Misconception: Sayyidah Aisha disrespected Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam when she said to him, “By Allah, it seems like your Rabb hastens towards fulfilling your desires.”

The Rawafid claim that Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha would behave disrespectfully towards Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and that the following statement is an example of this disrespect:

ما أرى ربك إلا يسارع في هواك

By Allah, It seems like your Rabb hastens towards fulfilling your desires

Al Shi’i al ‘Askari writes a footnote on this saying:

إن في هذا القول طعنا بمنشأ الوحي إذ إن منشأه هوى نفس الرسول صلى الله عليه و آله معاذ الله بل و طعن في منزلة الوحي تعالى شأنه عن ذلك

This statement is a disparagement of the objective of revelation for it suggests that its objective is fulfilling Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam desires. May Allah forbid! In fact, this is a criticism of the pedestal of revelation. His reputation is above this criticism.[1]

Answer

The narration in its entirety is as follows:

كنت أغار من اللاتي وهبن أنفسهن لرسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فقلت أتهب المرأة نفسها فلما أنزل الله تعالى تُرْجِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ مِنْهُنَّ وَتُؤْوِيْ إِلَيْكَ مَنْ تَشَاءُ ۖ وَمَنِ ابْتَغَيْتَ مِمَّنْ عَزَلْتَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكَ قلت ما أرى ربك إلا يسارع في هواك

I would feel ashamed over those women who gifted themselves to Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam so I said, “Does a woman gift herself?”

When Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala revealed:

You, [O Muhammad], may put aside whom you will of them or take to yourself whom you will. And any that you desire of those [wives] from whom you had [temporarily] separated – there is no blame upon you [in returning her].[2]

I said, “It seems that your Rabb hastens towards fulfilling your desires.”[3]

There are two explanations for this:

Firstly, it is imperative to realise that criticising the character of our mother Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha is in reality criticising Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. She was the most beloved to him, and most certainly this love was primarily due to her religiousness and character. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam directed the Muslims to love for Allah’s sake and hate for Allah’s sake. He would be the first to practice this. So had she possessed bad character—as the Shi’ah claim—he would have hated her and not loved her. Moreover, how could she have these evil attributes when Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has declared her as Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam zawj (wife)? The word al zawj demonstrates similarity and closeness.

Ibn Manzur says:

ازدوج الكلام و تزاوج أشبه بعضه بعضا في السجع و الوزن

The speech resembled and were alike, i.e. some bore a resemblance to others in rhythm and measure.

Al Zujaj says regarding Allah’s statement:

احْشُرُوا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَأَزْوَاجَهُمْ

[The angels will be ordered], “Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds …”[4]

معناه و نظراءهم و ضرباءهم تقول عندي من هذا أزواج أي أمثال

Its meaning is their like and kind. You say, “I have azwaj of this, i.e. kinds.”[5]

Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala never ever referred to the wife of Sayyidina Nuh ‘alayh al Salam or the wife of Sayyidina Lut ‘alayh al Salam with the word zawjah (wife). [Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala used the word imra’ah instead to refer to them which can be loosely translated as woman.]

Moreover, these people are ignorant or oblivious of the fact that a loving couple have such openness and compassion in their marriage which allows each of them to tolerate from the other that which would not be tolerated from others. Therefore, the correct approach with regards to such situations is to study the attitude and actions of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in dealing with the matter at hand. If the action or statement was a sin, then Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would be the last person to remain silent. He is the same individual who tore the veil which Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha had hung over her wall, since there were pictures of animate objects on it. He prevented her from back-biting, etc. Therefore, when Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam approves of these statements or actions, or does not rebuke them for the least, this shows the permissibility of the same and that it is not in polarity with good character.

If only people been had been innocent from passions and prejudice, you would not have found a trace of such ludicrous misconceptions and doubts. However, sadly, the reality is the very opposite. And help is sought from Allah upon what they plan!

Secondly, there is no scope to condemn our mother Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha in her statement. She did not say that the only objective of revelation is fulfilling Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam desire, nor did she criticise the station of revelation as al ‘Askari alleges. Rather, she affirms that revelation comes from Allah, the Almighty, and adds that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, loves that which Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam loves coupled with her firm conviction that revelation is true and that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is only fond of the truth.

Furthermore, the word hawa (desires) has not been condemned absolutely. Supporting this, it appears in the hadith:

لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى يكون هواه تبعا لما جئت به

None of you believes until his desires is subservient to what I have brought.[6]

It appears in Lisan al ‘Arab:

و هوى النفس أرادتها

The desire of the self is its intention.

