Al Nass Wal Ijtihad

Chapter Four : Aa’isha and Her Interpretations

73. The prayer of Aa’isha in travel

Allah has legislated shortening the four rak’as prayers in travel through His holy Book and via His messenger through the sacred Sunna. The umma has agreed on this unanimously with no disagreement save that of Othman and Aa’isha, who have offered full prayers in travel. This was despite the saying of Aa’isha herself “First the prayer has been legislated as two rak’as and then the prayer in travel has been fixed (as two rak’as) whereas the prayer in residence has become full (four rak’as).”[^1]

74. The marriage of Asma’ with the Prophet

Hamza bin Abu Usayd as-Sa’idy narrated that his father, who was one of the Prophet’s companions of Badr, had said: “The messenger of Allah (s) got married to Asma’ bint an-Nu’man al-Jowniyya and he sent me to bring her. Hafsa[^2] said to Aa’isha: “You dye her hair (with henna) and I will comb it.” They did so and then one of them said to Asma’: “The Prophet (s) likes his wife, when coming in to him (for the first time), to say to him: “I seek the protection of Allah from you!!” When she came in to the Prophet (s) and he closed the door and loosened the curtain, he stretched his hand towards her. She said to him: “I seek the protection of Allah from you.” The Prophet


[^1] Sahih of Muslim, vol.1 p.258. [^2] The Prophet’s wife. She was Umar’s daughter.

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(s) hid his face with his sleeves and said: “I have sought the protection of Allah” three times. Then he went out to Abu Usayd and said to him: “O Abu Usayd, take her back to her family and give her two dresses.” And so the Prophet (s) divorced her. After that Asma’ often said: “Call me the unhappy one!” Ibn Umar said from Hisham bin Muhammad that Zuhayr bin Mo’awiya al-Ju’fi had said: “She died of sadness.”[^1]

75. Fabrications against the Prophet’s wife

Lies had been fabricated against Ibraheem, the Prophet’s son, and his mother Maria, the Prophet’s wife.

After that the Prophet (s) came to Aa’isha carrying his son Ibraheem, who looked like his father, and asked her about the reason behind that fabrication. She said: “It was jealousy that led me, as with many women, to say that I have not found him looking like his father.” She wanted to confirm the lies of the fabricators by her saying but Allah has shown the innocence of Ibraheem and his mother by virtue of Imam Ali (s).[^2]

76. The day of Maghafeer[^3]

Al-Bukhari mentioned in his Sahih[^4] that Aa’isha had said: “The messenger of Allah (s) often drank honey with Zaynab bint Jahsh (his wife) and stayed with her. One day I and Hafsa[^5] plotted that when the Prophet (s) came to any of us, we would say to him: “Have you eaten maghafeer?” One of them said to him so and he said: “No, but I drank honey with Zaynab bint Jahsh. I will never do that again but you tell no one of that!”


[^1] It has been mentioned by al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, vol.4 p.37, by ibn Sa’d in his Tabaqat of ibn Sa’d, vol.8 p.104, by ibn Jareer and others. [^2] Mustadrak of al-Hakim, vol.4 p.39, Talkhees al-Mustadrak by ath-Thahabi. Refer to them to see the wonders!! [^3] Maghafeer: a viscous secretion of a certain tree. It has bad smell. [^4] Vol.3 p.136. [^5] Aa’isha and Hafsa were also the Prophet’s wives.

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  1. Aa’isha and Hafsa were ordered to repent**

** Allah revealed to the Prophet (s): (If ye two turn in repentance to Him) concerning his two wives; Aa’isha and Hafsa and this did mean that they disobeyed the orders of Allah because repentance would not be required except from guilty ones. After that Allah said: (your hearts are indeed so inclined) meaning that their hearts had inclined to other than the obligations and duties they had to submit to.

