا بَرَكَتْ بِهِ رَاحِلَتُهُ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ حَلْ حَلْ فَأَلَحَّتْ فَقَالُوا خَلأَتِ الْقَصْوَاءُ خَلأَتِ الْقَصْوَاءُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَا خَلأَتِ الْقَصْوَاءُ وَمَا ذَاكَ لَهَا بِخُلُقٍ وَلَكِنْ حَبَسَهَا حَابِسُ الْفِيلِ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ يَسْأَلُونِي خُطَّةً يُعَظِّمُونَ فِيهَا حُرُمَاتِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ أَعْطَيْتُهُمْ إِيَّاهَا ثُمَّ زَجَرَهَا فَوَثَبَتْ قَالَ فَعَدَلَ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى نَزَلَ بِأَقْصَى الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ عَلَى ثَمَدٍ قَلِيلِ الْمَاءِ يَتَبَرَّضُهُ النَّاسُ تَبَرُّضًا فَلَمْ يُلَبِّثْهُ النَّاسُ حَتَّى نَزَحُوهُ وَشُكِيَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْعَطَشُ فَانْتَزَعَ سَهْمًا مِنْ كِنَانَتِهِ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَجْعَلُوهُ فِيهِ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا زَالَ يَجِيشُ لَهُمْ بِالرِّيِّ حَتَّى صَدَرُوا عَنْهُ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ جَاءَ بُدَيْلُ بْنُ وَرْقَاءَ الْخُزَاعِيُّ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ مِنْ خُزَاعَةَ وَكَانُوا عَيْبَةَ نُصْحِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ أَهْلِ تِهَامَةَ فَقَالَ إِنِّي تَرَكْتُ كَعْبَ بْنَ لُؤَىٍّ وَعَامِرَ بْنَ لُؤَىٍّ نَزَلُوا أَعْدَادَ مِيَاهِ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ وَمَعَهُمُ الْعُوذُ الْمَطَافِيلُ وَهُمْ مُقَاتِلُوكَ وَصَادُّوكَ عَنِ الْبَيْتِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّا لَمْ نَجِئْ لِقِتَالِ أَحَدٍ وَلَكِنَّا جِئْنَا مُعْتَمِرِينَ وَإِنَّ قُرَيْشًا قَدْ نَهِكَتْهُمُ الْحَرْبُ وَأَضَرَّتْ بِهِمْ فَإِنْ شَاءُوا مَادَدْتُهُمْ مُدَّةً وَيُخَلُّوا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ النَّاسِ فَإِنْ أَظْهَرْ فَإِنْ شَاءُوا أَنْ يَدْخُلُوا فِيمَا دَخَلَ فِيهِ النَّاسُ فَعَلُوا وَإِلاَّ فَقَدْ جَمُّوا وَإِنْ هُمْ أَبَوْا فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لأُقَاتِلَنَّهُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِي هَذَا حَتَّى تَنْفَرِدَ سَالِفَتِي وَلَيُنْفِذَنَّ اللَّهُ أَمْرَهُ فَقَالَ بُدَيْلٌ سَأُبَلِّغُهُمْ مَا تَقُولُ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقَ حَتَّى أَتَى قُرَيْشًا قَالَ إِنَّا قَدْ جِئْنَاكُمْ مِنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ وَسَمِعْنَاهُ يَقُولُ قَوْلاً فَإِنْ شِئْتُمْ أَنْ نَعْرِضَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَعَلْنَا فَقَالَ سُفَهَاؤُهُمْ لاَ حَاجَةَ لَنَا أَنْ تُخْبِرَنَا عَنْهُ بِشَىْءٍ وَقَالَ ذَوُو الرَّأْىِ مِنْهُمْ هَاتِ مَا سَمِعْتَهُ يَقُولُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَحَدَّثَهُمْ بِمَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَامَ عُرْوَةُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ فَقَالَ أَىْ قَوْمِ أَلَسْتُمْ بِالْوَالِدِ قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ أَوَلَسْتُ بِالْوَلَدِ قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ فَهَلْ تَتَّهِمُونِي قَالُوا لاَ قَالَ أَلَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي اسْتَنْفَرْتُ أَهْلَ عُكَاظٍ فَلَمَّا بَلَّحُوا عَلَىَّ جِئْتُكُمْ بِأَهْلِي وَوَلَدِي وَمَنْ أَطَاعَنِي قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ فَإِنَّ هَذَا قَدْ عَرَضَ لَكُمْ خُطَّةَ رُشْدٍ اقْبَلُوهَا وَدَعُونِي آتِهِ قَالُوا ائْتِهِ فَأَتَاهُ فَجَعَلَ يُكَلِّمُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ نَحْوًا مِنْ قَوْلِهِ لِبُدَيْلٍ فَقَالَ عُرْوَةُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ أَىْ مُحَمَّدُ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَأْصَلْتَ أَمْرَ قَوْمِكَ هَلْ سَمِعْتَ بِأَحَدٍ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ اجْتَاحَ أَهْلَهُ قَبْلَكَ وَإِنْ تَكُنِ الأُخْرَى فَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لأَرَى وُجُوهًا وَإِنِّي لأَرَى أَوْشَابًا مِنَ النَّاسِ خَلِيقًا أَنْ يَفِرُّوا وَيَدَعُوكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ أَنَحْنُ نَفِرُّ عَنْهُ وَنَدَعُهُ فَقَالَ مَنْ ذَا قَالُوا أَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَ أَمَا وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْلاَ يَدٌ كَانَتْ لَكَ عِنْدِي لَمْ أَجْزِكَ بِهَا لأَجَبْتُكَ قَالَ وَجَعَلَ يُكَلِّمُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَكُلَّمَا تَكَلَّمَ أَخَذَ بِلِحْيَتِهِ وَالْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ قَائِمٌ عَلَى رَأْسِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَمَعَهُ السَّيْفُ وَعَلَيْهِ الْمِغْفَرُ فَكُلَّمَا أَهْوَى عُرْوَةُ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى لِحْيَةِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ضَرَبَ يَدَهُ بِنَعْلِ السَّيْفِ وَقَالَ لَهُ أَخِّرْ يَدَكَ عَنْ لِحْيَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَرَفَعَ عُرْوَةُ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذَا قَالُوا الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ فَقَالَ أَىْ غُدَرُ أَلَسْتُ أَسْعَى فِي غَدْرَتِكَ وَكَانَ الْمُغِيرَةُ صَحِبَ قَوْمًا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَقَتَلَهُمْ وَأَخَذَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَأَسْلَمَ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَمَّا الإِسْلاَمَ فَأَقْبَلُ وَأَمَّا الْمَالَ فَلَسْتُ مِنْهُ فِي شَىْءٍ ثُمَّ إِنَّ عُرْوَةَ جَعَلَ يَرْمُقُ أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِعَيْنَيْهِ قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا تَنَخَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ نُخَامَةً إِلاَّ وَقَعَتْ فِي كَفِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ فَدَلَكَ بِهَا وَجْهَهُ وَجِلْدَهُ وَإِذَا أَمَرَهُمُ ابْتَدَرُوا أَمْرَهُ وَإِذَا تَوَضَّأَ كَادُوا يَقْتَتِلُونَ عَلَى وَضُوئِهِ وَإِذَا تَكَلَّمَ خَفَضُوا أَصْوَاتَهُمْ عِنْدَهُ وَمَا يُحِدُّونَ إِلَيْهِ النَّظَرَ تَعْظِيمًا لَهُ فَرَجَعَ عُرْوَةُ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ أَىْ قَوْمِ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ وَفَدْتُ عَلَى الْمُلُوكِ وَوَفَدْتُ عَلَى قَيْصَرَ وَكِسْرَى وَالنَّجَاشِيِّ وَاللَّهِ إِنْ رَأَيْتُ مَلِكًا قَطُّ يُعَظِّمُهُ أَصْحَابُهُ مَا يُعَظِّمُ أَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ مُحَمَّدًا وَاللَّهِ إِنْ تَنَخَّمَ نُخَامَةً إِلاَّ وَقَعَتْ فِي كَفِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ فَدَلَكَ بِهَا وَجْهَهُ وَجِلْدَهُ وَإِذَا أَمَرَهُمُ ابْتَدَرُوا أَمْرَهُ وَإِذَا تَوَضَّأَ كَادُوا يَقْتَتِلُونَ عَلَى وَضُوئِهِ وَإِذَا تَكَلَّمَ خَفَضُوا أَصْوَاتَهُمْ عِنْدَهُ وَمَا يُحِدُّونَ إِلَيْهِ النَّظَرَ تَعْظِيمًا لَهُ وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ عَرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ خُطَّةَ رُشْدٍ فَاقْبَلُوهَا فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي كِنَانَةَ دَعُونِي آتِهِ فَقَالُوا ائْتِهِ فَلَمَّا أَشْرَفَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابِهِ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَذَا فُلاَنٌ وَهْوَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ يُعَظِّمُونَ الْبُدْنَ فَابْعَثُوهَا لَهُ فَبُعِثَتْ لَهُ وَاسْتَقْبَلَهُ النَّاسُ يُلَبُّونَ فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ مَا يَنْبَغِي لِهَؤُلاَءِ أَنْ يُصَدُّوا عَنِ الْبَيْتِ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ الْبُدْنَ قَدْ قُلِّدَتْ وَأُشْعِرَتْ فَمَا أَرَى أَنْ يُصَدُّوا عَنِ الْبَيْتِ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُ مِكْرَزُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ فَقَالَ دَعُونِي آتِهِ فَقَالُوا ائْتِهِ فَلَمَّا أَشْرَفَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ هَذَا مِكْرَزٌ وَهْوَ رَجُلٌ فَاجِرٌ فَجَعَلَ يُكَلِّمُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يُكَلِّمُهُ إِذْ جَاءَ سُهَيْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو قَالَ مَعْمَرٌ فَأَخْبَرَنِي أَيُّوبُ عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا جَاءَ سُهَيْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لَقَدْ سَهُلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ قَالَ مَعْمَرٌ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ فِي حَدِيثِهِ فَجَاءَ سُهَيْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو فَقَالَ هَاتِ اكْتُبْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ كِتَابًا فَدَعَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ الْكَاتِبَ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ قَالَ سُهَيْلٌ أَمَّا الرَّحْمَنُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا هُوَ وَلَكِنِ اكْتُبْ بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ كَمَا كُنْتَ تَكْتُبُ فَقَالَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ نَكْتُبُهَا إِلاَّ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ اكْتُبْ بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ هَذَا مَا قَاضَى عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ سُهَيْلٌ وَاللَّهِ لَوْ كُنَّا نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَا صَدَدْنَاكَ عَنِ الْبَيْتِ وَلاَ قَاتَلْنَاكَ وَلَكِنِ اكْتُبْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ كَذَّبْتُمُونِي اكْتُبْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ وَذَلِكَ لِقَوْلِهِ لاَ يَسْأَلُونِي خُطَّةً يُعَظِّمُونَ فِيهَا حُرُمَاتِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ أَعْطَيْتُهُمْ إِيَّاهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَلَى أَنْ تُخَلُّوا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ الْبَيْتِ فَنَطُوفَ بِهِ فَقَالَ سُهَيْلٌ وَاللَّهِ لاَ تَتَحَدَّثُ الْعَرَبُ أَنَّا أُخِذْنَا ضُغْطَةً وَلَكِنْ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْعَامِ الْمُقْبِلِ فَكَتَبَ فَقَالَ سُهَيْلٌ وَعَلَى أَنَّهُ لاَ يَأْتِيكَ مِنَّا رَجُلٌ وَإِنْ كَانَ عَلَى دِينِكَ إِلاَّ رَدَدْتَهُ إِلَيْنَا قَالَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُرَدُّ إِلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَقَدْ جَاءَ مُسْلِمًا فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ دَخَلَ أَبُو جَنْدَلِ بْنُ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو يَرْسُفُ فِي قُيُودِهِ وَقَدْ خَرَجَ مِنْ أَسْفَلِ مَكَّةَ حَتَّى رَمَى بِنَفْسِهِ بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَالَ سُهَيْلٌ هَذَا يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَوَّلُ مَا أُقَاضِيكَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ تَرُدَّهُ إِلَىَّ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنَّا لَمْ نَقْضِ الْكِتَابَ بَعْدُ قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ إِذًا لَمْ أُصَالِحْكَ عَلَى شَىْءٍ أَبَدًا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَأَجِزْهُ لِي قَالَ مَا أَنَا بِمُجِيزِهِ لَكَ قَالَ بَلَى فَافْعَلْ قَالَ مَا أَنَا بِفَاعِلٍ قَالَ مِكْرَزٌ بَلْ قَدْ أَجَزْنَاهُ لَكَ قَالَ أَبُو جَنْدَلٍ أَىْ مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أُرَدُّ إِلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَقَدْ جِئْتُ مُسْلِمًا أَلاَ تَرَوْنَ مَا قَدْ لَقِيتُ وَكَانَ قَدْ عُذِّبَ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا فِي اللَّهِ قَالَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فَأَتَيْتُ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ أَلَسْتَ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ حَقًّا قَالَ بَلَى قُلْتُ أَلَسْنَا عَلَى الْحَقِّ وَعَدُوُّنَا عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ قَالَ بَلَى قُلْتُ فَلِمَ نُعْطِي الدَّنِيَّةَ فِي دِينِنَا إِذًا قَالَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَلَسْتُ أَعْصِيهِ وَهْوَ نَاصِرِي قُلْتُ أَوَلَيْسَ كُنْتَ تُحَدِّثُنَا أَنَّا سَنَأْتِي الْبَيْتَ فَنَطُوفُ بِهِ قَالَ بَلَى فَأَخْبَرْتُكَ أَنَّا نَأْتِيهِ الْعَامَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ آتِيهِ وَمُطَّوِّفٌ بِهِ قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَلَيْسَ هَذَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ حَقًّا قَالَ بَلَى قُلْتُ أَلَسْنَا عَلَى الْحَقِّ وَعَدُوُّنَا عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ قَالَ بَلَى قُلْتُ فَلِمَ نُعْطِي الدَّنِيَّةَ فِي دِينِنَا إِذًا قَالَ أَيُّهَا الرَّجُلُ إِنَّهُ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَيْسَ يَعْصِي رَبَّهُ وَهْوَ نَاصِرُهُ فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِغَرْزِهِ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ عَلَى الْحَقِّ قُلْتُ أَلَيْسَ كَانَ يُحَدِّثُنَا أَنَّا سَنَأْتِي الْبَيْتَ وَنَطُوفُ بِهِ قَالَ بَلَى أَفَأَخْبَرَكَ أَنَّكَ تَأْتِيهِ الْعَامَ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ آتِيهِ وَمُطَّوِّفٌ بِهِ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ عُمَرُ فَعَمِلْتُ لِذَلِكَ أَعْمَالاً قَالَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ قَضِيَّةِ الْكِتَابِ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لأَصْحَابِهِ قُومُوا فَانْحَرُوا ثُمَّ احْلِقُوا قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا قَامَ مِنْهُمْ رَجُلٌ حَتَّى قَالَ ذَلِكَ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَلَمَّا لَمْ يَقُمْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ دَخَلَ عَلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ فَذَكَرَ لَهَا مَا لَقِيَ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَقَالَتْ أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ أَتُحِبُّ ذَلِكَ اخْرُجْ ثُمَّ لاَ تُكَلِّمْ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ كَلِمَةً حَتَّى تَنْحَرَ بُدْنَكَ وَتَدْعُوَ حَالِقَكَ فَيَحْلِقَكَ فَخَرَجَ فَلَمْ يُكَلِّمْ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ حَتَّى فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ نَحَرَ بُدْنَهُ وَدَعَا حَالِقَهُ فَحَلَقَهُ فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا ذَلِكَ قَامُوا فَنَحَرُوا وَجَعَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ يَحْلِقُ بَعْضًا حَتَّى كَادَ بَعْضُهُمْ يَقْتُلُ بَعْضًا غَمًّا ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ نِسْوَةٌ مُؤْمِنَاتٌ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا جَاءَكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ مُهَاجِرَاتٍ فَامْتَحِنُوهُنَّ} حَتَّى بَلَغَ {بِعِصَمِ الْكَوَافِرِ} فَطَلَّقَ عُمَرُ يَوْمَئِذٍ امْرَأَتَيْنِ كَانَتَا لَهُ فِي الشِّرْكِ فَتَزَوَّجَ إِحْدَاهُمَا مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَالأُخْرَى صَفْوَانُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَجَاءَهُ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ وَهْوَ مُسْلِمٌ فَأَرْسَلُوا فِي طَلَبِهِ رَجُلَيْنِ فَقَالُوا الْعَهْدَ الَّذِي جَعَلْتَ لَنَا فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى الرَّجُلَيْنِ فَخَرَجَا بِهِ حَتَّى بَلَغَا ذَا الْحُلَيْفَةِ فَنَزَلُوا يَأْكُلُونَ مِنْ تَمْرٍ لَهُمْ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ لأَحَدِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَرَى سَيْفَكَ هَذَا يَا فُلاَنُ جَيِّدًا فَاسْتَلَّهُ الآخَرُ فَقَالَ أَجَلْ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَجَيِّدٌ لَقَدْ جَرَّبْتُ بِهِ ثُمَّ جَرَّبْتُ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ أَرِنِي أَنْظُرْ إِلَيْهِ فَأَمْكَنَهُ مِنْهُ فَضَرَبَهُ حَتَّى بَرَدَ وَفَرَّ الآخَرُ حَتَّى أَتَى الْمَدِينَةَ فَدَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ يَعْدُو فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِينَ رَآهُ لَقَدْ رَأَى هَذَا ذُعْرًا فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ قُتِلَ وَاللَّهِ صَاحِبِي وَإِنِّي لَمَقْتُولٌ فَجَاءَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ فَقَالَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ قَدْ وَاللَّهِ أَوْفَى اللَّهُ ذِمَّتَكَ قَدْ رَدَدْتَنِي إِلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ أَنْجَانِي اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَيْلُ أُمِّهِ مِسْعَرَ حَرْبٍ لَوْ كَانَ لَهُ أَحَدٌ فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ ذَلِكَ عَرَفَ أَنَّهُ سَيَرُدُّهُ إِلَيْهِمْ فَخَرَجَ حَتَّى أَتَى سِيفَ الْبَحْرِ قَالَ وَيَنْفَلِتُ مِنْهُمْ أَبُو جَنْدَلِ بْنُ سُهَيْلٍ فَلَحِقَ بِأَبِي بَصِيرٍ فَجَعَلَ لاَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ رَجُلٌ قَدْ أَسْلَمَ إِلاَّ لَحِقَ بِأَبِي بَصِيرٍ حَتَّى اجْتَمَعَتْ مِنْهُمْ عِصَابَةٌ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا يَسْمَعُونَ بِعِيرٍ خَرَجَتْ لِقُرَيْشٍ إِلَى الشَّأْمِ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَضُوا لَهَا فَقَتَلُوهُمْ وَأَخَذُوا أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَرْسَلَتْ قُرَيْشٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ تُنَاشِدُهُ بِاللَّهِ وَالرَّحِمِ لَمَّا أَرْسَلَ فَمَنْ أَتَاهُ فَهْوَ آمِنٌ فَأَرْسَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِلَيْهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {وَهُوَ الَّذِي كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنْكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ بِبَطْنِ مَكَّةَ مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ أَظْفَرَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ} حَتَّى بَلَغَ {الْحَمِيَّةَ حَمِيَّةَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ} وَكَانَتْ حَمِيَّتُهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُقِرُّوا أَنَّهُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ يُقِرُّوا بِبِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ وَحَالُوا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْبَيْتِ  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ wrote to Caesar and invited him to Islam and sent him his letter with Dihya Al-Kalbi whom Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered to hand it over to the Governor of Busra who would forward it to Caesar. Caesar as a sign of gratitude to Allah, had walked from Hims to Ilya (i.e. Jerusalem) when Allah had granted Him victory over the Persian forces. So, when the letter of Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached Caesar, he said after reading it, 'Seek for me any one of his people! (Arabs of Quraish tribe) if present here, in order to ask him about Messenger of Allah ﷺ. At that time Abu Sufyan bin Harb was in Sham with some men from Quraish who had come (to Sham) as merchants during the truce that had been concluded between Messenger of Allah ﷺ; and the infidels of Quraish. Abu Sufyan said, Caesar's messenger found us somewhere in Sham so he took me and my companions to Ilya and we were admitted into Ceasar's court to find him sitting in his royal court wearing a crown and surrounded by the senior dignitaries of the Byzantine. He said to his translator. 'Ask them who amongst them is a close relation to the man who claims to be a prophet." Abu Sufyan added, "I replied, 'I am the nearest relative to him.' He asked, 'What degree of relationship do you have with him?' I replied, 'He is my cousin,' and there was none of Bani Abu Manaf in the caravan except myself. Caesar said, 'Let him come nearer.' He then ordered that my companions stand behind me near my shoulder and said to his translator, 'Tell his companions that I am going to ask this man about the man who claims to be a prophet. If he tells a lie, they should contradict him immediately." Abu Sufyan added, "By Allah! Had it not been shameful that my companions label me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about him when he asked me. But I considered it shameful to be called a liar by my companions. So I told the truth. He then said to his translator, 'Ask him what kind of family does he belong to.' I replied, 'He belongs to a noble family amongst us.' He said, 'Have anybody else amongst you ever claimed the same before him? 'I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Had you ever blamed him for telling lies before he claimed what he claimed? ' I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?' I replied, 'No.' He said, "Do the noble or the poor follow him?' I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him.' He said, 'Are they increasing or decreasing (day by day)?' I replied,' They are increasing.' He said, 'Does anybody amongst those who embrace his (the Prophet's) Religion become displeased and then discard his Religion?'. I replied, 'No. ' He said, 'Does he break his promises? I replied, 'No, but we are now at truce with him and we are afraid that he may betray us." Abu Sufyan added, "Other than the last sentence, I could not say anything against him. Caesar then asked, 'Have you ever had a war with him?' I replied, 'Yes.' He said, 'What was the outcome of your battles with him?' I replied, 'The result was unstable; sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.' He said, 'What does he order you to do?' I said, 'He tells us to worship Allah alone, and not to worship others along with Him, and to leave all that our fore-fathers used to worship. He orders us to pray, give in charity, be chaste, keep promises and return what is entrusted to us.' When I had said that, Caesar said to his translator, 'Say to him: I ask you about his lineage and your reply was that he belonged to a noble family. In fact, all the apostles came from the noblest lineage of their nations. Then I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you had claimed such a thing, and your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following a claim that had been said before him. When I asked you whether he was ever blamed for telling lies, your reply was in the negative, so I took it for granted that a person who did not tell a lie about (others) the people could never tell a lie about Allah. Then I asked you whether any of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom. When I asked you whether the rich or the poor people followed him, you replied that it was the poor who followed him. In fact, such are the followers of the apostles. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing. In fact, this is the result of true faith till it is complete (in all respects). I asked you whether there was anybody who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion; your reply was in the negative. In fact, this is the sign of true faith, for when its cheerfulness enters and mixes in the hearts completely, nobody will be displeased with it. I asked you whether he had ever broken his promise. You replied in the negative. And such are the apostles; they never break their promises. When I asked you whether you fought with him and he fought with you, you replied that he did, and that sometimes he was victorious and sometimes you. Indeed, such are the apostles; they are put to trials and the final victory is always theirs. Then I asked you what he ordered you. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah alone and not to worship others along with Him, to leave all that your fore-fathers used to worship, to offer prayers, to speak the truth, to be chaste, to keep promises, and to return what is entrusted to you. These are really the qualities of a prophet who, I knew (from the previous Scriptures) would appear, but I did not know that he would be from amongst you. If what you say should be true, he will very soon occupy the earth under my feet, and if I knew that I would reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet Him; and were I with him, then I would certainly wash his feet.' " Abu Sufyan added, "Caesar then asked for the letter of Messenger of Allah ﷺ and it was read. Its contents were: "In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad, the slave of Allah, and His Apostle, to Heraculius, the Ruler of the Byzantine. Peace be upon the followers of guidance. Now then, I invite you to Islam (i.e. surrender to Allah), embrace Islam and you will be safe; embrace Islam and Allah will bestow on you a double reward. But if you reject this invitation of Islam, you shall be responsible for misguiding the tillers (i.e. your nation). O people of the Scriptures! Come to a word common to you and us and you, that we worship. None but Allah, and that we associate nothing in worship with Him; and that none of us shall take others as Lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are (they who have surrendered (unto Him)..(3.64) Abu Sufyan added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech, there was a great hue and cry caused by the Byzantine Royalties surrounding him, and there was so much noise that I did not understand what they said. So, we were turned out of the court. When I went out with my companions and we were alone, I said to them, 'Verily, Ibn Abi Kabsha's (i.e. the Prophet's) affair has gained power. This is the King of Bani Al-Asfar fearing him." Abu Sufyan added, "By Allah, I remained low and was sure that his religion would be victorious till Allah converted me to Islam, though I disliked it."  

