User:Lehrasap/Sanbox Ifk

Tٰitle: Incident of IFK + Ruling of 4 witnesses + Pure men have pure wives

In the incident of Ifk, an accusation of adultery was levied against ‘Aisha. The name of the incident takes its name from the word "ifk" إفك meaning "slander", "lie", "calumny", or "falsehood." This word is specifically used in surat-an-nuur (Surah 24) verse 12. or "During an expedition, the Muslim caravan accidentally departed without ‘Aisha. She remained at the camp, where Safwan (a companion of Muhammad) found her later. They stayed there at night, and the next day, he brought 'Aisha back to Muhammad. Rumors that Aisha and Safwan had committed adultery spread in the wake of this incident.

Inside the house, Muhammad also doubted 'Aisha, and he consulted people to divorce 'Aisha. But outside the house, Muhammad wanted to end these rumors, as they were affecting his claim of prophethood. Thus Muhammad ordered to kill 'Abdullah Ibn Ubai for slandering 'Aisha in this case, but the tribe of 'Abdullah refused to obey Muhammad and they defended 'Abdullah. A war was about to begin between the two tribes of Muslims upon this issue.

No revelation came about the innocence of 'Aisha initially despite the tense situation of war. Only after one month, Muhammad claimed the revelation of Quranic verses for the innocence of 'Aisha. It is doubted by Islam critics that the revelation was delayed for one month, while Muhammad wanted to make sure that 'Aisha was not pregnant (i.e. if a woman gets her monthly menstrual blood, then it is a sign that she is not pregnant). Muhammad had many wives at that time, but he was unable to bear any children from all of them. Thus, if only 'Aisha would have become pregnant one month after being alone with Safwan, then people would have started doubting the revelation too for announcing the innocence of 'Aisha.

There were 3 Sahaba (companions), who made the slander of adultery against 'Aisha. At that time, Muhammad claimed the revelation of more Quranic verses, which not only stipulated the minimum number of witnesses to 4 in case of adultery, but they also stipulated that all the witnesses would be lashed 80 times if their number is less than 4 (even if they are telling the truth).

Details about the Incident of IFK

'Aisha provided the following details about the incident of IFK (recorded from 'Aisha through multiple chains of narration).

Narrated `Aisha:

(Because of the event) some people brought destruction upon themselves and the one who spread the Ifk (i.e. slander) more, was `Abdullah bin Ubai Ibn Salul." (Urwa said, "The people propagated the slander and talked about it in his (i.e. `Abdullah's) presence and he confirmed it and listened to it and asked about it to let it prevail." `Urwa also added, "None was mentioned as members of the slanderous group besides (`Abdullah) except Hassan bin Thabit and Mistah bin Uthatha and Hamna bint Jahsh along with others about whom I have no knowledge,...

`Aisha added, "After we returned to Medina, I became ill for a month. The people were propagating the forged statements of the slanderers while I was unaware of anything of all that, but I felt that in my present ailment, I was not receiving the same kindness from Allah's Messenger as I used to receive when I got sick. (But now) Allah's Messenger would only come, greet me and say,' How is that (lady)?' and leave. ...

('Aisha further said) When the Divine Inspiration was delayed, Allah's Messenger called `Ali bin Abi Talib and Usama bin Zaid to ask and consult them about divorcing me ...

(Muhammad also asked Barira, the maid-servant) and Barira said to him, 'By Him Who has sent you with the Truth. I have never seen anything in her (i.e. Aisha) which I would conceal, except that she is a young girl who sleeps leaving the dough of her family exposed so that the domestic goats come and eat it.' So, on that day, Allah's Messenger got up on the pulpit and complained about `Abdullah bin Ubai (bin Salul) before his companions, saying, 'O you Muslims! Who will relieve me from that man who has hurt me with his evil statement about my family? By Allah, I know nothing except good about my family and they have blamed a man (i.e. Safwan) about whom I know nothing except good and he used never to enter my home except with me.

' Sa`d bin Mu`adh the brother of Banu `Abd Al-Ashhal got up and said, 'O Allah's Messenger ! I will relieve you from him; if he is from the tribe of Al-Aus, then I will chop his head off, and if he is from our brothers, i.e. Al-Khazraj, then order us, and we will fulfill your order.' On that, a man from Al-Khazraj got up. Um Hassan, his cousin, was from his branch tribe, and he was Sa`d bin Ubada, chief of Al-Khazraj. Before this incident, he was a pious man, but his love for his tribe goaded him into saying to Sa`d (bin Mu`adh). 'By Allah, you have told a lie; you shall not and cannot kill him. If he belonged to your people, you would not wish him to be killed.' On that, Usaid bin Hudair who was the cousin of Sa`d (bin Mu`adh) got up and said to Sa`d bin 'Ubada, 'By Allah! You are a liar! We will surely kill him, and you are a hypocrite arguing on the behalf of hypocrites.' On this, the two tribes of Al-Aus and Al Khazraj got so much excited that they were about to fight while Allah's Messenger was standing on the pulpit. Allah's Messenger kept on quietening them till they became silent and so did he.