He also says:

ما هوي أي ما أحب

He did not have desire, i.e. he did not fancy.

He also clarifies:

و متى تكلم بالهوى مطلقا لم يكن إلا مذموما حتى ينعت بما يخرج معناه

When the word hawa is said unqualified, it is only reprehensible; except if the context suggests another meaning.[7]

Is there anything present in the context here to extricate it from its reprehensible meaning greater that its attribution to Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam?

و قد يقال المذموم هو الهوى الخالي عن الهدى لقوله تعالى وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ اللَّهِ والله تعالى أعلم فليتأمل

It is said: reprehensible is that hawa which is devoid of huda (guidance) following Allah’s subhanahu wa ta ‘ala statement:

And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah?[8]

And Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala knows best. So ponder![9]

In the same light is Sayyidina ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu statement in the incident of consultation regarding the captives of Badr:

فهوي رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم ما قال أبو بكر و لم يهو ما قلت

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam preferred the view of Abu Bakr, and did not prefer mines.[10]

In this hadith, the word hawa is used to refer to praiseworthy preference.

Ibn Hajar explains:

ما أرى ربك إلا يسارع في هواك أي ما أرى الله إلا موجدا لما تريد بلا تأخير منزلا لما تحب و تختار

It seems like your Rabb hastens to fulfil your desires, i.e. I see that Allah brings into existence that which you want without delay and reveals that which you love and prefer.[11]

Al Nawawi elucidates:

معناه يخفف عنك و يوسع عليك في الأمور و لهذا خيرك

Its meaning is: He eases [matters] for you and is generous towards you in matters. For this reason, he has given you the choice.[12]

Therefore, this is praise for Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in reality.

We should clarify that it was more appropriate to say: fi mardatik (your wishes) instead of hawak (your desires). Nevertheless, this word is the result of coquettishness and possessiveness. And possessiveness sanctions the usage of such a word as Ibn Hajar reports from al Qurtubi[13].[14]

The strongest proof that such words are excused is that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not admonish, nor got angry over them. Had he acted in this way, she would had definitely mentioned it just as she mentioned his anger upon her when she veiled the wall with a drape which had animate pictures on it, and other similar instances.

It is possible to say: This statement is an inference to her discarding her discouragement and deterrence after she realised that Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala hastens to fulfil Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam wishes. In other words: I would discourage women from doing this. However, when I saw that Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala hastens to fulfil Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam wishes, I abandoned this since this would offend his wishes.[15]

NEXT ⇒ Misconception: Sayyidah Aisha divulged Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam secret

[1] Ahadith Umm al Mu’minin Aisha pg. 50

[2] Surah al Ahzab: 51

[3] Sahih al Bukhari Hadith: 4788; Sahih Muslim Hadith: 1464

[4] Surah al Saffat: 22

[5] Lisan al ‘Arab vol. 2 pg. 293

[6] Al Sunnah vol. 1 pg. 12 Hadith: 15; Tarikh Baghdad vol. 4 pg. 368 – The hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr radiya Llahu ‘anhuma. Ibn Baz says in Sharh Kitab al Tawhid pg. 264, “Some ‘Ulama’ have categorised this hadith as da’if. However, its meaning is correct.” Al Albani declared its isnad as da’if in Kitab al Sunnah Hadith: 15. Ibn ‘Uthaymin says in his Majmu’ Fatawa vol. 10 pg. 757, “Its meaning is correct.”

[7] Lisan al ‘Arab vol. 15 pg. 371 – 372

[8] Surah al Qasas: 50

[9] Hashiyat al Sanadi ‘ala Sunan al Nasa’i vol. 6 pg. 54

[10] Sahih Muslim Hadith: 1763

[11] Fath al Bari vol. 8 pg. 526

[12] Sharh Muslim vol. 10 pg. 50

[13] Ahmed ibn ‘Umar ibn Ibrahim, Abu al ‘Abbas al Qurtubi. The Maliki Faqih, Muhaddith, and Mudarris (tutor) of al Iskandariyyah. He was born in 578 A.H. and passed away in 656 A.H. He is one of the senior A’immah. Amongst his books is al Mufhim fi Sharh Mukhtasar Muslim. He condensed Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih al Muslim. (al Bidayah wa al Nihayah vol. 13 pg. 213; Shadharat al Dhahab vol. 5 pg. 272)

[14] Fath al Bari vol. 9 pg. 165

[15] Hashiyat al Sanadi ‘ala Sunan al Nasa’i vol. 6 pg. 54

BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents