Incident of Ifk (The Great Calumny)

The details regarding the incident of Ifk [the great calumny] are as follows. On the return from ghazwah Banu Mustaliq, the hypocrites levelled a false allegation against Hazrat Aisha (ra), daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). This incident is known in history as the incident of Ifk [calumny]. There is a narration of Hazrat Aisha (ra) in Sahih al-Bukhari; although I have mentioned this in relation to another companion, (Friday Sermon 14 December 2018) however, it is necessary to mention it in connection with Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), and so I will mention it again.

The narration from Hazrat Aisha (ra) is as follows:

“It was a custom of the Holy Prophet (sa) that when he intended to embark on a journey, he used to draw lots amongst his wives (this is mentioned in the narration of Hazrat Aisha (ra)), then he would take along with him the one whose name was drawn. On one occasion, before a ghazwah, he drew lots in the same manner, (Hazrat Aisha says) and my name was drawn. Thus, the Holy Prophet (sa) took me along. This was the time when injunctions on Purdah had already been revealed.

“Hence, I would sit in a litter, and it would be placed on the back of a camel and later on, it would be placed on the ground. When the Holy Prophet (sa) set back after having finished from one of the expeditions, and we approached the city of Medina, one night, the Holy Prophet (sa) ordered a departure. When I heard this announcement, I left to one side, away from the army. When I had attended the call of nature, and returned to my camel, I touched my neck and found that my Azfar [Yemenite beaded] necklace had been lost.”

Nonetheless, Hazrat Aisha (ra) says:

“I went back in search of my necklace and was delayed a short while. In the meantime, those who had been appointed to lift my carriage and place it on the back of the camel arrived, and assuming that I was in the litter, lifted it and placed it on the camel.”

Hazrat Aishah (ra) further relates:

“The attendants thought that I was in the litter because, in that era, women were light and slender, as they used to eat little food. The attendants, therefore, did not suspect that the litter was unusually lighter when they lifted it. In addition to this, at the time, I was still a young girl. They went ahead with the camel.

“I found my necklace, but the army had left. When I returned to the camp, I did not find anybody there. I then went to the place where I used to stay, but I thought to myself that I should remain at my place, because when people realise that I had been left behind, they would surely return. I sat on my spot and was soon overcome by sleep. Safwan bin Mu‘attal Sulami Dhakwani was behind the army. When he reached the place where I was in the morning, he saw the figure of a sleeping person and came towards me. He had seen me before the order of veiling was prescribed, I woke up when he recited:

إِنَّا للہِ

[Surely, to Allah we belong…]

“He brought forward his camel and made it kneel close to me. He turned the foot of the camel and I mounted upon it. Safwan began leading the camel until we finally reached the Muslim army at noon, while the army were resting. After this, those who were destined to be ruined, ruined themselves. The key proponent who was responsible for spreading this slander was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul.

“We reached Medina, and [as soon as we arrived,] I fell ill, and this illness lasted for one month, wherein people continued their slander. During my illness, the only thing that worried me was that I was not receiving the same kindness from Allah’s Messenger (sa) as I used to receive whenever I got sick. Allah’s Messenger (sa) would only come in, greet me and ask, ‘How are you?’

“Up until this point, I had absolutely no idea of this calumny; my illness rendered me very weak and frail. One day, Umm Mistah and I went to Manasi’, which was a place to answer the call of nature and we did not go out except at night. This was a time before we had lavatories near our homes.” (In those days, people did not have bathrooms in the home).

“Our state was like that of the old Arabs, who would go out to the jungle etc. to attend the call of nature. So I and Umm Mistah, daughter of Abu Ruhm, went out. We were walking when she stumbled over her shawl and on that she said, ‘Let Mistah be ruined!’ I said, ‘What an evil thing you have said! Do you vilify a man who took part in the Battle of Badr?’ On that she said, ‘O innocent and naïve girl! Have you not heard what people have been saying?’ Then she told me the slander of the purported by the people. This aggravated my ailment, and when I reached my home, Allah’s Messenger (sa) came to me, and after greeting me, asked, ‘How are you?’ I said, ‘Will you allow me to go to my parents?’” (Hazrat Aisha (ra) asked if she could go home to her parents). “As I wanted to confirm this news through them, (i.e. through her parents). Allah’s Messenger (sa) gave me permission to go to my parents. I asked my mother, ‘O mother! What are the people talking about?’ She said, ‘O my daughter! Do not worry, for scarcely is there a charming woman who is loved by her husband and whose husband has other wives besides herself that they (i.e. women) would find faults with her.’

“I said,

سُبۡحَانَ اللهِ

[Holy is Allah]

“‘Are the people really talking in this way?’”

Hazrat Aisha (ra) further states:

“I kept on weeping that night till dawn, I could neither stop weeping, nor could I sleep.”

