Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
Ascent from Love for the Prophet to Love for Allah (Part 6)
O Abu Bakr! Do Not Hasten to Swear!
«وَلَا يَأۡتَلِ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡفَضۡلِ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلسَّعَةِ أَن يُؤۡتُوٓاْ أُوْلِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينَ وَٱلۡمُهَٰجِرِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَلۡيَعۡفُواْ وَلۡيَصۡفَحُوٓاْۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغۡفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٌ» Translation: “Those among you who are endowed with virtue and wealth, such as Abu Bakr (MABH), should not swear to withhold their generosity from their relatives, the needy, and the emigrants in the way of Allah—just because they were involved in the incident of Ifk (false accusation). Rather, they should forgive and overlook. Do you not desire that Allah forgives you? Just as you wish for His pardon, overlook the mistakes of others and continue doing good. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful—so adorn yourselves with the manners and attributes of your Lord.” Therefore:
1. The greatness of Abu Bakr (MABH) and his role in the Islamic society is affirmed, as Allah identifies him among the people of virtue and generosity.
2. Abu Bakr’s superiority is not only in material aspects but also in spiritual dimensions.
3. One should not sever support due to the ingratitude or sins of others.
4. A believer must overlook the faults and slips of their Muslim brothers and sisters.
5. Whoever seeks Allah’s pardon should also forgive others and ignore their mistakes.
6. Overlooking others’ errors and accepting their apologies is a sign of desire for divine forgiveness.
May the Curse of Allah Be Upon Those Who Accuse the Chaste Like Ayesha:
«اِنَّ الّذِینَ یَرمُونَ المُحصَناتِ الغافِلاتِ المؤمناتِ لُعِنُوا فِی الدَّنیا وَالآخرَۀ وَلَهُم عَذابٌ عَظِیمٌ»” Translation: “Those who falsely accuse chaste, innocent, and faithful women of adultery are cursed by Allah in both this world and the Hereafter and will suffer a severe punishment—unless they repent.” Therefore:
1. Accusing Ayesha (MABH) leads to Allah’s curse in both worlds.
2. Allah Himself curses those who accuse Ayesha or any other pure woman and has prepared severe punishment for them.
3. A divine curse signifies the gravity of the offense and the esteemed status of the one being falsely accused.
4. The Qur’an uses the strongest warnings—curse and punishment—for those who slander Ayesha and women like her.
Slanderers Will Be Exposed on the Day of Judgment:
«یَومَ تَشهَدُ عَلَیهِم اَلسِنَتهُم وَاَیدِیهم وَاَرجُلَهُم بِما کَانُو یَعمَلُونَ»” Translation: “On that Day, they will face a great punishment when their tongues, hands, and feet testify against their misdeeds.” Therefore:
1. Those who used their tongues in speeches and gatherings to insult her,
2. Those who used their poisoned pens to spread slanders in books and newspapers,
3. Those whose feet took them to produce films, plays, etc., to defame her—All of them will suffer severe divine punishment, for their own limbs will testify against them.
«یَومَئِذٍ یُوَفِّیهِمُ اللهُ دِینَهُم الحَقَّ وَیَعلَمُونَ اَنَّ اللهَ هُوَ الحقُّ المُبیِنٌ» Translation: “On that Day, Allah will deliver full justice, and even the most stubborn will acknowledge that Allah is the evident Truth.” Therefore:
1. One should not expect complete justice in this world for slanderers; the true recompense will be on the Day of Judgment.
2. They will then realize the grave mistake they made by insulting such a chaste and dignified woman.
3. Regret on that Day will be futile because everyone will see what the truth really was.
Ayesha is Worthy of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH):
«اَلخَبِیثتُ لِلخَبِیثِینَ وَالخَبِیثُونَ لِلخَبِیثتِ وَالطَیِّبتُ لِطِّیِّبیِنَ وَالطَیِّبُونَ لِلطیِّبتِ اُولئکَ مُبرَءوُنَ مِمَّا َیَقُولُونَ لَهُم مَغفِرَۀ وَرِزقٌ کَرِیمٌ» Translation: “Unchaste women are for unchaste men, and unchaste men are for unchaste women; while pure women are for pure men, and pure men are for pure women. They are innocent of what is alleged against them and will receive Allah’s forgiveness and a noble provision—namely eternal Paradise and its unimaginable blessings.” Therefore:
1. Vulgar and foul language—such as these slanders against the Prophet’s wives and companions (Sahaba)—is fitting only for corrupt individuals.
2. Misguided and wretched people often utter foul words, for which they are well suited.
3. Noble and respectful speech about the Prophet’s wives and companions is befitting only for sincere followers of the Prophet. They never utter indecent or disrespectful words about them.