أَنَّهُ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَتَبَ إِلَى قَيْصَرَ يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ وَبَعَثَ بِكِتَابِهِ إِلَيْهِ مَعَ دِحْيَةَ الْكَلْبِيِّ وَأَمَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ يَدْفَعَهُ إِلَى عَظِيمِ بُصْرَى لِيَدْفَعَهُ إِلَى قَيْصَرَ وَكَانَ قَيْصَرُ لَمَّا كَشَفَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ جُنُودَ فَارِسَ مَشَى مِنْ حِمْصَ إِلَى إِيلِيَاءَ شُكْرًا لِمَا أَبْلاَهُ اللَّهُ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ قَيْصَرَ كِتَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ حِينَ قَرَأَهُ الْتَمِسُوا لِي هَا هُنَا أَحَدًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ لأَسْأَلَهُمْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سُفْيَانَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ بِالشَّأْمِ فِي رِجَالٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ قَدِمُوا تِجَارًا فِي الْمُدَّةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ بَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَبَيْنَ كُفَّارِ قُرَيْشٍ قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَوَجَدَنَا رَسُولُ قَيْصَرَ بِبَعْضِ الشَّأْمِ فَانْطَلَقَ بِي وَبِأَصْحَابِي حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا إِيلِيَاءَ فَأُدْخِلْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي مَجْلِسِ مُلْكِهِ وَعَلَيْهِ التَّاجُ وَإِذَا حَوْلَهُ عُظَمَاءُ الرُّومِ فَقَالَ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ نَسَبًا إِلَى هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقُلْتُ أَنَا أَقْرَبُهُمْ نَسَبًا قَالَ مَا قَرَابَةُ مَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ فَقُلْتُ هُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّي وَلَيْسَ فِي الرَّكْبِ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَحَدٌ مِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ غَيْرِي فَقَالَ قَيْصَرُ أَدْنُوهُ وَأَمَرَ بِأَصْحَابِي فَجُعِلُوا خَلْفَ ظَهْرِي عِنْدَ كَتِفِي ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ قُلْ لأَصْحَابِهِ إِنِّي سَائِلٌ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ عَنِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَإِنْ كَذَبَ فَكَذِّبُوهُ قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وَاللَّهِ لَوْلاَ الْحَيَاءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْثُرَ أَصْحَابِي عَنِّي الْكَذِبَ لَكَذَبْتُهُ حِينَ سَأَلَنِي عَنْهُ وَلَكِنِّي اسْتَحْيَيْتُ أَنْ يَأْثُرُوا الْكَذِبَ عَنِّي فَصَدَقْتُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ قُلْ لَهُ كَيْفَ نَسَبُ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ فِيكُمْ قُلْتُ هُوَ فِينَا ذُو نَسَبٍ قَالَ فَهَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ قَبْلَهُ قُلْتُ لاَ فَقَالَ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ فَهَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ فَأَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ يَتَّبِعُونَهُ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ قُلْتُ بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ قَالَ فَيَزِيدُونَ أَوْ يَنْقُصُونَ قُلْتُ بَلْ يَزِيدُونَ قَالَ فَهَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ سَخْطَةً لِدِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ فَهَلْ يَغْدِرُ قُلْتُ لاَ وَنَحْنُ الآنَ مِنْهُ فِي مُدَّةٍ نَحْنُ نَخَافُ أَنْ يَغْدِرَ قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وَلَمْ يُمْكِنِّي كَلِمَةٌ أُدْخِلُ فِيهَا شَيْئًا أَنْتَقِصُهُ بِهِ لاَ أَخَافُ أَنْ تُؤْثَرَ عَنِّي غَيْرُهَا قَالَ فَهَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ أَوْ قَاتَلَكُمْ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَكَيْفَ كَانَتْ حَرْبُهُ وَحَرْبُكُمْ قُلْتُ كَانَتْ دُوَلاً وَسِجَالاً يُدَالُ عَلَيْنَا الْمَرَّةَ وَنُدَالُ عَلَيْهِ الأُخْرَى قَالَ فَمَاذَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ قَالَ يَأْمُرُنَا أَنْ نَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ لاَ نُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَيَنْهَانَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا وَيَأْمُرُنَا بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالصَّدَقَةِ وَالْعَفَافِ وَالْوَفَاءِ بِالْعَهْدِ وَأَدَاءِ الأَمَانَةِ فَقَالَ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ حِينَ قُلْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ قُلْ لَهُ إِنِّي سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ نَسَبِهِ فِيكُمْ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُ ذُو نَسَبٍ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْعَثُ فِي نَسَبِ قَوْمِهَا وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَالَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ قَبْلَهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ فَقُلْتُ لَوْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ قَبْلَهُ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَأْتَمُّ بِقَوْلٍ قَدْ قِيلَ قَبْلَهُ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَدَعَ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكْذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ فَقُلْتُ لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ قُلْتُ يَطْلُبُ مُلْكَ آبَائِهِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ يَتَّبِعُونَهُ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّ ضُعَفَاءَهُمُ اتَّبَعُوهُ وَهُمْ أَتْبَاعُ الرُّسُلِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَزِيدُونَ أَوْ يَنْقُصُونَ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُمْ يَزِيدُونَ وَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ سَخْطَةً لِدِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ فَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ حِينَ تَخْلِطُ بَشَاشَتُهُ الْقُلُوبَ لاَ يَسْخَطُهُ أَحَدٌ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَغْدِرُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ لاَ يَغْدِرُونَ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ وَقَاتَلَكُمْ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ قَدْ فَعَلَ وَأَنَّ حَرْبَكُمْ وَحَرْبَهُ تَكُونُ دُوَلاً وَيُدَالُ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَرَّةَ وَتُدَالُونَ عَلَيْهِ الأُخْرَى وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْتَلَى وَتَكُونُ لَهَا الْعَاقِبَةُ وَسَأَلْتُكَ بِمَاذَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَيَنْهَاكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالصِّدْقِ وَالْعَفَافِ وَالْوَفَاءِ بِالْعَهْدِ وَأَدَاءِ الأَمَانَةِ قَالَ وَهَذِهِ صِفَةُ النَّبِيِّ قَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ خَارِجٌ وَلَكِنْ لَمْ أَظُنَّ أَنَّهُ مِنْكُمْ وَإِنْ يَكُ مَا قُلْتَ حَقًّا فَيُوشِكُ أَنْ يَمْلِكَ مَوْضِعَ قَدَمَىَّ هَاتَيْنِ وَلَوْ أَرْجُو أَنْ أَخْلُصَ إِلَيْهِ لَتَجَشَّمْتُ لُقِيَّهُ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهُ لَغَسَلْتُ قَدَمَيْهِ قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِكِتَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُرِئَ فَإِذَا فِيهِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ سَلاَمٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ بِدِعَايَةِ الإِسْلاَمِ أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ وَأَسْلِمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ فَعَلَيْكَ إِثْمُ الأَرِيسِيِّينَ وَ{يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَنْ لاَ نَعْبُدَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ وَلاَ نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ} قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَلَمَّا أَنْ قَضَى مَقَالَتَهُ عَلَتْ أَصْوَاتُ الَّذِينَ حَوْلَهُ مِنْ عُظَمَاءِ الرُّومِ وَكَثُرَ لَغَطُهُمْ فَلاَ أَدْرِي مَاذَا قَالُوا وَأُمِرَ بِنَا فَأُخْرِجْنَا فَلَمَّا أَنْ خَرَجْتُ مَعَ أَصْحَابِي وَخَلَوْتُ بِهِمْ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ لَقَدْ أَمِرَ أَمْرُ ابْنِ أَبِي كَبْشَةَ هَذَا مَلِكُ بَنِي الأَصْفَرِ يَخَافُهُ قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وَاللَّهِ مَا زِلْتُ ذَلِيلاً مُسْتَيْقِنًا بِأَنَّ أَمْرَهُ سَيَظْهَرُ حَتَّى أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ قَلْبِي الإِسْلاَمَ وَأَنَا كَارِهٌ  

The first lady to use a girdle was the mother of Ishmael. She used a girdle so that she might hide her tracks from Sarah. Abraham brought her and her son Ishmael while she was suckling him, to a place near the Kaʿba under a tree on the spot of Zamzam, at the highest place in the mosque. During those days there was nobody in Mecca, nor was there any water So he made them sit over there and placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small water-skin containing some water, and set out homeward. Ishmael's mother followed him saying, "O Abraham! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything (to enjoy)?" She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her Then she asked him, "Has Allah ordered you to do so?" He said, "Yes." She said, "Then He will not neglect us," and returned while Abraham proceeded onwards, and on reaching the Thaniya where they could not see him, he faced the Kaʿba, and raising both hands, invoked Allah saying the following prayers: 'O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House (Kaʿba at Mecca) in order, O our Lord, that they may offer prayer perfectly. So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits, so that they may give thanks.' (14.37) Ishmael's mother went on suckling Ishmael and drinking from the water (she had). When the water in the water-skin had all been used up, she became thirsty and her child also became thirsty. She started looking at him (i.e. Ishmael) tossing in agony; She left him, for she could not endure looking at him, and found that the mountain of Safa was the nearest mountain to her on that land. She stood on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody, but she could not see anybody. Then she descended from Safa and when she reached the valley, she tucked up her robe and ran in the valley like a person in distress and trouble, till she crossed the valley and reached the Marwa mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she could not see anybody. She repeated that (running between Safa and Marwa) seven times." The Prophet ﷺ said, "This is the source of the tradition of the walking of people between them (i.e. Safa and Marwa). When she reached the Marwa (for the last time) she heard a voice and she asked herself to be quiet and listened attentively. She heard the voice again and said, 'O, (whoever you may be)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me?" And behold! She saw an angel at the place of Zamzam, digging the earth with his heel (or his wing), till water flowed from that place. She started to make something like a basin around it, using her hand in this way, and started filling her water-skin with water with her hands, and the water was flowing out after she had scooped some of it." The Prophet ﷺ added, "May Allah bestow Mercy on Ishmael's mother! Had she let the Zamzam (flow without trying to control it) (or had she not scooped from that water) (to fill her water-skin), Zamzam would have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth." The Prophet ﷺ further added, "Then she drank (water) and suckled her child. The angel said to her, 'Don't be afraid of being neglected, for this is the House of Allah which will be built by this boy and his father, and Allah never neglects His people.' The House (i.e. Kaʿba) at that time was on a high place resembling a hillock, and when torrents came, they flowed to its right and left. She lived in that way till some people from the tribe of Jurhum or a family from Jurhum passed by her and her child, as they (i.e. the Jurhum people) were coming through the way of Kada'. They landed in the lower part of Mecca where they saw a bird that had the habit of flying around water and not leaving it. They said, 'This bird must be flying around water, though we know that there is no water in this valley.' They sent one or two messengers who discovered the source of water, and returned to inform them of the water. So, they all came (towards the water)." The Prophet ﷺ added, "Ishmael's mother was sitting near the water. They asked her, 'Do you allow us to stay with you?" She replied, 'Yes, but you will have no right to possess the water.' They agreed to that." The Prophet ﷺ further said, "Ishmael's mother was pleased with the whole situation as she used to love to enjoy the company of the people. So, they settled there, and later on they sent for their families who came and settled with them so that some families became permanent residents there. The child (i.e. Ishmael) grew up and learnt Arabic from them and (his virtues) caused them to love and admire him as he grew up, and when he reached the age of puberty they made him marry a woman from amongst them. After Ishmael's mother had died, Abraham came after Ishmael's marriage in order to see his family that he had left before, but he did not find Ishmael there. When he asked Ishmael's wife about him, she replied, 'He has gone in search of our livelihood.' Then he asked her about their way of living and their condition, and she replied, 'We are living in misery; we are living in hardship and destitution,' complaining to him. He said, 'When your husband returns, convey my salutation to him and tell him to change the threshold of the gate (of his house).' When Ishmael came, he seemed to have felt something unusual, so he asked his wife, 'Has anyone visited you?' She replied, 'Yes, an old man of so-and-so description came and asked me about you and I informed him, and he asked about our state of living, and I told him that we were living in a hardship and poverty.' On that Ishmael said, 'Did he advise you anything?' She replied, 'Yes, he told me to convey his salutation to you and to tell you to change the threshold of your gate.' Ishmael said, 'It was my father, and he has ordered me to divorce you. Go back to your family.' So, Ishmael divorced her and married another woman from amongst them (i.e. Jurhum). Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as Allah wished and called on them again but did not find Ishmael. So he came to Ishmael's wife and asked her about Ishmael. She said, 'He has gone in search of our livelihood.' Abraham asked her, 'How are you getting on?' asking her about their sustenance and living. She replied, 'We are prosperous and well-off (i.e. we have everything in abundance).' Then she thanked Allah' Abraham said, 'What kind of food do you eat?' She said. 'Meat.' He said, 'What do you drink?' She said, 'Water." He said, "O Allah! Bless their meat and water." The Prophet added, "At that time they did not have grain, and if they had grain, he would have also invoked Allah to bless it." The Prophet ﷺ added, "If somebody has only these two things as his sustenance, his health and disposition will be badly affected, unless he lives in Mecca." The Prophet ﷺ added," Then Abraham said Ishmael's wife, "When your husband comes, give my regards to him and tell him that he should keep firm the threshold of his gate.' When Ishmael came back, he asked his wife, 'Did anyone call on you?' She replied, 'Yes, a good-looking old man came to me,' so she praised him and added. 'He asked about you, and I informed him, and he asked about our livelihood and I told him that we were in a good condition.' Ishmael asked her, 'Did he give you any piece of advice?' She said, 'Yes, he told me to give his regards to you and ordered that you should keep firm the threshold of your gate.' On that Ishmael said, 'It was my father, and you are the threshold (of the gate). He has ordered me to keep you with me.' Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as Allah wished, and called on them afterwards. He saw Ishmael under a tree near Zamzam, sharpening his arrows. When he saw Abraham, he rose up to welcome him (and they greeted each other as a father does with his son or a son does with his father). Abraham said, 'O Ishmael! Allah has given me an order.' Ishmael said, 'Do what your Lord has ordered you to do.' Abraham asked, 'Will you help me?' Ishmael said, 'I will help you.' Abraham said, Allah has ordered me to build a house here,' pointing to a hillock higher than the land surrounding it." The Prophet ﷺ added, "Then they raised the foundations of the House (i.e. the Kaʿba). Ishmael brought the stones and Abraham was building, and when the walls became high, Ishmael brought this stone and put it for Abraham who stood over it and carried on building, while Ishmael was handing him the stones, and both of them were saying, 'O our Lord! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.' The Prophet ﷺ added, "Then both of them went on building and going round the Kaʿba saying: O our Lord ! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing." (2.127)  

أَوَّلَ مَا اتَّخَذَ النِّسَاءُ الْمِنْطَقَ مِنْ قِبَلِ أُمِّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ اتَّخَذَتْ مِنْطَقًا لَتُعَفِّيَ أَثَرَهَا عَلَى سَارَةَ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ وَبِابْنِهَا إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَهْىَ تُرْضِعُهُ حَتَّى وَضَعَهُمَا عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ عِنْدَ دَوْحَةٍ فَوْقَ زَمْزَمَ فِي أَعْلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَلَيْسَ بِمَكَّةَ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَحَدٌ وَلَيْسَ بِهَا مَاءٌ فَوَضَعَهُمَا هُنَالِكَ وَوَضَعَ عِنْدَهُمَا جِرَابًا فِيهِ تَمْرٌ وَسِقَاءً فِيهِ مَاءٌ ثُمَّ قَفَّى إِبْرَاهِيمُ مُنْطَلِقًا فَتَبِعَتْهُ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ فَقَالَتْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ وَتَتْرُكُنَا بِهَذَا الْوَادِي الَّذِي لَيْسَ فِيهِ إِنْسٌ وَلاَ شَىْءٌ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ ذَلِكَ مِرَارًا وَجَعَلَ لاَ يَلْتَفِتُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ لَهُ آللَّهُ الَّذِي أَمَرَكَ بِهَذَا قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَتْ إِذًا لاَ يُضَيِّعُنَا ثُمَّ رَجَعَتْ فَانْطَلَقَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ عِنْدَ الثَّنِيَّةِ حَيْثُ لاَ يَرَوْنَهُ اسْتَقْبَلَ بِوَجْهِهِ الْبَيْتَ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِهَؤُلاَءِ الْكَلِمَاتِ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ {رَبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنْتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ} حَتَّى بَلَغَ {يَشْكُرُونَ} وَجَعَلَتْ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ تُرْضِعُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَتَشْرَبُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا نَفِدَ مَا فِي السِّقَاءِ عَطِشَتْ وَعَطِشَ ابْنُهَا وَجَعَلَتْ تَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ يَتَلَوَّى أَوْ قَالَ يَتَلَبَّطُ فَانْطَلَقَتْ كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ تَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهِ فَوَجَدَتِ الصَّفَا أَقْرَبَ جَبَلٍ فِي الأَرْضِ يَلِيهَا فَقَامَتْ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبَلَتِ الْوَادِيَ تَنْظُرُ هَلْ تَرَى أَحَدًا فَلَمْ تَرَ أَحَدًا فَهَبَطَتْ مِنَ الصَّفَا حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْوَادِيَ رَفَعَتْ طَرَفَ دِرْعِهَا ثُمَّ سَعَتْ سَعْىَ الإِنْسَانِ الْمَجْهُودِ حَتَّى جَاوَزَتِ الْوَادِيَ ثُمَّ أَتَتِ الْمَرْوَةَ فَقَامَتْ عَلَيْهَا وَنَظَرَتْ هَلْ تَرَى أَحَدًا فَلَمْ تَرَ أَحَدًا فَفَعَلَتْ ذَلِكَ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَذَلِكَ سَعْىُ النَّاسِ بَيْنَهُمَا فَلَمَّا أَشْرَفَتْ عَلَى الْمَرْوَةِ سَمِعَتْ صَوْتًا فَقَالَتْ صَهٍ تُرِيدَ نَفْسَهَا ثُمَّ تَسَمَّعَتْ فَسَمِعَتْ أَيْضًا فَقَالَتْ قَدْ أَسْمَعْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عِنْدَكَ غِوَاثٌ فَإِذَا هِيَ بِالْمَلَكِ عِنْدَ مَوْضِعِ زَمْزَمَ فَبَحَثَ بِعَقِبِهِ أَوْ قَالَ بِجَنَاحِهِ حَتَّى ظَهَرَ الْمَاءُ فَجَعَلَتْ تُحَوِّضُهُ وَتَقُولُ بِيَدِهَا هَكَذَا وَجَعَلَتْ تَغْرِفُ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فِي سِقَائِهَا وَهْوَ يَفُورُ بَعْدَ مَا تَغْرِفُ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ أُمَّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ لَوْ تَرَكَتْ زَمْزَمَ أَوْ قَالَ لَوْ لَمْ تَغْرِفْ مِنَ الْمَاءِ لَكَانَتْ زَمْزَمُ عَيْنًا مَعِينًا قَالَ فَشَرِبَتْ وَأَرْضَعَتْ وَلَدَهَا فَقَالَ لَهَا الْمَلَكُ لاَ تَخَافُوا الضَّيْعَةَ فَإِنَّ هَا هُنَا بَيْتَ اللَّهِ يَبْنِي هَذَا الْغُلاَمُ وَأَبُوهُ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُضِيعُ أَهْلَهُ وَكَانَ الْبَيْتُ مُرْتَفِعًا مِنَ الأَرْضِ كَالرَّابِيَةِ تَأْتِيهِ السُّيُولُ فَتَأْخُذُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَشِمَالِهِ فَكَانَتْ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى مَرَّتْ بِهِمْ رُفْقَةٌ مِنْ جُرْهُمَ أَوْ أَهْلُ بَيْتٍ مِنْ جُرْهُمَ مُقْبِلِينَ مِنْ طَرِيقِ كَدَاءٍ فَنَزَلُوا فِي أَسْفَلِ مَكَّةَ فَرَأَوْا طَائِرًا عَائِفًا فَقَالُوا إِنَّ هَذَا الطَّائِرَ لَيَدُورُ عَلَى مَاءٍ لَعَهْدُنَا بِهَذَا الْوَادِي وَمَا فِيهِ مَاءٌ فَأَرْسَلُوا جَرِيًّا أَوْ جَرِيَّيْنِ فَإِذَا هُمْ بِالْمَاءِ فَرَجَعُوا فَأَخْبَرُوهُمْ بِالْمَاءِ فَأَقْبَلُوا قَالَ وَأُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عِنْدَ الْمَاءِ فَقَالُوا أَتَأْذَنِينَ لَنَا أَنْ نَنْزِلَ عِنْدَكِ فَقَالَتْ نَعَمْ وَلَكِنْ لاَ حَقَّ لَكُمْ فِي الْمَاءِ قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَأَلْفَى ذَلِكَ أُمَّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَهْىَ تُحِبُّ الإِنْسَ فَنَزَلُوا وَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَى أَهْلِيهِمْ فَنَزَلُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ بِهَا أَهْلُ أَبْيَاتٍ مِنْهُمْ وَشَبَّ الْغُلاَمُ وَتَعَلَّمَ الْعَرَبِيَّةَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَنْفَسَهُمْ وَأَعْجَبَهُمْ حِينَ شَبَّ فَلَمَّا أَدْرَكَ زَوَّجُوهُ امْرَأَةً مِنْهُمْ وَمَاتَتْ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ فَجَاءَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَعْدَ مَا تَزَوَّجَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ يُطَالِعُ تَرِكَتَهُ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ فَسَأَلَ امْرَأَتَهُ عَنْهُ فَقَالَتْ خَرَجَ يَبْتَغِي لَنَا ثُمَّ سَأَلَهَا عَنْ عَيْشِهِمْ وَهَيْئَتِهِمْ فَقَالَتْ نَحْنُ بِشَرٍّ نَحْنُ فِي ضِيقٍ وَشِدَّةٍ فَشَكَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ زَوْجُكِ فَاقْرَئِي عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمَ وَقُولِي لَهُ يُغَيِّرْ عَتَبَةَ بَابِهِ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ كَأَنَّهُ آنَسَ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ هَلْ جَاءَكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ جَاءَنَا شَيْخٌ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَسَأَلَنَا عَنْكَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ وَسَأَلَنِي كَيْفَ عَيْشُنَا فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ أَنَّا فِي جَهْدٍ وَشِدَّةٍ قَالَ فَهَلْ أَوْصَاكِ بِشَىْءٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْرَأَ عَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمَ وَيَقُولُ غَيِّرْ عَتَبَةَ بَابِكَ قَالَ ذَاكِ أَبِي وَقَدْ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُفَارِقَكِ الْحَقِي بِأَهْلِكِ فَطَلَّقَهَا وَتَزَوَّجَ مِنْهُمْ أُخْرَى فَلَبِثَ عَنْهُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ أَتَاهُمْ بَعْدُ فَلَمْ يَجِدْهُ فَدَخَلَ عَلَى امْرَأَتِهِ فَسَأَلَهَا عَنْهُ فَقَالَتْ خَرَجَ يَبْتَغِي لَنَا قَالَ كَيْفَ أَنْتُمْ وَسَأَلَهَا عَنْ عَيْشِهِمْ وَهَيْئَتِهِمْ فَقَالَتْ نَحْنُ بِخَيْرٍ وَسَعَةٍ وَأَثْنَتْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَقَالَ مَا طَعَامُكُمْ قَالَتِ اللَّحْمُ قَالَ فَمَا شَرَابُكُمْ قَالَتِ الْمَاءُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَهُمْ فِي اللَّحْمِ وَالْمَاءِ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ حَبٌّ وَلَوْ كَانَ لَهُمْ دَعَا لَهُمْ فِيهِ قَالَ فَهُمَا لاَ يَخْلُو عَلَيْهِمَا أَحَدٌ بِغَيْرِ مَكَّةَ إِلاَّ لَمْ يُوَافِقَاهُ قَالَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ زَوْجُكِ فَاقْرَئِي عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمَ وَمُرِيهِ يُثْبِتُ عَتَبَةَ بَابِهِ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ قَالَ هَلْ أَتَاكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ أَتَانَا شَيْخٌ حَسَنُ الْهَيْئَةِ وَأَثْنَتْ عَلَيْهِ فَسَأَلَنِي عَنْكَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَسَأَلَنِي كَيْفَ عَيْشُنَا فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ أَنَّا بِخَيْرٍ قَالَ فَأَوْصَاكِ بِشَىْءٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ هُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمَ وَيَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُثْبِتَ عَتَبَةَ بَابِكَ قَالَ ذَاكِ أَبِي وَأَنْتِ الْعَتَبَةُ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُمْسِكَكِ ثُمَّ لَبِثَ عَنْهُمْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ يَبْرِي نَبْلاً لَهُ تَحْتَ دَوْحَةٍ قَرِيبًا مِنْ زَمْزَمَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ قَامَ إِلَيْهِ فَصَنَعَا كَمَا يَصْنَعُ الْوَالِدُ بِالْوَلَدِ وَالْوَلَدُ بِالْوَالِدِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي بِأَمْرٍ قَالَ فَاصْنَعْ مَا أَمَرَكَ رَبُّكَ قَالَ وَتُعِينُنِي قَالَ وَأُعِينُكَ قَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَبْنِيَ هَا هُنَا بَيْتًا وَأَشَارَ إِلَى أَكَمَةٍ مُرْتَفِعَةٍ عَلَى مَا حَوْلَهَا قَالَ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ رَفَعَا الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ فَجَعَلَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ يَأْتِي بِالْحِجَارَةِ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ يَبْنِي حَتَّى إِذَا ارْتَفَعَ الْبِنَاءُ جَاءَ بِهَذَا الْحَجَرِ فَوَضَعَهُ لَهُ فَقَامَ عَلَيْهِ وَهْوَ يَبْنِي وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ يُنَاوِلُهُ الْحِجَارَةَ وَهُمَا يَقُولاَنِ {رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ} قَالَ فَجَعَلاَ يَبْنِيَانِ حَتَّى يَدُورَا حَوْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَهُمَا يَقُولاَنِ {رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ }  

