Misconception: Sayyidah Aisha divulged Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam secret
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.”
February 28, 2018Misconception: Sayyidah Aisha told Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to be just
February 28, 2018BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
Misconception: Sayyidah Aisha divulged Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam secret
The Rawafid have documented their books[1] this scathing allegation against Sayyidah Aisha and Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anhuma that they divulged Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam secret of the wilayah of Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. And following this, they have declared them as disbelievers.
Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala declares:
وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيثًا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِ وَأَظْهَرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُ وَأَعْرَضَ عَنْ بَعْضٍ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنْبَأَكَ هٰذَا ۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِيَ الْعَلِيْمُ الْخَبِيْرُ (3) إِنْ تَتُوْبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ۖ وَإِنْ تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيْلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ ۖ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ (4)
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed [another] of it and Allah showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said, “Who told you this?” He said, “I was informed by the Knowing, the Acquainted.” If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him – then indeed Allah is his protector, and Jibril and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants.[2]
They believe that these verses point out the deviation of their hearts, their renouncing Islam, and their kufr due to their crime of disclosing the secret. Some say it was the khilafah of Abu Bakr while others say it was that ‘Ali is the Wasi.
When this is the deplorable condition of Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha in your sight, then why did you not protect yoursleves from contradiction when fabricating tales? You allege that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam whispered to Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha this secret upon which rests the foundation of your belief system, i.e. the Imamah of Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. This shows that she enjoyed the closest proximity to Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam since a person only entrust his secret to someone very close to his heart and soul. It appears in proverbial wise words:
سرك دمك فانظر أين تريقه
Your secret is your blood. So see where you spill it.
And this is such a significant secret since the validity of a man’s iman lies upon it according to your belief.
So if Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha is sinful in this situation as your fabricated narrations suggest, due to your malice and dislike for her, then why did Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam confide in her? Do you know something about her which Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was ignorant of? So indirectly you claim to have deeper knowledge, further insight, and a more comprehensive realisation of her qualities than the Infallible who receives revelation from the Knower of the Unseen, the Acquainted.
Furthermore, if the secret was a prophecy of Sayyidina Abu Bakr’s and ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhuma khilafah, then you have abolished your religion and you have passed judgement of the waywardness and open deviation of all the scholars and adherents of this crooked creed. All of them hide behind the claim that Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu is Imam and Wasi and that this declaration is emphatically mentioned in the Qur’an—which you consider interpolated—and the ahadith which you have fabricated.
Either you acknowledge the authenticity of this which will result in the total obliteration of Shi’ism and the destruction of its basis, or you acknowledge its falsehood which will result in attesting to the integrity of Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha and accepting the pristine truth which has no crookedness; the same truth the noble Ahlus Sunnah observe.
The Shi’ah have startling contradictions among themselves with regards to what the secret was and who disclosed it.
The cream of their Mufassirin, al Qummi and those of his ilk allege that the secret was Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu assuming khilafah and Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu after him and the one who divulged it was Sayyidah Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha.[3]
While others like al Fayd al Kashani[4], Nur Allah al Shustari, Sadr al Din al Shirazi al Hussaini[5] and those of their ilk say that the secret was ‘Ali’s wasiyyah and the one who divulged it was Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha.[6]
They climax their great fabrication by asserting that Sayyidina Abu Bakr and ‘Umar along with their daughters radiya Llahu ‘anhum cooperated, and poisoned Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam after learning of this secret.[7]
They feel that Allah’s subhanahu wa ta ‘ala statement:
إِنْ تَتُوْبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا وَإِنْ تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيْلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ ۖ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ
If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him – then indeed Allah is his protector, and Jibril and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants.[8]
Means that they turned away from iman towards kufr. They report this narration as al Bayadi[9] asserts from Hussain ibn ‘Alawan and al Daylami from al Sadiq rahimahu Llah who says regarding Allah’s statement:
وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلَىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيْثًا هي حفصة قال الصادق عليه السلام كفرت في قولها مَنْ أَنبَأَكَ هٰذَا و قال الله فيها و في أختها إِن تَتُوْبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوْبُكُمَا أي زاغت و الزيغ الكفر
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement i.e. Hafsah. Al Sadiq rahimahu Llah says: “She committed kufr when she questioned, ‘Who told you this?’ Allah said regarding her and her counterpart: If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have strayed i.e. deviated and deviation is kufr.
It appears in a narration:
أنه أعلم حفصة أن أباها و أبا بكر يليان الأمر فأفشت إلى عائشة فأفشت إلى أبيها فأفشى إلى صاحبه فاجتمعا على أن يستعجلا ذلك يسقينه سما فلما أخبره الله بفعلهما هم بقتلهما فحلفا له أنهما لم يفعلا فنزل يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا الْيَوْمَ ۖ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُوْنَ
He informed Hafsah that her father and Abu Bakr will assume khilafah. She disclosed the secret to Aisha, who in turn disclosed it to her father, who in turn disclosed it to his friend. The two agreed to hasten the matter by poisoning him. When Allah informed him of their plan, he intended to execute them, but they swore on oath that they did not do so.[10] Consequently, the verse was revealed:
O you who have disbelieved, make no excuses that Day. You will only be recompensed for what you used to do.[11]
In this way, the Shia wish to strip our Mother of her iman. They accuse her of flagrant kufr, relying on narrations which have no basis.
The one who studies the books of men of knowledge and sahih ahadith will find that the matter is nothing more than a feminine weakness. When possessiveness or jealousy grips the heart of a woman out of love for her husband, it forces her to do something, the opposite of which would have been better. Especially when dealing with Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, since reverence and deference for him is mandatory. Similarly, fulfilling his rights as is ought to be fulfilled and abstaining from what displeases him is necessary.
Al Bukhari and Muslim have narrated the incident of the secret from Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha thus:
إن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم كان يمكث عند زينب بنت جحش و يشرب عندها عسلا فتواصيت أنا و حفصة أن أيتنا دخل عليها النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم فلتقل إني أجد منك ريح مغافير أكلت مغافير فدخل على إحداهما فقالت له ذلك فقال لا بل شربت عسلا عند زينب بنت جحش و لن أعود له فنزلت يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ ۖ تَبْتَغِيْ مَرْضَاتَ أَزْوَاجِكَ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ إلى إِنْ تَتُوْبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوْبُكُمَا ۖ وَإِنْ تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيْلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ ۖ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ ظَهِيْرٌ لعائشة و حفصة وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيْثًا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِ وَأَظْهَرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُ وَأَعْرَضَ عَنْ بَعْضٍ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنبَأَكَ هٰذَا ۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِيَ الْعَلِيْمُ الْخَبِيْرُ لقوله بل شربت عسلا
Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would stay at the house of Zainab bint Jahsh and drink honey by her. Hafsah and I devised a plan that whoever’s home Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam enters, she should tell him, “I get the smell of maghafir from you. You ate maghafir?” He thus entered upon one of them so she told him this. He countered, “No. Rather I drank honey at Zainab bint Jahsh’s house. But I will never do it again” Consequently, the following was revealed:
O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful[12]
Until:
If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him – then indeed Allah is his protector, and Jibril and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants[13] i.e. Aisha and Hafsah.