78. Backing up against the Prophet (s)

Allah has said: “and if you back up each other against him, then surely Allah it is Who is his Guardian, and Gabriel and -the believers that do good, and the angels after that are the aiders. Maybe, his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your place wives better than you, submissive, faithful, obedient, penitent, adorers, fasters, widows and virgins. Qur'an, 66:4-5”

Al-Bukhari mentioned in his Sahih[^1] that Ubayd bin Hunayn had heard ibn Abbas saying: “I spent one year intending to ask Umar bin al-Khattab about a verse of the Qur'an but I could not ask him respecting his position until he went to offer the hajj and I went with him. While we were coming back, he went behind some trees to relieve himself. I waited until he finished his need and then I walked with him. I asked him: “O Ameerul Mo'mineen, who were the two that had backed up against the Prophet (s) from among his wives?” Umar said: “They were Hafsa and Aa’isha…” The tradition is long. You may refer to it and ponder on the Qur’anic verse to see how much the Prophet (s) has suffered from these two wives and how much Imam Ali (s), after the Prophet (s), has suffered from them.

79. The great example

Allah has said: “Allah sets forth an example to those who disbelieve the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut: they were both under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them so they availed them naught against Allah, and it was said: Enter both the fire with those who enter. And Allah sets forth an example to those who believe the wife of Firon (Pharaoh) when she said: My Lord,


[^1] Vol.3 p.136, 137.

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build for me a house with Thee in the garden and deliver me from Firon and his doing, and deliver me from the unjust people. Qur'an, 66:10-11” Such Allah has set forth an example to them (Aa’isha and Hafsa) to warn them of what they had done and to make them know that just being a wife of a prophet or a tyrant would not benefit or harm. What would benefit or harm was one’s doing.

80. Engagement of Shiraf

When the Prophet (s) wanted to engage Shiraf, the sister of Dahiyya al-Kalbi, he sent Aa’isha to see her. When Aa’isha came back, the Prophet (s) asked her: “What did you see (how was the girl)?” Aa’isha said: “There is no use.” The Prophet (s) said: “In fact, there is a use! You have seen a mole that made you shiver!” She said: “O messenger of Allah, no secret can be hidden from you. No one can hide anything from you.”[^1]

81. She quarreled with the Prophet (s)

Aa’isha said: “Once I quarreled with the Prophet (s) before (my father) Abu Bakr. I said to him: “O messenger of Allah, be just!” Abu Bakr slapped me on my cheek and said: “Do you say to the messenger of Allah “be just”? My nose began bleeding.”[^2]

82. Being impolite to the Prophet (s)

One day she became impolite to the Prophet (s). From among what she had said to him on that day was her saying: “…you who pretend that you are the messenger of Allah!!!”[^3]

83. Criticizing Othman and ordering to be killed

All the historians have mentioned that Aa’isha often criticized Othman, faulted him and asked people to kill him. The traditions talking about this matter were true and recurrent and were


[^1] Kanzol Ummal, vol. 6 p.294, Tabaqat of ibn Sa’d, vol.8 p.115. [^2] Kanzol Ummal, p.116, Ihya’ul Quloob by al-Ghazali, vol.2 p.35, Mukashafatul Quloob by al-Ghazali, p.238. [^3] Ihya’ul Quloob by al-Ghazali, vol.2 p.35, Mukashafatul Quloob by al-Ghazali, p.238.

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mentioned by all the scholars of Hadith.

Ibn Abul Hadeed said in his book Sharh Nahjol Balagha:[^1] “All the historians have mentioned that Aa’isha had great grudge against Othman. One day she took out one of the Prophet’s dresses and spread it in her house. She said to whoever came in to her: “This is the dress of the messenger of Allah. Before it ragged out, Othman had ragged the Sunna of the Prophet (s).” The historians said that the first one, who had called Othman as Na’thal,[^2] was Aa’isha. She often said: “Kill Na’thal! May Allah kill Na’thal!” Al-Mada’ini mentioned in his book al-Jamal: “When Othman was killed, Aa’isha was in Mecca. When she was informed of that, she thought, with no doubt, that Talha was behind this matter. She said: “Away with Na’thal!” When Othman was killed, Talha took the keys of the treasury and he took the camels of Othman which were in his house but when he failed (to be the caliph) he gave them to Imam Ali (s). Abu Makhnaf said in his book: “When Aa’isha knew that Othman was killed while she was in Mecca, she hastened (towards Medina) saying: “Ah you, the one of the finger! How great of you! They found that Talha was the qualified one for it (the caliphate).”

