Sayyidah Ayshah narrated: When whatever was said about me and I was unaware of it, Allah’s Messenger (SAW) got up to address the people about me. He began with the tashahhud (testimony of Allah’s Unity and of the messenger ship). He praised Allah and glorified Him as He is worthy of it. He then said, ‘To proceed: Give me advice about those people who slander my wife. By Allah, I do not know of any evil in my wife, not at all! And they accuse her of being with a man of whom I know no evil, not at all! he never enters my house except when I am there. He never undertook a journey except with me.” Sa'd ibn Mu’adh stood up and said. “Permit me, O Messenger of Allah that I may sever their necks.” A man from the Khazraj also got up-the mother of Hassan ibn Thabit was of the same tribe are this man-and he said, “You lie. By Allah, if those people were from the Aws, you would not have loved to strike at their necks.” This went so far that there nearly was evil between Aws and Khazraj in the mosque. But I did not know of it. When it was evening of that day, I went out to attend to one of my needs with Umm Mistah. She stumbled and exclaimed, “May Mistah perish.” I said to her, “0Mother, do you revile your son?” But she did not say anything. She stumbled a second time and said, “May Mistah be ruined.” I said to her, “0Mother, do you revile your son?” She did not answer. Again, she stumbled the third time and said, “May Mistah perish!” So, I rebuked her for that, saying, “0Mother, you revile your son?” She said, “By Allah, I do not revile him except for your sake.” I asked her, “What about me?” She narrated the hadith (account of what had transpired). I asked “And is that really so?” She confirmed that it was so. I returned home not at all being pressed to follow that for which I had gone out. I fell ill and the said to Allah’s Messenger, “Send me to the house of my father.” He sent me there and sent a slave with me. I entered the house and found Umm Ruman my mother) downstairs and Abu Bakr upstairs reciting (the Qur’an). She asked me “What is with you, 0daughter?” I informed her, relating the entire account but she was not as hurt by it as I was. She to me, “0my daughter, do not take it too hard. It is always that a beautiful woman who is loved by her husband and she has co-wives will find jealousy surrounding her. Her faults are picked.” But she was not as hurt about it as I was. I asked her if my father knew about it. She said, “Yes.” I was more grieved at that and wept loudly. Abu Bakr heard my voice. He was upstairs reciting the Quran. He came down and asked my mother how it was with me. She told him that I had learnt of the matter. Tears came to his daughter, go back to your home.” So, I went back eyes. He said, “I adjure you, 0home. Allah’s Messenger -‘ had already come home and aked my maidservant about me She said, “By Allah, I do not know of any defect in her except that she goes to sleep and the sheep enters the house devouring her flour or her dough.” Some of the Prophet’s sahabah scolded her, saying. “Speak the truth before Allah’s Messenger. They were rude to her and she said, “Subahan Allah". By Allah, I know about her as a jeweler knows pure gold.” When that man of whom the accusation was made learnt of this, he said, “Subhan Allah! I have never seen a woman’s satr (concealed body).” He was then martyred in Allah’s cause (in a battle). In the morning my parents came to me. They remained with me till Allah’s Messenger (SAW) came, having offered the salah of asr. He came in and my parents were sitting on either side of me. The Prophet recited the tashahhud, glorified Allah in words worthy of Him. Then he said, “Amma ba’d (To proceed), O Ayshah! If you have committed an evil deed or wronged (yourself) then repent to Allah, for, indeed Allah accepts repentance from His slaves.” Meanwhile, an Ansar woman came and sat down by the door. I said (to him), “Do you not feel shy to speak so in the presence of this woman?” And he did deliver words of advice and admonition. I turned to my father and requested him to answer him, but he said, “What may I say?” Then I turned to my mother and asked her to say something, but she said, “Say what?” When they gave no reply, I recited the tashahhud, praised Allah and glorified Him with words worthy of Him. Then I said, “Now, if I were to tell you that I have done no such thing and Allah is witness that I am truthful that would be of no avail to me before you because you have spoken about it and your hearts have already accepted that. But if I say that I have done it, and Allah knows that I have not done it, you would say surely that I have confessed to the crime. By Allah, I do not find an example for myself and for you,” and I intended to take the name of Ya’qub but I could not recall it except Abu Yusuf (father of Yusuf) when he said:
‘(For me) goodly patience! And Allah is He Whose help is ever there to seek against that which you describe. (12 : 18)
At that very instant, revelation descended on Allah’s Messenger (SAW). We kept silent.
When it was over, I detected signs of relief on the Prophet’s (SAW) face. He was wiping his forchead when he said,”Good tings to you, 0Ayshah! Allah has indeed revealed your acquital.”
But I was in sever anger. My parents said to me, “Get up and go to him,” but I refused. “No, by Allah! By Allah, I will not go to him.”
Neither do I praise him nor do I praise you two, but I praise Allah Who has revealed my innocence. You all did hear it, yet you did not deny or change it.” Sayyidah Ayshah used to say. “As for Zaynab bint Jahsh, Allah protected her because of her religious attitude and she did not say anything but good (words). As for her sister, Hamnah, she was ruined along with those who were ruined. And those who spoke about the affair (a derogatory speech) were Mistah, Hassan ibn Thabit and the hypocrite Abdullah ibn Ubayy, who circulated the rumour and incited others to do likewise. He and Hamnah were in the lead in this affair.” She added that Abu Bakr swore never to show favour to Mistah (with help), but Allah revealed this verse let not the possessors of bounty and abundance among you: that is, Abu Bakr swear off giving to the kinsmen and the needy and the emigrants in the way of Allah:
"That is, Mistah let them pardon and overlook. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." (24 : 22)
So, Abu Bakr said, “Certainly, by Allah, 0our Lord! We love that You forgive us.” And he restored to him (Mistah) whatever he was accustomed to give.
184757, Muslim 2770, Ahmed 24371]