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed [another] of it and Allah showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said, “Who told you this?” He said, “I was informed by the Knowing, the Acquainted[14].”
For his statement: Rather, I drank honey.[15]
Regarding the sabab al nuzul of these verses, there is one incident that is more common that the honey narration. It is that Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam prohibited his slave-girl Mariyah al Qibtiyyah upon himself and entrusted this to Sayyidah Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha. She was so elated that she conveyed the good news to Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha and went in opposition to Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam request of concealing the secret.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, while mentioning the reason for Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam separating from his wives and after quoting all the different views in this regard, states:
و الراجح من الأقوال كلها قصة مارية لاختصاص عائشة و حفصة بها بخلاف العسل فإنه اجتمع فيه جماعة منهن
The most preferred view of all is the incident of Mariyah since only Aisha and Hafsah are involved unlike the honey incident wherein a group of them are involved.[16]
At another place, after indicating to the hadith of Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha wherein she mentions that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam prohibited consuming honey upon himself due to his aversion to a reprehensible odour emitting from his mouth, he states:
و وقع عند سعيد بن منصور بإسناد صحيح إلى مسروق قال حلف رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لحفصة لا يقرب أمته و قال هي علي حرام فنزلت الكفارة ليمينه و أمر أن لا يحرم ما أحل الله
Sa’id ibn Mansur reports with a sahih isnad to Masruq who says, “Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam took an oath in front of Hafsah that he will not have relations with his slave girl saying, ‘She is haram upon me.’ Subsequently, the kaffarah for an oath was revealed and he was commanded not to prohibit that which Allah permitted.”[17]
Al Diya’ documents in al Mukhtarah of the Musnad of al Haytham ibn Kulayb from the tariq of Jarir ibn Hazim from Ayub from Nafi’ from Ibn ‘Umar from ‘Umar who says:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لحفصة لا تخبري أحدا أن أم إبراهيم علي حرام قال فلم يقربها حتى أخبرت عائشة فأنزل الله قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ تَحِلَّةَ أَيْمَانِكُمْ
Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam told Hafsah, “Do not inform anyone that Umm Ibrahim is haram upon me.” He did not go close to her until she informed Aisha. Consequently, Allah revealed,
Allah has already ordained for you [Muslims] the dissolution of your oaths.[18][19]
He then brought many chains and terminated the discussion by saying:
و هذه طرق يقوي بعضها بعضا فيحتمل أن تكون الآية نزلت في السببين معا
These chains strengthen one another. Hence, probably the verse was revealed concerning both incidents.[20]
These narrations clarify the original matter which is pure from the shadow of deviation the Shia claim. It clearly states that the spark that ignited this was a wife’s jealousy over her husband. This is the practice of wives among themselves. Jealousy forces some of them to behave inappropriately and abandon that which is suitable.
The two wives were jealous. Hence, they worked as a team and planned that whoever’s house Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam enters, she should question him, “You have the smell of maghafir, did you eat maghafir[21]?” Upon this, Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala revealed the verses to admonish them from acting in this manner and inviting them to repent from it since it was inappropriate behaviour towards Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Their hearts leaned towards Nabi’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam abandoning sitting at Sayyidah Zaifnab’s radiya Llahu ‘anha place.
Imam al Baghawi says in his Tafsir:
إِنْ تَتُوْبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ خطاب لحفصة و عائشة على الالتفات للمبالغة في المعاتبة فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوْبُكُمَا فقد وجد منكما ما يوجب التوبة و هو ميل قلوبكما عن الواجب من مخالصة رسول الله عليه الصلاة و السلام بحب ما يحبه و كراهة ما يكرهه
If you two [wives] repent to Allah addressed to Hafsah and Aisha, however, indirectly to underscore the reprimand. For your hearts have deviated i.e. for indeed you have committed something that necessitates repentance. And that is their hearts’ inclination from the mandatory i.e. acting sincerely towards Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam by loving what he loves and disliking what he dislikes.[22]
Imam al Shawkani comments on this verse:
الخطاب لعائشة و حفصة أي إن تتوبا إلى الله فقد وجد منكما ما يوجب التوبة و معنى صغت عدلت و مالت عن الحق و هو أنهما أحبتا ما كره رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم و هو إفشاء الحديث و قيل المعنى إن تتوبا إلى الله فقد مالت قلوبكما إلى التوبة
The address is directed to Aisha and Hafsah, i.e. if you two repent to Allah, then indeed you have committed something that necessitates repentance. The meaning of saghat is to turn away and divert from the truth. They preferred that which Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam despised, i.e. divulging his secret. It is said the meaning is: If you repent to Allah then indeed your hearts have turned towards repentance.[23]
Sheikh Muhammad al Amin al Shanqiti[24] says:
صغت بمعنى مالت و رضيت و أحبت ما كره رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم
Saghat means turned, was pleased, and desired what Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam despised.[25]
This error is a product of excessive love, not evil intent. Sayyidah Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha was so elated with Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam determination that her joy made her unmindful of Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam command to conceal his secret. She is not infallible and our mother Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha too is not infallible. The occurrence of mistakes from the seniors does not taint their righteousness, nor diminish their status. In fact, their souls are revived with tawbah and consequently they reach greater heights and loftier stations than before their mistake. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala declared:
إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ اتَّقَوْا إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُوْا فَإِذَا هُمْ مُّبْصِرُوْنَ
Indeed, those who fear Allah – when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight.[26]
Being infallible from error is not a requisite of taqwa. In fact, infallibility from major sins from which repentance is sought is not a requisite. Sometimes a muttaqi falls into major sins just as happened to Sayyidina Hatib[27] radiya Llahu ‘anhu. However, his past and future good actions erased his mistake despite its gravity.
Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha enjoys a very lofty pedestal of trustworthiness, piety, beautiful character, and guidance, abstinence from the world, surrendering to Allah, fasting excessively, generosity, and kindness. Similarly, Sayyidah Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha is known as Sawwamah Qawwamah by the declaration of none other than Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Al Hakim narrates from Sayyidina Anas radiya Llahu ‘anhu who reports that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
قال لي جبريل راجع حفصة فإنها صوامة قوامة و إنها زوجتك في الجنة
Jibril commanded me, “Take Hafsah back, for she fasts excessively, performs salah at night in abundance, and she is certainly your wife in Jannat.”[28]
Ibn Taymiyyah says:
فدعاهما الله تعالى إلى التوبة فلا يظن بهما أنهما لم يتوبا مع ما ثبت من علو درجتهما و أنهما زوجتا نبينا في الجنة و أن الله خيرهن بين الحياة الدنيا و زينتها و بين الله و رسوله و الدار الآخرة فاخترن الله و رسوله و الدار الآخرة و لذلك حرم الله عليه أن يتبدل بهن غيرهن و حرم عليه أن يتزوج عليهن و اختلف في إباحة ذلك له بعد ذلك و مات عنهن و هن أمهات المؤمنين بنص القرآن ثم قد تقدم أن الذنب يغفر و يعفى عنه بالتوبة و بالحسنات الماحية و بالمصائب المكفرة
Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala invited them to repentance. Accordingly, it should not be considered that they did not repent, considering what has been established about them, viz. their lofty status, they being the wives of our Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in Jannat, and them choosing Allah, His Messenger, and the Life Hereafter when Allah gave them the choice between this and the present life and its beauty. Owing to this, Allah prohibited him from changing them and forbade him from marrying other women while being married to them. There is a difference of opinion regarding the subsequent nullification of this prohibition. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed away in a state that they were titled Ummahat al Mu’minin (Mothers of the Believers) by the categorical declaration of the Qur’an. Furthermore, as mentioned previously, sins are forgiven and washed away with tawbah, with good actions which serve as expiations, and through difficulties which serve as atonements.[29]
This is appropriate concerning our mothers, the Mothers of the Believers, together with their high nobility and affirmed piety. You will not find any who venerate the Awliya’ of Allah except the Ahlus Sunnah. They judge with fairness and weigh the matters with justice. They neither possess the harshness of the extremists nor the audaciousness of the fabricators.
We can probably condense the answer to this misconception in two ways:
Firstly, the one who divulged the secret of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was Sayyidah Hafsah, not Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anhuma. Sayyidina ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu reports:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لحفصة لا تخبري أحدا أن أم إبراهيم علي حرام قال فلم يقربها حتى أخبرت عائشة فأنزل الله قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ تَحِلَّةَ أَيْمَانِكُمْ
Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam told Hafsah, “Do not inform anyone that Umm Ibrahim is haram upon me.” He did not go close to her until she informed Aisha. Consequently, Allah revealed,
Allah has already ordained for you [Muslims] the dissolution of your oaths.[30][31]
Hafiz Ibn Kathir states:
و هذا إسناد صحيح و لم يخرجه أحد من أصحاب الكتب الستة و قد أختاره الحافظ الضياء المقدسي في كتابه المستخرج
This isnad is sahih. None of the authors of the six books have documented it. Nonetheless, Hafiz al Diya’ al Maqdisi has selected in his book.”[32]
Let me clarify that the basis of this hadith is found in Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim[33]. It is quite apparent that the one to disclose the secret was Sayyidah Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha, not Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha. The men of knowledge have not differed in this regard. Al Tahir ibn ‘Ashur says:
و لم يختلف أهل العلم في أن التي أسر إليها النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم الحديث هي حفصة و يأتي أن التي نبأتها حفصة هي عائشة
The ‘Ulama’ have not differed that the one to whom Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam entrusted the secret was Hafsah. It will appear that she disclosed the secret to Aisha.[34]
I say: ‘Allamah al Dehlawi[35] has clearly mentioned the consensus of the Mufassirin upon this.
He says:
إفشاء السر وقع من حفصة لا غير بإجماع المفسرين
Disclosing the secret was done by Hafsah, and not anyone else, with the consensus of the Mufassirin.[36]
This is also established in Shia Tafsirs, like Majma’ al Bayan of al Tabarsi[37], one of their scholars who acknowledged the lofty status of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum.
Zayn al ‘Abidin al Kurani says:
و أيضا من علمائهم الطبرسي و قد اعترف في تصانيفه بعلو شأن الصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم و صرح بنزول الآيات المذكورة هنا في الثناء عليهم عموما و خصوصا و نقل في ذلك آيات أخر
Among their scholars is al Tabarsi. He has, in his books, acknowledged the lofty status of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum. He has emphatically mentioned the revelation of the verses mentioned here in their praise, generally and specifically. He also quoted other verses in this regard.[38]
Secondly, if we for argument’s sake agree that Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha did in fact divulge Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam secret, the most that can be said is that she committed a sin and consequently repented therefrom. Infallibility from sin is not a requisite of being deserving of Jannat. Sometimes a believer falls prey to sin but then repents. In fact, even if he does not repent, minor sins are forgiven by abstaining from major sins as accepted by the consensus of the Ahlus Sunnah. As Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala confirms:
إِن تَجْتَنِبُوا كَبَائِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَنُدْخِلْكُم مُّدْخَلًا كَرِيمًا
If you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We will remove from you your lesser sins and admit you to a noble entrance [into Paradise].[39]
These sins are wiped out with good deeds superior to them. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala declares:
إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ
Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds.[40]
And calamities also wash away misdeeds according to the majority of the Ahlus Sunnah.