Qayss bin Abu Hazim narrated that he had gone to offer the hajj with Aa’isha in the year when Othman had been killed. He heard her saying in the way: “Ah, the one of the finger!” When she mentioned Othman, she often said: “Away with him!” When she heard that Othman had been killed, she said: “Away with him! His guilt has killed him. Allah has punished him for his deeds. O people of Quraysh, let the murder of Othman not distress you. The worthiest one of this matter (the caliphate) is the one of the finger (Talha).” But when the news came saying that the people had paid homage to Ali (s) as the caliph, she said: “Woe to them! The matter (caliphate) will never come back to Taym[^3] at all.”

Soon you will see her sayings and doings about the killing of Othman and the homage of Imam Ali (s) which have bolted the ears and


[^1] vol.2 p.77. [^2] Na’thal was the surname of Othman near his mother. [^3] Taym was the tribe of Abu Bakr.

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opposed the Shariah with its clear texts of the Book and the Sunna and opposed all the evidences whether rational or traditional!

84. Some of her traditions about the Prophet (s)

Aa’isha often narrated from the Prophet (s) (ascribed to him) traditions that could not be true at any way.

Al-Bukhari and others mentioned in their Sihah that she had said: “The first thing that was revealed to the Prophet (s) at the beginning of his prophethood was good visions. Every vision he had seen in his sleep became real like the light of morning. Then privacy was made beloved to him. He always became alone in the cave of Hira’. The angel came to him with the revelation. The Prophet (s) said: “I said: “I can not read.” He took me to him and pressed me until I became too tired and then he let me free and said to me: “Read!” I said: “I can not read.” He took me and pressed me for the second time until I became too tired. Then he let me free and said: (Read in the name of your Lord Who created. He created man from a clot. Read and your Lord is Most Honorable).

Aa’isha said: “The Prophet (s) went back with these words while his heart was shivering. He came to Khadeeja bint Khuwaylid (his wife) and said: “Wrap me! Wrap me!” She wrapped him. He said to Khadeeja after telling her what had happened: “I feared for myself.” Khadeeja said: “No, Allah will never disgrace you at all. You are too kind to your relatives; you assist the tired, help the needy, entertain the guests and support the oppressed.” Aa’isha added: “Khadeeja went with him to her cousin Waraqa bin Nawfal, who had been a Christian. He had written many chapters of the Bible in Hebrew. He was an old man and he was blind. Khadeeja said to him: “O cousin, listen to your nephew!”[^1] The Prophet (s) told him of what he had seen. Waraqa said: “This is the law that Allah has revealed to Moses. I wish I was young! I wish I was alive when your people would drive you away!” The Prophet (s) said: “Will they drive me away?”…”[^2]

This tradition showed that the Prophet (s)-Allah forbid-was


[^1] The Prophet (s) was not the nephew of Waraqa bin Nawfal but the Arabs often used such addressing. [^2] Irshad as-Sari fee Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, vol.1 p.171.

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suspicious of his prophethood after it had determined and suspicious of the angel after he had come to him and of the Qur'an after it had been revealed to him. The tradition showed that the Prophet (s) was so frightened that he was in need of his wife to encourage him and to quiet his heart and that he was in need of Waraqa, the blind Christian to strengthen his heart and to tell him about his future where his people would drive him away. All that was impossible!