I saw ʿUmar bin Al-Khattab a few days before he was stabbed in Medina. He was standing with Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman and ʿUthman bin Hunaif to whom he said, "What have you done? Do you think that you have imposed more taxation on the land (of As-Swad i.e. 'Iraq) than it can bear?" They replied, "We have imposed on it what it can bear because of its great yield." ʿUmar again said, "Check whether you have imposed on the land what it can not bear." They said, "No, (we haven't)." ʿUmar added, "If Allah should keep me alive I will let the widows of Iraq need no men to support them after me." But only four days had elapsed when he was stabbed (to death ). The day he was stabbed, I was standing and there was nobody between me and him (i.e. ʿUmar) except ʿAbdullah bin ʿAbbas. Whenever ʿUmar passed between the two rows, he would say, "Stand in straight lines." When he saw no defect (in the rows), he would go forward and start the prayer with Takbir. He would recite Surat Yusuf or An-Nahl or the like in the first rakʿa so that the people may have the time to Join the prayer. As soon as he said Takbir, I heard him saying, "The dog has killed or eaten me," at the time he (i.e. the murderer) stabbed him. A non-Arab infidel proceeded on carrying a double-edged knife and stabbing all the persons he passed by on the right and left (till) he stabbed thirteen persons out of whom seven died. When one of the Muslims saw that, he threw a cloak on him. Realizing that he had been captured, the non-Arab infidel killed himself, ʿUmar held the hand of ʿAbdur-Rahman bin ʿAuf and let him lead the prayer. Those who were standing by the side of ʿUmar saw what I saw, but the people who were in the other parts of the Mosque did not see anything, but they lost the voice of ʿUmar and they were saying, "Subhan Allah! Subhan Allah! (i.e. Glorified be Allah)." ʿAbdur-Rahman bin ʿAuf led the people a short prayer. When they finished the prayer, ʿUmar said, "O Ibn ʿAbbas! Find out who attacked me." Ibn ʿAbbas kept on looking here and there for a short time and came to say. "The slave of Al Mughira." On that ʿUmar said, "The craftsman?" Ibn ʿAbbas said, "Yes." ʿUmar said, "May Allah curse him. I did not treat him unjustly. All the Praises are for Allah Who has not caused me to die at the hand of a man who claims himself to be a Muslim. No doubt, you and your father (Abbas) used to love to have more non-Arab infidels in Medina." Al-Abbas had the greatest number of slaves. Ibn ʿAbbas said to ʿUmar. "If you wish, we will do." He meant, "If you wish we will kill them." ʿUmar said, "You are mistaken (for you can't kill them) after they have spoken your language, prayed towards your Qibla, and performed Hajj like yours." Then ʿUmar was carried to his house, and we went along with him, and the people were as if they had never suffered a calamity before. Some said, "Do not worry (he will be Alright soon)." Some said, "We are afraid (that he will die)." Then an infusion of dates was brought to him and he drank it but it came out (of the wound) of his belly. Then milk was brought to him and he drank it, and it also came out of his belly. The people realized that he would die. We went to him, and the people came, praising him. A young man came saying, "O chief of the believers! Receive the glad tidings from Allah to you due to your company with Messenger of Allah ﷺ and your superiority in Islam which you know. Then you became the ruler (i.e. Caliph) and you ruled with justice and finally you have been martyred." ʿUmar said, "I wish that all these privileges will counterbalance (my shortcomings) so that I will neither lose nor gain anything." When the young man turned back to leave, his clothes seemed to be touching the ground. ʿUmar said, "Call the young man back to me." (When he came back) ʿUmar said, "O son of my brother! Lift your clothes, for this will keep your clothes clean and save you from the Punishment of your Lord." ʿUmar further said, "O ʿAbdullah bin ʿUmar! See how much I am in debt to others." When the debt was checked, it amounted to approximately eighty-six thousand. ʿUmar said, "If the property of ʿUmar's family covers the debt, then pay the debt thereof; otherwise request it from Bani ʿAdi bin Kaʿb, and if that too is not sufficient, ask for it from Quraish tribe, and do not ask for it from any one else, and pay this debt on my behalf." ʿUmar then said (to ʿAbdullah), "Go to ʿAisha (the mother of the believers) and say: "ʿUmar is paying his salutation to you. But don't say: 'The chief of the believers,' because today I am not the chief of the believers. And say: "ʿUmar bin Al-Khattab asks the permission to be buried with his two companions (i.e. the Prophet, and Abu Bakr)." ʿAbdullah greeted ʿAisha and asked for the permission for entering, and then entered to her and found her sitting and weeping. He said to her, "ʿUmar bin Al-Khattab is paying his salutations to you, and asks the permission to be buried with his two companions." She said, "I had the idea of having this place for myself, but today I prefer ʿUmar to myself." When he returned it was said (to ʿUmar), "ʿAbdullah bin ʿUmar has come." ʿUmar said, "Make me sit up." Somebody supported him against his body and ʿUmar asked (ʿAbdullah), "What news do you have?" He said, "O chief of the believers! It is as you wish. She has given the permission." ʿUmar said, "Praise be to Allah, there was nothing more important to me than this. So when I die, take me, and greet ʿAisha and say: "ʿUmar bin Al-Khattab asks the permission (to be buried with the Prophet ﷺ ), and if she gives the permission, bury me there, and if she refuses, then take me to the grave-yard of the Muslims." Then Hafsa (the mother of the believers) came with many other women walking with her. When we saw her, we went away. She went in (to ʿUmar) and wept there for sometime. When the men asked for permission to enter, she went into another place, and we heard her weeping inside. The people said (to ʿUmar), "O chief of the believers! Appoint a successor." ʿUmar said, "I do not find anyone more suitable for the job than the following persons or group whom Messenger of Allah ﷺ had been pleased with before he died." Then ʿUmar mentioned ʿAli, ʿUthman, AzZubair, Talha, Saʿd and ʿAbdur-Rahman (bin ʿAuf) and said, "Abdullah bin ʿUmar will be a witness to you, but he will have no share in the rule. His being a witness will compensate him for not sharing the right of ruling. If Saʿd becomes the ruler, it will be alright: otherwise, whoever becomes the ruler should seek his help, as I have not dismissed him because of disability or dishonesty." ʿUmar added, "I recommend that my successor takes care of the early emigrants; to know their rights and protect their honor and sacred things. I also recommend that he be kind to the Ansar who had lived in Medina before the emigrants and Belief had entered their hearts before them. I recommend that the (ruler) should accept the good of the righteous among them and excuse their wrong-doers, and I recommend that he should do good to all the people of the towns (Al-Ansar), as they are the protectors of Islam and the source of wealth and the source of annoyance to the enemy. I also recommend that nothing be taken from them except from their surplus with their consent. I also recommend that he do good to the 'Arab bedouin, as they are the origin of the 'Arabs and the material of Islam. He should take from what is inferior, amongst their properties and distribute that to the poor amongst them. I also recommend him concerning Allah's and His Apostle's protectees (i.e. Dhimmis) to fulfill their contracts and to fight for them and not to overburden them with what is beyond their ability." So when ʿUmar expired, we carried him out and set out walking. ʿAbdullah bin ʿUmar greeted (ʿAisha) and said, "ʿUmar bin Al-Khattab asks for the permission." ʿAisha said, "Bring him in." He was brought in and buried beside his two companions. When he was buried, the group (recommended by ʿUmar) held a meeting. Then ʿAbdur-Rahman said, " Reduce the candidates for rulership to three of you." Az-Zubair said, "I give up my right to ʿAli." Talha said, "I give up my right to ʿUthman," Saʿd, 'I give up my right to ʿAbdur-Rahman bin ʿAuf." ʿAbdur-Rahman then said (to ʿUthman and ʿAli), "Now which of you is willing to give up his right of candidacy to that he may choose the better of the (remaining) two, bearing in mind that Allah and Islam will be his witnesses." So both the sheiks (i.e. ʿUthman and ʿAli) kept silent. ʿAbdur-Rahman said, "Will you both leave this matter to me, and I take Allah as my Witness that I will not choose but the better of you?" They said, "Yes." So ʿAbdur-Rahman took the hand of one of them (i.e. ʿAli) and said, "You are related to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and one of the earliest Muslims as you know well. So I ask you by Allah to promise that if I select you as a ruler you will do justice, and if I select ʿUthman as a ruler you will listen to him and obey him." Then he took the other (i.e. ʿUthman) aside and said the same to him. When ʿAbdur-Rahman secured (their agreement to) this covenant, he said, "O ʿUthman! Raise your hand." So he (i.e. ʿAbdur-Rahman) gave him (i.e. ʿUthman) the solemn pledge, and then ʿAli gave him the pledge of allegiance and then all the (Medina) people gave him the pledge of allegiance.  

رَأَيْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ ؓ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصَابَ بِأَيَّامٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَقَفَ عَلَى حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ الْيَمَانِ وَعُثْمَانَ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ قَالَ كَيْفَ فَعَلْتُمَا أَتَخَافَانِ أَنْ تَكُونَا قَدْ حَمَّلْتُمَا الأَرْضَ مَا لاَ تُطِيقُ قَالاَ حَمَّلْنَاهَا أَمْرًا هِيَ لَهُ مُطِيقَةٌ مَا فِيهَا كَبِيرُ فَضْلٍ قَالَ انْظُرَا أَنْ تَكُونَا حَمَّلْتُمَا الأَرْضَ مَا لاَ تُطِيقُ قَالَ قَالاَ لاَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لَئِنْ سَلَّمَنِي اللَّهُ لأَدَعَنَّ أَرَامِلَ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ لاَ يَحْتَجْنَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ بَعْدِي أَبَدًا قَالَ فَمَا أَتَتْ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ رَابِعَةٌ حَتَّى أُصِيبَ قَالَ إِنِّي لَقَائِمٌ مَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ إِلاَّ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ غَدَاةَ أُصِيبَ وَكَانَ إِذَا مَرَّ بَيْنَ الصَّفَّيْنِ قَالَ اسْتَوُوا حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَرَ فِيهِنَّ خَلَلاً تَقَدَّمَ فَكَبَّرَ وَرُبَّمَا قَرَأَ سُورَةَ يُوسُفَ أَوِ النَّحْلَ أَوْ نَحْوَ ذَلِكَ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الأُولَى حَتَّى يَجْتَمِعَ النَّاسُ فَمَا هُوَ إِلاَّ أَنْ كَبَّرَ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ قَتَلَنِي أَوْ أَكَلَنِي الْكَلْبُ حِينَ طَعَنَهُ فَطَارَ الْعِلْجُ بِسِكِّينٍ ذَاتِ طَرَفَيْنِ لاَ يَمُرُّ عَلَى أَحَدٍ يَمِينًا وَلاَ شِمَالاً إِلاَّ طَعَنَهُ حَتَّى طَعَنَ ثَلاَثَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلاً مَاتَ مِنْهُمْ سَبْعَةٌ فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ طَرَحَ عَلَيْهِ بُرْنُسًا فَلَمَّا ظَنَّ الْعِلْجُ أَنَّهُ مَأْخُوذٌ نَحَرَ نَفْسَهُ وَتَنَاوَلَ عُمَرُ يَدَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ فَقَدَّمَهُ فَمَنْ يَلِي عُمَرَ فَقَدْ رَأَى الَّذِي أَرَى وَأَمَّا نَوَاحِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَدْرُونَ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ فَقَدُوا صَوْتَ عُمَرَ وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ صَلاَةً خَفِيفَةً فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفُوا قَالَ يَا ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ انْظُرْ مَنْ قَتَلَنِي فَجَالَ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَقَالَ غُلاَمُ الْمُغِيرَةِ قَالَ الصَّنَعُ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ قَاتَلَهُ اللَّهُ لَقَدْ أَمَرْتُ بِهِ مَعْرُوفًا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَجْعَلْ مَنِيَّتِي بِيَدِ رَجُلٍ يَدَّعِي الإِسْلاَمَ قَدْ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ وَأَبُوكَ تُحِبَّانِ أَنْ تَكْثُرَ الْعُلُوجُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ {الْعَبَّاسُ} أَكْثَرَهُمْ رَقِيقًا فَقَالَ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَعَلْتُ أَىْ إِنْ شِئْتَ قَتَلْنَا قَالَ كَذَبْتَ بَعْدَ مَا تَكَلَّمُوا بِلِسَانِكُمْ وَصَلَّوْا قِبْلَتَكُمْ وَحَجُّوا حَجَّكُمْ فَاحْتُمِلَ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ فَانْطَلَقْنَا مَعَهُ وَكَأَنَّ النَّاسَ لَمْ تُصِبْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَبْلَ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَائِلٌ يَقُولُ لاَ بَأْسَ وَقَائِلٌ يَقُولُ أَخَافُ عَلَيْهِ فَأُتِيَ بِنَبِيذٍ فَشَرِبَهُ فَخَرَجَ مِنْ جَوْفِهِ ثُمَّ أُتِيَ بِلَبَنٍ فَشَرِبَهُ فَخَرَجَ مِنْ جُرْحِهِ فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّهُ مَيِّتٌ فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَاءَ النَّاسُ يُثْنُونَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ فَقَالَ أَبْشِرْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِبُشْرَى اللَّهِ لَكَ مِنْ صُحْبَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَدَمٍ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ مَا قَدْ عَلِمْتَ ثُمَّ وَلِيتَ فَعَدَلْتَ ثُمَّ شَهَادَةٌ قَالَ وَدِدْتُ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ كَفَافٌ لاَ عَلَىَّ وَلاَ لِي فَلَمَّا أَدْبَرَ إِذَا إِزَارُهُ يَمَسُّ الأَرْضَ قَالَ رُدُّوا عَلَىَّ الْغُلاَمَ قَالَ ابْنَ أَخِي ارْفَعْ ثَوْبَكَ فَإِنَّهُ أَبْقَى لِثَوْبِكَ وَأَتْقَى لِرَبِّكَ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ انْظُرْ مَا عَلَىَّ مِنَ الدَّيْنِ فَحَسَبُوهُ فَوَجَدُوهُ سِتَّةً وَثَمَانِينَ أَلْفًا أَوْ نَحْوَهُ قَالَ إِنْ وَفَى لَهُ مَالُ آلِ عُمَرَ فَأَدِّهِ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَإِلاَّ فَسَلْ فِي بَنِي عَدِيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفِ أَمْوَالُهُمْ فَسَلْ فِي قُرَيْشٍ وَلاَ تَعْدُهُمْ إِلَى غَيْرِهِمْ فَأَدِّ عَنِّي هَذَا الْمَالَ انْطَلِقْ إِلَى عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَقُلْ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكِ عُمَرُ السَّلاَمَ وَلاَ تَقُلْ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَإِنِّي لَسْتُ الْيَوْمَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَمِيرًا وَقُلْ يَسْتَأْذِنُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ أَنْ يُدْفَنَ مَعَ صَاحِبَيْهِ فَسَلَّمَ وَاسْتَأْذَنَ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا فَوَجَدَهَا قَاعِدَةً تَبْكِي فَقَالَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكِ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ السَّلاَمَ وَيَسْتَأْذِنُ أَنْ يُدْفَنَ مَعَ صَاحِبَيْهِ فَقَالَتْ كُنْتُ أُرِيدُهُ لِنَفْسِي وَلأُوثِرَنَّ بِهِ الْيَوْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي فَلَمَّا أَقْبَلَ قِيلَ هَذَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ قَدْ جَاءَ قَالَ ارْفَعُونِي فَأَسْنَدَهُ رَجُلٌ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ مَا لَدَيْكَ قَالَ الَّذِي تُحِبُّ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَذِنَتْ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ مَا كَانَ مِنْ شَىْءٍ أَهَمُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَإِذَا أَنَا قَضَيْتُ فَاحْمِلُونِي ثُمَّ سَلِّمْ فَقُلْ يَسْتَأْذِنُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فَإِنْ أَذِنَتْ لِي فَأَدْخِلُونِي وَإِنْ رَدَّتْنِي رُدُّونِي إِلَى مَقَابِرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَجَاءَتْ أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَفْصَةُ وَالنِّسَاءُ تَسِيرُ مَعَهَا فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَاهَا قُمْنَا فَوَلَجَتْ عَلَيْهِ فَبَكَتْ عِنْدَهُ سَاعَةً وَاسْتَأْذَنَ الرِّجَالُ فَوَلَجَتْ دَاخِلاً لَهُمْ فَسَمِعْنَا بُكَاءَهَا مِنَ الدَّاخِلِ فَقَالُوا أَوْصِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اسْتَخْلِفْ قَالَ مَا أَجِدُ أَحَقَّ بِهَذَا الأَمْرِ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ النَّفَرِ أَوِ الرَّهْطِ الَّذِينَ تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهْوَ عَنْهُمْ رَاضٍ فَسَمَّى عَلِيًّا وَعُثْمَانَ وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَطَلْحَةَ وَسَعْدًا وَعَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ وَقَالَ يَشْهَدُكُمْ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ مِنَ الأَمْرِ شَىْءٌ كَهَيْئَةِ التَّعْزِيَةِ لَهُ فَإِنْ أَصَابَتِ الإِمْرَةُ سَعْدًا فَهْوَ ذَاكَ وَإِلاَّ فَلْيَسْتَعِنْ بِهِ أَيُّكُمْ مَا أُمِّرَ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَعْزِلْهُ عَنْ عَجْزٍ وَلاَ خِيَانَةٍ وَقَالَ أُوصِي الْخَلِيفَةَ مِنْ بَعْدِي بِالْمُهَاجِرِينَ الأَوَّلِينَ أَنْ يَعْرِفَ لَهُمْ حَقَّهُمْ وَيَحْفَظَ لَهُمْ حُرْمَتَهُمْ وَأُوصِيهِ بِالأَنْصَارِ خَيْرًا الَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالإِيمَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ أَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ وَأَنْ يُعْفَى عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ وَأُوصِيهِ بِأَهْلِ الأَمْصَارِ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّهُمْ رِدْءُ الإِسْلاَمِ وَجُبَاةُ الْمَالِ وَغَيْظُ الْعَدُوِّ وَأَنْ لاَ يُؤْخَذَ مِنْهُمْ إِلاَّ فَضْلُهُمْ عَنْ رِضَاهُمْ وَأُوصِيهِ بِالأَعْرَابِ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّهُمْ أَصْلُ الْعَرَبِ وَمَادَّةُ الإِسْلاَمِ أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ مِنْ حَوَاشِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَتُرَدَّ عَلَى فُقَرَائِهِمْ وَأُوصِيهِ بِذِمَّةِ اللَّهِ وَذِمَّةِ رَسُولِهِ ﷺ أَنْ يُوفَى لَهُمْ بِعَهْدِهِمْ وَأَنْ يُقَاتَلَ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ وَلاَ يُكَلَّفُوا إِلاَّ طَاقَتَهُمْ فَلَمَّا قُبِضَ خَرَجْنَا بِهِ فَانْطَلَقْنَا نَمْشِي فَسَلَّمَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ قَالَ يَسْتَأْذِنُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ قَالَتْ أَدْخِلُوهُ فَأُدْخِلَ فَوُضِعَ هُنَالِكَ مَعَ صَاحِبَيْهِ فَلَمَّا فُرِغَ مِنْ دَفْنِهِ اجْتَمَعَ هَؤُلاَءِ الرَّهْطُ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ اجْعَلُوا أَمْرَكُمْ إِلَى ثَلاَثَةٍ مِنْكُمْ فَقَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ قَدْ جَعَلْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَ طَلْحَةُ قَدْ جَعَلْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَى عُثْمَانَ وَقَالَ سَعْدٌ قَدْ جَعَلْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ أَيُّكُمَا تَبَرَّأَ مِنْ هَذَا الأَمْرِ فَنَجْعَلُهُ إِلَيْهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَالإِسْلاَمُ لَيَنْظُرَنَّ أَفْضَلَهُمْ فِي نَفْسِهِ فَأُسْكِتَ الشَّيْخَانِ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ أَفَتَجْعَلُونَهُ إِلَىَّ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىَّ أَنْ لاَ آلُوَ عَنْ أَفْضَلِكُمْ قَالاَ نَعَمْ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِ أَحَدِهِمَا فَقَالَ لَكَ قَرَابَةٌ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالْقَدَمُ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ مَا قَدْ عَلِمْتَ فَاللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ لَئِنْ أَمَّرْتُكَ لَتَعْدِلَنَّ وَلَئِنْ أَمَّرْتُ عُثْمَانَ لَتَسْمَعَنَّ وَلَتُطِيعَنَّ ثُمَّ خَلاَ بِالآخَرِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَلَمَّا أَخَذَ الْمِيثَاقَ قَالَ ارْفَعْ يَدَكَ يَا عُثْمَانُ فَبَايَعَهُ فَبَايَعَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ وَوَلَجَ أَهْلُ الدَّارِ فَبَايَعُوهُ  