How many virtuous deeds and acts of kindness were not executed by Sayyidah Hafsah and Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anhuma? Moreover, they were obedient to Allah and His Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. In fact, sufficient for them is them opting for Allah and His Messenger over this world and its beauty.[41]
NEXT ⇒ Misconception: Sayyidah Aisha told Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to be just
[1] Minhaj al Karamah pg. 75; Mukhtasar al Tuhfah al Ithna ‘Ashariyyah of Shah ‘Abdul ‘Aziz al Dehlawi pg. 269
[2] Surah al Tahrim: 3 – 4
[3] Tafsir al Qummi vol. 2 pg. 375 – 376; Tafsir al Safi vol. 2 pg. 716 – 717; al Anwar al Nu’maniyyah of al Jaza’iri vol. 4 pg. 336 – 337
[4] Muhsin ibn Murtada ibn Fayd Allah Mahmud al Kashi. It is said: His name is Muhsin ibn Muhammad, it is said: Muhammad ibn Muhsin. His affiliation has come as al Kashani and al Qashani. He is one of the Shia Mufassirin. He was born in 1008 A.H. He read the books of Abu Hamid al Ghazali, the Sufi, and was affected by them and follows his methodology a great deal. Al Safi is one of his books in tafsir. He died in 1090 A.H. (al A’lam vol. 5 pg. 290)
[5] ‘Ali ibn Ahmed ibn Muhammad al Hussaini, commonly known as ‘Ali Khan ibn Mirza Ahmed better known as Ibn Ma’sum. Originally from Shiraz. He was proficient in literacy, poetry, and biographies. His is a Shia and Imami. He was born in al Hijaz in 1052 A.H. and stayed for a long period in India. Some of his books are: Salafat al ‘Asr fi Mahasin A’yan al ‘Asr and al Darajat al Rafi’ah fi Tabaqat al Imamiyyah min al Shia. He died in Shiraz in 1119 A.H. (al A’lam vol. 3 pg. 279)
[6] Ihqaq al Haqq pg. 307; ‘Ilm al Yaqin of al Kashani vol. 2 pg. 637 – 639; al Darajat al Rafi’ah of al Shirazi pg. 296 – 297
[7] Tafsir al ‘Ayyashi vol. 1 pg. 200; Bihar al Anwar vol. 8 pg. 6; Tafsir al Safi vol. 1 pg. 305
[8] Surah al Tahrim: 4
[9] Abu Muhammad ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Yunus al Bayadi al ‘Amili al Nabati al ‘Anfajuri. His is Shia from the people of al Nabtiyyah of Jabal ‘Amil. He was born in 791 A.H. One of his most famous books is al Sirat al Mustaqim ila Mustahiqqi al Taqdim to establish the Imamah of their twelve A’immah and Muntaha al Sul fi Sharh al Fusul. He died in 877 A.H. (Mujam A’lam Jabal ‘Amil of ‘Ali Dawood Jabir vol. 3 pg. 320; al A’lam vol. 5 pg. 34)
[10] Al Sirat al Mustaqim vol. 3 pg. 168 (fabrication in the name of Jafar al Sadiq rahimahu Llah)
[11] Surah al Tahrim: 7
[12] Surah al Tahrim: 1
[13] Surah al Tahrim: 4
[14] Surah al Tahrim: 3
[15] Sahih al Bukhari Hadith: 5267; Sahih Muslim Hadith: 1474
[16] Fath al Bari vol. 9 pg. 290
[17] Al Bayhaqi from the chain tariq of Sa’id ibn Mansur vol. 7 pg. 353 Hadith: 15474. Ibn Hajar says in Fath al Bari vol. 8 pg. 525, “His isnad is sahih. This incident appears as mudraj (addition by a narrator) by Ibn Ishaq in the narration of Ibn ‘Abbas from ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhum.”
[18] Surah al Tahrim: 2
[19] Al Ahadith al Mukhtarah Hadith: 189. Ibn Kathir categorises his isnad as sahih in Tafsir al Qurʾan vol. 8 pg. 186. Ibn Hajar says in Fath al Bari vol. 8 pg. 525, “It has many chains which strengthen each other.”
[20] Fath al Bari vol. 8 pg. 657 briefly
[21] Al maghafir: a sweet gum which exudes from the ‘urfut tree. But, it has a reprehensible odour. (Lisan al ‘Arab vol. 7 pg. 350.) Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was the purest and cleanest of people, and disliked his wives getting a bad odour from him.
[22] Anwar al Tanzil wa Asrar al Ta’wil of al Baydawi vol. 5 pg. 224
[23] Fath al Qadir of al Shawkani vol. 5 pg. 298, 299
[24] Muhammad al Amin ibn Muhammad al Mukhtar ibn ‘Abdul Qadir al Jakni al Shanqiti. The pious ‘Alim, Usuli, Mufassir, Linguist; and an ocean of knowledge. He was born in 1325 A.H. He studied in Madinah Munawwarah and then Riyadh and finally in al Jami’ah al Islamiyyah in Madinah. Some of his books are Adwa’ al Bayan and Daf’ Iham al Idtirab ‘an Ay al Kitab. He passed away in 1393 A.H. (al A’lam vol. 6 pg. 45)
[25] Adwa’ al Bayan vol. 8 pg. 220
[26] Surah al A’raf: 201
[27] Hatib ibn Abi Balta’ah al Lakhmi, Abu ‘Abdullah radiya Llahu ‘anhu. He participated in all the expeditions alongside Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam who also despatched him to al Muqawqas with his epistle. He was one of the horsemen and poets of Quraysh in the Days of Ignorance. He passed away in 30 A.H. (al Isti’ab vol. 1 pg. 93; al Isabah vol. 2 pg. 4)
[28] Sharh Mushkil al Athar vol. 12 pg. 27; al Mujam al Awsat vol. 1 pg. 54 Hadith: 151; al Mustadrak vol. 4 pg. 17. Al Haythami says in Majma’ al Zawa’id vol. 9 pg. 393, “There is a group [of narrators] therein whom I do not recognise.” Al Albani declared it hassan in Sahih al Jami’ Hadith: 4351. This hadith has been reported from Sayyidina ‘Ammar ibn Yasir radiya Llahu ‘anhu. (Musnad al Bazzar vol. 4 pg. 237 Hadith: 1401; al Tabarani vol. 23 pg. 188 Hadith: 306; Hilyat al Awliya’ vol. 2 pg. 50)
[29] Minhaj al Sunnah al Nabawiyyah vol. 4 pg. 314
[30] Surah al Tahrim: 2
[31] Al Ahadith al Mukhtarah Hadith: 189. Ibn Kathir categorises his isnad as sahih in Tafsir al Qurʾan vol. 8 pg. 186. Ibn Hajar says in Fath al Bari vol. 8 pg. 525, “It has many turuq which strengthen each other.”
[32] Tafsir Ibn Kathir vol. 8 pg. 159
[33] Sahih al Bukhari Hadith: 4913; Sahih Muslim Hadith: 3765
[34] Al Tahrir wa al Tanwir of Ibn ‘Ashur vol. 28 pg. 351
[35] ‘Abdul ‘Aziz ibn Wali Allah ibn ‘Abdul Rahim al ‘Umri al Dehlawi. One of the renowned ‘Ulama’ of India in his time. He was a Mufassir and acquainted with hadith. He also had deep knowledge and cognisance of Shia books. He was born in 1159 A.H. and passed away in 1239 A.H. Some of his books are: Fath al ‘Aziz (a commentary of the Qurʾan), Mukhtasar al Tuhfah al Ithna ‘Ashariyyah fi al Kalam ‘ala Mazhab al Shia, one unparalleled in its field. (Muqaddamah of Mukhtasar al Tuhfah; al A’lam vol. 4 pg. 14)
[36] Mukhtasar al Tuhfah al Ithna ‘Ashariyyah pg. 269
[37] Majma’ al Bayan vol. 10 pg. 56, 58. There is indication towards this in Mukhtasar al Tuhfah al Ithna ‘Ashariyyah pg. 270
[38] Al Yamaniyyat al Maslulah ‘ala Riqab al Rafidah al Makhdhulah pg. 246
[39] Surah Nisa’: 31
[40] Surah Hud: 114
[41] Minhaj al Sunnah al Nabawiyyah vol. 4 pg. 310 – 314
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Misconception: Sayyidah Aisha divulged Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam secret
The Rawafid have documented their books[1] this scathing allegation against Sayyidah Aisha and Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anhuma that they divulged Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam secret of the wilayah of Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. And following this, they have declared them as disbelievers.
Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala declares:
وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيثًا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِ وَأَظْهَرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُ وَأَعْرَضَ عَنْ بَعْضٍ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنْبَأَكَ هٰذَا ۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِيَ الْعَلِيْمُ الْخَبِيْرُ (3) إِنْ تَتُوْبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ۖ وَإِنْ تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيْلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ ۖ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ (4)
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed [another] of it and Allah showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said, “Who told you this?” He said, “I was informed by the Knowing, the Acquainted.” If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him – then indeed Allah is his protector, and Jibril and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants.[2]
They believe that these verses point out the deviation of their hearts, their renouncing Islam, and their kufr due to their crime of disclosing the secret. Some say it was the khilafah of Abu Bakr while others say it was that ‘Ali is the Wasi.
When this is the deplorable condition of Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha in your sight, then why did you not protect yoursleves from contradiction when fabricating tales? You allege that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam whispered to Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha this secret upon which rests the foundation of your belief system, i.e. the Imamah of Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. This shows that she enjoyed the closest proximity to Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam since a person only entrust his secret to someone very close to his heart and soul. It appears in proverbial wise words:
سرك دمك فانظر أين تريقه
Your secret is your blood. So see where you spill it.
And this is such a significant secret since the validity of a man’s iman lies upon it according to your belief.
So if Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha is sinful in this situation as your fabricated narrations suggest, due to your malice and dislike for her, then why did Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam confide in her? Do you know something about her which Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was ignorant of? So indirectly you claim to have deeper knowledge, further insight, and a more comprehensive realisation of her qualities than the Infallible who receives revelation from the Knower of the Unseen, the Acquainted.
Furthermore, if the secret was a prophecy of Sayyidina Abu Bakr’s and ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhuma khilafah, then you have abolished your religion and you have passed judgement of the waywardness and open deviation of all the scholars and adherents of this crooked creed. All of them hide behind the claim that Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu is Imam and Wasi and that this declaration is emphatically mentioned in the Qur’an—which you consider interpolated—and the ahadith which you have fabricated.
Either you acknowledge the authenticity of this which will result in the total obliteration of Shi’ism and the destruction of its basis, or you acknowledge its falsehood which will result in attesting to the integrity of Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha and accepting the pristine truth which has no crookedness; the same truth the noble Ahlus Sunnah observe.
The Shi’ah have startling contradictions among themselves with regards to what the secret was and who disclosed it.
The cream of their Mufassirin, al Qummi and those of his ilk allege that the secret was Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu assuming khilafah and Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu after him and the one who divulged it was Sayyidah Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha.[3]
While others like al Fayd al Kashani[4], Nur Allah al Shustari, Sadr al Din al Shirazi al Hussaini[5] and those of their ilk say that the secret was ‘Ali’s wasiyyah and the one who divulged it was Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha.[6]
They climax their great fabrication by asserting that Sayyidina Abu Bakr and ‘Umar along with their daughters radiya Llahu ‘anhum cooperated, and poisoned Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam after learning of this secret.[7]
They feel that Allah’s subhanahu wa ta ‘ala statement:
إِنْ تَتُوْبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا وَإِنْ تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيْلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ ۖ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ
If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him – then indeed Allah is his protector, and Jibril and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants.[8]
Means that they turned away from iman towards kufr. They report this narration as al Bayadi[9] asserts from Hussain ibn ‘Alawan and al Daylami from al Sadiq rahimahu Llah who says regarding Allah’s statement:
وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلَىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيْثًا هي حفصة قال الصادق عليه السلام كفرت في قولها مَنْ أَنبَأَكَ هٰذَا و قال الله فيها و في أختها إِن تَتُوْبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوْبُكُمَا أي زاغت و الزيغ الكفر
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement i.e. Hafsah. Al Sadiq rahimahu Llah says: “She committed kufr when she questioned, ‘Who told you this?’ Allah said regarding her and her counterpart: If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have strayed i.e. deviated and deviation is kufr.
It appears in a narration:
أنه أعلم حفصة أن أباها و أبا بكر يليان الأمر فأفشت إلى عائشة فأفشت إلى أبيها فأفشى إلى صاحبه فاجتمعا على أن يستعجلا ذلك يسقينه سما فلما أخبره الله بفعلهما هم بقتلهما فحلفا له أنهما لم يفعلا فنزل يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا الْيَوْمَ ۖ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُوْنَ
He informed Hafsah that her father and Abu Bakr will assume khilafah. She disclosed the secret to Aisha, who in turn disclosed it to her father, who in turn disclosed it to his friend. The two agreed to hasten the matter by poisoning him. When Allah informed him of their plan, he intended to execute them, but they swore on oath that they did not do so.[10] Consequently, the verse was revealed:
O you who have disbelieved, make no excuses that Day. You will only be recompensed for what you used to do.[11]
In this way, the Shia wish to strip our Mother of her iman. They accuse her of flagrant kufr, relying on narrations which have no basis.
The one who studies the books of men of knowledge and sahih ahadith will find that the matter is nothing more than a feminine weakness. When possessiveness or jealousy grips the heart of a woman out of love for her husband, it forces her to do something, the opposite of which would have been better. Especially when dealing with Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, since reverence and deference for him is mandatory. Similarly, fulfilling his rights as is ought to be fulfilled and abstaining from what displeases him is necessary.
Al Bukhari and Muslim have narrated the incident of the secret from Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha thus:
إن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم كان يمكث عند زينب بنت جحش و يشرب عندها عسلا فتواصيت أنا و حفصة أن أيتنا دخل عليها النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم فلتقل إني أجد منك ريح مغافير أكلت مغافير فدخل على إحداهما فقالت له ذلك فقال لا بل شربت عسلا عند زينب بنت جحش و لن أعود له فنزلت يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ ۖ تَبْتَغِيْ مَرْضَاتَ أَزْوَاجِكَ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ إلى إِنْ تَتُوْبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوْبُكُمَا ۖ وَإِنْ تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيْلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ ۖ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ ظَهِيْرٌ لعائشة و حفصة وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيْثًا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِ وَأَظْهَرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُ وَأَعْرَضَ عَنْ بَعْضٍ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنبَأَكَ هٰذَا ۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِيَ الْعَلِيْمُ الْخَبِيْرُ لقوله بل شربت عسلا
Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would stay at the house of Zainab bint Jahsh and drink honey by her. Hafsah and I devised a plan that whoever’s home Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam enters, she should tell him, “I get the smell of maghafir from you. You ate maghafir?” He thus entered upon one of them so she told him this. He countered, “No. Rather I drank honey at Zainab bint Jahsh’s house. But I will never do it again” Consequently, the following was revealed:
O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful[12]
Until:
If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him – then indeed Allah is his protector, and Jibril and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants[13] i.e. Aisha and Hafsah.