We pondered on the saying that the angel took the Prophet (s) and pressed him twice until he became too tired and exhausted and his heart began shivering with fright and we find that it does not fit Allah the Almighty nor His angels or His messengers especially the last of His messengers. It has never been mentioned that such a thing had ever happened to any one of the prophets at all. Some of the scholars have discussed such things when explaining this tradition mentioned in Sahih of al-Bukhari.[^1]

We pondered on the dialogue that had occurred between the angel and the Prophet (s)-according to this stupid tradition-and we found that the Prophet (s) had not understood the intention of the angel when asking him: “Read!” where the Prophet (s) had said: “I cannot read.” The angel had intended the Prophet (s) to repeat after him what he would recite but the Prophet (s) had understood that he had had to read while he had not known reading. As if the Prophet (s) had thought-Allah forbid- that the angel of Allah had asked him to do what he had not been able to do. All of that was impossible and it was just fabrication. Was it possible for a prophet not to understand what the angel said to him? Was it fit for the angel to be unqualified to carry out the revelation of Allah? Allah, His angels and His prophets are far above such raving!

The tradition was null due to its content and was null due to its series of narrators. It was a mursal tradition. The event had taken place some years before Aa’isha was born. She was born four years before the advent of the Prophet’s mission at least. Where had she been at the advent of the revelation and where had she been when the angel had come down to the Prophet (s) in the cave of Hira’?


[^1] Sahih of al-Bukhari, vol.1, vol.3 when interpreting the sura of Iqra’ (Read), Sahih of Muslim, Sahih of at-Tarmithi and Sahih of an-Nassa’iy when interpreting this sura.

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You may say: she could ascribe the tradition to the Prophet (s) if she had heard it from some one who had been there at the beginning of the revelation.

We say: she could do that but then the tradition would not be as an evidence nor would it be considered as a true tradition. It would be mursal. The narrators had to be known and their reliability had to be proved because the hypocrites were too many at the time of the Prophet (s) and among them were some whom Aa’isha had not known. In fact the Prophet (s) himself had not recognized some of the hypocrites. Allah has said: “And from among those who are round about you of the dwellers of the desert there are hypocrites, and from among the people of Medina (also); they are stubborn in hypocrisy; you do not know them; We know them. Qur'an, 9:101”

The holy Qur'an has confirmed that there were many hypocrites at the time of the Prophet (s). Our Sunni brothers agree with us on this matter but they say that all the companions after the Prophet (s) were fair and just! As if the existence of the Prophet (s) among them required the hypocrisy of those hypocrites and when the Prophet (s) left to the better world and the revelation stopped, those hypocrites became sincere and fair Muslims, who all in all became within a day and a night fair, just, reliable and loyal mujtahids, who could not be blamed for whatever they did even if they contradicted the divine texts and annulled their verdicts!

This tradition was just one from among many such mursal traditions of Aa’isha.

85. Her rising against Imam Ali (s)

She had waged a war against Imam Ali (s) revenging Othman, whom she often criticized and incited people to rise against him. She often abused Othman and said bad things about him.[^1]


[^1] Here are many holy texts that Aa’isha has contradicted in her dealing with Imam Ali (s) and Othman. The traditions that Aa’isha has contradicted might be more than all the traditions the three caliphs have contradicted. It suffices you, as an example, to refer to her tradition, we have mentioned previously in this book, “First the prayer has been legislated as two rak’as and then the prayer in travel has been fixed (as two

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Allah has said in the Qur'an concerning His orders to the wives of the Prophet (s): “And stay in your houses and do not display your finery like the displaying of the ignorance of yore; and keep up prayer, and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Qur'an, 33:33” But Aa’isha rose against Imam Ali (s) after he had been paid homage by all the Muslims as the caliph and the first ones, who had paid him homage, were Talha and az-Zubayr, who, with Aa'isha, had formed that great army against Imam Ali (s).

She went out of her house, which Allah had ordered her to stay in. She went out riding on a camel and leading three thousands of the rabbles, among whom, unfortunately, were Talha and az-Zubayr who had broken their homage to Imam Ali (s). She led her army through mountains and valleys and she covered deserts and plains until she arrived at Basra, whose wali was Othman bin Hunayf al-Ansari who had been appointed by Imam Ali (s). Bloods were shed, honors were violated and many horrible disasters had taken place. The historians had called this event as the minor event (battle) of al-Jamal (the camel). It had taken place at the last of Rabee’ ath-Thani[^1] in the year thirty-six A.H. before Imam Ali (s) and his army reached Basra.