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

حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا وَكُلُّهُمْ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا وَبَعْضُهُمْ كَانَ أَوْعَى لِحَدِيثِهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَأَثْبَتَ لَهُ اقْتِصَاصًا وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ عَنْ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمُ الْحَدِيثَ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ وَبَعْضُ حَدِيثِهِمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضًا وَإِنْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْعَى لَهُ مِنْ بَعْضٍ قَالُوا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ فَأَيُّهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَعَهُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا فَخَرَجَ فِيهَا سَهْمِي فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعْدَ مَا أُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ فَكُنْتُ أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي وَأُنْزَلُ فِيهِ فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ وَقَفَلَ دَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ قَافِلِينَ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ فَقُمْتُ حِينَ آذَنُوا بِالرَّحِيلِ فَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى جَاوَزْتُ الْجَيْشَ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ شَأْنِي أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى رَحْلِي فَلَمَسْتُ صَدْرِي فَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي مِنْ جَزْعِ ظَفَارِ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ فَرَجَعْتُ فَالْتَمَسْتُ عِقْدِي فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ قَالَتْ وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يُرَحِّلُونِي فَاحْتَمَلُوا هَوْدَجِي فَرَحَلُوهُ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ عَلَيْهِ وَهُمْ يَحْسِبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ وَكَانَ النِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافًا لَمْ يَهْبُلْنَ وَلَمْ يَغْشَهُنَّ اللَّحْمُ إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلْنَ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ خِفَّةَ الْهَوْدَجِ حِينَ رَفَعُوهُ وَحَمَلُوهُ وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ فَبَعَثُوا الْجَمَلَ فَسَارُوا وَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَ مَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ فَجِئْتُ مَنَازِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ بِهَا مِنْهُمْ دَاعٍ وَلاَ مُجِيبٌ فَتَيَمَّمْتُ 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 فَأَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ مَنْزِلِي فَرَأَى سَوَادَ إِنْسَانٍ نَائِمٍ فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي وَكَانَ رَآنِي قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حِينَ عَرَفَنِي فَخَمَّرْتُ وَجْهِي بِجِلْبَابِي وَاللَّهِ مَا تَكَلَّمْنَا بِكَلِمَةٍ وَلاَ سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ وَهَوَى حَتَّى أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَوَطِئَ عَلَى يَدِهَا فَقُمْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا فَانْطَلَقَ يَقُودُ بِي الرَّاحِلَةَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ مُوغِرِينَ فِي نَحْرِ الظَّهِيرَةِ وَهُمْ نُزُولٌ قَالَتْ فَهَلَكَ {فِيَّ} مَنْ هَلَكَ وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَ الإِفْكِ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أُبَىٍّ ابْنَ سَلُولَ قَالَ عُرْوَةُ أُخْبِرْتُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُشَاعُ وَيُتَحَدَّثُ بِهِ عِنْدَهُ فَيُقِرُّهُ وَيَسْتَمِعُهُ وَيَسْتَوْشِيهِ وَقَالَ عُرْوَةُ أَيْضًا لَمْ يُسَمَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الإِفْكِ أَيْضًا إِلاَّ حَسَّانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ وَمِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ وَحَمْنَةُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ فِي نَاسٍ آخَرِينَ لاَ عِلْمَ لِي بِهِمْ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُمْ عُصْبَةٌ كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَإِنَّ كُبْرَ ذَلِكَ يُقَالُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أُبَىٍّ ابْنُ سَلُولَ قَالَ عُرْوَةُ كَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ تَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُسَبَّ عِنْدَهَا حَسَّانُ وَتَقُولُ إِنَّهُ الَّذِي قَالَ فَإِنَّ أَبِي وَوَالِدَهُ وَعِرْضِي لِعِرْضِ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنْكُمْ وِقَاءُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ 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 ﷺ اللُّطْفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ حِينَ أَشْتَكِي إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَيُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ ثُمَّ يَنْصَرِفُ فَذَلِكَ يَرِيبُنِي وَلاَ أَشْعُرُ بِالشَّرِّ حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ حِينَ نَقَهْتُ فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ أُمِّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ وَكَانَ مُتَبَرَّزَنَا وَكُنَّا لاَ نَخْرُجُ إِلاَّ لَيْلاً إِلَى لَيْلٍ وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ نَتَّخِذَ الْكُنُفَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا قَالَتْ وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الأُوَلِ فِي الْبَرِّيَّةِ قِبَلَ الْغَائِطِ وَكُنَّا نَتَأَذَّى بِالْكُنُفِ أَنْ نَتَّخِذَهَا عِنْدَ بُيُوتِنَا قَالَتْ فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ وَهْىَ ابْنَةُ أَبِي رُهْمِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ وَأُمُّهَا بِنْتُ صَخْرِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ خَالَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ وَابْنُهَا مِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ بْنِ عَبَّادِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ بَيْتِي حِينَ فَرَغْنَا مِنْ شَأْنِنَا فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا فَقَالَتْ تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتِ أَتَسُبِّينَ رَجُلاً شَهِدَ بَدْرًا فَقَالَتْ أَىْ هَنْتَاهْ وَلَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ قَالَتْ وَقُلْتُ مَا قَالَ فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الإِفْكِ قَالَتْ فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا عَلَى مَرَضِي فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ آتِيَ أَبَوَىَّ قَالَتْ وَأُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَيْقِنَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا قَالَتْ فَأَذِنَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لأُمِّي يَا أُمَّتَاهُ مَاذَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ قَالَتْ يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكِ فَوَاللَّهِ لَقَلَّمَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ قَطُّ وَضِيئَةً عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا لَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلاَّ كَثَّرْنَ عَلَيْهَا قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ أَوَلَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا قَالَتْ فَبَكَيْتُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لاَ يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلاَ أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحْتُ أَبْكِي قَالَتْ وَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْىُ يَسْأَلُهُمَا وَيَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ قَالَتْ فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالَّذِي يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ وَبِالَّذِي يَعْلَمُ لَهُمْ فِي نَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ أَهْلَكَ وَلاَ نَعْلَمُ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ وَسَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ قَالَتْ فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَرِيرَةَ فَقَالَ أَىْ بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْ شَىْءٍ يَرِيبُكِ قَالَتْ لَهُ بَرِيرَةُ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا أَمْرًا قَطُّ أَغْمِصُهُ غَيْرَ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ تَنَامُ عَنْ عَجِينِ أَهْلِهَا فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ قَالَتْ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أُبَىٍّ وَهْوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ يَعْذِرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي عَنْهُ أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِي وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلاَّ خَيْرًا وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلاً مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا وَمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلاَّ مَعِي قَالَتْ فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ أَخُو بَنِي عَبْدِ الأَشْهَلِ فَقَالَ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَعْذِرُكَ فَإِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الأَوْسِ ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَفَعَلْنَا أَمْرَكَ قَالَتْ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ وَكَانَتْ أُمُّ حَسَّانَ بِنْتَ عَمِّهِ مِنْ فَخِذِهِ وَهْوَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَهْوَ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ قَالَتْ وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلاً صَالِحًا وَلَكِنِ احْتَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ فَقَالَ لِسَعْدٍ كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللَّهِ لاَ تَقْتُلُهُ وَلاَ تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ رَهْطِكَ مَا أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ يُقْتَلَ فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَهْوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدٍ فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللَّهِ لَنَقْتُلَنَّهُ فَإِنَّكَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ قَالَتْ فَثَارَ الْحَيَّانِ الأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا أَنْ يَقْتَتِلُوا وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَائِمٌ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ قَالَتْ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ قَالَتْ فَبَكَيْتُ يَوْمِي ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ لاَ يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلاَ أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ قَالَتْ وَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَاىَ عِنْدِي وَقَدْ بَكَيْتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ وَيَوْمًا لاَ يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلاَ أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ حَتَّى إِنِّي لأَظُنُّ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي فَبَيْنَا أَبَوَاىَ جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي فَاسْتَأْذَنَتْ عَلَىَّ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي قَالَتْ فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَيْنَا فَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ قَالَتْ وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا وَقَدْ لَبِثَ شَهْرًا لاَ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَأْنِي بِشَىْءٍ قَالَتْ فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِينَ جَلَسَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللَّهُ وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللَّهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ ثُمَّ تَابَ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ قَالَتْ فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً فَقُلْتُ لأَبِي أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنِّي فِيمَا قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبِي وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لأُمِّي أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِيمَا قَالَ قَالَتْ أُمِّي وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ لاَ أَقْرَأُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ كَثِيرًا إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَصَدَّقْتُمْ بِهِ فَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لاَ تُصَدِّقُونِي وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفْتُ لَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنِّي فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلاً إِلاَّ أَبَا يُوسُفَ حِينَ قَالَ {فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ وَاضْطَجَعْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي حِينَئِذٍ بَرِيئَةٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ مُبَرِّئِي بِبَرَاءَتِي وَلَكِنْ وَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ اللَّهَ مُنْزِلٌ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيًا يُتْلَى لَشَأْنِي فِي نَفْسِي كَانَ أَحْقَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ اللَّهُ فِيَّ بِأَمْرٍ وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي اللَّهُ بِهَا فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَجْلِسَهُ وَلاَ خَرَجَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيَتَحَدَّرُ مِنْهُ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ وَهْوَ فِي يَوْمٍ شَاتٍ مِنْ ثِقَلِ الْقَوْلِ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَتْ فَسُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهْوَ يَضْحَكُ فَكَانَتْ أَوَّلَ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا أَنْ قَالَ يَا عَائِشَةُ أَمَّا اللَّهُ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ قَالَتْ فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي قُومِي إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ فَإِنِّي لاَ أَحْمَدُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ قَالَتْ وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالإِفْكِ} الْعَشْرَ الآيَاتِ ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ 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} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ بَلَى وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لِي فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ النَّفَقَةَ الَّتِي كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَا أَنْزِعُهَا مِنْهُ أَبَدًا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَأَلَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ عَنْ أَمْرِي فَقَالَ لِزَيْنَبَ مَاذَا عَلِمْتِ أَوْ رَأَيْتِ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَعَصَمَهَا اللَّهُ بِالْوَرَعِ قَالَتْ وَطَفِقَتْ أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ تُحَارِبُ لَهَا فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ فَهَذَا الَّذِي بَلَغَنِي مِنْ حَدِيثِ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ ثُمَّ قَالَ عُرْوَةُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُ مَا قِيلَ لَيَقُولُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا كَشَفْتُ مِنْ كَنَفِ أُنْثَى قَطُّ قَالَتْ ثُمَّ قُتِلَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ  

Who, from among Kaʿb's sons, was the guide of Kaʿb when he became blind: I heard Kaʿb bin Malik narrating the story of (the Ghazwa of) Tabuk in which he failed to take part. Kaʿb said, "I did not remain behind Messenger of Allah ﷺ in any Ghazwa that he fought except the Ghazwa of Tabuk, and I failed to take part in the Ghazwa of Badr, but Allah did not admonish anyone who had not participated in it, for in fact, Messenger of Allah ﷺ had gone out in search of the caravan of Quraish till Allah made them (i.e. the Muslims) and their enemy meet without any appointment. I witnessed the night of Al-ʿAqaba (pledge) with Messenger of Allah ﷺ when we pledged for Islam, and I would not exchange it for the Badr battle although the Badr battle is more popular amongst the people than it (i.e. Al-ʿAqaba pledge). As for my news (in this battle of Tabuk), I had never been stronger or wealthier than I was when I remained behind the Prophet ﷺ in that Ghazwa. By Allah, never had I two she-camels before, but I had then at the time of this Ghazwa. Whenever Messenger of Allah ﷺ wanted to make a Ghazwa, he used to hide his intention by apparently referring to different Ghazwa till it was the time of that Ghazwa (of Tabuk) which Messenger of Allah ﷺ fought in severe heat, facing, a long journey, desert, and the great number of enemy. So the Prophet ﷺ announced to the Muslims clearly (their destination) so that they might get prepared for their Ghazwa. So he informed them clearly of the destination he was going to. Messenger of Allah ﷺ was accompanied by a large number of Muslims who could not be listed in a book namely, a register." Kaʿb added, "Any man who intended to be absent would think that the matter would remain hidden unless Allah revealed it through Divine Revelation. So Messenger of Allah ﷺ fought that Ghazwa at the time when the fruits had ripened and the shade looked pleasant. Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companions prepared for the battle and I started to go out in order to get myself ready along with them, but I returned without doing anything. I would say to myself, 'I can do that.' So I kept on delaying it every now and then till the people got ready and Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Muslims along with him departed, and I had not prepared anything for my departure, and I said, I will prepare myself (for departure) one or two days after him, and then join them.' In the morning following their departure, I went out to get myself ready but returned having done nothing. Then again in the next morning, I went out to get ready but returned without doing anything. Such was the case with me till they hurried away and the battle was missed (by me). Even then I intended to depart to take them over. I wish I had done so! But it was not in my luck. So, after the departure of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whenever I went out and walked amongst the people (i.e, the remaining persons), it grieved me that I could see none around me, but one accused of hypocrisy or one of those weak men whom Allah had excused. Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not remember me till he reached Tabuk. So while he was sitting amongst the people in Tabuk, he said, 'What did Kaʿb do?' A man from Banu Salama said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! He has been stopped by his two Burdas (i.e. garments) and his looking at his own flanks with pride.' Then Muʿadh bin Jabal said, 'What a bad thing you have said! By Allah! O Allahs Apostle! We know nothing about him but good.' Messenger of Allah ﷺ kept silent." Kaʿb bin Malik added, "When I heard that he (i.e. the Prophet ﷺ ) was on his way back to Medina. I got dipped in my concern, and began to think of false excuses, saying to myself, 'How can I avoid his anger tomorrow?' And I took the advice of wise member of my family in this matter. When it was said that Messenger of Allah ﷺ, had come near all the evil false excuses abandoned from my mind and I knew well that I could never come out of this problem by forging a false statement. Then I decided firmly to speak the truth. So Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in the morning, and whenever he returned from a journey., he used to visit the Mosque first of all and offer a two-rakʿat prayer therein and then sit for the people. So when he had done all that (this time), those who had failed to join the battle (of Tabuk) came and started offering (false) excuses and taking oaths before him. They were something over eighty men; Messenger of Allah ﷺ accepted the excuses they had expressed, took their pledge of allegiance asked for Allah's Forgiveness for them, and left the secrets of their hearts for Allah to judge. Then I came to him, and when I greeted him, he smiled a smile of an angry person and then said, 'Come on.' So I came walking till I sat before him. He said to me, 'What stopped you from joining us. Had you not purchased an animal For carrying you?' I answered, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! But by Allah, if I were sitting before any person from among the people of the world other than you, I would have avoided his anger with an excuse. By Allah, I have been bestowed with the power of speaking fluently and eloquently, but by Allah, I knew well that if today I tell you a lie to seek your favor, Allah would surely make you angry with me in the near future, but if I tell you the truth, though you will get angry because of it, I hope for Allah's Forgiveness. Really, by Allah, there was no excuse for me. By Allah, I had never been stronger or wealthier than I was when I remained behind you.' Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'As regards this man, he has surely told the truth. So get up till Allah decides your case.' I got up, and many men of Banu Salama followed me and said to me. 'By Allah, we never witnessed you doing any sin before this. Surely, you failed to offer excuse to Messenger of Allah ﷺ as the others who did not join him, have offered. The prayer of Messenger of Allah ﷺ to Allah to forgive you would have been sufficient for you.' By Allah, they continued blaming me so much that I intended to return (to the Prophet) and accuse myself of having told a lie, but I said to them, 'Is there anybody else who has met the same fate as I have?' They replied, 'Yes, there are two men who have said the same thing as you have, and to both of them was given the same order as given to you.' I said, 'Who are they?' They replied, Murara bin Ar-Rabi Al- Amri and Hilal bin Umaiya Al-Waqifi.' By that they mentioned to me two pious men who had attended the Ghazwa (Battle) of Badr, and in whom there was an example for me. So I did not change my mind when they mentioned them to me. Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade all the Muslims to talk to us, the three aforesaid persons out of all those who had remained behind in that Ghazwa. So we kept away from the people and they changed their attitude towards us till the very land (where I lived) appeared strange to me as if I did not know it. We remained in that condition for fifty nights. As regards my two fellows, they remained in their houses and kept on weeping, but I was the youngest of them and the firmest of them, so I used to go out and witness the prayers along with the Muslims and roam about in the markets, but none would talk to me, and I would come to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and greet him while he was sitting In his gathering after the prayer, and I would wonder whether the Prophet ﷺ did move his lips in return to my greetings or not. Then I would offer my prayer near to him and look at him stealthily. When I was busy with my prayer, he would turn his face towards me, but when I turned my face to him, he would turn his face away from me. When this harsh attitude of the people lasted long, I walked till I scaled the wall of the garden of Abu Qatada who was my cousin and dearest person to me, and I offered my greetings to him. By Allah, he did not return my greetings. I said, 'O Abu Qatada! I beseech you by Allah! Do you know that I love Allah and His Apostle?' He kept quiet. I asked him again, beseeching him by Allah, but he remained silent. Then I asked him again in the Name of Allah. He said, "Allah and His Apostle know it better.' Thereupon my eyes flowed with tears and I returned and jumped over the wall." Kaʿb added, "While I was walking in the market of Medina, suddenly I saw a Nabati (i.e. a Christian farmer) from the Nabatis of Sham who came to sell his grains in Medina, saying, 'Who will lead me to Kaʿb bin Malik?' The people began to point (me) out for him till he came to me and handed me a letter from the king of Ghassan in which the following was written: "To proceed, I have been informed that your friend (i.e. the Prophet ﷺ ) has treated you harshly. Anyhow, Allah does not let you live at a place where you feel inferior and your right is lost. So join us, and we will console you." When I read it, I said to myself, 'This is also a sort of a test.' Then I took the letter to the oven and made a fire therein by burning it. When forty out of the fifty nights elapsed, behold ! There came to me the messenger of Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, 'Messenger of Allah ﷺ orders you to keep away from your wife,' I said, 'Should I divorce her; or else! what should I do?' He said, 'No, only keep aloof from her and do not cohabit her.' The Prophet ﷺ sent the same message to my two fellows. Then I said to my wife. 'Go to your parents and remain with them till Allah gives His Verdict in this matter." Kaʿb added, "The wife of Hilal bin Umaiya came to Apostle and said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Hilal bin Umaiya is a helpless old man who has no servant to attend on him. Do you dislike that I should serve him? ' He said, 'No (you can serve him) but he should not come near you.' She said, 'By Allah, he has no desire for anything. By, Allah, he has never ceased weeping till his case began till this day of his.' (continued...) (continuing... 1): -5.702:... ... On that, some of my family members said to me, 'Will you also ask Messenger of Allah ﷺ to permit your wife (to serve you) as he has permitted the wife of Hilal bin Umaiya to serve him?' I said, 'By Allah, I will not ask the permission of Messenger of Allah ﷺ regarding her, for I do not know What Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say if I asked him to permit her (to serve me) while I am a young man.' Then I remained in that state for ten more nights after that till the period of fifty nights was completed starting from the time when Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited the people from talking to us. When I had offered the Fajr prayer on the 50th morning on the roof of one of our houses and while I was sitting in the condition which Allah described (in the Qur'an) i.e. my very soul seemed straitened to me and even the earth seemed narrow to me for all its spaciousness, there I heard the voice of one who had ascended the mountain of Sala' calling with his loudest voice, 'O Kaʿb bin Malik! Be happy (by receiving good tidings).' I fell down in prostration before Allah, realizing that relief has come. Messenger of Allah ﷺ had announced the acceptance of our repentance by Allah when he had offered the Fajr prayer. The people then went out to congratulate us. Some bringers of good tidings went out to my two fellows, and a horseman came to me in haste, and a man of Banu Aslam came running and ascended the mountain and his voice was swifter than the horse. When he (i.e. the man) whose voice I had heard, came to me conveying the good tidings, I took off my garments and dressed him with them; and by Allah, I owned no other garments than them on that day. Then I borrowed two garments and wore them and went to Allah's Apostle. The people started receiving me in batches, congratulating me on Allah's Acceptance of my repentance, saying, 'We congratulate you on Allah's Acceptance of your repentance." Kaʿb further said, "When I entered the Mosque. I saw Messenger of Allah ﷺ sitting with the people around him. Talha bin Ubaidullah swiftly came to me, shook hands with me and congratulated me. By Allah, none of the Muhajirin (i.e. Emigrants) got up for me except him (i.e. Talha), and I will never forget this for Talha." Kaʿb added, "When I greeted Messenger of Allah ﷺ he, his face being bright with joy, said "Be happy with the best day that you have got ever since your mother delivered you." Kaʿb added, "I said to the Prophet ﷺ 'Is this forgiveness from you or from Allah?' He said, 'No, it is from Allah.' Whenever Messenger of Allah ﷺ became happy, his face would shine as if it were a piece of moon, and we all knew that characteristic of him. When I sat before him, I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Because of the acceptance of my repentance I will give up all my wealth as alms for the Sake of Allah and His Apostle. Allah's Apostle said, 'Keep some of your wealth, as it will be better for you.' I said, 'So I will keep my share from Khaibar with me,' and added, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Allah has saved me for telling the truth; so it is a part of my repentance not to tell but the truth as long as I am alive. By Allah, I do not know anyone of the Muslims whom Allah has helped fortelling the truth more than me. Since I have mentioned that truth to Messenger of Allah ﷺ till today, I have never intended to tell a lie. I hope that Allah will also save me (from telling lies) the rest of my life. So Allah revealed to His Apostle the Verse:-- "Verily, Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirin (i.e. Emigrants (up to His Saying) And be with those who are true (in word and deed)." (9.117-119) By Allah, Allah has never bestowed upon me, apart from His guiding me to Islam, a Greater blessing than the fact that I did not tell a lie to Messenger of Allah ﷺ which would have caused me to perish as those who have told a lie perished, for Allah described those who told lies with the worst description He ever attributed to anybody else. Allah said:-- "They (i.e. the hypocrites) will swear by Allah to you when you return to them (up to His Saying) Certainly Allah is not pleased with the rebellious people-- " (9.95-96) Kaʿb added, "We, the three persons, differed altogether from those whose excuses Allah's Apostle accepted when they swore to him. He took their pledge of allegiance and asked Allah to forgive them, but Messenger of Allah ﷺ left our case pending till Allah gave His Judgment about it. As for that Allah said):-- And to the three (He did for give also) who remained behind." (9.118) What Allah said (in this Verse) does not indicate our failure to take part in the Ghazwa, but it refers to the deferment of making a decision by the Prophet ﷺ about our case in contrast to the case of those who had taken an oath before him and he excused them by accepting their excuses.  

