al-Zubayr. She also freed forty slaves in fulfillment of her vow, and whenever she later remembered that vow she would weep until her tears soaked her head-cover. Recorded by al-Bukhari.

[Explanation]
These are two weighty ḥadiths, rich in lessons, which the author—may Allah have mercy on him—placed at the very end of his Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn among the “miscellaneous reports.”

The first ḥadith is that of ʿĀʾishah (Allah be pleased with her), Mother of the Believers and, after the Prophet’s death, his most virtuous wife. She occupied an eminent station in knowledge, worship, discernment, and sound judgment.

ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Zubayr—her nephew, the son of her sister Asmāʾ bint Abī Bakr—heard that she had been giving away large amounts in charity. He considered her generosity excessive and said, “If she does not desist I will place her under interdiction!” Such language is harsh when directed at the Mother of the Believers ʿĀʾishah (Allah be pleased with her), for she was his aunt and possessed insight, learning, forbearance, and wisdom; it is unfitting to speak of her in that way. “Interdiction” here means preventing her from disposing of her wealth or from making substantial charitable gifts.

When she was told what he had said, the news reached her through tale-bearers—those who carry stories from one person to another and sow discord through namīmah (malicious gossip). We seek refuge in Allah, for namīmah is among the major sins. Allah has warned against the slanderous gossip-monger even if he swears oaths, saying, “And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer, scorner, going about with malicious gossip” [Q 68:10-11].

The Prophet ﷺ once passed through Madinah by two graves belonging to Muslims and said, “They are being punished in their graves, yet they are not being punished for something difficult to avoid”—meaning they were not being punished for a matter