When Imam Ali (s) came to Basra, Aa'isha with her followers got ready to defend Basra against him. Imam Ali (s) refrained from fighting and invited her to peace with great and convincing speech but she insisted on the war and she began fighting. Then Imam Ali (s) could not do but to follow the saying of Allah “And if two parties of the believers quarrel, make peace between them; but if one of them acts wrongfully towards the other, fight that which acts wrongfully until it returns to Allah's command. Qur'an, 49:9”

Imam Ali (s) scored victory after great jihad, in which the believers had proved themselves brave. This battle was called the major battle of al-Jamal. It was on the tenth of Jumada al-Aakhira,[^2] thirty-six A.H. These two events were successive like the battles of Siffeen and an-Nahrawan and like Badr, Uhud and al-Ahzab. These two events


rak’as) whereas the prayer in residence has become full (four rak’as)”. She herself had narrated this tradition and then she did the opposite.

[^1] It is the fourth month of the Islamic calendar. [^2] The sixth month in the Islamic calendar.

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have been detailed by the historians, who have recorded the events of the year thirty-six of hijra.[^1] They have also been mentioned by the historians, who have biographied the lives of Imam Ali (s) and Aa'isha and the lives of the companions who were with both of Imam Ali (s) and Aa'isha.[^2]

About this tragedy

The historians said-as ibn Abul Hadeed mentioned in Sharh Nahjol Balagha-[^3] that Aa'isha had disliked Othman too much that once she had took out one of the Prophet’s dresses and spread it in her house and she said to whoever came to her: “This is the dress of the messenger of Allah. It has not been ragged yet while Othman has ragged his (the Prophet’s) Sunna.” The historians mentioned that the first one who had called Othman as Na’thal, was Aa'isha. She often said: “Kill Na’thal! May Allah kill Na’thal! Kill Na’thal for he has disbelieved!”

Talha and az-Zubayr were extremely incited people against Othman. Al-Mada’iny said in his book al-Jamal: “When Othman was killed, Aa’isha was in Mecca. When she was informed of that, she thought, with no doubt, that Talha was behind this matter. She said: “Away with Na’thal! Oh, the one of the finger! Oh, Abu Shibl! Oh, cousin! As if I look at his finger while he is paid homage (to be the caliph).

When Othman was killed, Talha took the keys of the treasury and he took the camels of Othman which were in his house but when he failed (to be the caliph) he gave them to Ali bin Abu Talib (s).

At-Tabari[^4] mentioned that Asad bin Abdullah had narrated from some scholars that: “When Aa'isha arrived at Sarf on her way from Mecca, she met the slave of ibn Umm Kalam, who had been the slave of ibn Umm Salama. She asked him: “What is there?” He said: “They -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [^1] Hisham bin Muhammad al-Kalbi in his book al-Jamal, at-Tabari in Tareekh al-Umam wel Mulook, ibn al-Atheer in al-Kamil, al-Mada’ini in al-Jamal and others. To see more details, refer Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol. 2 p.77-82, p.496-. [^2] Ibn Abdul Birr in al-Istee’ab, ibn al-Atheer in Usdol Ghaba, ibn Hajar in al-Isaba, ibn Sa’d in his Tabaqat and others. [^3] Vol.2 p.77. [^4] in his book Tareekh al-Umam wel-Mulook, vol.3 p.476.

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have killed Othman and remained for eight days without a caliph.” She asked: “What did they do then?” He said: “The people of Medina undertook the matter and they came to the best of ends. They agreed unanimously on Ali bin Abu Talib.” She said: “O my God! Let the heaven cover over the earth if this matter comes to your man! Take me back! Take me back!” She went back to Mecca saying: “By Allah, Othman has been killed unjustly. By Allah, I will revenge his blood.” Ibn Umm Kilab said to her: “You often said: “Kill Na’thal! He has disbelieved.” She said: “They made him repent and then they killed him. I said and they said and my last saying is from my first one.”

