‘Ā’ishah were several people, not just one. They accused her when they saw her arrive in the company of Safwān ibn al-Mu‘attal al-Sulamī after the army had set off on its return journey. She had gone to look for a necklace she had lost. The men responsible for her howdah lifted it, believing she was inside because she was so light, although she was not there. When she returned, she found no one from the army, so she remained where she was. Safwān had lagged behind the army. When he saw her, he turned his face away from her and made his mount kneel so that she could ride it. He then took her to the army. His being alone with her was therefore a matter of necessity, just as a woman may travel without a mahram—a male relative whom she can never marry—out of necessity, as when emigrating for the sake of her faith. Examples include the arrival of Umm Kulthūm bint ‘Uqbah ibn Abī Mu‘ayt as an emigrant and this incident involving ‘Ā’ishah.

The verse establishes that the testimony of those who make such accusations is not accepted, whether they testify together or separately. It also establishes that their testimony is accepted after repentance, as is the position of the majority of scholars. Among them were Mistah ibn Uthāthah and Hassān ibn Thābit, as reported from ‘Ā’ishah in the authentic hadith collection. They also included Hamnah bint Jahsh and others.

It is known that neither the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, nor the Muslims after him rejected the testimony of any of them, for they all repented when the Quran was revealed declaring her innocence. Anyone who did not repent at that point would be a disbeliever who rejected the Quran, whereas these people remained Muslims. Allah also forbade cutting off acts of kindness towards them. Had their testimony been rejected after their repentance, this would have become widely known, just as ‘Umar’s rejection of Abū Bakrah’s testimony became widely known. The affair involving ‘Ā’ishah was far more momentous than that involving al-Mughīrah. Yet anyone who