The Conspiracy of the Hypocrites
Hazrat ‘A’ishah al-Siddiqah رضي الله عنها said:
As soon as the announcement to depart was made, I stood up to relieve myself and went toward the wilderness, away from the army.
When I had finished, I returned toward the camp.
I was wearing a necklace around my neck. It broke somewhere and fell, but I did not realize that I had lost it.
When I remembered the necklace, I went back toward the wilderness to search for it.
In this way, I became delayed while searching for the necklace.
The people in the army who used to lift my howdah and place it on the camel assumed that I was inside it.
They lifted the howdah and placed it on the camel without realizing that I was not inside it, because I was very slender and light in weight. I also ate very little, and there were no signs of excess weight on my body.
Thus, the army departed.
(A howdah is a carriage-like seat that is raised and placed on a camel so that a woman can remain concealed from view.)
Meanwhile, after searching for quite some time, I found my necklace and returned toward the army.
When I arrived there, the army had already departed.
There was silence all around.
I sat down at the same place where I had been waiting.
I thought that when they realized that I was missing, they would come straight back to this place to look for me.
While sitting there, I fell asleep.
Safwan al-Sulami رضي الله عنه had been assigned the responsibility of remaining behind the army so that if any person’s belongings were left behind or dropped, he could pick them up.
On that day as well, he was behind the army.
When he reached the place where the caravan had been, he saw me from a distance and thought that it was a person who was asleep.
When he came closer, he recognized me.
As soon as he saw me, he recited:
«“Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return.”»
Hearing his voice, I woke up.
As soon as I saw him, I covered my face with my shawl.
Hazrat ‘A’ishah al-Siddiqah رضي الله عنها said:
«“Safwan al-Sulami was astonished at what had happened, but he did not say a single word.»
«“Nor did I say anything to him.»
«“He made his she-camel sit near me and said only:»
«‘Mother! Mount.’»
«“As I mounted the camel, I said:»
«‘Allah is sufficient for me, and He is the best disposer of affairs.’»
«“After I mounted, he made the camel stand, took hold of its reins, and began walking ahead until we reached the army.”»
At that time, the army had camped at Nakhl Dhahirah, and it was around midday.
When we reached the army, the leader of the hypocrites, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, found an opportunity to spread an accusation.
He said:
«“Who is this woman whom Safwan has brought with him?”»
His fellow hypocrites immediately said:
«“It is ‘A’ishah. She has come with Safwan.”»
They then began talking about it.
When the army eventually reached Madinah Munawwarah, the hypocrite ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, out of his hostility and hatred for Islam, began spreading this matter publicly.
Imam al-Bukhari writes:
«“Whenever the hypocrites mentioned this incident, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy would strongly support what they were saying so that the incident would become as widely known as possible.”»
Hazrat ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها said:
«“After arriving in Madinah Munawwarah, I became ill.»
«“I remained ill for one month.»
«“Meanwhile, the hypocrites continued spreading this matter and exaggerating it.»
«“In this way, these statements reached the Noble Prophet ﷺ and also reached my parents, while I knew nothing about them.»
«“However, I felt that the Noble Prophet ﷺ was no longer treating me with the same affection as before. During my previous days of illness, he used to take care of me with great love.”»
(In reality, the Noble Prophet ﷺ was deeply grieved because of the accusations being made by the hypocrites against his household. Because of this worry and sorrow, he did not have the opportunity to interact and speak freely with his family as he normally would.)
«“Because of this behavior of the Prophet ﷺ, I began to feel distressed.»
«“When my illness became somewhat better, Umm Mistah رضي الله عنها told me about the things that were being spread among the people.»
«“Umm Mistah رضي الله عنها even spoke harshly to her own son, Mistah, because he too had been going around repeating these things.»
«“As soon as I heard this, my illness returned.»
«“I began to lose consciousness at times, and my fever returned.»
«“When I reached home, I was extremely distressed.»
«“I spent the entire night crying.»
«“My tears would not stop, and sleep remained far from my eyes.»
«“The next morning, the Noble Prophet ﷺ came to me and asked:»
«‘How are you?’»
«“I replied:»
«‘Would you permit me to go and visit my parents?’»
«“The Prophet ﷺ gave me permission.»
«“In reality, I wanted to ask my parents about this news.»
«“When I reached my parents’ home, my mother, Umm Ruman رضي الله عنها, was downstairs, while my father was upstairs reciting the Qur’an.»
«“When my mother saw me, she asked:»
«‘How have you come?’»
«“I told her the entire story.»
«“I then said to my mother:»
«‘May Allah forgive you! People are saying all sorts of things about me, but you did not tell me anything.’»
«“My mother said:»
«‘My daughter, do not worry. Control yourself. It is the way of the world that when a beautiful woman becomes beloved in her husband’s heart, those who envy her begin looking for faults in her.’»
«“Hearing this, I said:»
«‘I seek Allah’s protection! People are saying such things? Does my father also know about these things?’»
«“She replied:»
«‘Yes, he knows as well.’»
«“My grief then became overwhelming, and I began to cry.»
«“The sound of my crying reached my father, so he immediately came downstairs.»
«“He asked my mother:»
«‘What has happened to her?’»
«“She replied:»
«‘The rumors that people are spreading about her have reached her ears.’»
«“My mother then also began crying.»
«“My father also began crying.»
«“I continued crying throughout that night and could not sleep.»
«“My mother was also crying, and my father was also crying.»
«“Other people in the house were crying with us as well.»
«“At that moment, an Ansari woman came to visit us.»
«“I invited her inside.»
«“When she saw us crying, she also began crying.»
«“There was even a cat in our house, and it too was crying…”»
At that moment, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived.
He greeted us with Salam and sat down.
Since the beginning of these accusations, the Prophet ﷺ had stopped sitting with me.
But on this occasion, he sat beside me.
A whole month had passed since these accusations had begun.
During this period, no revelation had come to the Prophet ﷺ.
After sitting down, he recited the Kalimah of Shahadah and said:
«“‘A’ishah! Such statements about you have reached me. If you are innocent and free from these accusations, then Allah Almighty will Himself declare your innocence. But if you have fallen into this sin, then seek forgiveness from Allah and repent, because when a servant acknowledges his sin and repents to Allah, Allah Almighty accepts his repentance.”»
Upon this, I said to my father and mother:
«“Please answer what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has said.”»
In response, Hazrat Abu Bakr al-Siddiq رضي الله عنه said:
«“I do not know what I should say to the Messenger of Allah.”»
Then I said:
«“You have all heard these things.»
«“Now, if I say that I am innocent of these accusations and that Allah knows that I am innocent, will you believe me?»
«“Therefore, I will be patient.»
«“I will complain of my sorrow and grief only to my Allah.”»
After this, I got up and lay down on my bed.
At that time, I could not even imagine that Allah Almighty would reveal verses concerning my case—verses that would be recited, and that would be recited in the mosques.
However, I thought that perhaps Allah Almighty would show the Messenger of Allah ﷺ a dream concerning me and would declare me innocent of this accusation.
While we were still in this state, suddenly the signs of revelation began to appear upon the Noble Prophet ﷺ.