153 / 129 - سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ الْمُثَنَّى ، قَالَ : نَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ - قَالَ : وَقَرَأَهُ عَلَيَّ مِنْ كِتَابِهِ - قَالَ : نَا يُونُسُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ عُرْوَةَ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ وَسَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيِّبِ وَعَلْقَمَةَ بْنَ وَقَّاصٍ وَعُبَيْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ ، عَنْ حَدِيثِ عَائِشَةَ حِينَ قَالَ لَهَا أَهْلُ الْإِفْكِ مَا قَالُوا ، فَبَرَّأَهَا اللهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا ، وَكُلٌّ حَدَّثَنِي طَائِفَةً مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي هَؤُلَاءِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ، وَبَعْضُهُمْ يُصَدِّقُ بَعْضًا ، وَإِنْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْعَى مِنْ بَعْضٍ ، فَزَعَمُوا : أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَتْ : كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَزْوَاجِهِ ، فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَعَهُ . قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ : فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَنَا فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا ، فَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَمَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ الْحِجَابَ ، فَأَنَا أَنْزِلُ وَأُحْمَلُ فِي هَوْدَجِي ، فَسِرْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ تِلْكَ وَقَفَلَ فَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ قَافِلِينَ آذَنَ لَيْلَةً بِالرَّحِيلِ ، فَقُمْتُ حَتَّى جَازَ الْجَيْشُ ، فَلَمَّا نَقِيتُ أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى رَحْلِي وَإِذَا عِقْدٌ لِي [18/172] مِنْ جَزْعِ أَظْفَارِ - أَوْ : جَزْعٍ ، شَكَّ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ - قَدِ انْقَطَعَ ، فَرَجَعْتُ فَالْتَمَسْتُ عِقْدِي فَحَبَسَنِي ابْتِغَاؤُهُ . وَأَقْبَلَ الرَّهْطُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرْحَلُونَ عَلَى بَعِيرِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْكَبُ عَلَيْهِ وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنِّي فِيهِ ، وَالنِّسَاءُ إِذْ ذَاكَ خِفَافٌ لَمْ يَحْمِلْنَ اللَّحْمَ ، إِنَّمَا نَأْكُلُ الْعُلْقَةَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَنْكِرِ الْقَوْمُ خِفَّةَ الْهَوْدَجِ ، وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ ، فَوَجَدْتُ عِقْدِي بَعْدَمَا اسْتَمَرَّ الْجَيْشُ ، فَجِئْتُ مَنَازِلَهُمْ وَلَيْسَ بِهَا دَاعِي وَلَا مُجِيبٌ ، وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَفْتَقِدُونِي فَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَيَّ ، فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا جَالِسَةٌ فِي مَجْلِسِي إِذْ غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي فَنِمْتُ . وَكَانَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ الْمُعَطَّلِ السُّلَمِيُّ فِيمَنْ يَكُونُ وَرَاءَ الْجَيْشِ ، فَرَأَى سَوَادًا ، فَأَتَانِي فَعَرَفَنِي حِينَ رَآنِي ، وَكَانَ قَدْ رَآنِي قَبْلَ الْحِجَابِ ، فَاسْتَيْقَظْتُ بِاسْتِرْجَاعِهِ حَيْثُ عَرَفَنِي ، وَاللهِ مَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ كَلِمَةً غَيْرَ اسْتِرْجَاعِهِ ، حَتَّى أَنَاخَ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَوَطِئَ عَلَى عُنُقِهَا فَرَكِبْتُهَا ، فَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ الرَّاحِلَةِ يَقُودُنِي حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْجَيْشَ بَعْدَمَا نَزَلُوا ، فَهَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ . ثُمَّ قَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ وَاشْتَكَيْتُ حِينَ قَدِمْتُ شَهْرًا وَالنَّاسُ يُفِيضُونَ فِيَّ وَأَنَا لَا أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَاكَ ، وَهُوَ يَرِيبُنِي فِي وَجَعِي لَا أَعْرِفُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرَى قَبْلُ ، إِنَّمَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيَّ فَيُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ : كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ ؟ " . وَلَا [18/173] أَشْعُرُ بِشَيْءٍ حَتَّى خَرَجْتُ بَعْدَمَا نَقِهْتُ ، وَخَرَجْتُ مَعَ أُمِّ مِسْطَحٍ قِبَلَ الْمَنَاصِعِ لَا نَخْرُجُ إِلَّا لَيْلًا ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُتَّخَذَ الْكُنُفُ ، وَأَمْرُنَا أَمْرُ الْعَرَبِ الْأُوَلِ ، قَالَ : فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ - وَهِيَ ابْنَةُ أَبِي رُهْمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ وَابْنُهَا مِسْطَحُ بْنُ أُثَاثَةَ - فَعَثَرَتْ أُمُّ مِسْطَحٍ فِي مِرْطِهَا فَقَالَتْ : تَعِسَ مِسْطَحٌ . فَقُلْتُ : بِئْسَ مَا تَقُولِينَ !! تَسُبِّينَ رَجُلًا شَهِدَ بَدْرًا ؟! قَالَتْ : يَا هَنَتَاهُ ، أَوَلَمْ تَسْمَعِي مَا قَالَ ؟ قُلْتُ : وَمَا ذَاكَ ؟ . قَالَتْ : فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْإِفْكِ فَازْدَدْتُ مَرَضًا إِلَى مَرَضِي ، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِي فَدَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ : كَيْفَ تِيكُمْ ؟ ، فَقُلْتُ : أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ آتِيَ أَبَوَيَّ ؟ وَأَنَا حِينَئِذٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَلْتَمِسَ الْخَبَرَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا ، قَالَتْ : فَأَذِنَ لِي ، فَجِئْتُ أَبَوَيَّ ، فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي : يَا هَنَتَاهُ ، مَا يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ ؟ قَالَتْ : يَا بُنَيَّةُ هَوِّنِي عَلَيْكِ فَوَاللهِ لَقَلَّمَا كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ قَطُّ وَضِيئَةٌ عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّهَا لَهَا ضَرَائِرُ إِلَّا أَكْثَرْنَ عَلَيْهَا . فَقُلْتُ : سُبْحَانَ اللهِ ، وَقَدْ تَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهَذَا ؟ قَالَتْ : فَبَكَيْتُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتُ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ وَأَصْبَحْتُ أَبْكِي . وَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ عَلِيًّ وَأُسَامَةَ - قُلْتُ : يَسْتَشِيرُهُمَا فِي شَأْنِ أَهْلِهِ - قَالَتْ : فَأَمَّا أُسَامَةُ فَأَشَارَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالَّذِي يَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَرَاءَةِ أَهْلِهِ ، وَبِالَّذِي يَعْلَمُ فِي نَفْسِهِ لَهُمْ ، فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، أَهْلُكَ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا . وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، لَمْ يُضَيِّقِ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ ، وَالنِّسَاءُ سِوَاهَا كَثِيرٌ ، وَإِنْ تَسْأَلِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَصْدُقْكَ . قَالَتْ : فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَرِيرَةَ فَقَالَ لَهَا : أَيْ [18/174] بَرِيرَةُ هَلْ رَأَيْتِ مِنْ رِيبَةٍ - أَوْ : مِنْ شَيْءٍ ؟ " . أَوْ : كَلِمَةً نَحْوَهَا - فَقَالَتْ : وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا رَأَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا أَمْرًا قَطُّ أَغْمِصُهُ - أَوْ : كَلِمَةً غَيْرَهَا ، شَكَّ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ - عَلَيْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ تَنَامُ عَنْ عَجِينَةِ أَهْلِهَا فَتَأْتِي الدَّاجِنُ فَتَأْكُلُهُ . فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَ يَوْمِئِذٍ فَاسْتَعْذَرَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍّ ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ، مَنْ يَعْذِرُنِي مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَلَغَ أَذَاهُ فِي أَهْلِي ؟ فَوَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْ أَهْلِي إِلَّا خَيْرًا ، وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا مَا عَلِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا ، وَمَا كَانَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِي إِلَّا مَعِي " . فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا أَعْذِرُكَ مِنْهُ ، إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْأَوْسِ ضَرَبْنَا عُنُقَهُ ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ إِخْوَانِنَا الْخَزْرَجِ أَمَرْتَنَا فَأَمْضَيْنَا أَمْرَكَ . قَالَتْ فَقَامَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ - وَهُوَ سَيِّدُ الْخَزْرَجِ يَوْمَئِذٍ ، وَكَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا ، وَلَكِنَّهُ حَمَلَتْهُ الْحَمِيَّةُ - فَقَالَ : كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ ، لَا تَقْتُلُهُ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ . فَقَامَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ - فَقَالَ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ : كَذَبْتَ لَعَمْرُ اللهِ لَنَقْتُلَنَّهُ ، إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُنَافِقٌ تُجَادِلُ عَنِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ . فَتَثَاوَرَ [18/175] الْحَيَّانِ الْأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ حَتَّى هَمُّوا أَنْ يَقْتَتِلُوا ، وَرَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَائِمٌ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُخَفِّضُهُمْ حَتَّى سَكَنُوا - أَوْ سَكَتُوا . قَالَتْ : فَبَكَيْتُ يَوْمِي ذَاكَ لَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ وَلَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ ، وَأَصْبَحَ أَبَوَايَ عِنْدِي وَقَدْ بَكَيْتُ لَيْلَتِي لَا أَكْتَحِلُ بِنَوْمٍ وَلَا يَرْقَأُ لِي دَمْعٌ يَظُنَّانِ أَنَّ الْبُكَاءَ فَالِقٌ كَبِدِي . قَالَتْ : فَهُمَا جَالِسَانِ عِنْدِي وَأَنَا أَبْكِي ، فَاسْتَأْذَنَتْ عَلَيَّ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهَا فَجَلَسَتْ تَبْكِي مَعِي ، فَبَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَسَلَّمَ وَجَلَسَ - قَالَتْ : فَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عِنْدِي مُنْذُ قِيلَ مَا قِيلَ قَبْلَهَا ، وَقَدْ لَبِثَ شَهْرًا لَا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ - قَالَتْ : فَتَشَهَّدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ : أَمَّا بَعْدُ يَا عَائِشَةُ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكِ كَذَا وَكَذَا ، فَإِنْ كُنْتِ بَرِيئَةً فَسَيُبَرِّئُكِ اللهُ ، وَإِنْ كُنْتِ أَلْمَمْتِ بِذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرِي اللهَ وَتُوبِي إِلَيْهِ ، فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَنْبِهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ إِلَى اللهِ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ . قَالَتْ : فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَقَالَتَهُ قَلَصَ دَمْعِي حَتَّى مَا أُحِسُّ مِنْهُ قَطْرَهُ ، فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي : أَجِبْ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمَا قَالَ . قَالَ : مَا أَدْرِي وَاللهِ مَا أَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ . فَقُلْتُ لِأُمِّي :أَجِيبِي رَسُولَ اللهِ بِمَا قَالَ . فَقَالَتْ : مَا أَدْرِي مَا أُجِيبُ رَسُولَ اللهِ . وَكُنْتُ جَارِيَةً حَدِيثَةَ السِّنِّ لَا أَقْرَأُ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ . فَقُلْتُ : وَاللهِ لَئِنْ قُلْتُ إِنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَا تُصَدِّقُونِي بِذَلِكَ ، وَلَئِنِ اعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنَبٍ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ لَتُصَدِّقُنِّي ، وَإِنِّي وَاللهِ لَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلَكُمْ مَثَلًا إِلَّا أَبَا يُوسُفَ قَالَ : { فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ } . قَالَتْ : ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلْتُ فَاضْطَجَعْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِي ، قَالَتْ : وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ حِينَئِذٍ أَنِّي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ وَاللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى سَيُبَرِّئُنِي بِبَرَائَتِي ، وَلَكِنْ مَا كُنْتُ وَاللهِ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ اللهَ [18/176] تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يُنْزِلُ فِي شَأْنِي وَحْيًا يُتْلَى ، وَلَشَأْنِي فِي نَفْسِي كَانَ أَحْقَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ اللهُ فِيَّ بِأَمْرٍ يُتْلَى ، وَلَكِنْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي النَّوْمِ رُؤْيَا يُبَرِّئُنِي اللهُ بِهَا . قَالَتْ : فَوَاللهِ مَا قَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَخَذَهُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ مِنَ الْبُرَحَاءِ حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيَنْحَدِرُ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الْجُمَانِ مِنَ الْعَرَقِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الشَّاتِي مِنْ ثِقَلِ الْقَوْلِ الَّذِي نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ ، فَلَمَّا سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ ، سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ كَلِمَةٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا فَقَالَ : أَمَا إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَنْزَلَ بَرَاءَتَكِ " . فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي : قُومِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ، فَقُلْتُ : وَاللهِ لَا أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ ، وَلَا أَحْمَدُ إِلَّا اللهَ . قَالَتْ : فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ } الْعَشْرَ الْآيَاتِ كُلَّهَا . قَالَتْ : فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ - وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ لِقَرَابَتِهِ مِنْهُ وَلِفَقْرِهِ : وَاللهِ لَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحٍ بَعْدَ الَّذِي قَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ . فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ : { وَلا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِي } ... إِلَى قَوْلِهِ : { أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لَكُمْ وَاللهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ } قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ : بَلَى ، وَاللهِ إِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ بِالنَّفَقَةِ الَّتِي كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ . وَقَالَ : وَاللهِ لَا أَنْزِعُهَا عَنْهُ . قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ : وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اسْتَشَارَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ فِي أَمْرِي ، فَقَالَتْ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، أَحْمِي سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي ، وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا . قَالَتْ : فَعَصَمَهَا اللهُ بِالْوَرَعِ ، وَأَمَّا أُخْتُهَا فَهَلَكَتْ فِيمَنْ هَلَكَ . [18/177] قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ : فَهَذَا مَا انْتَهَى إِلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ الَّذِينَ حَدَّثُونِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ .
EnglishUnverified translation