As no revelation had been received in this regard, the next morning, the Holy Prophet (sa) called Hazrat Ali bin Abi Talib (ra) and Hazrat Usamah bin Zaid to seek their counsel about separating from his wife. As for Usamah, he said of what he knew about her, i.e. based on the relationship of the Holy Prophet (sa) with Hazrat Aisha (ra) and that he knew she was pious and virtuous. Hazrat Usamah (ra) submitted, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! She is your wife and by God, we know nothing but good with respect to Aisha (ra).” As for Ali bin Abi Talib (ra), he submitted, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Allah the Exalted has not put you in difficulty, and there are plenty of women other than Aisha (ra). Nonetheless, inquire of the household maid, perhaps she knows something and may be able to tell you the actual truth.”

Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) called for Barirah and inquired, “O Barirah! Have you ever seen anything in Aisha (ra) as may be considered suspicious?” Barirah responded, “No, I swear by that God Who has sent you with the truth, I have never seen any fault in her, except that on account of her young age, it often happens that she leaves the dough exposed and falls asleep, while the goats come and consume it.”

On the same day, the Holy Prophet (sa) delivered an address in the mosque and expressed grief with regards to Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, and said:

“O you Muslims! Who will relieve me from that man who has hurt me with his evil statement about my family? By Allah, I know nothing except good about my family; and they have blamed a man about whom I know nothing but good and he never entered my home except with me.”

Upon hearing this address of the Holy Prophet (sa), Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh stood up and submitted, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! I shall put an end to this. If this person is from the Aus tribe, we shall sever his head at once. If he is from our brethren (i.e., from the Khazraj tribe), even still, we are prepared to do as you command.

Upon this, Sa‘d bin Ubadah, chief of the Khazraj tribe stood up, and though he was a righteous man, at the time, he was overcome by the indignation of his tribe and said, “You have spoken a lie. By God! You shall not kill him (i.e. both tribes became incensed) nor do you possess the power to do so.”

Upon this, Usaid bin Hudair, stood up and said: “It is you who has lied: By God, by God, we shall surely kill him. You are a hypocrite, for you argue on behalf of the hypocrites.”

This exchange of remarks incensed some from among the Aus and Khazraj, and an altercation almost broke out, but the Holy Prophet (sa), who was still standing on the pulpit, descended and diffused the situation until they fell silent and so did he.”

Hazrat Aisha (ra) relates:

“The entire day I kept on weeping and my tears never ceased.” By this time, Hazrat Aishah (ra) was aware of the situation, but she says despite what was going on, she would continue to cry the whole day.

She further says:

“My tears would not stop, nor could I sleep. My parents came to me. I remained as such for two whole nights and one day and I felt as if my liver would burst into pieces. During this time, both my parents were with me, and I was sat crying when a woman from the Ansar sought permission to enter, and I granted her permission. She came and sat down and began to weep with me. After this, the Messenger (sa) of Allah arrived and sat down. This was the first day that he had sat down with me since the calumny. A month had elapsed but no divine revelation had been sent down in my case.”

Hazrat Aisha (ra) further states:

“The Holy Prophet (sa) recited the Kalimah, then said: ‘O Aisha! I have been informed such and such thing about you. If you are innocent, I trust that God shall affirm your innocence. If, however, you have committed a mistake, you should seek forgiveness from God and bow before him, because when a person bows before God confessing his sin, Allah accepts his repentance, and shows Mercy to him.’

“When the Holy Prophet (sa) had finished his address, I stopped crying, and all my tears had dried away. At that time, I looked to my father (Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra)), and asked him to respond on my behalf, but he said, ‘By God! I do not know what to say in response to the Messenger (sa) of Allah.’ I then asked my mother to respond to the Holy Prophet (sa) on my behalf and she also stated, ‘By God! I do not know what to say in response to the Messenger (sa) of Allah.’”

Hazrat Aisha (ra) states:

“At the time, I was a young girl and did not know much of the Quran, I said, ‘By God, I am aware that you have heard certain rumours which people have spread about, and you have been affected by these statements and consider them to be true. Hence, if I advocate my innocence – and Allah knows indeed that I am innocent – you shall doubt me, but if I accept myself as being guilty, despite Allah knowing that I am innocent, you shall believe me. By God, I find myself in the situation of the father of Josephas, who said:

فَصَبۡرٌ جَمِيۡلٌ وَاللّٰهُ الۡمُسۡتَعَانُ عَلٰي مَا تَصِفُوۡنَ

«That is to say, ‘patience is better for me, and it is Allah alone Whose help I seek against what these people assert.’ Upon saying this, I turned to the other side of my bed and at the time I had firm conviction that Allah the Exalted would quickly manifest my innocence. However, I did not imagine that a [Quranic] revelation would be sent down to clear me of the charges. I did not consider myself to be worthy enough to be mentioned in the Quran.

