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. (Using translation from Bukhārī 4757)
لَمَّا ذُكِرَ مِنْ شَأْنِي الَّذِي ذُكِرَ وَمَا عَلِمْتُ قَامَ فِيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ خَطِيبًا فَتَشَهَّدَ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ «أَمَّا بَعْدُ أَشِيرُوا عَلَيَّ فِي أُنَاسٍ أَبَنُوا أَهْلِي وَأَيْمُ اللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَى أَهْلِي مِنْ سُوءٍ قَطُّ وَأَبَنُوهُمْ بِمَنْ وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سُوءٍ قَطُّ وَلَا دَخَلَ بَيْتِي إِلَّا وَأَنَا حَاضِرٌ وَلَا غِبْتُ فِي سَفَرٍ إِلَّا غَابَ مَعِي» فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ نَرَى يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنْ نَضْرِبَ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْخَزْرَجِ وَكَانَتْ أُمُّ حَسَّانَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ مِنْ رَهْطِ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ فَقَالَ كَذَبَتْ أَمَ وَاللهِ لَوْ كَانُوا مِنَ الْأَوْسِ مَا أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ تُضْرَبَ أَعْنَاقُهُمْ حَتَّى كَادَ أَنْ يَكُونَ بَيْنَ الْأَوْسِ وَالْخَزْرَجِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ شَرٌّ وَمَا عَلِمْتُ بِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ مَسَاءُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ خَرَجْتُ لِبَعْضِ حَاجَتِي وَمَعِي أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فَعَثَرَتْ فَقَالَتْ تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ فَانْتَهَرْتُهَا فَقُلْتُ أَوَ تَسُبِّينَ ابْنَكِ؟ فَقَالَتْ وَاللهِ مَا أَسُبُّهُ إِلَّا فِيكِ فَقُلْتُ فِي أَيِّ شَأْنِي فَنَقَرَتِ الْحَدِيثَ فَقُلْتُ وَقَدْ كَانَ هَذَا؟ فَقَالَتْ نَعَمْ وَاللهِ فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي لَكَأَنَّ الَّذِي خَرَجْتُ لَهُ لَمْ أَخْرُجْ لَهُ وَلَا أَجِدُ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا وَلَا كَثِيرًا وَوُعِكْتُ فَقُلْتُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ أَرْسِلْنِي إِلَى بَيْتِ أَبِي فَأَرْسَلَ مَعِيَ الْغُلَامَ فَدَخَلْتُ الدَّارَ فَوَجَدْتُ أُمَّ رُومَانَ فِي السُّفْلِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ فَوْقَ الْبَيْتِ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي مَا جَاءَ بِكِ يَا بُنَيَّةُ؟ فَأَخْبَرْتُهَا وَذَكَرْتُ لَهَا الْحَدِيثَ وَإِذَا هِي لَمْ يَبْلُغْ مِنْهَا مَا بَلَغَ مِنِّي فَقَالَتْ أَيْ بُنَيَّةُ خَفِّفِي عَلَيْكِ الشَّأْنَ فَإِنَّهُ وَاللهِ لَقَلَّ مَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ حَسْنَاءَ عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا وَلَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا حَسَدْنَهَا وَقِيلَ فِيهَا قُلْتُ وَقَدْ عَلِمَ بِهَا أَبِي؟ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ قَالَتْ وَاسْتَعْبَرْتُ فَبَكَيْتُ فَسَمِعَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ صَوْتِي وَهُوَ فَوْقَ الْبَيْتِ يَقْرَأُ فَنَزَلَ فَقَالَ لِأُمِّي مَا شَأْنُهَا؟ قَالَتْ بَلَغَهَا الَّذِي ذُكِرَ مِنْ شَأْنِهَا فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ فَقَالَ أَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْكِ يَا بُنَيَّةُ إِلَّا رَجَعْتِ إِلَى بَيْتِكِ قَالَتْ فَرَجَعْتُ قَالَتْ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللهِ بَيْتِي فَسَأَلَ عَنِّي خَادِمَتِي فَقَالَتْ وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا عَيْبًا إِلَّا أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَرْقُدُ حَتَّى تَدْخُلَ الشَّاةُ فَتَأْكُلَ خَمِيرَهَا أَوْ عَجِينَهَا قَالَتْ فَانْتَهَرَهَا بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ أَصْدِقِي رَسُولَ اللهِ فَقَالَتْ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا مَا يَعْلَمُ الصَّائِغُ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ الْأَحْمَرِ فَبَلَغَ الْأَمْرُ ذَاكَ الرَّجُلَ الَّذِي كَانَ قِيلَ لَهُ فِيهَا فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ مَا كَشَفْتُ أُنْثَى قَطُّ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَقُتِلَ شَهِيدًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ قَالَتْ وَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَايَ عِنْدِي فَلَمْ يَزَالَا عِنْدِي حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ وَقَدْ صَلَّى الْعَصْرَ وَقَدِ اكْتَنَفَنِي أَبَوَايَ عَنْ يَمِينِي وَشِمَالِي فَتَشَهَّدَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ «أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ فَإِنْ كُنْتِ قَارَفْتِ سُوءًا أَوْ ظَلَمْتِ فَتُوبِي إِلَى اللهِ فَإِنَّ اللهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ» قَالَتْ وَقَدْ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَهِيَ جَالِسَةٌ بِالْبَابِ فَقُلْتُ أَلَا تَسْتَحْي مِنْ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةِ أَنْ تَذْكُرَ شَيْئًا فَوَعَظَ رَسُولُ اللهِ فَالْتَفَتُّ إِلَى أَبِي فَقُلْتُ أَجِبْهُ فَقَالَ أَقُولُ مَاذَا؟ فَالْتَفَتُّ إِلَى أُمِّي فَقُلْتُ أَجِيبِيهِ فَقَالَتْ أَقُولُ مَاذَا؟ قَالَتْ فَلَمَّا لَمْ يُجِيبَاهُ تَشَهَّدْتُ فَحَمِدْتُ اللهَ وَأَثْنَيْتُ عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَوَاللهِ لَئِنْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي لَمْ أَفْعَلْ وَاللهُ يَشْهَدُ أَنِّي لَصَادِقَةٌ مَا ذَاكَ بِنَافِعِي عِنْدَكُمْ لَقَدْ تَكَلَّمْتُمْ بِهِ وَأَشْرَبْتُمُوهُ قُلُوبَكُمْ وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ إِنِّي قَدْ فَعَلْتُ وَاللهُ يَشْهَدُ أَنِّي لَمْ أَفْعَلْ لَتَقُولُنَّ قَدْ بَاتَ بِهِ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا وَاللهُ يَشْهَدُ أَنِّي لَمْ أَفْعَلْ وَإِنِّي وَاللهِ مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا قَالَتْ وَالْتَمَسْتُ اسْمَ يَعْقُوبَ فَلَمْ أَقْدِرْ عَلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ إِلَّا أَبَا يُوسُفَ حِينَ قَالَ {فَصَبَرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ} الْآيَةَ قَالَتْ فَأُنْزِلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ فَرُفِعَ عَنْهُ وَإِنِّي لَأَتَبَيَّنُ السُّرُورَ فِي وَجْهِهِ وَهُوَ يَمْسَحُ جَبِينَهُ وَيَقُولُ «أَبْشِرِي يَا عَائِشَةُ فَقَدْ أَبْرَأَكِ اللهُ بِبَرَاءَتِكِ» قَالَتْ فَكُنْتُ أَشَدَّ مَا كُنْتُ غَضَبًا فَقَالَ لِي أَبَوَايَ قَوْمِي إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا أَحْمَدُهُ وَلَا أَحْمَدُكُمَا وَلَكِنِّي أَحْمَدُ اللهَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ بَرَاءَتِي لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ فَمَا أَنْكَرْتُمُوهُ وَلَكِنْ أَحْمَدُ اللهَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ بَرَاءَتِي فَأَمَّا زَيْنَبُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِدِينِهَا فَلَمْ تَقُلْ إِلَّا خَيْرًا وَأَمَّا أُخْتُهَا حَمْنَةُ فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ وَكَانَ الَّذِينَ تَكَلَّمُوا بِهِ مِسْطَحَ بْنَ أُثَاثَةَ وَحَسَّانَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ وَحَمْنَةَ وَالْمُنَافِقَ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ أُبَيٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَسْتَوْشِيهِ وَيَجْمَعُهُمْ وَهُوَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ فَحَلَفَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ مِسْطَحًا أَبَدًا بِنَافِعَةٍ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ} يَعْنِي أَبَا بَكْرٍ {أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ} يَعْنِي مِسْطَحًا {أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ وَاللهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَلَى وَاللهِ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّا لَنُحِبُّ أَنْ يُغْفَرَ لَنَا فَعَادَ لِمَا كَانَ يَنْفَعُهُ بِهِ