سَمِعْتُ كَعْبَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ يُحَدِّثُ حِينَ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْ قِصَّةِ تَبُوكَ۔ قَالَ كَعْبٌ: لَمْ أَتَخَلَّفْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا إِلاَّ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ غَيْرَ أَنِّي كُنْتُ تَخَلَّفْتُ فِي غَزْوَةِ بَدْرٍ وَلَمْ يُعَاتِبْ أَحَدًا تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا۔ إِنَّمَا خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرِيدُ عِيرَ قُرَيْشٍ حَتَّى جَمَعَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ عَدُوِّهِمْ عَلَى غَيْرِ مِيعَادٍ وَلَقَدْ شَهِدْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ حِينَ تَوَاثَقْنَا عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ وَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ لِي بِهَا مَشْهَدَ بَدْرٍ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ بَدْرٌ أَذْكَرَ فِي النَّاسِ مِنْهَا۔

كَانَ مِنْ خَبَرِي أَنِّي لَمْ أَكُنْ قَطُّ أَقْوَى وَلاَ أَيْسَرَ حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْهُ فِي تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ وَاللَّهِ مَا اجْتَمَعَتْ عِنْدِي قَبْلَهُ رَاحِلَتَانِ قَطُّ حَتَّى جَمَعْتُهُمَا فِي تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ۔ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرِيدُ غَزْوَةً إِلاَّ وَرَّى بِغَيْرِهَا حَتَّى كَانَتْ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةُ غَزَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ وَاسْتَقْبَلَ سَفَرًا بَعِيدًا وَمَفَازًا وَعَدُوًّا كَثِيرًا۔ فَجَلَّى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ أَمْرَهُمْ لِيَتَأَهَّبُوا أُهْبَةَ غَزْوِهِمْ فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بِوَجْهِهِ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ۔

وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَثِيرٌ وَلاَ يَجْمَعُهُمْ كِتَابٌ حَافِظٌ يُرِيدُ الدِّيوَانَ۔ قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَمَا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَغَيَّبَ إِلاَّ ظَنَّ أَنْ سَيَخْفَى لَهُ مَا لَمْ يَنْزِلْ فِيهِ وَحْىُ اللَّهِ۔ وَغَزَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةَ حِينَ طَابَتِ الثِّمَارُ وَالظِّلاَلُ۔

وَتَجَهَّزَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ فَطَفِقْتُ أَغْدُو لِكَىْ أَتَجَهَّزَ مَعَهُمْ فَأَرْجِعُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا۔ فَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَا قَادِرٌ عَلَيْهِ۔ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَتَمَادَى بِي حَتَّى اشْتَدَّ بِالنَّاسِ الْجِدُّ فَأَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ مِنْ جَهَازِي شَيْئًا۔ فَقُلْتُ أَتَجَهَّزُ بَعْدَهُ بِيَوْمٍ أَوْ يَوْمَيْنِ ثُمَّ أَلْحَقُهُمْ۔ فَغَدَوْتُ بَعْدَ أَنْ فَصَلُوا لأَتَجَهَّزَ فَرَجَعْتُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا۔ ثُمَّ غَدَوْتُ ثُمَّ رَجَعْتُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا فَلَمْ يَزَلْ بِي حَتَّى أَسْرَعُوا وَتَفَارَطَ الْغَزْوُ وَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَرْتَحِلَ فَأُدْرِكَهُمْ۔

وَلَيْتَنِي فَعَلْتُ فَلَمْ يُقَدَّرْ لِي ذَلِكَ۔ فَكُنْتُ إِذَا خَرَجْتُ فِي النَّاسِ بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَطُفْتُ فِيهِمْ أَحْزَنَنِي أَنِّي لاَ أَرَى إِلاَّ رَجُلاً مَغْمُوصًا عَلَيْهِ النِّفَاقُ أَوْ رَجُلاً مِمَّنْ عَذَرَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الضُّعَفَاءِ۔

وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى بَلَغَ تَبُوكَ فَقَالَ وَهْوَ جَالِسٌ فِي الْقَوْمِ بِتَبُوكَ: «مَا فَعَلَ كَعْبٌ؟» فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ: حَبَسَهُ بُرْدَاهُ وَنَظَرُهُ فِي عِطْفِهِ۔ فَقَالَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا۔ فَسَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ۔

قَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: فَلَمَّا بَلَغَنِي أَنَّهُ تَوَجَّهَ قَافِلاً حَضَرَنِي هَمِّي وَطَفِقْتُ أَتَذَكَّرُ الْكَذِبَ وَأَقُولُ بِمَاذَا أَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ غَدًا وَاسْتَعَنْتُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ بِكُلِّ ذِي رَأْىٍ مِنْ أَهْلِي۔ فَلَمَّا قِيلَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ أَظَلَّ قَادِمًا زَاحَ عَنِّي الْبَاطِلُ وَعَرَفْتُ أَنِّي لَنْ أَخْرُجَ مِنْهُ أَبَدًا بِشَىْءٍ فِيهِ كَذِبٌ۔

فَأَجْمَعْتُ صِدْقَهُ وَأَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَادِمًا وَكَانَ إِذَا قَدِمَ مِنْ سَفَرٍ بَدَأَ بِالْمَسْجِدِ فَيَرْكَعُ فِيهِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ۔ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ لِلنَّاسِ فَلَمَّا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ جَاءَهُ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ فَطَفِقُوا يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ وَكَانُوا بِضْعَةً وَثَمَانِينَ رَجُلاً۔ فَقَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلاَنِيَتَهُمْ وَبَايَعَهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ وَوَكَلَ سَرَائِرَهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ۔

فَجِئْتُهُ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ تَبَسَّمَ تَبَسُّمَ الْمُغْضَبِ۔ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «تَعَالَ۔» فَجِئْتُ أَمْشِي حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ لِي: «مَا خَلَّفَكَ؟ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ قَدِ ابْتَعْتَ ظَهْرَكَ؟» فَقُلْتُ: بَلَى إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَوْ جَلَسْتُ عِنْدَ غَيْرِكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا لَرَأَيْتُ أَنْ سَأَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ بِعُذْرٍ، وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلاً، وَلَكِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيثَ كَذِبٍ تَرْضَى بِهِ عَنِّي لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُسْخِطَكَ عَلَىَّ، وَلَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ حَدِيثَ صِدْقٍ تَجِدُ عَلَىَّ فِيهِ إِنِّي لأَرْجُو فِيهِ عَفْوَ اللَّهِ۔ لاَ وَاللَّهِ مَا كَانَ لِي مِنْ عُذْرٍ۔ وَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ قَطُّ أَقْوَى وَلاَ أَيْسَرَ مِنِّي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْكَ۔ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَمَّا هَذَا فَقَدْ صَدَقَ، فَقُمْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ۔» فَقُمْتُ۔

وَثَارَ رِجَالٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ فَاتَّبَعُونِي فَقَالُوا لِي: وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَاكَ كُنْتَ أَذْنَبْتَ ذَنْبًا قَبْلَ هَذَا وَلَقَدْ عَجَزْتَ أَنْ لاَ تَكُونَ اعْتَذَرْتَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِمَا اعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُتَخَلِّفُونَ قَدْ كَانَ كَافِيَكَ ذَنْبَكَ اسْتِغْفَارُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَكَ۔ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا زَالُوا يُؤَنِّبُونِي حَتَّى أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَرْجِعَ فَأُكَذِّبُ نَفْسِي۔ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ هَلْ لَقِيَ هَذَا مَعِي أَحَدٌ؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ رَجُلاَنِ قَالاَ: مِثْلَ مَا قُلْتَ فَقِيلَ لَهُمَا مِثْلُ مَا قِيلَ لَكَ۔ فَقُلْتُ: مَنْ هُمَا؟ قَالُوا: مُرَارَةُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ الْعَمْرِيُّ وَهِلاَلُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ الْوَاقِفِيُّ۔ فَذَكَرُوا لِي رَجُلَيْنِ صَالِحَيْنِ قَدْ شَهِدَا بَدْرًا فِيهِمَا إِسْوَةٌ۔

فَمَضَيْتُ حِينَ ذَكَرُوهُمَا لِي وَنَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عَنْ كَلاَمِنَا أَيُّهَا الثَّلاَثَةُ مِنْ بَيْنِ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ فَاجْتَنَبَنَا النَّاسُ وَتَغَيَّرُوا لَنَا حَتَّى تَنَكَّرَتْ فِي نَفْسِي الأَرْضُ فَمَا هِيَ الَّتِي أَعْرِفُ۔ فَلَبِثْنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةً۔ فَأَمَّا صَاحِبَاىَ فَاسْتَكَانَا وَقَعَدَا فِي بُيُوتِهِمَا يَبْكِيَانِ۔ وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَكُنْتُ أَشَبَّ الْقَوْمِ وَأَجْلَدَهُمْ۔ فَكُنْتُ أَخْرُجُ فَأَشْهَدُ الصَّلاَةَ مَعَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَأَطُوفُ فِي الأَسْوَاقِ وَلاَ يُكَلِّمُنِي أَحَدٌ۔ وَآتِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ وَهْوَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ بَعْدَ الصَّلاَةِ فَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي هَلْ حَرَّكَ شَفَتَيْهِ بِرَدِّ السَّلاَمِ عَلَىَّ أَمْ لاَ۔ ثُمَّ أُصَلِّي قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ فَأُسَارِقُهُ النَّظَرَ فَإِذَا أَقْبَلْتُ عَلَى صَلاَتِي أَقْبَلَ إِلَىَّ وَإِذَا الْتَفَتُّ نَحْوَهُ أَعْرَضَ عَنِّي۔

حَتَّى إِذَا طَالَ عَلَىَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ جَفْوَةِ النَّاسِ مَشَيْتُ حَتَّى تَسَوَّرْتُ جِدَارَ حَائِطِ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ وَهْوَ ابْنُ عَمِّي وَأَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَدَّ عَلَىَّ السَّلاَمَ۔ فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَبَا قَتَادَةَ أَنْشُدُكَ بِاللَّهِ هَلْ تَعْلَمُنِي أُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ؟ فَسَكَتَ فَعُدْتُ لَهُ فَنَشَدْتُهُ فَسَكَتَ فَعُدْتُ لَهُ فَنَشَدْتُهُ۔ فَقَالَ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ۔ فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاىَ وَتَوَلَّيْتُ حَتَّى تَسَوَّرْتُ الْجِدَارَ۔

قَالَ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي بِسُوقِ الْمَدِينَةِ إِذَا نَبَطِيٌّ مِنْ أَنْبَاطِ أَهْلِ الشَّأْمِ مِمَّنْ قَدِمَ بِالطَّعَامِ يَبِيعُهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ يَقُولُ: مَنْ يَدُلُّ عَلَى كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ؟ فَطَفِقَ النَّاسُ يُشِيرُونَ لَهُ، حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَنِي دَفَعَ إِلَىَّ كِتَابًا مِنْ مَلِكِ غَسَّانَ۔ فَإِذَا فِيهِ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ صَاحِبَكَ قَدْ جَفَاكَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْكَ اللَّهُ بِدَارِ هَوَانٍ وَلاَ مَضْيَعَةٍ فَالْحَقْ بِنَا نُوَاسِكَ فَقُلْتُ لَمَّا قَرَأْتُهَا وَهَذَا أَيْضًا مِنَ الْبَلاَءِ فَتَيَمَّمْتُ بِهَا التَّنُّورَ فَسَجَرْتُهُ بِهَا۔

حَتَّى إِذَا مَضَتْ أَرْبَعُونَ لَيْلَةً مِنَ الْخَمْسِينَ إِذَا رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَأْتِينِي فَقَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَعْتَزِلَ امْرَأَتَكَ۔ فَقُلْتُ: أُطَلِّقُهَا أَمْ مَاذَا أَفْعَلُ؟ قَالَ: لاَ بَلِ اعْتَزِلْهَا وَلاَ تَقْرَبْهَا وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى صَاحِبَىَّ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ۔ فَقُلْتُ لاِمْرَأَتِي: الْحَقِي بِأَهْلِكِ فَتَكُونِي عِنْدَهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ فِي هَذَا الأَمْرِ۔ قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَجَاءَتِ امْرَأَةُ هِلاَلِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ هِلاَلَ بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ شَيْخٌ ضَائِعٌ لَيْسَ لَهُ خَادِمٌ فَهَلْ تَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَخْدُمَهُ؟ قَالَ: «لاَ وَلَكِنْ لاَ يَقْرَبْكِ۔» قَالَتْ: إِنَّهُ وَاللَّهِ مَا بِهِ حَرَكَةٌ إِلَى شَىْءٍ وَاللَّهِ مَا زَالَ يَبْكِي مُنْذُ كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ مَا كَانَ إِلَى يَوْمِهِ هَذَا۔ فَقَالَ لِي: بَعْضُ أَهْلِي لَوِ اسْتَأْذَنْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي امْرَأَتِكَ كَمَا أَذِنَ لاِمْرَأَةِ هِلاَلِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ أَنْ تَخْدُمَهُ فَقُلْتُ: وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَسْتَأْذِنُ فِيهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَا يُدْرِينِي مَا يَقُولُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا اسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ فِيهَا وَأَنَا رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ فَلَبِثْتُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ عَشْرَ لَيَالٍ۔

حَتَّى كَمَلَتْ لَنَا خَمْسُونَ لَيْلَةً مِنْ حِينِ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ كَلاَمِنَا فَلَمَّا صَلَّيْتُ صَلاَةَ الْفَجْرِ صُبْحَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةً وَأَنَا عَلَى ظَهْرِ بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسٌ عَلَى الْحَالِ الَّتِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ قَدْ ضَاقَتْ عَلَىَّ نَفْسِي وَضَاقَتْ عَلَىَّ الأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ، سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَ صَارِخٍ أَوْفَى عَلَى جَبَلِ سَلْعٍ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ: يَا كَعْبُ بْنَ مَالِكٍ أَبْشِرْ! قَالَ: فَخَرَرْتُ سَاجِدًا وَعَرَفْتُ أَنْ قَدْ جَاءَ فَرَجٌ وَآذَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِتَوْبَةِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا حِينَ صَلَّى صَلاَةَ الْفَجْرِ۔ فَذَهَبَ النَّاسُ يُبَشِّرُونَنَا وَذَهَبَ قِبَلَ صَاحِبَىَّ مُبَشِّرُونَ وَرَكَضَ إِلَىَّ رَجُلٌ فَرَسًا وَسَعَى سَاعٍ مِنْ أَسْلَمَ فَأَوْفَى عَلَى الْجَبَلِ وَكَانَ الصَّوْتُ أَسْرَعَ مِنَ الْفَرَسِ۔ فَلَمَّا جَاءَنِي الَّذِي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَهُ يُبَشِّرُنِي نَزَعْتُ لَهُ ثَوْبَىَّ فَكَسَوْتُهُ إِيَّاهُمَا بِبُشْرَاهُ۔ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَمْلِكُ غَيْرَهُمَا يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاسْتَعَرْتُ ثَوْبَيْنِ فَلَبِسْتُهُمَا وَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ۔ فَيَتَلَقَّانِي النَّاسُ فَوْجًا فَوْجًا يُهَنُّونِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ يَقُولُونَ لِتَهْنِكَ تَوْبَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ۔

قَالَ كَعْبٌ: حَتَّى دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَالِسٌ حَوْلَهُ النَّاسُ فَقَامَ إِلَىَّ طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ يُهَرْوِلُ حَتَّى صَافَحَنِي وَهَنَّانِي۔ وَاللَّهِ مَا قَامَ إِلَىَّ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ غَيْرُهُ وَلاَ أَنْسَاهَا لِطَلْحَةَ۔ قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهْوَ يَبْرُقُ وَجْهُهُ مِنَ السُّرُورِ: «أَبْشِرْ بِخَيْرِ يَوْمٍ مَرَّ عَلَيْكَ مُنْذُ وَلَدَتْكَ أُمُّكَ۔» قَالَ قُلْتُ: أَمِنْ عِنْدِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: «لاَ بَلْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ۔» وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا سُرَّ اسْتَنَارَ وَجْهُهُ حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُ قِطْعَةُ قَمَرٍ وَكُنَّا نَعْرِفُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ۔

فَلَمَّا جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي أَنْ أَنْخَلِعَ مِنْ مَالِي صَدَقَةً إِلَى اللَّهِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ۔ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ بَعْضَ مَالِكَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ۔» قُلْتُ: فَإِنِّي أُمْسِكُ سَهْمِي الَّذِي بِخَيْبَرَ۔ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ إِنَّمَا نَجَّانِي بِالصِّدْقِ وَإِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي أَنْ لاَ أُحَدِّثَ إِلاَّ صِدْقًا مَا بَقِيتُ۔ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَبْلاَهُ اللَّهُ فِي صِدْقِ الْحَدِيثِ مُنْذُ ذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَحْسَنَ مِمَّا أَبْلاَنِي مَا تَعَمَّدْتُ مُنْذُ ذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا كَذِبًا، وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ يَحْفَظَنِي اللَّهُ فِيمَا بَقِيتُ۔

وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ ﷺ {لَقَدْ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ}۔ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ قَطُّ بَعْدَ أَنْ هَدَانِي لِلإِسْلاَمِ أَعْظَمَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ صِدْقِي لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، أَنْ لاَ أَكُونَ كَذَبْتُهُ فَأَهْلِكَ كَمَا هَلَكَ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا۔ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ لِلَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا حِينَ أَنْزَلَ الْوَحْىَ شَرَّ مَا قَالَ لأَحَدٍ فَقَالَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى: {سَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ لَكُمْ إِذَا انْقَلَبْتُمْ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَرْضَى عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ}۔

قَالَ كَعْبٌ: وَكُنَّا تَخَلَّفْنَا أَيُّهَا الثَّلاَثَةُ عَنْ أَمْرِ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ قَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِينَ حَلَفُوا لَهُ فَبَايَعَهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ۔ وَأَرْجَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَمْرَنَا حَتَّى قَضَى اللَّهُ فِيهِ۔ فَبِذَلِكَ قَالَ اللَّهُ {وَعَلَى الثَّلاَثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا} وَلَيْسَ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ مِمَّا خُلِّفْنَا عَنِ الْغَزْوِ إِنَّمَا هُوَ تَخْلِيفُهُ إِيَّانَا وَإِرْجَاؤُهُ أَمْرَنَا عَمَّنْ حَلَفَ لَهُ وَاعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَبِلَ مِنْهُ۔  

Abu Sufyan narrated to me personally, saying, "I set out during the Truce that had been concluded between me and Messenger of Allah ﷺ. While I was in Sham, a letter sent by the Prophet ﷺ was brought to Heraclius. Dihya Al-Kalbi had brought and given it to the governor of Busra, and the latter forwarded it to Heraclius. Heraclius said, 'Is there anyone from the people of this man who claims to be a prophet?' The people replied, 'Yes.' So I along with some of Quraishi men were called and we entered upon Heraclius, and we were seated in front of him. Then he said, 'Who amongst you is the nearest relative to the man who claims to be a prophet?' So they made me sit in front of him and made my companions sit behind me. Then he called upon his translator and said (to him). 'Tell them ( i.e. Abu Sufyan's companions) that I am going to ask him (i.e. Abu Sufyan) regarding that man who claims to be a prophet. So, if he tell me a lie, they should contradict him (instantly).' By Allah, had I not been afraid that my companions would consider me a liar, I would have told lies. Heraclius then said to his translator, 'Ask him: What is his (i.e. the Prophet's) family status amongst you? I said, 'He belongs to a noble family amongst us." Heraclius said, 'Was any of his ancestors a king?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Did you ever accuse him of telling lies before his saying what he has said?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Do the nobles follow him or the poor people?' I said, 'It is the poor who followed him.' He said, 'Is the number of his follower increasing or decreasing?' I said, 'The are increasing.' He said, 'Does anyone renounce his religion (i.e. Islam) after embracing it, being displeased with it?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Did you fight with him?' I replied, 'Yes.' He said, 'How was your fighting with him?' I said, 'The fighting between us was undecided and victory was shared by him and us by turns. He inflicts casualties upon us and we inflict casualties upon him.' He said, 'Did he ever betray?' I said, 'No, but now we are away from him in this truce and we do not know what he will do in it" Abu Sufyan added, "By Allah, I was not able to insert in my speech a word (against him) except that. Heraclius said, 'Did anybody else (amongst you) ever claimed the same (i.e. Islam) before him? I said, 'No.' Then Heraclius told his translator to tell me (i.e. Abu Sufyan), 'I asked you about his family status amongst you, and you told me that he comes from a noble family amongst you Verily, all Apostles come from the noblest family among their people. Then I asked you whether any of his ancestors was a king, and you denied that. Thereupon I thought that had one of his fore-fathers been a king, I would have said that he (i.e. Muhammad) was seeking to rule the kingdom of his fore-fathers. Then I asked you regarding his followers, whether they were the noble or the poor among the people, and you said that they were only the poor (who follow him). In fact, such are the followers of the Apostles. Then I asked you whether you have ever accused him of telling lies before saying what he said, and your reply was in the negative. Therefore, I took for granted that a man who did not tell a lie about others, could ever tell a lie about Allah. Then I asked you whether anyone of his followers had renounced his religion (i.e. Islam) after embracing it, being displeased with it, and you denied that. And such is Faith when it mixes with the cheerfulness of the hearts. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You claimed that they were increasing. That is the way of true faith till it is complete. Then I asked you whether you had ever fought with him, and you claimed that you had fought with him and the battle between you and him was undecided and the victory was shared by you and him in turns; he inflicted casual ties upon you and you inflicted casualties upon them. Such is the case with the Apostles; they are out to test and the final victory is for them. Then I asked you whether he had ever betrayed; you claimed that he had never betrayed. I need, Apostles never betray. Then I asked you whether anyone had said this statement before him; and you denied that. Thereupon I thought if somebody had said that statement before him, then I would have said that he was but a man copying some sayings said before him." Abu Safyan said, "Heraclius then asked me, 'What does he order you to do?' I said, 'He orders us (to offer) prayers and (to pay) Zakat and to keep good relationship with the Kith and kin and to be chaste.' Then Heraclius said, 'If whatever you have said, is true, he is really a prophet, and I knew that he ( i.e. the Prophet ﷺ ) was going to appear, but I never thought that he would be from amongst you. If I were certain that I can reach him, I would like to meet him and if I were with him, I would wash his feet; and his kingdom will expand (surely to what is under my feet.' Then Heraclius asked for the letter of Messenger of Allah ﷺ and read it wherein was written: "In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. This letter is) from Muhammad, Apostle of Allah, to Heraclius, the sovereign of Byzantine........ Peace be upon him who follows the Right Path. Now then, I call you to embrace Islam. Embrace Islam and you will be saved (from Allah's Punishment); embrace Islam, and Allah will give you a double reward, but if you reject this, you will be responsible for the sins of the tillers (i.e. the people of your kingdom) and (Allah's Statement):--"O the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship None but Allah....bear witness that we are Muslims.' (3.64) When he finished reading the letter, voices grew louder near him and there was a great hue and cry, and we were ordered to go out." Abu Sufyan added, "While coming out, I said to my companions, 'The situation of Ibn Abu Kabsha (i.e. Muhammad) has become strong; even the king of Banu Al14 Asfar is afraid of him.' So I continued to believe that Messenger of Allah ﷺ would be victorious, till Allah made me embrace Islam." Az-Zuhri said, "Heraclius then invited all the chiefs of the Byzantines and had them assembled in his house and said, 'O group of Byzantines! Do you wish to have a permanent success and guidance and that your kingdom should remain with you?' (Immediately after hearing that), they rushed towards the gate like onagers, but they found them closed. Heraclius then said, 'Bring them back to me.' So he called them and said, 'I just wanted to test the strength of your adherence to your religion. Now I have observed of you that which I like.' Then the people fell in prostration before him and became pleased with him." (See Hadith No. 6,Vol 1)  

حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سُفْيَانَ مِنْ فِيهِ إِلَى فِيَّ قَالَ انْطَلَقْتُ فِي الْمُدَّةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا بِالشَّأْمِ إِذْ جِيءَ بِكِتَابٍ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ قَالَ وَكَانَ دِحْيَةُ الْكَلْبِيُّ جَاءَ بِهِ فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى عَظِيمِ بُصْرَى فَدَفَعَهُ عَظِيمُ بُصْرَى إِلَى هِرَقْلَ قَالَ فَقَالَ هِرَقْلُ هَلْ هَا هُنَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ قَوْمِ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَقَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ فَدُعِيتُ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَى هِرَقْلَ فَأُجْلِسْنَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَيُّكُمْ أَقْرَبُ نَسَبًا مِنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقُلْتُ أَنَا فَأَجْلَسُونِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَجْلَسُوا أَصْحَابِي خَلْفِي ثُمَّ دَعَا بِتُرْجُمَانِهِ فَقَالَ قُلْ لَهُمْ إِنِّي سَائِلٌ هَذَا عَنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَإِنْ كَذَبَنِي فَكَذِّبُوهُ قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وَايْمُ اللَّهِ لَوْلاَ أَنْ يُؤْثِرُوا عَلَىَّ الْكَذِبَ لَكَذَبْتُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ سَلْهُ كَيْفَ حَسَبُهُ فِيكُمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ هُوَ فِينَا ذُو حَسَبٍ قَالَ فَهَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ فَهَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ أَيَتَّبِعُهُ أَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ قَالَ يَزِيدُونَ أَوْ يَنْقُصُونَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ بَلْ يَزِيدُونَ قَالَ هَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ سَخْطَةً لَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ فَهَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ قِتَالُكُمْ إِيَّاهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ تَكُونُ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالاً يُصِيبُ مِنَّا وَنُصِيبُ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَهَلْ يَغْدِرُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ وَنَحْنُ مِنْهُ فِي هَذِهِ الْمُدَّةِ لاَ نَدْرِي مَا هُوَ صَانِعٌ فِيهَا قَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَمْكَنَنِي مِنْ كَلِمَةٍ أُدْخِلُ فِيهَا شَيْئًا غَيْرَ هَذِهِ قَالَ فَهَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ قُلْتُ لاَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ قُلْ لَهُ إِنِّي سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ حَسَبِهِ فِيكُمْ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُ فِيكُمْ ذُو حَسَبٍ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْعَثُ فِي أَحْسَابِ قَوْمِهَا وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كَانَ فِي آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ فَقُلْتُ لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَطْلُبُ مُلْكَ آبَائِهِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ أَتْبَاعِهِ أَضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ أَمْ أَشْرَافُهُمْ فَقُلْتَ بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ وَهُمْ أَتْبَاعُ الرُّسُلِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَدَعَ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ يَذْهَبَ فَيَكْذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ سَخْطَةً لَهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ وَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ إِذَا خَالَطَ بَشَاشَةَ الْقُلُوبِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُمْ يَزِيدُونَ وَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّكُمْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ فَتَكُونُ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالاً يَنَالُ مِنْكُمْ وَتَنَالُونَ مِنْهُ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْتَلَى ثُمَّ تَكُونُ لَهُمُ الْعَاقِبَةُ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَغْدِرُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَغْدِرُ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ لاَ تَغْدِرُ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَالَ أَحَدٌ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ قَبْلَهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ فَقُلْتُ لَوْ كَانَ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ ائْتَمَّ بِقَوْلٍ قِيلَ قَبْلَهُ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ بِمَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَأْمُرُنَا بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالصِّلَةِ وَالْعَفَافِ قَالَ إِنْ يَكُ مَا تَقُولُ فِيهِ حَقًّا فَإِنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ خَارِجٌ وَلَمْ أَكُ أَظُنُّهُ مِنْكُمْ وَلَوْ أَنِّي أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أَخْلُصُ إِلَيْهِ لأَحْبَبْتُ لِقَاءَهُ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهُ لَغَسَلْتُ عَنْ قَدَمَيْهِ وَلَيَبْلُغَنَّ مُلْكُهُ مَا تَحْتَ قَدَمَىَّ قَالَ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِكِتَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَرَأَهُ فَإِذَا فِيهِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ سَلاَمٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ بِدِعَايَةِ الإِسْلاَمِ أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ وَأَسْلِمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ إِثْمَ الأَرِيسِيِّينَ وَ{يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَنْ لاَ نَعْبُدَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ} فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ الْكِتَابِ ارْتَفَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ عِنْدَهُ وَكَثُرَ اللَّغَطُ وَأُمِرَ بِنَا فَأُخْرِجْنَا قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لأَصْحَابِي حِينَ خَرَجْنَا لَقَدْ أَمِرَ أَمْرُ ابْنِ أَبِي كَبْشَةَ أَنَّهُ لَيَخَافُهُ مَلِكُ بَنِي الأَصْفَرِ فَمَا زِلْتُ مُوقِنًا بِأَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ سَيَظْهَرُ حَتَّى أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ الإِسْلاَمَ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ فَدَعَا هِرَقْلُ عُظَمَاءَ الرُّومِ فَجَمَعَهُمْ فِي دَارٍ لَهُ فَقَالَ يَا مَعْشَرَ الرُّومِ هَلْ لَكُمْ فِي الْفَلاَحِ وَالرَّشَدِ آخِرَ الأَبَدِ وَأَنْ يَثْبُتَ لَكُمْ مُلْكُكُمْ قَالَ فَحَاصُوا حَيْصَةَ حُمُرِ الْوَحْشِ إِلَى الأَبْوَابِ فَوَجَدُوهَا قَدْ غُلِقَتْ فَقَالَ عَلَىَّ بِهِمْ فَدَعَا بِهِمْ فَقَالَ إِنِّي إِنَّمَا اخْتَبَرْتُ شِدَّتَكُمْ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ مِنْكُمُ الَّذِي أَحْبَبْتُ فَسَجَدُوا لَهُ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ  

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

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 ؓ أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ ؓ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَعَهُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا فَخَرَجَ سَهْمِي فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعْدَ مَا نَزَلَ الْحِجَابُ فَأَنَا أُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي وَأُنْزَلُ فِيهِ فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ اللَّطَفَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى مِنْهُ حِينَ أَشْتَكِي إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ ؓ حِينَ اسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْىُ يَسْتَأْمِرُهُمَا فِي فِرَاقِ أَهْلِهِ قَالَتْ فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ يَوْمَئِذٍ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أُبَىٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ قَالَتْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ قَائِمٌ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَتُوا وَسَكَتَ قَالَتْ فَمَكُثْتُ يَوْمِي ذَلِكَ لاَ يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلاَ أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ قَالَتْ فَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَاىَ عِنْدِي وَقَدْ بَكَيْتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ وَيَوْمًا لاَ أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ وَلاَ يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ 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 ﷺ فَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ قَالَتْ وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا وَقَدْ لَبِثَ شَهْرًا لاَ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي شَأْنِي قَالَتْ فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَةً فَقُلْتُ لأَبِي أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِيمَا قَالَ قَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لأُمِّي أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي اللَّهُ بِهَا قَالَتْ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ وَهْوَ يَضْحَكُ فَكَانَتْ أَوَّلُ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا يَا عَائِشَةُ أَمَّا اللَّهُ ﷻ فَقَدْ بَرَّأَكِ فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي قُومِي إِلَيْهِ قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلاَ أَحْمَدُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ لاَ تَحْسِبُوهُ} الْعَشْرَ الآيَاتِ كُلَّهَا فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ ؓ 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ فَعَصَمَهَا اللَّهُ بِالْوَرَعِ وَطَفِقَتْ أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ تُحَارِبُ لَهَا فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الإِفْكِ  

When there was said about me what was said which I myself was unaware of, Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up and addressed the people. He recited Tashah-hud, and after glorifying and praising Allah as He deserved, he said, "To proceed: O people Give me your opinion regarding those people who made a forged story against my wife. By Allah, I do not know anything bad about her. By Allah, they accused her of being with a man about whom I have never known anything bad, and he never entered my house unless I was present there, and whenever I went on a journey, he went with me." Saʿd bin Muʿadh got up and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ Allow me to chop their heads off". Then a man from the Al-Khazraj (Saʿd bin 'Ubada) to whom the mother of (the poet) Hassan bin Thabit was a relative, got up and said (to Saʿd bin Muʿadh), "You have told a lie! By Allah, if those persons were from the Aus Tribe, you would not like to chop their heads off." It was probable that some evil would take place between the Aus and the Khazraj in the mosque, and I was unaware of all that. In the evening of that day, I went out for some of my needs (i.e. to relieve myself), and Um Mistah was accompanying me. On our return, Um Mistah stumbled and said, "Let Mistah. be ruined" I said to her, "O mother Why do you abuse your Son" On that Um Mistah became silent for a while, and stumbling again, she said, "Let Mistah be ruined" I said to her, "Why do you abuse your son?" She stumbled for the third time and said, "Let Mistah be ruined" whereupon I rebuked her for that. She said, "By Allah, I do not abuse him except because of you." I asked her, "Concerning what of my affairs?" So she disclosed the whole story to me. I said, "Has this really happened?" She replied, "Yes, by Allah." I returned to my house, astonished (and distressed) that I did not know for what purpose I had gone out. Then I became sick (fever) and said to Messenger of Allah ﷺ "Send me to my father's house." So he sent a slave with me, and when I entered the house, I found Um Rum-an (my mother) downstairs while (my father) Abu Bakr was reciting something upstairs. My mother asked, "What has brought you, O (my) daughter?" I informed her and mentioned to her the whole story, but she did not feel it as I did. She said, "O my daughter! Take it easy, for there is never a charming lady loved by her husband who has other wives but that they feel jealous of her and speak badly of her." But she did not feel the news as I did. I asked (her), "Does my father know about it?" She said, "yes" I asked, Does Messenger of Allah ﷺ know about it too?" She said, "Yes, Messenger of Allah ﷺ does too." So the tears filled my eyes and I wept. Abu Bakr, who was reading upstairs heard my voice and came down and asked my mother, "What is the matter with her? " She said, "She has heard what has been said about her (as regards the story of Al-lfk)." On that Abu- Bakr wept and said, "I beseech you by Allah, O my daughter, to go back to your home". I went back to my home and Messenger of Allah ﷺ had come to my house and asked my maid-servant about me (my character). The maid-servant said, "By Allah, I do not know of any defect in her character except that she sleeps and let the sheep enter (her house) and eat her dough." On that, some of the Prophet's companions spoke harshly to her and said, "Tell the truth to Messenger of Allah ﷺ." Finally they told her of the affair (of the slander). She said, "Subhan Allah! By Allah, I know nothing against her except what goldsmith knows about a piece of pure gold." Then this news reached the man who was accused, and he said, "Subhan Allah! By Allah, I have never uncovered the private parts of any woman." Later that man was martyred in Allah's Cause. Next morning my parents came to pay me a visit and they stayed with me till Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to me after he had offered the ʿAsr prayer. He came to me while my parents were sitting around me on my right and my left. He praised and glorified Allah and said, "Now then O ʿAisha! If you have committed a bad deed or you have wronged (yourself), then repent to Allah as Allah accepts the repentance from his slaves." An Al-Ansari woman had come and was sitting near the gate. I said (to the Prophet). "Isn't it improper that you speak in such a way in the presence of this lady? Allah's Apostle then gave a piece of advice and I turned to my father and requested him to answer him (on my behalf). My father said, "What should I say?" Then I turned to my mother and asked her to answer him. She said, "What should I say?" When my parents did not give a reply to the Prophet, I said, "I testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Apostle!" And after praising and glorifying Allah as He deserves, I said, "Now then, by Allah, if I were to tell you that I have not done (this evil action) and Allah is a witness that I am telling the truth, that would not be of any use to me on your part because you (people) have spoken about it and your hearts have absorbed it; and if I were to tell you that I have done this sin and Allah knows that I have not done it, then you will say, 'She has confessed herself guilty." By Allah, 'I do not see a suitable example for me and you but the example of (I tried to remember Jacob's name but couldn't) Joseph's father when he said; So (for me) "Patience is most fitting against that which you assert. It is Allah (alone) whose help can be sought.' At that very hour the Divine Inspiration came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and we remained silent. Then the Inspiration was over and I noticed the signs of happiness on his face while he was removing (the sweat) from his forehead and saying, "Have the good tidings O ' "Aisha! Allah has revealed your innocence." At that time I was extremely angry. My parents said to me. "Get up and go to him." I said, "By Allah, I will not do it and will not thank him nor thank either of you, but I will thank Allah Who has revealed my innocence. You have heard this story but neither did not deny it nor change it (to defend me)," (Aisha used to say:) "But as regards Zainab bint Jahsh, (the Prophet's wife), Allah protected her because of her piety, so she did not say anything except good (about me), but her sister, Hamna, was ruined among those who were ruined. Those who used to speak evil about me were Mistah, Hassan bin Thabit, and the hypocrite, ʿAbdullah bin Ubai, who used to spread that news and tempt others to speak of it, and it was he and Hamna who had the greater share therein. Abu Bakr took an oath that he would never do any favor to Mistah at all. Then Allah revealed the Divine Verse: "Let not those among you who are good and wealthy (i.e. Abu Bakr) swear not to give (any sort of help) to their kinsmen, and those in need, (i.e. Mistah) ...Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (24.22) On that, Abu Bakr said, "Yes, by Allah, O our Lord! We wish that You should forgive us." So Abu Bakr again started giving to Mistah the expenditure which he used to give him before.  

لَمَّا ذُكِرَ مِنْ شَأْنِي الَّذِي ذُكِرَ وَمَا عَلِمْتُ بِهِ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِيَّ خَطِيبًا فَتَشَهَّدَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ أَشِيرُوا عَلَىَّ فِي أُنَاسٍ أَبَنُوا أَهْلِي وَايْمُ اللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي مِنْ سُوءٍ وَأَبَنُوهُمْ بِمَنْ وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سُوءٍ قَطُّ وَلاَ يَدْخُلُ بَيْتِي قَطُّ إِلاَّ وَأَنَا حَاضِرٌ وَلاَ غِبْتُ فِي سَفَرٍ إِلاَّ غَابَ مَعِي فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ ائْذَنْ لِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْ نَضْرِبَ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ وَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي الْخَزْرَجِ وَكَانَتْ أُمُّ حَسَّانَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ مِنْ رَهْطِ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ فَقَالَ كَذَبْتَ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ أَنْ لَوْ كَانُوا مِنَ الأَوْسِ مَا أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ تُضْرَبَ أَعْنَاقُهُمْ حَتَّى كَادَ أَنْ يَكُونَ بَيْنَ الأَوْسِ وَالْخَزْرَجِ شَرٌّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَمَا عَلِمْتُ فَلَمَّا كَانَ مَسَاءُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ خَرَجْتُ لِبَعْضِ حَاجَتِي وَمَعِي أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فَعَثَرَتْ وَقَالَتْ تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ فَقُلْتُ أَىْ أُمِّ تَسُبِّينَ ابْنَكِ وَسَكَتَتْ ثُمَّ عَثَرَتِ الثَّانِيَةَ فَقَالَتْ تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا تَسُبِّينَ ابْنَكِ ثُمَّ عَثَرَتِ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَتْ تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ فَانْتَهَرْتُهَا فَقَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَسُبُّهُ إِلاَّ فِيكِ فَقُلْتُ فِي أَىِّ شَأْنِي قَالَتْ فَبَقَرَتْ لِي الْحَدِيثَ فَقُلْتُ وَقَدْ كَانَ هَذَا قَالَتْ نَعَمْ وَاللَّهِ فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي كَأَنَّ الَّذِي خَرَجْتُ لَهُ لاَ أَجِدُ مِنْهُ قَلِيلاً وَلاَ كَثِيرًا وَوُعِكْتُ فَقُلْتُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسِلْنِي إِلَى بَيْتِ أَبِي فَأَرْسَلَ مَعِي الْغُلاَمَ فَدَخَلْتُ الدَّارَ فَوَجَدْتُ أُمَّ رُومَانَ فِي السُّفْلِ وَأَبَا بَكْرٍ فَوْقَ الْبَيْتِ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي مَا جَاءَ بِكِ يَا بُنَيَّةُ فَأَخْبَرْتُهَا وَذَكَرْتُ لَهَا الْحَدِيثَ وَإِذَا هُوَ لَمْ يَبْلُغْ مِنْهَا مِثْلَ مَا بَلَغَ مِنِّي فَقَالَتْ يَا بُنَيَّةُ خَفِّضِي عَلَيْكِ الشَّأْنَ فَإِنَّهُ وَاللَّهِ لَقَلَّمَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ حَسْنَاءُ عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا لَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلاَّ حَسَدْنَهَا وَقِيلَ فِيهَا وَإِذَا هُوَ لَمْ يَبْلُغْ مِنْهَا مَا بَلَغَ مِنِّي قُلْتُ وَقَدْ عَلِمَ بِهِ أَبِي قَالَتْ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَاسْتَعْبَرْتُ وَبَكَيْتُ فَسَمِعَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ صَوْتِي وَهْوَ فَوْقَ الْبَيْتِ يَقْرَأُ فَنَزَلَ فَقَالَ لأُمِّي مَا شَأْنُهَا قَالَتْ بَلَغَهَا الَّذِي ذُكِرَ مِنْ شَأْنِهَا فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ قَالَ أَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْكِ أَىْ بُنَيَّةُ إِلاَّ رَجَعْتِ إِلَى بَيْتِكِ فَرَجَعْتُ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَيْتِي فَسَأَلَ عَنِّي خَادِمَتِي فَقَالَتْ لاَ وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا عَيْبًا إِلاَّ أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَرْقُدُ حَتَّى تَدْخُلَ الشَّاةُ فَتَأْكُلَ خَمِيرَهَا أَوْ عَجِينَهَا وَانْتَهَرَهَا بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ اصْدُقِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى أَسْقَطُوا لَهَا بِهِ فَقَالَتْ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا إِلاَّ مَا يَعْلَمُ الصَّائِغُ عَلَى تِبْرِ الذَّهَبِ الأَحْمَرِ وَبَلَغَ الأَمْرُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهِ مَا كَشَفْتُ كَنَفَ أُنْثَى قَطُّ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَقُتِلَ شَهِيدًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالَتْ وَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَاىَ عِنْدِي فَلَمْ يَزَالاَ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَدْ صَلَّى الْعَصْرَ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ وَقَدِ اكْتَنَفَنِي أَبَوَاىَ عَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنْ كُنْتِ قَارَفْتِ سُوءًا أَوْ ظَلَمْتِ فَتُوبِي إِلَى اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ قَالَتْ وَقَدْ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَهْىَ جَالِسَةٌ بِالْبَابِ فَقُلْتُ أَلاَ تَسْتَحِي مِنْ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةِ أَنْ تَذْكُرَ شَيْئًا فَوَعَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَالْتَفَتُّ إِلَى أَبِي فَقُلْتُ أَجِبْهُ قَالَ فَمَاذَا أَقُولُ فَالْتَفَتُّ إِلَى أُمِّي فَقُلْتُ أَجِيبِيهِ فَقَالَتْ أَقُولُ مَاذَا فَلَمَّا لَمْ يُجِيبَاهُ تَشَهَّدْتُ فَحَمِدْتُ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَيْتُ عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَوَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي لَمْ أَفْعَلْ وَاللَّهُ ﷻ يَشْهَدُ إِنِّي لَصَادِقَةٌ مَا ذَاكَ بِنَافِعِي عِنْدَكُمْ لَقَدْ تَكَلَّمْتُمْ بِهِ وَأُشْرِبَتْهُ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَإِنْ قُلْتُ إِنِّي فَعَلْتُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي لَمْ أَفْعَلْ لَتَقُولُنَّ قَدْ بَاءَتْ بِهِ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا وَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلاً وَالْتَمَسْتُ اسْمَ يَعْقُوبَ فَلَمْ أَقْدِرْ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ أَبَا يُوسُفَ حِينَ قَالَ {فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ} وَأُنْزِلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ فَسَكَتْنَا فَرُفِعَ عَنْهُ وَإِنِّي لأَتَبَيَّنُ السُّرُورَ فِي وَجْهِهِ وَهْوَ يَمْسَحُ جَبِينَهُ وَيَقُولُ أَبْشِرِي يَا عَائِشَةُ فَقَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بَرَاءَتَكِ قَالَتْ وَكُنْتُ أَشَدَّ مَا كُنْتُ غَضَبًا فَقَالَ لِي أَبَوَاىَ قُومِي إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلاَ أَحْمَدُهُ وَلاَ أَحْمَدُكُمَا وَلَكِنْ أَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ بَرَاءَتِي لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ فَمَا أَنْكَرْتُمُوهُ وَلاَ غَيَّرْتُمُوهُ وَكَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ تَقُولُ أَمَّا زَيْنَبُ ابْنَةُ جَحْشٍ فَعَصَمَهَا اللَّهُ بِدِينِهَا فَلَمْ تَقُلْ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا وَأَمَّا أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ وَكَانَ الَّذِي يَتَكَلَّمُ فِيهِ مِسْطَحٌ وَحَسَّانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ وَالْمُنَافِقُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أُبَىٍّ وَهْوَ الَّذِي كَانَ يَسْتَوْشِيهِ وَيَجْمَعُهُ وَهْوَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ هُوَ وَحَمْنَةُ قَالَتْ فَحَلَفَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنْ لاَ يَنْفَعَ مِسْطَحًا بِنَافِعَةٍ أَبَدًا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ {وَلاَ يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ} إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ يَعْنِي أَبَا بَكْرٍ vوَالسَّعَةِ أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ} يَعْنِي مِسْطَحًا إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {أَلاَ تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} حَتَّى قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَلَى وَاللَّهِ يَا رَبَّنَا إِنَّا لَنُحِبُّ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لَنَا وَعَادَ لَهُ بِمَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ  