4. Impure and immoral women are suitable only for impure men like themselves, while pure women like Ayesha are worthy of noble men like the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
5. Since the Prophet (PBUH) was pure, Allah chose equally pure wives like Ayesha, Hafsa, and the other purified wives for his companionship in this world and the next.
6. The Qur’an clearly and openly declares that everything said about Ayesha in the Prophet’s time, or said now and in the future, is false and baseless. Ayesha is innocent of all such slander.
7. In exchange for enduring such slanders and pain, Allah granted Ayesha and all pure, innocent women His forgiveness, pleasure, and Paradise.
Ayesha’s Exoneration is Not About Anyone Else:
There is complete consensus among Qur’anic commentators, biographers, and historians that the verses in question were revealed specifically concerning the purity and exoneration of Ayesha al-Siddiqah, and that these verses pertain clearly and undoubtedly to her, her family, and to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. There is no dispute that the intention of the verses is to declare Ayesha’s innocence from the slander and accusation leveled against her by the hypocrites.
Even Shia scholars, for the most part, agree with this. The few weak narrations cited in some Shia texts lack credibility and are not accepted by the major Shia authorities.
For example, Allamah Ṭabaṭaba’ī, author of al-Mīzan, like the rest of the commentators of the Muslim world, records the incident of al-Ifk and explains that these verses were revealed regarding Hazrat Ayesha. Similarly, Ayatollah Makarim Shirazi, in his Tafsir al-Namūnah, confirms this interpretation, stating that there are two narrations about the circumstances of revelation of these verses. One is that they were revealed concerning Maryah al-Qibṭiyyah, but the stronger and more widely accepted narration—even among Shia commentators—is that they were about Ayesha al-Siddiqah.
Indeed, the clarity of the verses and their direct and complete connection with the event of al-Ifk and the proof of the mother of the Believers’ innocence is so compelling that any fair-minded and intelligent person must accept it. None can deny this truth unless Allah has sealed their hearts with misguidance, and their eyes, hearts, and insight have been blinded. And yes, such people have always existed in every age and generation, just as Allah has said: (خَتَمَ اللهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ) Translation: “Allah has set a seal upon their hearts, their hearing, and over their eyes is a veil. And for them is a great punishment.” (Surat al-Baqarah: 7)
An example of such distortion can be found in Tafsir Nūr by Ḥajj aqa Muḥsin Qara’atī (host of the program Dars-hayī az Qurʾan on IRIB TV1). In his commentary under these verses, he rejects the clear and widely accepted truth, despite the overwhelming evidence. Even worse, he attributes a far greater accusation to the two Shaykhs (Abu Bakr and Umar), quoting from Tayyib al-Bayan. Here are his exact words so readers can judge how some individuals twist the clear message of the Qur’an:
“A group of commentators, especially the author of Ṭayyib al-Bayan, report through multiple supported narrations that this verse was revealed about Maryah al-Qibṭiyyah (one of the wives of the Messenger of Allah), whom Allah granted a son named Ibrahim. After 18 months, the child passed away. Ayesha and Hafsah said to the Messenger of Allah: ‘Why do you weep? Ibrahim was not your son, rather someone else had relations with Maryah and Ibrahim was born from that.’ The first and second Caliphs also affirmed what their daughters had said. At that point, this verse was revealed.”
Allamah Jaʿfar Murtazaa, in his respected book Hadith al-Ifk, claims that the verse was revealed regarding Maryah al-Qibṭiyyah, and that the entire incident was based on a false accusation. The man accused of having relations with her, it was said, had no male organ, and this became clear when the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to investigate. When Ali approached, the man fled and climbed a tree. As he climbed, his clothing fell, revealing that he had no male organ. Ali reported this to the Prophet, and then the verse was revealed, clearing Maryah’s name and causing Ayesha, Hafsah, and the two Shaykhs to be ashamed. (Glory be to You, O Allah! This is a blatant slander!)
What was just mentioned is an example of the absurdities uttered by certain extremists who shamelessly accuse the likes of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, Umar al-Faruq, Hafsah, and Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with them all), falsely portraying them as the instigators of this painful incident. It is as though they deserved the legal punishment (ḥadd al-qadhf) for slander!
Can any sound intellect accept such nonsense? There are indeed some malicious and spiteful individuals whose aim is to strip Ayesha al-Afifah (the Chaste) of her honor and attribute it to someone else—but they are deluded. The verses of the Qur’an and the authentic hadiths confirming this matter are so clear and explicit that no room remains for doubt in the heart of any seeker of truth.
Continues…
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