153 / 129 - I heard Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna saying: Uthman ibn Umar narrated to us - he said: And he read it to me from his book - he said: Yunus ibn Yazid narrated to us from al-Zuhri who said: I heard Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, Alqamah ibn Waqqas and Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah ibn Utbah concerning the hadith of Aishah when the people of ifk said of her what they said, and Allah declared her innocent of what they said; each narrated to me a portion of the hadith which these narrated to me from Aishah, some confirming others, though some were more retentive than others. They claimed: that Aishah, wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wanted to go out, he would cast lots among his wives; whichever one's lot came out, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would go out with her. Aishah said: So he cast lots among us in a campaign he fought, and I went out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) after Allah revealed the hijab; I would descend and be carried in my howdah. We marched until, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) finished that campaign of his and returned, and we drew near Madinah returning, he announced departure one night. So I stood until the army passed, and when I finished I came to my riding place and found a necklace of mine of onyx beads had broken, so I returned seeking my necklace, and seeking it detained me. The group who used to saddle my camel which I rode came, thinking I was in it - women in those days were light, not carrying flesh; we ate only a morsel of food - so the people did not notice the lightness of the howdah, and I was a young girl. I found my necklace after the army had gone on, then I came to their camping places with neither caller nor answerer in them, and I thought they would miss me and return to me. While I sat in my place, my eyes overcame me and I slept. Safwan ibn al-Mu'attal al-Sulami was among those behind the army; he saw a black shape, came to me, and recognized me when he saw me - he had seen me before the hijab - so I woke at his istirja' when he recognized me. By Allah, I heard no word from him other than his istirja', until he made his camel kneel, stepped on its neck, and I rode it; he took the camel's head leading me until we reached the army after they had camped, and those who perished perished. Then I came to Madinah and fell ill when I arrived for a month, while people spread talk about me and I sensed nothing of that; what puzzled me in my sickness was that I did not recognize from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) what I used to see before - he would only enter upon me, greet, then say: How is this one? And I sensed nothing, until I went out after I recovered, going out with Umm Mistah toward al-Manasi' - we went out only at night, before latrines were taken, our affair being the affair of the first Arabs. So I went out, I and Umm Mistah - she is the daughter of Abi Ruhm ibn Abd Manaf, and her son is Mistah ibn Uthathah - and Umm Mistah stumbled in her cloak and said: May Mistah perish. I said: Evil is what you say! Do you revile a man who witnessed Badr?! She said: O dear, have you not heard what he said? I said: What is that? She said: She told me the saying of the people of ifk, so my sickness increased upon my sickness. When I returned to my house, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) entered upon me and said: How is this one? I said: Will you permit me to go to my parents? - I then wanted to seek news from them. She said: So he permitted me, and I came to my parents and said to my mother: O dear, what are people saying? She said: O my daughter, take it easy; by Allah, seldom was there ever a beautiful woman with a man who loves her, having co-wives, except that they spoke much against her. I said: Glory be to Allah, have people spoken of this? She said: So I wept that night until morning, my tears never stopping nor sleeping with sleep, and I awoke weeping. The Messenger of Allah called Ali and Usamah - I said: consulting them about his family. As for Usamah, he advised the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with what he knew of his family's innocence and what he knew in himself for them, saying: O Messenger of Allah, your family, and we know only good. As for Ali, he said: O Messenger of Allah, Allah has not constrained you, and women besides her are many; if you ask the slave girl, she will tell you the truth. She said: So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called Barirah and said to her: O Barirah, have you seen any doubt - or: anything? - or a word like it. She said: By the One Who sent you with the truth, I never saw anything in her I could fault - or another word, Abu Muhammad doubted - upon her, more than that she is a young girl who sleeps over her family's dough so the domestic goat comes and eats it. