1900 – Al-Firyābī narrated to us, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿUmayr ibn Kathīr al-Himsī narrated to us, saying: Bishr ibn Shuʿayb narrated to us, from his father, from al-Zuhrī, who said: Al-Qāsim ibn ⦗2413⦘ Muhammad also narrated to me that when Muʿāwiya ibn Abī Sufyān—may Allah be pleased with him—came to Medina intending to perform Hajj, he visited Aisha—may Allah have mercy upon her—and spoke with her in private. No one witnessed their conversation except Dhakwān Abū ʿAmr, Aisha’s freedman—may Allah have mercy upon her.

Muʿāwiya spoke to her, and when he had finished, Aisha—may Allah have mercy upon her—testified to the truth of faith. She then spoke of the guidance and religion of truth with which Allah had sent His Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—and of the practices instituted by the caliphs after him. She urged Muʿāwiya to follow their course, speaking at length and leaving nothing unsaid.

When she had finished, Muʿāwiya said to her, “By Allah, you are indeed knowledgeable concerning Allah and the command of His Messenger. You are a sincere and compassionate counselor, eloquent in admonition. You have encouraged what is good and enjoined it, and you have commanded us to do only what is best for us. You are worthy of being obeyed.”

She and Muʿāwiya then spoke at length. When Muʿāwiya rose, he leaned upon Dhakwān and said, “By Allah, apart from the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—I have never heard any speaker more eloquent than Aisha—may Allah be pleased with her.”