The Incident of Al-Ifk: A Detailed Account of the Slander Against the Mother of believers Sayyidah Hazrat Aisha (رضی اللہ عنہا)

"And why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women think good of one another and say, 'This is an obvious falsehood'?" (Surah An-Nur, 24:16)

When the beloved wife of the Mercy of the Worlds, the esteemed jurist, devout worshipper, and scholar, Sayyidatuna Aisha (رضی اللہ عنہا), was being showered with accusations from the hypocrites, she had such perfect faith in her Lord that she would weep in prostration and say,

"My testimony will be given by Allah the Almighty, for He is the One who knows the condition of every heart."

This incident occurred in 5 AH, or the 6th year after Hijrah. During the return from the Battle of Banu Al-Mustaliq. The Prophet Muhammad (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) was returning to Madinah with his companions. The Prophet ﷺ would sometimes take some of his wives with him on journeys. During this expedition, he chose Hazrat Aisha رضي الله عنها to accompany him after drawing lots. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Hadith 4141)

The Lost Necklace

The caravan stopped for the night. Mother of the Believers, Aisha (رضی اللہ عنہا), went away from the camp to relieve herself. Upon returning, she  (رضی اللہ عنہا) realized she had lost her precious Yemeni necklace, which was very dear to her.

She went back to search for it. In the meantime, her attendant assumed she had already entered her howdah (the covered carriage on a camel), and the caravan members thought the same. Thus, the caravan departed without her.

When she returned, she found the caravan had gone. She was left alone in the deserted area. Trusting that the caravan would return for her once her absence was noticed, she (رضی اللہ عنہا) decided to wait there.

The Arrival of Safwan رضي الله عنه

Meanwhile, Safwan bin Al-Mu'attal (رضي الله عنه), who would typically follow behind the caravan to retrieve any lost items, arrived at the spot. He saw a figure sitting in the distance. As he approached, he recognized it was Aisha  (رضی اللہ عنہا).

He exclaimed in surprise:

"Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un" (Verily, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return).

Aisha  (رضی اللہ عنہا) immediately veiled herself. And so, Safwan  (رضي الله عنه) had her mount his camel while he led it on foot, holding its reins, until they caught up with the caravan.

The Conspiracy of the Hypocrites

A group of hypocrites gather secretly around, engaged in conspiracies and gossiping.

A leading hypocrite in the caravan, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, saw them arriving together. He seized the opportunity to start a malicious rumor. He and other hypocrites began spreading the false accusation that Aisha (رضی اللہ عنہا) had committed an immoral act. All because of their envy and opposition to Islam.

The lie spread through Madinah like wildfire. Even some Muslims were swayed and repeated the rumor. However, prominent companions like Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) and Usama bin Zayd (رضی اللہ عنہ) firmly defended Aisha's (رضی اللہ عنہا) chastity and character.

When the Prophet ﷺ heard the rumors, He consulted his companions.

Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (رضي الله عنه) defended her, saying,

"O Messenger of Allah, we have only seen good in Aisha."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Shahadat, Hadith 2661)

When Aisha (رضی اللہ عنہا) heard about the vicious rumors, she fell severely ill. Overwhelmed with grief, she asked the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) for permission to recover at her parents' house, where she remained ill for about a month.

The Revelation : Surah An Nur

The Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) was deeply distressed. He (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) addressed the people in the mosque, saying:

"O people! Who will help me against those who hurt me regarding my family? I know nothing but good about my household." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Hadith 4141)

Eventually, divine revelation came, delivering Verses 11-26 of Surah An-Nur (Chapter of The Light)

The verse makes it clear that the accusation made against Hazrat Aisha Siddiqah (رضی اللہ عنہا) was absolutely slanderous and unfounded. This is why those who did not call it a slander or remained silent in the matter were reproached by Allah.

Ḥazrat Aisha Ṣiddiqah (رضی اللہ عنہا)'s Faith

Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyidatuna Ḥazrat Aisha Ṣiddiqah (رضی اللہ عنہا) said: “I was hopeful that Allah (تبارك وتعالى) would declare me innocent and affirm my purity and chastity. Yet, it never crossed my mind that Allah would reveal a waḥy (divine revelation) concerning my situation — I did not deem myself or my affair worthy of such an honor. My only expectation was that perhaps the Messenger of Allah ﷺ might receive a dream through which my innocence and integrity would be testified.”

A woman stands in a serene desert, embodying hope and faith as she gazes towards the horizon.