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed [another] of it and Allah showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said, “Who told you this?” He said, “I was informed by the Knowing, the Acquainted[14].”
For his statement: Rather, I drank honey.[15]
Regarding the sabab al nuzul of these verses, there is one incident that is more common that the honey narration. It is that Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam prohibited his slave-girl Mariyah al Qibtiyyah upon himself and entrusted this to Sayyidah Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha. She was so elated that she conveyed the good news to Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha and went in opposition to Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam request of concealing the secret.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, while mentioning the reason for Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam separating from his wives and after quoting all the different views in this regard, states:
و الراجح من الأقوال كلها قصة مارية لاختصاص عائشة و حفصة بها بخلاف العسل فإنه اجتمع فيه جماعة منهن
The most preferred view of all is the incident of Mariyah since only Aisha and Hafsah are involved unlike the honey incident wherein a group of them are involved.[16]
At another place, after indicating to the hadith of Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha wherein she mentions that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam prohibited consuming honey upon himself due to his aversion to a reprehensible odour emitting from his mouth, he states:
و وقع عند سعيد بن منصور بإسناد صحيح إلى مسروق قال حلف رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لحفصة لا يقرب أمته و قال هي علي حرام فنزلت الكفارة ليمينه و أمر أن لا يحرم ما أحل الله
Sa’id ibn Mansur reports with a sahih isnad to Masruq who says, “Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam took an oath in front of Hafsah that he will not have relations with his slave girl saying, ‘She is haram upon me.’ Subsequently, the kaffarah for an oath was revealed and he was commanded not to prohibit that which Allah permitted.”[17]
Al Diya’ documents in al Mukhtarah of the Musnad of al Haytham ibn Kulayb from the tariq of Jarir ibn Hazim from Ayub from Nafi’ from Ibn ‘Umar from ‘Umar who says:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لحفصة لا تخبري أحدا أن أم إبراهيم علي حرام قال فلم يقربها حتى أخبرت عائشة فأنزل الله قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ تَحِلَّةَ أَيْمَانِكُمْ
Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam told Hafsah, “Do not inform anyone that Umm Ibrahim is haram upon me.” He did not go close to her until she informed Aisha. Consequently, Allah revealed,
Allah has already ordained for you [Muslims] the dissolution of your oaths.[18][19]
He then brought many chains and terminated the discussion by saying:
و هذه طرق يقوي بعضها بعضا فيحتمل أن تكون الآية نزلت في السببين معا
These chains strengthen one another. Hence, probably the verse was revealed concerning both incidents.[20]
These narrations clarify the original matter which is pure from the shadow of deviation the Shia claim. It clearly states that the spark that ignited this was a wife’s jealousy over her husband. This is the practice of wives among themselves. Jealousy forces some of them to behave inappropriately and abandon that which is suitable.
The two wives were jealous. Hence, they worked as a team and planned that whoever’s house Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam enters, she should question him, “You have the smell of maghafir, did you eat maghafir[21]?” Upon this, Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala revealed the verses to admonish them from acting in this manner and inviting them to repent from it since it was inappropriate behaviour towards Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Their hearts leaned towards Nabi’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam abandoning sitting at Sayyidah Zaifnab’s radiya Llahu ‘anha place.
Imam al Baghawi says in his Tafsir:
إِنْ تَتُوْبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ خطاب لحفصة و عائشة على الالتفات للمبالغة في المعاتبة فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوْبُكُمَا فقد وجد منكما ما يوجب التوبة و هو ميل قلوبكما عن الواجب من مخالصة رسول الله عليه الصلاة و السلام بحب ما يحبه و كراهة ما يكرهه
If you two [wives] repent to Allah addressed to Hafsah and Aisha, however, indirectly to underscore the reprimand. For your hearts have deviated i.e. for indeed you have committed something that necessitates repentance. And that is their hearts’ inclination from the mandatory i.e. acting sincerely towards Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam by loving what he loves and disliking what he dislikes.[22]
Imam al Shawkani comments on this verse:
الخطاب لعائشة و حفصة أي إن تتوبا إلى الله فقد وجد منكما ما يوجب التوبة و معنى صغت عدلت و مالت عن الحق و هو أنهما أحبتا ما كره رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم و هو إفشاء الحديث و قيل المعنى إن تتوبا إلى الله فقد مالت قلوبكما إلى التوبة
The address is directed to Aisha and Hafsah, i.e. if you two repent to Allah, then indeed you have committed something that necessitates repentance. The meaning of saghat is to turn away and divert from the truth. They preferred that which Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam despised, i.e. divulging his secret. It is said the meaning is: If you repent to Allah then indeed your hearts have turned towards repentance.[23]
Sheikh Muhammad al Amin al Shanqiti[24] says:
صغت بمعنى مالت و رضيت و أحبت ما كره رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم
Saghat means turned, was pleased, and desired what Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam despised.[25]
This error is a product of excessive love, not evil intent. Sayyidah Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha was so elated with Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam determination that her joy made her unmindful of Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam command to conceal his secret. She is not infallible and our mother Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha too is not infallible. The occurrence of mistakes from the seniors does not taint their righteousness, nor diminish their status. In fact, their souls are revived with tawbah and consequently they reach greater heights and loftier stations than before their mistake. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala declared:
إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ اتَّقَوْا إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُوْا فَإِذَا هُمْ مُّبْصِرُوْنَ
Indeed, those who fear Allah – when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight.[26]
Being infallible from error is not a requisite of taqwa. In fact, infallibility from major sins from which repentance is sought is not a requisite. Sometimes a muttaqi falls into major sins just as happened to Sayyidina Hatib[27] radiya Llahu ‘anhu. However, his past and future good actions erased his mistake despite its gravity.
Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha enjoys a very lofty pedestal of trustworthiness, piety, beautiful character, and guidance, abstinence from the world, surrendering to Allah, fasting excessively, generosity, and kindness. Similarly, Sayyidah Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha is known as Sawwamah Qawwamah by the declaration of none other than Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Al Hakim narrates from Sayyidina Anas radiya Llahu ‘anhu who reports that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
قال لي جبريل راجع حفصة فإنها صوامة قوامة و إنها زوجتك في الجنة
Jibril commanded me, “Take Hafsah back, for she fasts excessively, performs salah at night in abundance, and she is certainly your wife in Jannat.”[28]
Ibn Taymiyyah says:
فدعاهما الله تعالى إلى التوبة فلا يظن بهما أنهما لم يتوبا مع ما ثبت من علو درجتهما و أنهما زوجتا نبينا في الجنة و أن الله خيرهن بين الحياة الدنيا و زينتها و بين الله و رسوله و الدار الآخرة فاخترن الله و رسوله و الدار الآخرة و لذلك حرم الله عليه أن يتبدل بهن غيرهن و حرم عليه أن يتزوج عليهن و اختلف في إباحة ذلك له بعد ذلك و مات عنهن و هن أمهات المؤمنين بنص القرآن ثم قد تقدم أن الذنب يغفر و يعفى عنه بالتوبة و بالحسنات الماحية و بالمصائب المكفرة
Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala invited them to repentance. Accordingly, it should not be considered that they did not repent, considering what has been established about them, viz. their lofty status, they being the wives of our Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in Jannat, and them choosing Allah, His Messenger, and the Life Hereafter when Allah gave them the choice between this and the present life and its beauty. Owing to this, Allah prohibited him from changing them and forbade him from marrying other women while being married to them. There is a difference of opinion regarding the subsequent nullification of this prohibition. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed away in a state that they were titled Ummahat al Mu’minin (Mothers of the Believers) by the categorical declaration of the Qur’an. Furthermore, as mentioned previously, sins are forgiven and washed away with tawbah, with good actions which serve as expiations, and through difficulties which serve as atonements.[29]
This is appropriate concerning our mothers, the Mothers of the Believers, together with their high nobility and affirmed piety. You will not find any who venerate the Awliya’ of Allah except the Ahlus Sunnah. They judge with fairness and weigh the matters with justice. They neither possess the harshness of the extremists nor the audaciousness of the fabricators.
We can probably condense the answer to this misconception in two ways:
Firstly, the one who divulged the secret of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was Sayyidah Hafsah, not Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anhuma. Sayyidina ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu reports:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لحفصة لا تخبري أحدا أن أم إبراهيم علي حرام قال فلم يقربها حتى أخبرت عائشة فأنزل الله قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ تَحِلَّةَ أَيْمَانِكُمْ
Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam told Hafsah, “Do not inform anyone that Umm Ibrahim is haram upon me.” He did not go close to her until she informed Aisha. Consequently, Allah revealed,
Allah has already ordained for you [Muslims] the dissolution of your oaths.[30][31]
Hafiz Ibn Kathir states:
و هذا إسناد صحيح و لم يخرجه أحد من أصحاب الكتب الستة و قد أختاره الحافظ الضياء المقدسي في كتابه المستخرج
This isnad is sahih. None of the authors of the six books have documented it. Nonetheless, Hafiz al Diya’ al Maqdisi has selected in his book.”[32]
Let me clarify that the basis of this hadith is found in Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim[33]. It is quite apparent that the one to disclose the secret was Sayyidah Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha, not Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha. The men of knowledge have not differed in this regard. Al Tahir ibn ‘Ashur says:
و لم يختلف أهل العلم في أن التي أسر إليها النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم الحديث هي حفصة و يأتي أن التي نبأتها حفصة هي عائشة
The ‘Ulama’ have not differed that the one to whom Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam entrusted the secret was Hafsah. It will appear that she disclosed the secret to Aisha.[34]
I say: ‘Allamah al Dehlawi[35] has clearly mentioned the consensus of the Mufassirin upon this.
He says:
إفشاء السر وقع من حفصة لا غير بإجماع المفسرين
Disclosing the secret was done by Hafsah, and not anyone else, with the consensus of the Mufassirin.[36]
This is also established in Shia Tafsirs, like Majma’ al Bayan of al Tabarsi[37], one of their scholars who acknowledged the lofty status of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum.
Zayn al ‘Abidin al Kurani says:
و أيضا من علمائهم الطبرسي و قد اعترف في تصانيفه بعلو شأن الصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم و صرح بنزول الآيات المذكورة هنا في الثناء عليهم عموما و خصوصا و نقل في ذلك آيات أخر
Among their scholars is al Tabarsi. He has, in his books, acknowledged the lofty status of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum. He has emphatically mentioned the revelation of the verses mentioned here in their praise, generally and specifically. He also quoted other verses in this regard.[38]
Secondly, if we for argument’s sake agree that Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha did in fact divulge Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam secret, the most that can be said is that she committed a sin and consequently repented therefrom. Infallibility from sin is not a requisite of being deserving of Jannat. Sometimes a believer falls prey to sin but then repents. In fact, even if he does not repent, minor sins are forgiven by abstaining from major sins as accepted by the consensus of the Ahlus Sunnah. As Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala confirms:
إِن تَجْتَنِبُوا كَبَائِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَنُدْخِلْكُم مُّدْخَلًا كَرِيمًا
If you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We will remove from you your lesser sins and admit you to a noble entrance [into Paradise].[39]
These sins are wiped out with good deeds superior to them. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala declares:
إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ
Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds.[40]
And calamities also wash away misdeeds according to the majority of the Ahlus Sunnah.
