—are you cursing your son, a Companion of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?”

She replied, “By Allah, I am not cursing him except for your sake and on account of you.”

I asked, “Because of what matter of mine?”

She said, “Do you really not know what has happened?”

I said, “No—what has happened?”

She responded, “I testify that you are innocent of what has been said about you,” and then she unfolded the entire story to me. I hurried back home without having accomplished anything I had gone out to do, not the least bit of it. A fever seized me and I became ill.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came in and asked about my condition. I said, “I feel feverish; please allow me to go to my parents.” He gave me permission and sent a servant with me, saying, “Go with her.”

When I arrived, I found my mother in the lower room and my father praying upstairs. I said to my mother, “Mother, what is it that people are saying?” She had not been affected by it as I had and said, “My daughter, do not worry. There is no beautiful woman who has co-wives and is loved by her husband without people saying things like this about her.”

I asked, “Has my father heard it as well?” She answered, “Yes.”

I said, “And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ too?” She replied, “And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

I burst into tears. My father heard my weeping and asked, “What is the matter with her?” She said, “She has heard what people are talking about.” His eyes filled with tears and he wept, saying, “My dear daughter, go back to your house.” So I returned, and my parents stayed with me.

When I had performed the afternoon (‘Asr) prayer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came in while I was sitting between my parents—one on my right and the other on my left. He praised Allah and extolled Him as He deserves, and then said, “To proceed: O ʿĀʾishah, if you have wronged, erred, or done anything evil, then repent, return to Allah’s command, and seek His forgiveness.” He admonished me.

At the door there was an Ansari woman who had greeted; she was sitting at the entrance of the room, and I was saying to myself, “Are you not ashamed to mention this while that woman can hear?” When he finished speaking I nudged my father and said, “Answer him!” He said, “What shall I say to him?” Then I turned to my mother and said, “Answer him!” She said, “What should…"