I had been eager to ask ʿUmar bin Al-Khattab about the two ladies from among the wives of the Prophet regarding whom Allah said 'If you two (wives of the Prophet ﷺ namely Aisha and Hafsa) turn in repentance to Allah, your hearts are indeed so inclined (to oppose what the Prophet ﷺ likes). (66.4) till ʿUmar performed the Hajj and I too, performed the Hajj along with him. (On the way) ʿUmar went aside to answer the call of nature, and I also went aside along with him carrying a tumbler full of water, and when ʿUmar had finished answering the call of nature, I poured water over his hands and he performed the ablution. Then I said to him, "O chief of the Believers! Who were the two ladies from among the wives of the Prophet ﷺ regarding whom Allah said: 'If you two (wives of the Prophet) turn in repentance to Allah your hearts are indeed so inclined (to oppose what the Prophet ﷺ likes)?" (66.4) He said, "I am astonished at your question, O Ibn ʿAbbas. They were ʿAisha and Hafsa." Then ʿUmar went on narrating the Hadith and said, "I and an Ansari neighbor of mine from Bani Umaiyya bin Zaid who used to live in ʿAwali-al-Medina, used to visit the Prophet ﷺ in turn. He used to go one day and I another day. When I went, I would bring him the news of what had happened that day regarding the Divine Inspiration and other things, and when he went, he used to do the same for me. We, the people of Quraish used to have the upper hand over our wives, but when we came to the Ansar, we found that their women had the upper hand over their men, so our women also started learning the ways of the Ansari women. I shouted at my wife and she retorted against me and I disliked that she should answer me back. She said to me, 'Why are you so surprised at my answering you back? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet answer him back and some of them may leave (does not speak to) him throughout the day till the night.' The (talk) scared me and I said to her, 'Whoever has done so will be ruined!' Then I proceeded after dressing myself, and entered upon Hafsa and said to her, 'Does anyone of you keep the Prophet ﷺ angry till night?' She said, 'Yes.' I said, 'You are a ruined losing person! Don't you fear that Allah may get angry for the anger of Messenger of Allah ﷺ and thus you will be ruined? So do not ask more from the Prophet ﷺ and do not answer him back and do not give up talking to him. Ask me whatever you need and do not be tempted to imitate your neighbor (i.e., ʿAisha) in her manners for she is more charming than you and more beloved to the Prophet ﷺ ." ʿUmar added,"At that time a talk was circulating among us that (the tribe of) Ghassan were preparing their horses to invade us. My Ansari companion, on the day of his turn, went (to the town) and returned to us at night and knocked at my door violently and asked if I was there. I became horrified and came out to him. He said, 'Today a great thing has happened.' I asked, 'What is it? Have (the people of) Ghassan come?' He said, 'No, but (What has happened) is greater and more horrifying than that: Messenger of Allah ﷺ; has divorced his wives. ʿUmar added, "The Prophet ﷺ kept away from his wives and I said "Hafsa is a ruined loser.' I had already thought that most probably this (divorce) would happen in the near future. So I dressed myself and offered the morning prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and then the Prophet; entered an upper room and stayed there in seclusion. I entered upon Hafsa and saw her weeping. I asked, 'What makes you weep? Did I not warn you about that? Did the Prophet ﷺ divorce you all?' She said, 'I do not know. There he is retired alone in the upper room.' I came out and sat near the pulpit and saw a group of people sitting around it and some of them were weeping. I sat with them for a while but could not endure the situation, so I went to the upper room where the Prophet; was and said to a black slave of his, 'Will you get the permission (of the Prophet ﷺ ) for ʿUmar (to enter)?' The slave went in, talked to the Prophet ﷺ about it and then returned saying, 'I have spoken to the Prophet ﷺ and mentioned you but he kept quiet.' Then I returned and sat with the group of people sitting near the pulpit. but I could not bear the situation and once again I said to the slave, 'Will you get the permission for ʿUmar?' He went in and returned saying, 'I mentioned you to him but he kept quiet.' So I returned again and sat with the group of people sitting near the pulpit, but I could not bear the situation, and so I went to the slave and said, 'Will you get the permission for ʿUmar?' He went in and returned to me saying, 'I mentioned you to him but he kept quiet.' When I was leaving, behold! The slave called me, saying, 'The Prophet ﷺ has given you permission.' Then I entered upon Messenger of Allah ﷺ and saw him Lying on a bed made of stalks of date palm leaves and there was no bedding between it and him. The stalks left marks on his side and he was leaning on a leather pillow stuffed with date-palm fires. I greeted him and while still standing I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Have you divorced your wives?' He looked at me and said, 'No.' I said, 'Allah Akbar!' And then, while still standing, I said chatting, 'Will you heed what I say, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ? We, the people of Quraish used to have power over our women, but when we arrived at Medina we found that the men (here) were overpowered by their women.' The Prophet ﷺ smiled and then I said to him, 'Will you heed what I say, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ? I entered upon Hafsa and said to her, "Do not be tempted to imitate your companion (ʿAisha), for she is more charming than you and more beloved to the Prophet.' " The Prophet ﷺ smiled for a second time. When I saw him smiling, I sat down. Then I looked around his house, and by Allah, I could not see anything of importance in his house except three hides, so I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Invoke Allah to make your followers rich, for the Persians and the Romans have been made prosperous and they have been given (the pleasures of the world), although they do not worship Allah.' Thereupon the Prophet ﷺ sat up as he was reclining. and said, 'Are you of such an opinion, O the son of Al-Khattab? These are the people who have received the rewards for their good deeds in this world.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Ask Allah to forgive me.' Then the Prophet ﷺ kept away from his wives for twenty-nine days because of the story which Hafsa had disclosed to ʿAisha. The Prophet ﷺ had said, 'I will not enter upon them (my wives) for one month,' because of his anger towards them, when Allah had admonished him. So, when twenty nine days had passed, the Prophet ﷺ first entered upon ʿAisha. ʿAisha said to him, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! You had sworn that you would not enter upon us for one month, but now only twenty-nine days have passed, for I have been counting them one by one.' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The (present) month is of twenty nine days.' ʿAisha added, 'Then Allah revealed the Verses of the option. (2) And out of all his-wives he asked me first, and I chose him.' Then he gave option to his other wives and they said what ʿAisha had said . " (1) The Prophet, ' had decided to abstain from eating a certain kind of food because of a certain event, so Allah blamed him for doing so. Some of his wives were the cause of him taking that decision, therefore he deserted them for one month. See Qur'an: (66.4)  

لَمْ أَزَلْ حَرِيصًا أَنْ أَسْأَلَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ عَنِ الْمَرْأَتَيْنِ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ اللَّتَيْنِ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {إِنْ تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا} حَتَّى حَجَّ وَحَجَجْتُ مَعَهُ وَعَدَلَ وَعَدَلْتُ مَعَهُ بِإِدَاوَةٍ فَتَبَرَّزَ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَسَكَبْتُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ مِنْهَا فَتَوَضَّأَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَنِ الْمَرْأَتَانِ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ اللَّتَانِ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {إِنْ تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا} قَالَ وَاعَجَبًا لَكَ يَا ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ هُمَا عَائِشَةُ وَحَفْصَةُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبَلَ عُمَرُ الْحَدِيثَ يَسُوقُهُ قَالَ كُنْتُ أَنَا وَجَارٌ لِي مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فِي بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ وَهُمْ مِنْ عَوَالِي الْمَدِينَةِ وَكُنَّا نَتَنَاوَبُ النُّزُولَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَيَنْزِلُ يَوْمًا وَأَنْزِلُ يَوْمًا فَإِذَا نَزَلْتُ جِئْتُهُ بِمَا حَدَثَ مِنْ خَبَرِ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ مِنَ الْوَحْىِ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ وَإِذَا نَزَلَ فَعَلَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَكُنَّا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ نَغْلِبُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمْنَا عَلَى الأَنْصَارِ إِذَا قَوْمٌ تَغْلِبُهُمْ نِسَاؤُهُمْ فَطَفِقَ نِسَاؤُنَا يَأْخُذْنَ مِنْ أَدَبِ نِسَاءِ الأَنْصَارِ فَصَخِبْتُ عَلَى امْرَأَتِي فَرَاجَعَتْنِي فَأَنْكَرْتُ أَنْ تُرَاجِعَنِي قَالَتْ وَلِمَ تُنْكِرُ أَنْ أُرَاجِعَكَ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ أَزْوَاجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ لَيُرَاجِعْنَهُ وَإِنَّ إِحْدَاهُنَّ لَتَهْجُرُهُ الْيَوْمَ حَتَّى اللَّيْلِ فَأَفْزَعَنِي ذَلِكَ وَقُلْتُ لَهَا وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُنَّ ثُمَّ جَمَعْتُ عَلَىَّ ثِيَابِي فَنَزَلْتُ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى حَفْصَةَ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا أَىْ حَفْصَةُ أَتُغَاضِبُ إِحْدَاكُنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ الْيَوْمَ حَتَّى اللَّيْلِ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ فَقُلْتُ قَدْ خِبْتِ وَخَسِرْتِ أَفَتَأْمَنِينَ أَنْ يَغْضَبَ اللَّهُ لِغَضَبِ رَسُولِهِ ﷺ فَتَهْلِكِي لاَ تَسْتَكْثِرِي النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَلاَ تُرَاجِعِيهِ فِي شَىْءٍ وَلاَ تَهْجُرِيهِ وَسَلِينِي مَا بَدَا لَكِ وَلاَ يَغُرَّنَّكِ أَنْ كَانَتْ جَارَتُكِ أَوْضَأَ مِنْكِ وَأَحَبَّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يُرِيدُ عَائِشَةَ قَالَ عُمَرُ وَكُنَّا قَدْ تَحَدَّثْنَا أَنَّ غَسَّانَ تُنْعِلُ الْخَيْلَ لِغَزْوِنَا فَنَزَلَ صَاحِبِي الأَنْصَارِيُّ يَوْمَ نَوْبَتِهِ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْنَا عِشَاءً فَضَرَبَ بَابِي ضَرْبًا شَدِيدًا وَقَالَ أَثَمَّ هُوَ فَفَزِعْتُ فَخَرَجْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ قَدْ حَدَثَ الْيَوْمَ أَمْرٌ عَظِيمٌ قُلْتُ مَا هُوَ أَجَاءَ غَسَّانُ قَالَ لاَ بَلْ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَهْوَلُ طَلَّقَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ نِسَاءَهُ فَقُلْتُ خَابَتْ حَفْصَةُ وَخَسِرَتْ قَدْ كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ هَذَا يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَكُونَ فَجَمَعْتُ عَلَىَّ ثِيَابِي فَصَلَّيْتُ صَلاَةَ الْفَجْرِ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَدَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَشْرُبَةً لَهُ فَاعْتَزَلَ فِيهَا وَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى حَفْصَةَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَبْكِي فَقُلْتُ مَا يُبْكِيكِ أَلَمْ أَكُنْ حَذَّرْتُكِ هَذَا أَطَلَّقَكُنَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ قَالَتْ لاَ أَدْرِي هَا هُوَ ذَا مُعْتَزِلٌ فِي الْمَشْرُبَةِ فَخَرَجْتُ فَجِئْتُ إِلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَإِذَا حَوْلَهُ رَهْطٌ يَبْكِي بَعْضُهُمْ فَجَلَسْتُ مَعَهُمْ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ غَلَبَنِي مَا أَجِدُ فَجِئْتُ الْمَشْرُبَةَ الَّتِي فِيهَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لِغُلاَمٍ لَهُ أَسْوَدَ اسْتَأْذِنْ لِعُمَرَ فَدَخَلَ الْغُلاَمُ فَكَلَّمَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَقَالَ كَلَّمْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَذَكَرْتُكَ لَهُ فَصَمَتَ فَانْصَرَفْتُ حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ مَعَ الرَّهْطِ الَّذِينَ عِنْدَ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ غَلَبَنِي مَا أَجِدُ فَجِئْتُ فَقُلْتُ لِلْغُلاَمِ اسْتَأْذِنْ لِعُمَرَ فَدَخَلَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَقَالَ قَدْ ذَكَرْتُكَ لَهُ فَصَمَتَ فَرَجَعْتُ فَجَلَسْتُ مَعَ الرَّهْطِ الَّذِينَ عِنْدَ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ غَلَبَنِي مَا أَجِدُ فَجِئْتُ الْغُلاَمَ فَقُلْتُ اسْتَأْذِنْ لِعُمَرَ فَدَخَلَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَىَّ فَقَالَ قَدْ ذَكَرْتُكَ لَهُ فَصَمَتَ فَلَمَّا وَلَّيْتُ مُنْصَرِفًا قَالَ إِذَا الْغُلاَمُ يَدْعُونِي فَقَالَ قَدْ أَذِنَ لَكَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِذَا هُوَ مُضْطَجِعٌ عَلَى رِمَالِ حَصِيرٍ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُ فِرَاشٌ قَدْ أَثَّرَ الرِّمَالُ بِجَنْبِهِ مُتَّكِئًا عَلَى وِسَادَةٍ مِنْ أَدَمٍ حَشْوُهَا لِيفٌ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ وَأَنَا قَائِمٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَطَلَّقْتَ نِسَاءَكَ فَرَفَعَ إِلَىَّ بَصَرَهُ فَقَالَ لاَ فَقُلْتُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ وَأَنَا قَائِمٌ أَسْتَأْنِسُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَوْ رَأَيْتَنِي وَكُنَّا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ نَغْلِبُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ إِذَا قَوْمٌ تَغْلِبُهُمْ نِسَاؤُهُمْ فَتَبَسَّمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَوْ رَأَيْتَنِي وَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى حَفْصَةَ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا لاَ يَغُرَّنَّكِ أَنْ كَانَتْ جَارَتُكِ أَوْضَأَ مِنْكِ وَأَحَبَّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يُرِيدُ عَائِشَةَ فَتَبَسَّمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ تَبَسُّمَةً أُخْرَى فَجَلَسْتُ حِينَ رَأَيْتُهُ تَبَسَّمَ فَرَفَعْتُ بَصَرِي فِي بَيْتِهِ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُ فِي بَيْتِهِ شَيْئًا يَرُدُّ الْبَصَرَ غَيْرَ أَهَبَةٍ ثَلاَثَةٍ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ادْعُ اللَّهَ فَلْيُوَسِّعْ عَلَى أُمَّتِكَ فَإِنَّ فَارِسًا وَالرُّومَ قَدْ وُسِّعَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأُعْطُوا الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ لاَ يَعْبُدُونَ اللَّهَ فَجَلَسَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَكَانَ مُتَّكِئًا فَقَالَ أَوَفِي هَذَا أَنْتَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ إِنَّ أُولَئِكَ قَوْمٌ عُجِّلُوا طَيِّبَاتِهِمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اسْتَغْفِرْ لِي فَاعْتَزَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ نِسَاءَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ الْحَدِيثِ حِينَ أَفْشَتْهُ حَفْصَةُ إِلَى عَائِشَةَ تِسْعًا وَعِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً وَكَانَ قَالَ مَا أَنَا بِدَاخِلٍ عَلَيْهِنَّ شَهْرًا مِنْ شِدَّةِ مَوْجِدَتِهِ عَلَيْهِنَّ حِينَ عَاتَبَهُ اللَّهُ فَلَمَّا مَضَتْ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ لَيْلَةً دَخَلَ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَبَدَأَ بِهَا فَقَالَتْ لَهُ عَائِشَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّكَ كُنْتَ قَدْ أَقْسَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ تَدْخُلَ عَلَيْنَا شَهْرًا وَإِنَّمَا أَصْبَحْتَ مِنْ تِسْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً أَعُدُّهَا عَدًّا فَقَالَ الشَّهْرُ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ الشَّهْرُ تِسْعًا وَعِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى آيَةَ التَّخَيُّرِ فَبَدَأَ بِي أَوَّلَ امْرَأَةٍ مِنْ نِسَائِهِ فَاخْتَرْتُهُ ثُمَّ خَيَّرَ نِسَاءَهُ كُلَّهُنَّ فَقُلْنَ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ  

I used to teach (the Qur'an to) some people of the Muhajirln (emigrants), among whom there was ʿAbdur Rahman bin ʿAuf. While I was in his house at Mina, and he was with ʿUmar bin Al-Khattab during ʿUmar's last Hajj, ʿAbdur-Rahman came to me and said, "Would that you had seen the man who came today to the Chief of the Believers (ʿUmar), saying, 'O Chief of the Believers! What do you think about so-and-so who says, 'If ʿUmar should die, I will give the pledge of allegiance to such-andsuch person, as by Allah, the pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr was nothing but a prompt sudden action which got established afterwards.' ʿUmar became angry and then said, 'Allah willing, I will stand before the people tonight and warn them against those people who want to deprive the others of their rights (the question of rulership). ʿAbdur-Rahman said, "I said, 'O Chief of the believers! Do not do that, for the season of Hajj gathers the riff-raff and the rubble, and it will be they who will gather around you when you stand to address the people. And I am afraid that you will get up and say something, and some people will spread your statement and may not say what you have actually said and may not understand its meaning, and may interpret it incorrectly, so you should wait till you reach Medina, as it is the place of emigration and the place of Prophet's Traditions, and there you can come in touch with the learned and noble people, and tell them your ideas with confidence; and the learned people will understand your statement and put it in its proper place.' On that, ʿUmar said, 'By Allah! Allah willing, I will do this in the first speech I will deliver before the people in Medina." Ibn ʿAbbas added: We reached Medina by the end of the month of Dhul-Hijja, and when it was Friday, we went quickly (to the mosque) as soon as the sun had declined, and I saw Saʿid bin Zaid bin ʿAmr bin Nufail sitting at the corner of the pulpit, and I too sat close to him so that my knee was touching his knee, and after a short while ʿUmar bin Al-Khattab came out, and when I saw him coming towards us, I said to Saʿid bin Zaid bin ʿAmr bin Nufail "Today ʿUmar will say such a thing as he has never said since he was chosen as Caliph." Saʿid denied my statement with astonishment and said, "What thing do you expect ʿUmar to say the like of which he has never said before?" In the meantime, ʿUmar sat on the pulpit and when the callmakers for the prayer had finished their call, ʿUmar stood up, and having glorified and praised Allah as He deserved, he said, "Now then, I am going to tell you something which (Allah) has written for me to say. I do not know; perhaps it portends my death, so whoever understands and remembers it, must narrate it to the others wherever his mount takes him, but if somebody is afraid that he does not understand it, then it is unlawful for him to tell lies about me. Allah sent Muhammad with the Truth and revealed the Holy Book to him, and among what Allah revealed, was the Verse of the Rajam (the stoning of married person (male & female) who commits illegal sexual intercourse, and we did recite this Verse and understood and memorized it. Messenger of Allah ﷺ did carry out the punishment of stoning and so did we after him. I am afraid that after a long time has passed, somebody will say, 'By Allah, we do not find the Verse of the Rajam in Allah's Book,' and thus they will go astray by leaving an obligation which Allah has revealed. And the punishment of the Rajam is to be inflicted to any married person (male & female), who commits illegal sexual intercourse, if the required evidence is available or there is conception or confession. And then we used to recite among the Verses in Allah's Book: 'O people! Do not claim to be the offspring of other than your fathers, as it is disbelief (unthankfulness) on your part that you claim to be the offspring of other than your real father.' Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Do not praise me excessively as Jesus, son of Marry was praised, but call me Allah's Slave and His Apostles.' (O people!) I have been informed that a speaker amongst you says, 'By Allah, if ʿUmar should die, I will give the pledge of allegiance to such-and-such person.' One should not deceive oneself by saying that the pledge of allegiance given to Abu Bakr was given suddenly and it was successful. No doubt, it was like that, but Allah saved (the people) from its evil, and there is none among you who has the qualities of Abu Bakr. Remember that whoever gives the pledge of allegiance to anybody among you without consulting the other Muslims, neither that person, nor the person to whom the pledge of allegiance was given, are to be supported, lest they both should be killed. And no doubt after the death of the Prophet ﷺ we were informed that the Ansar disagreed with us and gathered in the shed of Bani Saʿda. ʿAli and Zubair and whoever was with them, opposed us, while the emigrants gathered with Abu Bakr. I said to Abu Bakr, 'Let's go to these Ansari brothers of ours.' So we set out seeking them, and when we approached them, two pious men of theirs met us and informed us of the final decision of the Ansar, and said, 'O group of Muhajirin (emigrants) ! Where are you going?' We replied, 'We are going to these Ansari brothers of ours.' They said to us, 'You shouldn't go near them. Carry out whatever we have already decided.' I said, 'By Allah, we will go to them.' And so we proceeded until we reached them at the shed of Bani Saʿda. Behold! There was a man sitting amongst them and wrapped in something. I asked, 'Who is that man?' They said, 'He is Saʿd bin 'Ubada.' I asked, 'What is wrong with him?' They said, 'He is sick.' After we sat for a while, the Ansar's speaker said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,' and praising Allah as He deserved, he added, 'To proceed, we are Allah's Ansar (helpers) and the majority of the Muslim army, while you, the emigrants, are a small group and some people among you came with the intention of preventing us from practicing this matter (of caliphate) and depriving us of it.' When the speaker had finished, I intended to speak as I had prepared a speech which I liked and which I wanted to deliver in the presence of Abu Bakr, and I used to avoid provoking him. So, when I wanted to speak, Abu Bakr said, 'Wait a while.' I disliked to make him angry. So Abu Bakr himself gave a speech, and he was wiser and more patient than I. By Allah, he never missed a sentence that I liked in my own prepared speech, but he said the like of it or better than it spontaneously. After a pause he said, 'O Ansar! You deserve all (the qualities that you have attributed to yourselves, but this question (of Caliphate) is only for the Quraish as they are the best of the Arabs as regards descent and home, and I am pleased to suggest that you choose either of these two men, so take the oath of allegiance to either of them as you wish. And then Abu Bakr held my hand and Abu Ubaida bin al-Jarrah's hand who was sitting amongst us. I hated nothing of what he had said except that proposal, for by Allah, I would rather have my neck chopped off as expiator for a sin than become the ruler of a nation, one of whose members is Abu Bakr, unless at the time of my death my own-self suggests something I don't feel at present.' And then one of the Ansar said, 'I am the pillar on which the camel with a skin disease (eczema) rubs itself to satisfy the itching (i.e., I am a noble), and I am as a high class palm tree! O Quraish. There should be one ruler from us and one from you.' Then there was a hue and cry among the gathering and their voices rose so that I was afraid there might be great disagreement, so I said, 'O Abu Bakr! Hold your hand out.' He held his hand out and I pledged allegiance to him, and then all the emigrants gave the Pledge of allegiance and so did the Ansar afterwards. And so we became victorious over Saʿd bin Ubada (whom Al-Ansar wanted to make a ruler). One of the Ansar said, 'You have killed Saʿd bin Ubada.' I replied, 'Allah has killed Saʿd bin Ubada.' ʿUmar added, "By Allah, apart from the great tragedy that had happened to us (i.e. the death of the Prophet), there was no greater problem than the allegiance pledged to Abu Bakr because we were afraid that if we left the people, they might give the Pledge of allegiance after us to one of their men, in which case we would have given them our consent for something against our real wish, or would have opposed them and caused great trouble. So if any person gives the Pledge of allegiance to somebody (to become a Caliph) without consulting the other Muslims, then the one he has selected should not be granted allegiance, lest both of them should be killed."  