When she arrived at Mecca, she stopped at the gate of the mosque and then she went to the Rock (of the Kaaba). People crowded around her. She said: “O people, Othman has been killed unjustly. By Allah, I will revenge his blood.” She caused a great sedition just to revenge on Imam Ali (s), the Prophet’s brother. Imam Ali (s) was neither the killer of Othman nor had he incited people to kill him nor was he content with the murder of Othman.

Ibn al-Atheer mentioned in al-Kamil[^1] that Aa'isha had said: “The rabbles of the countries, the mobs of the villages and the slavers of Medina have gathered together against this man and killed him unjustly. They denied his appointing young men in the high positions of the state whereas the ones before him have appointed young men like them and they opposed him that he had taken his relatives as his close companions. He repented and gave up what they had denied. When they did not find any excuse against him, they attacked him and shed the inviolable blood in the inviolable country and in the inviolable month and they seized the prohibited property. By Allah, a finger of Othman is better than thousands of thousands like them. By Allah, if the thing, for which they have attacked him, was guilt, he would be purified of it as gold purified of its refuse or as a dress purified of its dirt. They washed him as a dress washed with water.” Abdullah bin Aamir al-Hadhrami, who was the emir of Mecca appointed by Othman, said: “I am the first one who will revenge (Othman).” The Umayyads, who had fled from Medina to Mecca after Othman had been killed, followed him.


[^1] vol.4 p.103.

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Umm Salama’s situation toward this sedition

The historians mentioned as in Sharh Nahjol Balagha[^1] that Aa'isha had come to Umm Salama[^2] cheating her to rise to revenge Othman. She said to Umm Salama: “O daughter of Abu Umayya, you are the first emigrant from among the Prophet’s wives and you are the eldest one among them. The Prophet (s) distributed our rights in your house and Gabriel more often came down (to the Prophet (s)) in your house.” Umm Salama said to her: “You have something behind this saying!” Aa'isha said: “People asked Othman to repent and when he repented they killed him while he was fasting in the inviolable month. I have intended to go to Basra.

With me there are az-Zubayr and Talha. Please come with us that Allah may fix this matter by us.” Umm Salama said: “A little time ago you incited people against Othman and said bad things about him. You did not call him except with Na’thal. You have known well the position of Ali near the messenger of Allah!” Aa'isha said: “Yes!” Umm Salama said: “Do you remember when once the Prophet (s) and we have been in travel and when we arrived at Qadeed, the Prophet (s) became alone with Ali and when they took a long time together, you wanted to attack them and I forbade you from doing that but you disobeyed me and attacked them. A little later you came back crying. I asked you what the matter was with you and you said to me: “I came to them while they were communing with each other.

I said to Ali: “I have only one day with the messenger of Allah from every nine days. O ibn Abu Talib, will you not let me be with him in my day?” The messenger of Allah (s) turned to me angrily and said: “Go back! By Allah, no one hates him (Ali) unless he will be out of faith.” Then you came back with regret and anger.” Aa'isha said: “Yes, I remember.” Umm Salama said: “I remind you of something else; one day you and I were with the messenger of Allah (s) when he said to us: “Which of you will be the woman of the hairy camel when the dogs of al-Haw’ab[^3] will bark at her and she will be deviated from the right path?” We said: “We resort to Allah and His messenger not to do so!”


[^1] vol.2 p.77-. [^2] She was the Prophet’s wife. [^3] A place between Hijaz and Basra.

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He patted on your back and said: “Beware O you Humayra’ (Aa'isha)! Do not be that woman!” Umm Salama said: “I have warned you of that!” Aa'isha said: “I remember that.” Umm Salama said: “Do you remember when you and I were with the messenger of Allah (s) in a travel when Ali undertook mending the shoes of the Prophet (s) and washing his cloths? When the shoe of the Prophet (s) was torn, Ali took it and sat under a tree to mend it. Your father (Abu Bakr) and Umar came and we came into our tent. They came in to the Prophet (s) and began talking with him until they said to him: “O messenger of Allah, we do not know how long you will be with us.