“I thought that perhaps the Messenger (sa) of Allah would be shown a vision in his sleep by Allah the Exalted. However, by God, the Holy Prophet (sa) had not yet left this sitting, nor had any other person of the household left, when he was overtaken by the intense state which he would experience at the time of receiving divine revelation. Though it was a cold day, drops of perspiration began to fall from his countenance, and after sometime he came out of this state. The Holy Prophet (sa) smiled and the first thing he said to me was, ‘O Aisha! Glorify Allah, for He has affirmed your innocence.’ At this, my mother spontaneously said, ‘O Aisha! Get up and go to the Messenger (sa) of Allah!’ At the time, I said, ‘By God, I will not go to the Holy Prophet (sa) and will express my gratitude to Allah alone.’

“It was then that the following verse was revealed:

اِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَآءُوۡ بِالۡاِفۡكِ عُصۡبَةٌ مِّنۡكُمۡ

“‘Verily, those who brought forth the lie are a party from among you […]’.[ Surah an-Nur, Ch.24: V.12]

“When my innocence had been affirmed, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) (the father of Hazrat Aishah (ra)), who would grant regular support to Mistah bin Uthathah due to his [Mistah’s] poverty and kinship, vowed: ‘By God! I shall never give anything to Mistah owing to his slander against Aisha!’

“However, shortly thereafter, Allah the Almighty revealed:

وَلَا يَاۡتَلِ اُولُوا الۡفَضۡلِ مِنۡكُمۡ وَالسَّعَةِ اَنۡ يُّؤۡتُوۡ ا اُولِى الۡقُرۡبٰى وَالۡمَسٰكِيۡنَ وَالۡمُهٰجِرِيۡنَ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ ۖ وَلۡيَعۡفُوۡا وَلۡيَصۡفَحُوۡا اَلَا تُحِبُّوۡنَ اَنۡ يَّغۡفِرَ اللّٰهُ لَهُمۡ وَاللّٰهُ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ

“‘And let not those who possess wealth and plenty among you swear not to give aught to the kindred and to the needy and to those who have left their homes in the cause of Allah. Let them forgive and pass over the offence. Do you not desire that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.’

“Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) stated, ‘Indeed! By God, I certainly would like to be granted the forgiveness of Allah.’ And so, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) reinstated Mistah’s allowance.”

Hazrat Aishah (ra) relates:

“The Holy Prophet (sa) would inquire of Hazrat Zainab bint Jahashra as to her opinion of me.”

The Holy Prophet (sa) stated, “O Zainab! What is your opinion of Aisha?” Upon this, Hazrat Zainab (ra) responded, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! I wish to safeguard my ears and eyes; by God, I have seen nothing but good in Aisha.”

Hazrat Aisha (ra) states, “This was the same Zainab who would compete with me. However, due to her virtue, Allah the Exalted saved her from taking part in this calumny.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Shahadat, Bab Ta ‘dil al-Nisa Ba‘dihunna Ba‘dan, hadith 2661)

This is a detailed narration of Sahih al-Bukhari.

The Promised Messiah (as) states:

“[…] Just as God Almighty has made it an integral part of His own noble attributes to avert prophecies of warning on the basis of repentance, seeking forgiveness, prayer, and charity, so did He teach the same morals to man as is evidenced by the Holy Quran and the hadith. When—out of sheer maliciousness—the hypocrites had perpetrated a calumny against Hazrat Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, some unwary Companions also had joined in this narrative. One of those Companions used to get his meal, twice a day, from the home of Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Due to this lapse, Hazrat Abu Bakr pledged that he would never again feed him as a punishment for this misdeed, whereupon the verse was revealed:

وَلۡيَعۡفُوۡا وَلۡيَصۡفَحُوۡا اَلَا تُحِبُّوۡنَ اَنۡ يَّغۡفِرَاللّٰهُ لَهُمۡ وَاللّٰهُ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ

[Surah an-Nur, Ch.24: V.23]

“At that Hazrat Abu Bakr broke his pledge and restored his meals as usual.”

The Promised Messiah (as) further writes:

“It is for this reason that it is part of Islamic morality that should one pledge something by way of punishment, the breaking of that pledge is a component of good morals. For instance, if someone swears that with regard to his servant, he shall strike him fifty times with a shoe, to forgive him on account of his repentance and earnest supplication is the Islamic custom, to fulfil the command of:

تَخَلُّق بِاَخْلَاقِ اللّٰهِ

[morality mirror the attributes of Allah]

“Nevertheless, it is not permissible to break a promise; one will be held accountable for the breach of promise, but not for breaking a pledge of chastisement.”

(Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Vol. 5 Epilogue, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 21, p. 181)

This is a separate subject matter regarding the difference between a promise and a pledge of chastisement and this has been explained previously as well.