Accusation: Ibn ‘Abbas composed famous couplets condemning Sayyidah Aisha

They are:

لك التسع من الثمن و بالكل تصرفت

تجملت تبغلت و لو عشت تفيلت

You rode a camel, you rode a mule and had you lived longer, you would have ridden an elephant[1]. You have a ninth of eighth and you took everything.[2]

Answer

These two couplets attempt to portray Sayyidina Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhu as one who abhorred and detested Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha and is incongruous with the attitude of Sayyidina Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhuma as reported in sahih narrations. It is further contradicted by the praise he mentioned in her favour at her demise. He said to her during her final illness:

فأنت بخير إن شاء الله زوجة رسول الله صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم و لم يتزوج بكرا غيرك و نزل عذرك من السماء

You are upon goodness, in sha Allah; [you are] the wife of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, he never married a virgin besides you, and your innocence was revealed from the sky.[3]

يا أم المؤمنين إن الله عز و جل قد أعاذك من النار كنت أول امرأة نزل عذرها من السماء

O mother of the believers! Indeed Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has saved you from Hell. You are the first woman whose innocence was revealed from the sky.[4]

يا أم المؤمنين تقدمين على فرط صدق على رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم و على أبي بكر

O mother of the believers! You are approaching a promising precedent[5] of honour, Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and Abu Bakr.[6]

During his debate with the Khawarij whom Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib radiya Llahu ‘anhu fought, he protested against them saying:

و أما قولكم قاتل و لم يسب و لم يغنم أفتسبون أمكم عائشة تستحلون منها ما تستحلون من غيرها و هي أمكم فإن قلتم إنا نستحل منها ما نستحل من غيرها فقد كفرتم و إن قلتم ليست بأمنا فقد كفرتم لأن الله تعالى يقول فأنتم بيت ضلالتين فأتوا منها بمخرج أفخرجت من هذه قالوا نعم

With regards to your statement, “He fought them and did not take captives nor took booty;” will you imprison your mother, Aisha? Will you regard her as lawful just like you regard other women as lawful, whereas she is your mother? If you say: we regard her as lawful just like we regard others as lawful; then you have committed kufr. And if you say: she is not our mother; then you have committed kufr because Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala declares:

النَّبِيُّ أَوْلىٰ بِالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ

The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves, and his wives are [in the position of] their mothers.[7]

As a result, you have between two deviances. So make a way out of them. Are you leaving this?”

They replied in the affirmative.[8]

These couplets only serve as proof in the imaginative mind of al Tijani.

[1] You rode a camel, you rode a mule, and had you lived longer, you would have ridden an elephant to wage war and stir up fitnah.

[2] Thumma Ihtadayt of Muhammad al Tijani pg. 166

[3] Sahih al Bukhari Hadith: 4753

[4] Fada’il al Sahabah of Ahmed vol. 2 pg. 872

[5] Al Farat: one who goes ahead of the group and prepares for them what they will need. Here it refers to a mutaqaddim (precedent) with reward and intercession. (Muqaddamah Fath al Bari pg. 166)

[6] Sahih al Bukhari Hadith: 3771. Al ‘Ayni says, “Its conformity with the heading is that Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhuma unequivocally determined Aisha’s entry into Jannat and this cannot be determined without tawqif (categorical evidence). Hence, this is a great accolade.” (‘Umdat al Qari vol. 16 pg. 251)

[7] Surah al Ahzab: 6

[8] Al Sunan al Kubra vol. 5 pg. 165 Hadith: 8575; al Tabarani vol. 10 pg. 257 Hadith: 10598; al Mustadrak vol. 2 pg. 164; Sunan al Bayhaqi vol. 8 pg. 179 Hadith: 17186. Ibn Taymiyyah has declared its isnad as sahih in Minhaj al Sunnah vol. 8 pg. 530. Al Haythami says in Majma’ al Zawa’id vol. 6 pg. 242, “His narrators are the narrators of al Sahih.” Al Wadi’i has declared it Hassan in al Sahih al Musnad Hadith: 711

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