Would you please tell us who will be the caliph after you so that we will resort to him?” He said to them: “I know well his place but if I tell you who he is, you will divert from him as the Israelites have diverted from Aaron.” They kept silent and went out. Then we came to the messenger of Allah. You said to him and you were the most daring one among us before the Prophet (s): “O messenger of Allah, whom you will appoint as the caliph after you?” He said: “He is the mender of the shoe.” We looked and we saw Ali there. I said: “O messenger of Allah, I do not see save Ali.” He said: “It is him.” Aa'isha said: “Yes, I remember.” Umm Salama said to her: “Then how will you rise against him after all that?” Aa'isha said: “I just want to achieve reform for people.”

Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin Muslim bin Qutayba mentioned in his book Ghareeb al-Hadeeth that Umm Salama had come to Aa'isha again after that and forbidden her from rising against Ali with severe words. Umm Salama said to Aa'isha from among a long speech: “The pillar of Islam will not be straightened by women if it inclines and will not be patched by them if it splits. Women should lower their gaze and protect their honor. What should you say if the Prophet (s) saw you in some of these deserts moving from a place to another? By Allah, if I do what you will do and then it will be said to me “enter into Paradise” I will be ashamed to meet Muhammad after exceeding the limits he has determined for me…”[^1] to the end of her speech which Aa'isha had not listened to.

Then Umm Salama wrote a book from Mecca to Imam Ali (s). She


[^1] Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol. 2 p.79.

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said in the book: “Talha, az-Zubayr and their deviate followers have intended to rise with Aa'isha and Abdullah bin Aamir against you claiming that Othman had been killed unjustly. Allah will do away with them with His might and power. If Allah has not ordered us (the Prophet’s wives) to keep to our houses besides that you will not be pleased with our going out, I will join you to invite for support to you. But I am sending you my son Umar bin Abu Salama, who is as dear to me as my soul, to fight with you. O Ameerul Mo'mineen, take care of him.” When Umar came to Ali (s), he honored him. Umar bin Abu Salama remained with Imam Ali (s) until he participated in all his battles.

The situation of Hafsa

Aa'isha sent for Hafsa and the other wives of the Prophet (s) asking them[^1] to rise with her to Basra. No one of them responded to her except Hafsa (Umar’s daughter) but her brother Abdullah bin Umar came to her and insisted on her to give up going with Aa'isha and then she submitted to her brother after she had got ready to leave.[^2]

The situation of Malik bin al-Ashtar

Malik wrote from Medina to Aa'isha, who was in Mecca, saying to her: “You are the wife of the messenger of Allah (s). He has ordered you to keep to your house. If you do, it will be better for you but if you refuse save to take your stick, throw away your veil and show people your hairs, I will fight you until I will take you back to your house; the place which Allah has chosen to you.”

General leadership in this sedition

The general leadership in this sedition was in the hand of Aa'isha. She gave orders, managed the armies, appointed emirs, deposed whomever she liked,[^3] sent her messengers with her books to the


[^1] Then they were busy offering the minor hajj as Aa'isha, Talha and az-Zubayr themselves were. [^2] Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol. 2 p.80. [^3] Ash-Shi’bi narrated from Muslim bin Abu Bakra that his father-as in Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol. 2 p.81-had said: “When Talha and az-Zubayr came to Basra, I girt myself with the sword intending to support them. I came to Aa'isha. I found her

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Muslims inciting them against Ameerul Mo'mineen (Ali) and inviting them to support her. Some people submitted to her and other people of understanding denied her invitation. The Umayyads had tried their best and spent their monies to assist this sedition. They had joined Aa'isha from everywhere. Marwan bin al-Hakam was among the army of Aa'isha but sometimes he threw his arrows against the army of Aa'isha and sometimes he threw his arrows against the army of Ali (s) saying: “Which of them I hit, it will be success!” It was said that he had killed Talha.