كُنْتُ أُقْرِئُ رِجَالاً مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ مِنْهُمْ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا فِي مَنْزِلِهِ بِمِنًى وَهْوَ عِنْدَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فِي آخِرِ حَجَّةٍ حَجَّهَا إِذْ رَجَعَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ فَقَالَ لَوْ رَأَيْتَ رَجُلاً أَتَى أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْيَوْمَ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ هَلْ لَكَ فِي فُلاَنٍ يَقُولُ لَوْ قَدْ مَاتَ عُمَرُ لَقَدْ بَايَعْتُ فُلاَنًا فَوَاللَّهِ مَا كَانَتْ بَيْعَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ إِلاَّ فَلْتَةً فَتَمَّتْ فَغَضِبَ عُمَرُ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنِّي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَقَائِمٌ الْعَشِيَّةَ فِي النَّاسِ فَمُحَذِّرُهُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ الَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَغْصِبُوهُمْ أُمُورَهُمْ قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لاَ تَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّ الْمَوْسِمَ يَجْمَعُ رَعَاعَ النَّاسِ وَغَوْغَاءَهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الَّذِينَ يَغْلِبُونَ عَلَى قُرْبِكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ فِي النَّاسِ وَأَنَا أَخْشَى أَنْ تَقُومَ فَتَقُولَ مَقَالَةً يُطَيِّرُهَا عَنْكَ كُلُّ مُطَيِّرٍ وَأَنْ لاَ يَعُوهَا وَأَنْ لاَ يَضَعُوهَا عَلَى مَوَاضِعِهَا فَأَمْهِلْ حَتَّى تَقْدَمَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَإِنَّهَا دَارُ الْهِجْرَةِ وَالسُّنَّةِ فَتَخْلُصَ بِأَهْلِ الْفِقْهِ وَأَشْرَافِ النَّاسِ فَتَقُولَ مَا قُلْتَ مُتَمَكِّنًا فَيَعِي أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ مَقَالَتَكَ وَيَضَعُونَهَا عَلَى مَوَاضِعِهَا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لأَقُومَنَّ بِذَلِكَ أَوَّلَ مَقَامٍ أَقُومُهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فِي عَقِبِ ذِي الْحَجَّةِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ عَجَّلْنَا الرَّوَاحَ حِينَ زَاغَتِ الشَّمْسُ حَتَّى أَجِدَ سَعِيدَ بْنَ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ نُفَيْلٍ جَالِسًا إِلَى رُكْنِ الْمِنْبَرِ فَجَلَسْتُ حَوْلَهُ تَمَسُّ رُكْبَتِي رُكْبَتَهُ فَلَمْ أَنْشَبْ أَنْ خَرَجَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُ مُقْبِلاً قُلْتُ لِسَعِيدِ بْنِ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ نُفَيْلٍ لَيَقُولَنَّ الْعَشِيَّةَ مَقَالَةً لَمْ يَقُلْهَا مُنْذُ اسْتُخْلِفَ فَأَنْكَرَ عَلَىَّ وَقَالَ مَا عَسَيْتَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا لَمْ يَقُلْ قَبْلَهُ فَجَلَسَ عُمَرُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَلَمَّا سَكَتَ الْمُؤَذِّنُونَ قَامَ فَأَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي قَائِلٌ لَكُمْ مَقَالَةً قَدْ قُدِّرَ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَهَا لاَ أَدْرِي لَعَلَّهَا بَيْنَ يَدَىْ أَجَلِي فَمَنْ عَقَلَهَا وَوَعَاهَا فَلْيُحَدِّثْ بِهَا حَيْثُ انْتَهَتْ بِهِ رَاحِلَتُهُ وَمَنْ خَشِيَ أَنْ لاَ يَعْقِلَهَا فَلاَ أُحِلُّ لأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَكْذِبَ عَلَىَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابَ فَكَانَ مِمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ آيَةُ الرَّجْمِ فَقَرَأْنَاهَا وَعَقَلْنَاهَا وَوَعَيْنَاهَا رَجَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَرَجَمْنَا بَعْدَهُ فَأَخْشَى إِنْ طَالَ بِالنَّاسِ زَمَانٌ أَنْ يَقُولَ قَائِلٌ وَاللَّهِ مَا نَجِدُ آيَةَ الرَّجْمِ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَيَضِلُّوا بِتَرْكِ فَرِيضَةٍ أَنْزَلَهَا اللَّهُ وَالرَّجْمُ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ عَلَى مَنْ زَنَى إِذَا أُحْصِنَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ إِذَا قَامَتِ الْبَيِّنَةُ أَوْ كَانَ الْحَبَلُ أَوْ الاِعْتِرَافُ ثُمَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَقْرَأُ فِيمَا نَقْرَأُ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ أَنْ لاَ تَرْغَبُوا عَنْ آبَائِكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ كُفْرٌ بِكُمْ أَنْ تَرْغَبُوا عَنْ آبَائِكُمْ أَوْ إِنَّ كُفْرًا بِكُمْ أَنْ تَرْغَبُوا عَنْ آبَائِكُمْ أَلاَ ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لاَ تُطْرُونِي كَمَا أُطْرِيَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَقُولُوا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ قَائِلاً مِنْكُمْ يَقُولُ وَاللَّهِ لَوْ مَاتَ عُمَرُ بَايَعْتُ فُلاَنًا فَلاَ يَغْتَرَّنَّ امْرُؤٌ أَنْ يَقُولَ إِنَّمَا كَانَتْ بَيْعَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَلْتَةً وَتَمَّتْ أَلاَ وَإِنَّهَا قَدْ كَانَتْ كَذَلِكَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ وَقَى شَرَّهَا وَلَيْسَ مِنْكُمْ مَنْ تُقْطَعُ الأَعْنَاقُ إِلَيْهِ مِثْلُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ مَنْ بَايَعَ رَجُلاً عَنْ غَيْرِ مَشُورَةٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَلاَ يُبَايَعُ هُوَ وَلاَ الَّذِي بَايَعَهُ تَغِرَّةً أَنْ يُقْتَلاَ وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ كَانَ مِنْ خَبَرِنَا حِينَ تَوَفَّى اللَّهُ نَبِيَّهُ ﷺ إِلاَّ أَنَّ الأَنْصَارَ خَالَفُونَا وَاجْتَمَعُوا بِأَسْرِهِمْ فِي سَقِيفَةِ بَنِي سَاعِدَةَ وَخَالَفَ عَنَّا عَلِيٌّ وَالزُّبَيْرُ وَمَنْ مَعَهُمَا وَاجْتَمَعَ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَقُلْتُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ انْطَلِقْ بِنَا إِلَى إِخْوَانِنَا هَؤُلاَءِ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَانْطَلَقْنَا نُرِيدُهُمْ فَلَمَّا دَنَوْنَا مِنْهُمْ لَقِيَنَا مِنْهُمْ رَجُلاَنِ صَالِحَانِ فَذَكَرَا مَا تَمَالَى عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْمُ فَقَالاَ أَيْنَ تُرِيدُونَ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ فَقُلْنَا نُرِيدُ إِخْوَانَنَا هَؤُلاَءِ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَقَالاَ لاَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ لاَ تَقْرَبُوهُمُ اقْضُوا أَمْرَكُمْ فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ لَنَأْتِيَنَّهُمْ فَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فِي سَقِيفَةِ بَنِي سَاعِدَةَ فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ مُزَمَّلٌ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْهِمْ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا فَقَالُوا هَذَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ فَقُلْتُ مَا لَهُ قَالُوا يُوعَكُ فَلَمَّا جَلَسْنَا قَلِيلاً تَشَهَّدَ خَطِيبُهُمْ فَأَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَنَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ وَكَتِيبَةُ الإِسْلاَمِ وَأَنْتُمْ مَعْشَرَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ رَهْطٌ وَقَدْ دَفَّتْ دَافَّةٌ مِنْ قَوْمِكُمْ فَإِذَا هُمْ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَخْتَزِلُونَا مِنْ أَصْلِنَا وَأَنْ يَحْضُنُونَا مِنَ الأَمْرِ فَلَمَّا سَكَتَ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ وَكُنْتُ زَوَّرْتُ مَقَالَةً أَعْجَبَتْنِي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُقَدِّمَهَا بَيْنَ يَدَىْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَكُنْتُ أُدَارِي مِنْهُ بَعْضَ الْحَدِّ فَلَمَّا أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى رِسْلِكَ فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُغْضِبَهُ فَتَكَلَّمَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَكَانَ هُوَ أَحْلَمَ مِنِّي وَأَوْقَرَ وَاللَّهِ مَا تَرَكَ مِنْ كَلِمَةٍ أَعْجَبَتْنِي فِي تَزْوِيرِي إِلاَّ قَالَ فِي بَدِيهَتِهِ مِثْلَهَا أَوْ أَفْضَلَ مِنْهَا حَتَّى سَكَتَ فَقَالَ مَا ذَكَرْتُمْ فِيكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَأَنْتُمْ لَهُ أَهْلٌ وَلَنْ يُعْرَفَ هَذَا الأَمْرُ إِلاَّ لِهَذَا الْحَىِّ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ هُمْ أَوْسَطُ الْعَرَبِ نَسَبًا وَدَارًا وَقَدْ رَضِيتُ لَكُمْ أَحَدَ هَذَيْنِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ فَبَايِعُوا أَيَّهُمَا شِئْتُمْ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي وَبِيَدِ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ الْجَرَّاحِ وَهْوَ جَالِسٌ بَيْنَنَا فَلَمْ أَكْرَهْ مِمَّا قَالَ غَيْرَهَا كَانَ وَاللَّهِ أَنْ أُقَدَّمَ فَتُضْرَبَ عُنُقِي لاَ يُقَرِّبُنِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ إِثْمٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَتَأَمَّرَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ فِيهِمْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ اللَّهُمَّ إِلاَّ أَنْ تُسَوِّلَ إِلَىَّ نَفْسِي عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ شَيْئًا لاَ أَجِدُهُ الآنَ فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ أَنَا جُذَيْلُهَا الْمُحَكَّكُ وَعُذَيْقُهَا الْمُرَجَّبُ مِنَّا أَمِيرٌ وَمِنْكُمْ أَمِيرٌ يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ فَكَثُرَ اللَّغَطُ وَارْتَفَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ حَتَّى فَرِقْتُ مِنَ الاِخْتِلاَفِ فَقُلْتُ ابْسُطْ يَدَكَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَبَسَطَ يَدَهُ فَبَايَعْتُهُ وَبَايَعَهُ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ ثُمَّ بَايَعَتْهُ الأَنْصَارُ وَنَزَوْنَا عَلَى سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ مِنْهُمْ قَتَلْتُمْ سَعْدَ بْنَ عُبَادَةَ فَقُلْتُ قَتَلَ اللَّهُ سَعْدَ بْنَ عُبَادَةَ قَالَ عُمَرُ وَإِنَّا وَاللَّهِ مَا وَجَدْنَا فِيمَا حَضَرْنَا مِنْ أَمْرٍ أَقْوَى مِنْ مُبَايَعَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ خَشِينَا إِنْ فَارَقْنَا الْقَوْمَ وَلَمْ تَكُنْ بَيْعَةٌ أَنْ يُبَايِعُوا رَجُلاً مِنْهُمْ بَعْدَنَا فَإِمَّا بَايَعْنَاهُمْ عَلَى مَا لاَ نَرْضَى وَإِمَّا نُخَالِفُهُمْ فَيَكُونُ فَسَادٌ فَمَنْ بَايَعَ رَجُلاً عَلَى غَيْرِ مَشُورَةٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَلاَ يُتَابَعُ هُوَ وَلاَ الَّذِي بَايَعَهُ تَغِرَّةً أَنْ يُقْتَلاَ  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ very often used to ask his companions, "Did anyone of you see a dream?" So dreams would be narrated to him by those whom Allah wished to tell. One morning the Prophet ﷺ said, "Last night two persons came to me (in a dream) and woke me up and said to me, 'Proceed!' I set out with them and we came across a man lying down, and behold, another man was standing over his head, holding a big rock. Behold, he was throwing the rock at the man's head, injuring it. The rock rolled away and the thrower followed it and took it back. By the time he reached the man, his head returned to the normal state. The thrower then did the same as he had done before. I said to my two companions, 'Subhan Allah! Who are these two persons?' They said, 'Proceed!' So we proceeded and came to a man lying flat on his back and another man standing over his head with an iron hook, and behold, he would put the hook in one side of the man's mouth and tear off that side of his face to the back (of the neck) and similarly tear his nose from front to back and his eye from front to back. Then he turned to the other side of the man's face and did just as he had done with the other side. He hardly completed this side when the other side returned to its normal state. Then he returned to it to repeat what he had done before. I said to my two companions, 'Subhan Allah! Who are these two persons?' They said to me, 'Proceed!' So we proceeded and came across something like a Tannur (a kind of baking oven, a pit usually clay-lined for baking bread)." I think the Prophet ﷺ said, "In that oven there was much noise and voices." The Prophet ﷺ added, "We looked into it and found naked men and women, and behold, a flame of fire was reaching to them from underneath, and when it reached them, they cried loudly. I asked them, 'Who are these?' They said to me, 'Proceed!' And so we proceeded and came across a river." I think he said, ".... red like blood." The Prophet ﷺ added, "And behold, in the river there was a man swimming, and on the bank there was a man who had collected many stones. Behold, while the other man was swimming, he went near him. The former opened his mouth and the latter (on the bank) threw a stone into his mouth whereupon he went swimming again. He returned and every time the performance was repeated. I asked my two companions, 'Who are these (two) persons?' They replied, 'Proceed! Proceed!' And we proceeded till we came to a man with a repulsive appearance, the most repulsive appearance, you ever saw a man having! Beside him there was a fire and he was kindling it and running around it. I asked my companions, 'Who is this (man)?' They said to me, 'Proceed! Proceed!' So we proceeded till we reached a garden of deep green dense vegetation, having all sorts of spring colors. In the midst of the garden there was a very tall man and I could hardly see his head because of his great height, and around him there were children in such a large number as I have never seen. I said to my companions, 'Who is this?' They replied, 'Proceed! Proceed!' So we proceeded till we came to a majestic huge garden, greater and better than I have ever seen! My two companions said to me, 'Go up' and I went up. The Prophet ﷺ added, "So we ascended till we reached a city built of gold and silver bricks and we went to its gate and asked (the gatekeeper) to open the gate, and it was opened and we entered the city and found in it, men with one side of their bodies as handsome as the handsomest person you have ever seen, and the other side as ugly as the ugliest person you have ever seen. My two companions ordered those men to throw themselves into the river. Behold, there was a river flowing across (the city), and its water was like milk in whiteness. Those men went and threw themselves in it and then returned to us after the ugliness (of their bodies) had disappeared and they became in the best shape." The Prophet ﷺ further added, "My two companions (angels) said to me, 'This place is the Eden Paradise, and that is your place.' I raised up my sight, and behold, there I saw a palace like a white cloud! My two companions said to me, 'That (palace) is your place.' I said to them, 'May Allah bless you both! Let me enter it.' They replied, 'As for now, you will not enter it, but you shall enter it (one day). I said to them, 'I have seen many wonders tonight. What does all that mean which I have seen?' They replied, 'We will inform you: As for the first man you came upon whose head was being injured with the rock, he is the symbol of the one who studies the Qur'an and then neither recites it nor acts on its orders, and sleeps, neglecting the enjoined prayers. As for the man you came upon whose sides of mouth, nostrils and eyes were torn off from front to back, he is the symbol of the man who goes out of his house in the morning and tells so many lies that it spreads all over the world. And those naked men and women whom you saw in a construction resembling an oven, they are the adulterers and the adulteresses. And the man whom you saw swimming in the river and given a stone to swallow, is the eater of usury (Riba). And the bad looking man whom you saw near the fire kindling it and going round it, is Malik, the gatekeeper of Hell. And the tall man whom you saw in the garden, is Abraham and the children around him are those children who die with Al-Fitra (the Islamic Faith). The narrator added: Some Muslims asked the Prophet, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! What about the children of pagans?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "And also the children of pagans." The Prophet ﷺ added, "My two companions added, 'The men you saw half handsome and half ugly were those persons who had mixed an act that was good with another that was bad, but Allah forgave them.'"  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِمَّا يُكْثِرُ أَنْ يَقُولَ لأَصْحَابِهِ هَلْ رَأَى أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنْ رُؤْيَا قَالَ فَيَقُصُّ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَقُصَّ وَإِنَّهُ قَالَ ذَاتَ غَدَاةٍ إِنَّهُ أَتَانِي اللَّيْلَةَ آتِيَانِ وَإِنَّهُمَا ابْتَعَثَانِي وَإِنَّهُمَا قَالاَ لِي انْطَلِقْ وَإِنِّي انْطَلَقْتُ مَعَهُمَا وَإِنَّا أَتَيْنَا عَلَى رَجُلٍ مُضْطَجِعٍ وَإِذَا آخَرُ قَائِمٌ عَلَيْهِ بِصَخْرَةٍ وَإِذَا هُوَ يَهْوِي بِالصَّخْرَةِ لِرَأْسِهِ فَيَثْلَغُ رَأْسَهُ فَيَتَهَدْهَدُ الْحَجَرُ هَا هُنَا فَيَتْبَعُ الْحَجَرَ فَيَأْخُذُهُ فَلاَ يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَصِحَّ رَأْسُهُ كَمَا كَانَ ثُمَّ يَعُودُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَفْعَلُ بِهِ مِثْلَ مَا فَعَلَ الْمَرَّةَ الأُولَى قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُمَا سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ مَا هَذَانِ قَالَ قَالاَ لِي انْطَلِقْ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى رَجُلٍ مُسْتَلْقٍ لِقَفَاهُ وَإِذَا آخَرُ قَائِمٌ عَلَيْهِ بِكَلُّوبٍ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ وَإِذَا هُوَ يَأْتِي أَحَدَ شِقَّىْ وَجْهِهِ فَيُشَرْشِرُ شِدْقَهُ إِلَى قَفَاهُ وَمَنْخِرَهُ إِلَى قَفَاهُ وَعَيْنَهُ إِلَى قَفَاهُ قَالَ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ أَبُو رَجَاءٍ فَيَشُقُّ قَالَ ثُمَّ يَتَحَوَّلُ إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الآخَرِ فَيَفْعَلُ بِهِ مِثْلَ مَا فَعَلَ بِالْجَانِبِ الأَوَّلِ فَمَا يَفْرُغُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْجَانِبِ حَتَّى يَصِحَّ ذَلِكَ الْجَانِبُ كَمَا كَانَ ثُمَّ يَعُودُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَفْعَلُ مِثْلَ مَا فَعَلَ الْمَرَّةَ الأُولَى قَالَ قُلْتُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ مَا هَذَانِ قَالَ قَالاَ لِي انْطَلِقْ فَانْطَلَقْنَا فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى مِثْلِ التَّنُّورِ قَالَ فَأَحْسِبُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ فَإِذَا فِيهِ لَغَطٌ وَأَصْوَاتٌ قَالَ فَاطَّلَعْنَا فِيهِ فَإِذَا فِيهِ رِجَالٌ وَنِسَاءٌ عُرَاةٌ وَإِذَا هُمْ يَأْتِيهِمْ لَهَبٌ مِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنْهُمْ فَإِذَا أَتَاهُمْ ذَلِكَ اللَّهَبُ ضَوْضَوْا قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُمَا مَا هَؤُلاَءِ قَالَ قَالاَ لِي انْطَلِقِ انْطَلِقْ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى نَهَرٍ حَسِبْتُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ أَحْمَرَ مِثْلِ الدَّمِ وَإِذَا فِي النَّهَرِ رَجُلٌ سَابِحٌ يَسْبَحُ وَإِذَا عَلَى شَطِّ النَّهَرِ رَجُلٌ قَدْ جَمَعَ عِنْدَهُ حِجَارَةً كَثِيرَةً وَإِذَا ذَلِكَ السَّابِحُ يَسْبَحُ مَا يَسْبَحُ ثُمَّ يَأْتِي ذَلِكَ الَّذِي قَدْ جَمَعَ عِنْدَهُ الْحِجَارَةَ فَيَفْغَرُ لَهُ فَاهُ فَيُلْقِمُهُ حَجَرًا فَيَنْطَلِقُ يَسْبَحُ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِ كُلَّمَا رَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ فَغَرَ لَهُ فَاهُ فَأَلْقَمَهُ حَجَرًا قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُمَا مَا هَذَانِ قَالَ قَالاَ لِي انْطَلِقِ انْطَلِقْ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى رَجُلٍ كَرِيهِ الْمَرْآةِ كَأَكْرَهِ مَا أَنْتَ رَاءٍ رَجُلاً مَرْآةً وَإِذَا عِنْدَهُ نَارٌ يَحُشُّهَا وَيَسْعَى حَوْلَهَا قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُمَا مَا هَذَا قَالَ قَالاَ لِي انْطَلِقِ انْطَلِقْ فَانْطَلَقْنَا فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى رَوْضَةٍ مُعْتَمَّةٍ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ نَوْرِ الرَّبِيعِ وَإِذَا بَيْنَ ظَهْرَىِ الرَّوْضَةِ رَجُلٌ طَوِيلٌ لاَ أَكَادُ أَرَى رَأْسَهُ طُولاً فِي السَّمَاءِ وَإِذَا حَوْلَ الرَّجُلِ مِنْ أَكْثَرِ وِلْدَانٍ رَأَيْتُهُمْ قَطُّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُمَا مَا هَذَا مَا هَؤُلاَءِ قَالَ قَالاَ لِي انْطَلِقِ انْطَلِقْ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا فَانْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى رَوْضَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ لَمْ أَرَ رَوْضَةً قَطُّ أَعْظَمَ مِنْهَا وَلاَ أَحْسَنَ قَالَ قَالاَ لِي ارْقَ فِيهَا قَالَ فَارْتَقَيْنَا فِيهَا فَانْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى مَدِينَةٍ مَبْنِيَّةٍ بِلَبِنِ ذَهَبٍ وَلَبِنِ فِضَّةٍ فَأَتَيْنَا باب الْمَدِينَةِ فَاسْتَفْتَحْنَا فَفُتِحَ لَنَا فَدَخَلْنَاهَا فَتَلَقَّانَا فِيهَا رِجَالٌ شَطْرٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِمْ كَأَحْسَنِ مَا أَنْتَ رَاءٍ وَشَطْرٌ كَأَقْبَحِ مَا أَنْتَ رَاءٍ قَالَ قَالاَ لَهُمُ اذْهَبُوا فَقَعُوا فِي ذَلِكَ النَّهَرِ قَالَ وَإِذَا نَهَرٌ مُعْتَرِضٌ يَجْرِي كَأَنَّ مَاءَهُ الْمَحْضُ فِي الْبَيَاضِ فَذَهَبُوا فَوَقَعُوا فِيهِ ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا إِلَيْنَا قَدْ ذَهَبَ ذَلِكَ السُّوءُ عَنْهُمْ فَصَارُوا فِي أَحْسَنِ صُورَةٍ قَالَ قَالاَ لِي هَذِهِ جَنَّةُ عَدْنٍ وَهَذَاكَ مَنْزِلُكَ قَالَ فَسَمَا بَصَرِي صُعُدًا فَإِذَا قَصْرٌ مِثْلُ الرَّبَابَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ قَالَ قَالاَ هَذَاكَ مَنْزِلُكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُمَا بَارَكَ اللَّهُ فِيكُمَا ذَرَانِي فَأَدْخُلَهُ قَالاَ أَمَّا الآنَ فَلاَ وَأَنْتَ دَاخِلُهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُمَا فَإِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ مُنْذُ اللَّيْلَةِ عَجَبًا فَمَا هَذَا الَّذِي رَأَيْتُ قَالَ قَالاَ لِي أَمَا إِنَّا سَنُخْبِرُكَ أَمَّا الرَّجُلُ الأَوَّلُ الَّذِي أَتَيْتَ عَلَيْهِ يُثْلَغُ رَأْسُهُ بِالْحَجَرِ فَإِنَّهُ الرَّجُلُ يَأْخُذُ الْقُرْآنَ فَيَرْفُضُهُ وَيَنَامُ عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَأَمَّا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي أَتَيْتَ عَلَيْهِ يُشَرْشَرُ شِدْقُهُ إِلَى قَفَاهُ وَمَنْخِرُهُ إِلَى قَفَاهُ وَعَيْنُهُ إِلَى قَفَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ الرَّجُلُ يَغْدُو مِنْ بَيْتِهِ فَيَكْذِبُ الْكَذْبَةَ تَبْلُغُ الآفَاقَ وَأَمَّا الرِّجَالُ وَالنِّسَاءُ الْعُرَاةُ الَّذِينَ فِي مِثْلِ بِنَاءِ التَّنُّورِ فَإِنَّهُمُ الزُّنَاةُ وَالزَّوَانِي وَأَمَّا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي أَتَيْتَ عَلَيْهِ يَسْبَحُ فِي النَّهَرِ وَيُلْقَمُ الْحَجَرَ فَإِنَّهُ آكِلُ الرِّبَا وَأَمَّا الرَّجُلُ الْكَرِيهُ الْمَرْآةِ الَّذِي عِنْدَ النَّارِ يَحُشُّهَا وَيَسْعَى حَوْلَهَا فَإِنَّهُ مَالِكٌ خَازِنُ جَهَنَّمَ وَأَمَّا الرَّجُلُ الطَّوِيلُ الَّذِي فِي الرَّوْضَةِ فَإِنَّهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ﷺ وَأَمَّا الْوِلْدَانُ الَّذِينَ حَوْلَهُ فَكُلُّ مَوْلُودٍ مَاتَ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ قَالَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَأَوْلاَدُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَوْلاَدُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَأَمَّا الْقَوْمُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا شَطْرٌ مِنْهُمْ حَسَنًا وَشَطَرٌ مِنْهُمْ قَبِيحًا فَإِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ خَلَطُوا عَمَلاً صَالِحًا وَآخَرَ سَيِّئًا تَجَاوَزَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ  

the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "It is enough of a lie for a man to narrate everything he hears."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «كَفَى بِالْمَرْءِ كَذِبًا أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ۔»