“Behold the kindness of Allah — the Prophet ﷺ had not even risen from where He sat when, all of a sudden, the signs of revelation appeared. The intensity that usually accompanied such moments began. So profound was the state that blessed pearls of perspiration shone upon his noble forehead. Even in winter, the weight of revelation would cause him to sweat — such was the gravity of the Divine Words descending upon him.”

“Shortly after, when the Blessed Prophet ﷺ emerged from the state of waḥy, He was smiling. The very first words he spoke were: ‘O Aisha Ṣiddiqah! Allah, the Exalted, has declared you free from blame and purified you. He has proclaimed your innocence from this accusation and revealed verses of the Qur’ān in your honor.’”

References:

(1) Madārij al-Nubūwwah (Urdu), Vol. 2, p. 283

(2) Khaṣā’iṣ al-Kubrā (Urdu), Vol. 1, p. 454

Ḥazrat Aisha Ṣiddiqah (رضی اللہ عنہا) added: “At that time, revelation was sent down beginning with:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِنْكُمْ

(Sūrah an-Nūr, 24:11, Juz 18) ‘Indeed, those who have brought forth the falsehood are a group from among you…’ — up to ten verses. In total, eighteen verses were revealed concerning my innocence — these ten, along with eight others.”

Companions Who Stood Firm for Truth

Hazrat Umar Farooq (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:

"The hypocrites are certainly liars, and Umm al-Mu'minin (رضی اللہ عنہا) is certainly pure. Allah Almighty protected the blessed body of the Crown of Prophethood (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) from flies landing on it, since they often sit on impurities, so how is it possible that He would not protect Him (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) from the company of an unchaste woman?"

Hazrat Uthman Ghani (رضی اللہ عنہ) also affirmed her purity in this manner and said:

"Allah Almighty did not allow the shadow of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) to fall upon the ground, so that no one would step upon it. So how could the Lord, who protected even the shadow of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم), not protect the members of His household?"

Hazrat Ali Murtaza (کرم اللہ وجہہ الکریم) said:

"When even a louse's blood stained the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم), the Lord of the Worlds commanded him to remove his shoes. So how could the Lord, who did not tolerate such slight impurity on the blessed shoes of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم), tolerate impurity in the members of His household?"

(Reference: Madaarik, Surah An-Noor, under Verse 12, Page 772, summarized)

A camel caravan travels across a vast desert, representing the journey

In this way, many male and female Companions (رضی اللہ عنہم) swore to her innocence. Even before the revelation of the verse, the hearts of the believers were satisfied regarding the purity of Umm al-Mu’minin Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa (رضی اللہ عنہا). The revelation of the verse further increased her honor and nobility.

Therefore, in the sight of Allah Almighty, His Beloved (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم), and the great Companions (رضی اللہ عنہم), the slander of the backbiters is utterly false, and for those who engaged in it, it is a source of severe calamity.

The Silence Before Revelation

Since this matter concerned the household of the Prophet Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم), He remained silent. His silence was not due to a lack of knowledge about Hazrat Aisha's (رضی اللہ عنہا) innocence, but rather because He was awaiting divine revelation.

If He (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) had declared the Mother of the Believers' purity based on his own knowledge, the hypocrites would have said that he was merely being partial to his family, in other words, "biased". Due to this same wise consideration, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (رضی اللہ عنہ) also remained silent.

In fact, even the Mother of the Believers (رضی اللہ عنہا) herself refrained from telling people,

"I am completely innocent," even though she knew with absolute certainty that she was chaste (modest).

Translation (Kanzul Iman):

"And why did it not occur to you, when you heard it, to say: 'It is not for us to speak of this. Glory be to You (O Allah)! This is a great slander?"

Outcome

· The main liar received punishment

· Cleared Aisha's (رضی اللہ عنہا) name completely, proclaiming her innocence.

· Severely warned the slanderers of a painful punishment.

· Instructed believers to avoid baseless assumptions and spying.

Lessons for Us

1. Never spread rumors or believe them without proof

2. Always think good of others

3. Know that Allah protects His righteous servants

4. Speaking ill of others is a major sin

Reference in Sirat al-Jinan:

For the explanation of the Quran, Surah An-Nur (24), Verse 11,

Sirat al-Jinan, Volume 5, Pages 770-772

(Tafsir of Surah An-Nur, Verses 11-20) by Muhammad Qasim Attari.

Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Expeditions (Kitab al-Maghazi),

Chapter: The Story of Al-Ifk, Volume 3, Page 61, Hadith Number: 4141.

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