How many virtuous deeds and acts of kindness were not executed by Sayyidah Hafsah and Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anhuma? Moreover, they were obedient to Allah and His Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. In fact, sufficient for them is them opting for Allah and His Messenger over this world and its beauty.[41]
NEXT ⇒ Misconception: Sayyidah Aisha told Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to be just
[1] Minhaj al Karamah pg. 75; Mukhtasar al Tuhfah al Ithna ‘Ashariyyah of Shah ‘Abdul ‘Aziz al Dehlawi pg. 269
[2] Surah al Tahrim: 3 – 4
[3] Tafsir al Qummi vol. 2 pg. 375 – 376; Tafsir al Safi vol. 2 pg. 716 – 717; al Anwar al Nu’maniyyah of al Jaza’iri vol. 4 pg. 336 – 337
[4] Muhsin ibn Murtada ibn Fayd Allah Mahmud al Kashi. It is said: His name is Muhsin ibn Muhammad, it is said: Muhammad ibn Muhsin. His affiliation has come as al Kashani and al Qashani. He is one of the Shia Mufassirin. He was born in 1008 A.H. He read the books of Abu Hamid al Ghazali, the Sufi, and was affected by them and follows his methodology a great deal. Al Safi is one of his books in tafsir. He died in 1090 A.H. (al A’lam vol. 5 pg. 290)
[5] ‘Ali ibn Ahmed ibn Muhammad al Hussaini, commonly known as ‘Ali Khan ibn Mirza Ahmed better known as Ibn Ma’sum. Originally from Shiraz. He was proficient in literacy, poetry, and biographies. His is a Shia and Imami. He was born in al Hijaz in 1052 A.H. and stayed for a long period in India. Some of his books are: Salafat al ‘Asr fi Mahasin A’yan al ‘Asr and al Darajat al Rafi’ah fi Tabaqat al Imamiyyah min al Shia. He died in Shiraz in 1119 A.H. (al A’lam vol. 3 pg. 279)
[6] Ihqaq al Haqq pg. 307; ‘Ilm al Yaqin of al Kashani vol. 2 pg. 637 – 639; al Darajat al Rafi’ah of al Shirazi pg. 296 – 297
[7] Tafsir al ‘Ayyashi vol. 1 pg. 200; Bihar al Anwar vol. 8 pg. 6; Tafsir al Safi vol. 1 pg. 305
[8] Surah al Tahrim: 4
[9] Abu Muhammad ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Yunus al Bayadi al ‘Amili al Nabati al ‘Anfajuri. His is Shia from the people of al Nabtiyyah of Jabal ‘Amil. He was born in 791 A.H. One of his most famous books is al Sirat al Mustaqim ila Mustahiqqi al Taqdim to establish the Imamah of their twelve A’immah and Muntaha al Sul fi Sharh al Fusul. He died in 877 A.H. (Mujam A’lam Jabal ‘Amil of ‘Ali Dawood Jabir vol. 3 pg. 320; al A’lam vol. 5 pg. 34)
[10] Al Sirat al Mustaqim vol. 3 pg. 168 (fabrication in the name of Jafar al Sadiq rahimahu Llah)
[11] Surah al Tahrim: 7
[12] Surah al Tahrim: 1
[13] Surah al Tahrim: 4
[14] Surah al Tahrim: 3
[15] Sahih al Bukhari Hadith: 5267; Sahih Muslim Hadith: 1474
[16] Fath al Bari vol. 9 pg. 290
[17] Al Bayhaqi from the chain tariq of Sa’id ibn Mansur vol. 7 pg. 353 Hadith: 15474. Ibn Hajar says in Fath al Bari vol. 8 pg. 525, “His isnad is sahih. This incident appears as mudraj (addition by a narrator) by Ibn Ishaq in the narration of Ibn ‘Abbas from ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhum.”
[18] Surah al Tahrim: 2
[19] Al Ahadith al Mukhtarah Hadith: 189. Ibn Kathir categorises his isnad as sahih in Tafsir al Qurʾan vol. 8 pg. 186. Ibn Hajar says in Fath al Bari vol. 8 pg. 525, “It has many chains which strengthen each other.”
[20] Fath al Bari vol. 8 pg. 657 briefly
[21] Al maghafir: a sweet gum which exudes from the ‘urfut tree. But, it has a reprehensible odour. (Lisan al ‘Arab vol. 7 pg. 350.) Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was the purest and cleanest of people, and disliked his wives getting a bad odour from him.
[22] Anwar al Tanzil wa Asrar al Ta’wil of al Baydawi vol. 5 pg. 224
[23] Fath al Qadir of al Shawkani vol. 5 pg. 298, 299
[24] Muhammad al Amin ibn Muhammad al Mukhtar ibn ‘Abdul Qadir al Jakni al Shanqiti. The pious ‘Alim, Usuli, Mufassir, Linguist; and an ocean of knowledge. He was born in 1325 A.H. He studied in Madinah Munawwarah and then Riyadh and finally in al Jami’ah al Islamiyyah in Madinah. Some of his books are Adwa’ al Bayan and Daf’ Iham al Idtirab ‘an Ay al Kitab. He passed away in 1393 A.H. (al A’lam vol. 6 pg. 45)
[25] Adwa’ al Bayan vol. 8 pg. 220
[26] Surah al A’raf: 201
[27] Hatib ibn Abi Balta’ah al Lakhmi, Abu ‘Abdullah radiya Llahu ‘anhu. He participated in all the expeditions alongside Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam who also despatched him to al Muqawqas with his epistle. He was one of the horsemen and poets of Quraysh in the Days of Ignorance. He passed away in 30 A.H. (al Isti’ab vol. 1 pg. 93; al Isabah vol. 2 pg. 4)
[28] Sharh Mushkil al Athar vol. 12 pg. 27; al Mujam al Awsat vol. 1 pg. 54 Hadith: 151; al Mustadrak vol. 4 pg. 17. Al Haythami says in Majma’ al Zawa’id vol. 9 pg. 393, “There is a group [of narrators] therein whom I do not recognise.” Al Albani declared it hassan in Sahih al Jami’ Hadith: 4351. This hadith has been reported from Sayyidina ‘Ammar ibn Yasir radiya Llahu ‘anhu. (Musnad al Bazzar vol. 4 pg. 237 Hadith: 1401; al Tabarani vol. 23 pg. 188 Hadith: 306; Hilyat al Awliya’ vol. 2 pg. 50)
[29] Minhaj al Sunnah al Nabawiyyah vol. 4 pg. 314
[30] Surah al Tahrim: 2
[31] Al Ahadith al Mukhtarah Hadith: 189. Ibn Kathir categorises his isnad as sahih in Tafsir al Qurʾan vol. 8 pg. 186. Ibn Hajar says in Fath al Bari vol. 8 pg. 525, “It has many turuq which strengthen each other.”
[32] Tafsir Ibn Kathir vol. 8 pg. 159
[33] Sahih al Bukhari Hadith: 4913; Sahih Muslim Hadith: 3765
[34] Al Tahrir wa al Tanwir of Ibn ‘Ashur vol. 28 pg. 351
[35] ‘Abdul ‘Aziz ibn Wali Allah ibn ‘Abdul Rahim al ‘Umri al Dehlawi. One of the renowned ‘Ulama’ of India in his time. He was a Mufassir and acquainted with hadith. He also had deep knowledge and cognisance of Shia books. He was born in 1159 A.H. and passed away in 1239 A.H. Some of his books are: Fath al ‘Aziz (a commentary of the Qurʾan), Mukhtasar al Tuhfah al Ithna ‘Ashariyyah fi al Kalam ‘ala Mazhab al Shia, one unparalleled in its field. (Muqaddamah of Mukhtasar al Tuhfah; al A’lam vol. 4 pg. 14)
[36] Mukhtasar al Tuhfah al Ithna ‘Ashariyyah pg. 269
[37] Majma’ al Bayan vol. 10 pg. 56, 58. There is indication towards this in Mukhtasar al Tuhfah al Ithna ‘Ashariyyah pg. 270
[38] Al Yamaniyyat al Maslulah ‘ala Riqab al Rafidah al Makhdhulah pg. 246
[39] Surah Nisa’: 31
[40] Surah Hud: 114
[41] Minhaj al Sunnah al Nabawiyyah vol. 4 pg. 310 – 314