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood after that day seeking excuse from Abdullah ibn Ubayy; the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: O company of Muslims, who will excuse me concerning a man whose harm reached my family? By Allah, I know of my family only good, and they mentioned a man of whom I know only good, and he would not enter upon my family except with me. So Sa'd ibn Mu'adh stood and said: O Messenger of Allah, I excuse you from him; if he is from Aws, we strike his neck, and if he is from our brothers Khazraj, command us and we carry out your command. She said: So Sa'd ibn Ubadah stood - he was the chief of Khazraj that day, previously a righteous man, but zeal carried him - and said: You lie, by Allah, you shall not kill him, by Allah, nor can you kill him. So Usayd ibn Hudayr stood - he is the cousin of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh - and said to Sa'd ibn Ubadah: You lie, by Allah, we shall surely kill him; you are but a hypocrite arguing for the hypocrites. Then the two tribes, Aws and Khazraj, surged until they almost fought, while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood on the pulpit; the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) kept calming them until they quieted - or fell silent. She said: So I wept that day of mine, my tears never stopping nor sleeping with sleep, and my parents awoke with me, having wept my night, not sleeping with sleep nor my tears stopping, thinking weeping would split my liver. She said: While they sat with me and I wept, a woman of the Ansar sought permission upon me, so I permitted her and she sat weeping with me. While we were thus, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) entered, greeted and sat - she said: He had not sat with me since what was said was said before it, having stayed a month without revelation. She said: So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) testified then said: As for after, O Aishah, such-and-such reached me about you; if you are innocent, Allah will declare you innocent, and if you committed a sin, seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him, for when a servant confesses his sin then repents to Allah, Allah turns to him. She said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) finished his speech, my tears dried until I felt not a drop of them. So I said to my father: Answer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for what he said. He said: By Allah, I do not know what to say to the Messenger of Allah. So I said to my mother: Answer the Messenger of Allah for what he said. She said: I do not know how to answer the Messenger of Allah. I was a young girl not reading much of the Qur'an. So I said: By Allah, if I say I am innocent - and Allah knows I am innocent - you will not believe me in that; and if I confess a sin - and Allah knows I am innocent - you will believe me. By Allah, I find no example for me and you except Abu Yusuf's saying: {So patience is most fitting, and Allah is the One sought for help against what you describe}. She said: Then I turned and lay on my bed, she said: knowing then that I was innocent of it and that Allah, blessed and exalted, would declare me innocent with my innocence; but by Allah, I never thought Allah, blessed and exalted, would send down concerning my affair revelation to be recited - my affair in myself was too trifling for Allah to speak concerning me a matter to be recited - but I hoped the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would see in sleep a vision by which Allah would declare me innocent. She said: By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had not risen until revelation descended upon him, and he was seized by what used to seize him of heaviness, until sweat like pearls poured from him on a wintry day from the weight of the saying that descended upon him. When it was lifted from him, it was lifted while he laughed; the first word he spoke was: Rather, Allah has sent down your innocence. My mother said: Stand to the Messenger of Allah. I said: By Allah, I shall not stand to him, nor praise except Allah. She said: So Allah, mighty and exalted, revealed: {Indeed those who came with ifk are a group among you}, the ten verses all of them. She said: When Allah sent down this concerning my innocence, Abu Bakr - who used to spend on Mistah for his kinship and his poverty - said: By Allah, I shall never spend on Mistah after what he said about Aishah. So Allah, mighty and exalted, revealed: {And let not those of virtue among you and affluence swear not to give} ... to His saying: {that Allah forgive you, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful}. Abu Bakr said: Yes, by Allah, I love that Allah forgive me. So he returned to Mistah the spending he used to spend on him, saying: By Allah, I shall never take it from him. Aishah said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had consulted Zaynab bint Jahsh in my affair, and she said: O Messenger of Allah, I guard my hearing and sight; by Allah, I know only good. She said: So Allah preserved her with piety, while her sister perished among those who perished. al-Zuhri said: This is what reached us of the report of these men who narrated to me from Aishah.