Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah - Nasir al-Din al-Albani - (6/27)

Silsilat al-Ahadith al-SahihahNasir al-Din al-Albani

Al-Hafiz then challenged, citing al-Qadi Iyad, his claim that she had been instructed to confess; whoever wishes may consult it. Yet they conceded his statement that it is not lawful for a prophet to keep as his wife one from whom such a thing has occurred. This is out of Allah Most High’s protective jealousy for His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. But He, glorified be He, safeguarded Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, and all the other Mothers of the Believers from this, as is known from the accounts of their lives and from the revelation declaring Lady Aisha’s innocence in particular.

Even though, theoretically, its occurrence was possible, since there is no explicit text establishing that it was impossible for them, the Prophet’s stance in this incident was one of waiting and anticipating the descent of revelation that would decisively remove any doubt. This is indicated by his words, peace and blessings be upon him, in the hadith cited in the heading: “You are but one of Adam’s daughters. If you are innocent, Allah will declare your innocence; but if you have fallen into a sin, then seek Allah’s forgiveness...”

Accordingly, al-Hafiz said, while explaining the lessons contained in the hadith: “It shows that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did not make a decision in a matter concerning himself until revelation had descended. This was pointed out by Shaykh Abu Muhammad ibn Abi Jamrah—may Allah benefit others through him.” That is, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did not decisively judge Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, to be innocent until revelation descended. This strongly indicates that the matter was, in itself, possible; this is the point around which all the events of the story and the commentators’ discussions of it revolve.

This does not conflict with what al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir said (8/418) in his exegesis of Allah Most High’s words: “Allah sets forth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were married to two righteous servants among Our servants, but they betrayed them; yet their husbands availed them nothing against Allah, and it was said: ‘Enter the Fire along with those who enter it.’” (Surah al-Tahrim, 10). He said: “By ‘they betrayed them’ is not meant sexual immorality, but betrayal in religion. For the wives of the Prophets are safeguarded from committing sexual immorality, out of reverence for the Prophets, as we have previously mentioned in Surah al-Nur.” And he said there (6/81):

ثم تعقبه الحافظ نقلا عن القاضي عياض فيما ادعاه من الأمر بالاعتراف، فليراجعه من شاء، لكنهم سلموا له قوله: إنه لا يحل لنبي إمساك من يقع منها ذلك. وذلك غيرة من الله تعالى على نبيه ﷺ، ولكنه سبحانه صان السيدة عائشة ﵂ وسائر أمهات المؤمنين من ذلك كما عرف ذلك من تاريخ حياتهن، ونزول التبرئة بخصوص السيدة عائشة ﵂، وإن كان وقوع ذلك ممكنا من الناحية النظرية لعدم وجود نص باستحالة ذلك منهن، ولهذا كان موقف النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في القصة موقف المتريث المترقب نزول الوحي القاطع للشك في ذلك الذي ينبئ عنه قوله ﷺ في حديث الترجمة: " إنما أنت من بنات آدم، فإن كنت بريئة فسيبرئك الله، وإن كنت ألممت بذنب فاستغفري الله.. "، ولذلك قال الحافظ في صدد بيان ما في الحديث من الفوائد: " وفيه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان لا يحكم لنفسه إلا بعد نزول الوحي. نبه عليه الشيخ أبو محمد بن أبي جمرة نفع الله به ". يعني أن النبي ﷺ لم يقطع ببراءة عائشة ﵂ إلا بعد نزول الوحي. ففيه إشعار قوي بأن الأمر في حد نفسه ممكن الوقوع، وهو ما يدندن حوله كل حوادث القصة وكلام الشراح عليها، ولا ينافي ذلك قول الحافظ ابن كثير (٨ / ٤١٨) في تفسير قوله تعالى: * (ضرب الله مثلا للذين كفروا امرأة نوح وامرأة لوط كانتا تحت عبدين من عبادنا صالحين فخانتاهما فلم يغنيا عنهما من الله شيئا وقيل ادخلا النار مع الداخلين) * (التحريم: ١٠ ) . " وليس المراد بقوله: * (فخانتاهما) * في فاحشة، بل في الدين، فإن نساء الأنبياء معصومات عن الوقوع في الفاحشة لحرمة الأنبياء كما قدمنا في سورة النور ". وقال هناك (٦ / ٨١) :