... ('Aisha further told that she went to her parents house and stayed there. And after one month) Allah's Messenger came, greeted us and sat down. He had never sat with me since that day of the slander. A month had elapsed and no Divine Inspiration came to him about my case. Allah's Apostle then recited Tashah-hud and then said, 'Amma Badu, O `Aisha! I have been informed so-and so about you; if you are innocent, then soon Allah will reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin, then repent to Allah and ask Him for forgiveness for when a slave confesses his sins and asks Allah for forgiveness, Allah accepts his repentance.' ...

('Aisha further said) Then I said to my mother, 'Reply to Allah's Messenger on my behalf concerning what he has said.' She said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger .' In spite of the fact that I was a young girl and had a little knowledge of Qur'an, I said, 'By Allah, no doubt I know that you heard this (slanderous) speech so that it has been planted in your hearts (i.e. minds) and you have taken it as a truth. Now if I tell you that I am innocent, you will not believe me, and if confess to you about it, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you will surely believe me. By Allah, I find no similitude for me and you except that of Joseph's father when he said, '(For me) patience in the most fitting against that which you assert; it is Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be sought.' Then I turned to the other side and lay on my bed; ...

('Aisha further said after that immediately revelation started coming to Muhammad and he said to her) 'O `Aisha! Allah has declared your innocence!' Then my Mother said to me, 'Get up and go to him (i.e. Allah's Messenger ). I replied, 'By Allah, I will not go to him, and I praise none but Allah.

Criticism: Why did Muhammad doubt 'Aisha and didn't immediately think well of 'Aisha?

After one month, Muhammad claimed that divine revelation came to him, which condemned that group of people for not immediately believing in the innocence of 'Aisha.

Why did the faithful men and women not think well of their people (i.e. 'Aisha and Safwan) when they heard this, and said: "This is a clear lie?" ... Why did you not say when you heard it: "It is not for us to speak of it? God preserve us, it is a great lie!"

But the Islam critics claim that Muhammad's own actions were against this Quranic Verse. According to 'Aisha:

  • Muhammad himself didn't immediately thought well about 'Aisha, but he himself started doubting 'Aisha.
  • And instead of saying it to be a clear lie, Muhammad himself stopped showing KINDNESS towards 'Aisha, despite her being ill. Even if he came to 'Aisha, then he only greeted her, and then left.
  • Then Muhammad also started investigating about the character of 'Aisha from Ali and Zayd (the adopted son), and Barira (i.e. the maid-servant) inside the house.
  • Then Muhammad also consulted them regarding giving "Divorce" to 'Aisha.
  • Even after one month, Muhammad was still doubting 'Aisha and he asked 'Aisha if she had committed a sin, then she should confess it and repent.
  • 'Aisha said, she was so much disappointed with this behaviour of Muhammad, that she refused to even talk to him directly.
  • 'Aisha even refused to testify her innocence to Muhammad, while she was of opinion that the slander had already been planted in the heart of Muhammad, and he would not accept her testimony.
  • 'Aisha further said, but if she falsely confess that she indeed committed a sin, then Muhammad was immediately going to believe it.
  • Then 'Aisha turned her face from Muhammad, and laid on the other side of bed.
  • Then Muhammad claimed divine revelation came to him which proved her innocence, but 'Aisha was still so much upset with Muhammad's behaviour when her mother asked her to accompany Muhammad, then 'Aisha refused to even go with him.

Islam critics claim that outside the house, Muhammad was trying hard to keep the mouths shut of people from raising doubts in this incident, by even giving orders to kill 'Abdullah bin 'Ubai, but inside the house, he was himself doubting 'Aisha. But as a human being, he made a mistake and didn't anticipate that later his own behaviour would be disclosed by 'Aisha too, which would put his own behaviour in direct contradiction to this revelation. Thus it is enough to understand that this was not a revelation by any divine being, but it was only the Human Drama of Muhammad.

Criticism: Quranic claim that pure Men have only the pure Women

In this same revelation of Surah Nur, Quran also claimed that pure men have only the pure women. This Quranic claim should serve as an argument that 'Aisha was innocent, while she was wed to a pure man i.e. Muhammad.

The fornicator does not marry except a [female] fornicator or polytheist, and none marries her except a fornicator or a polytheist, and that has been made unlawful to the believers ۔۔۔ Women impure are for men impure, and men impure for women impure and women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity: these are not affected by what people say: for them there is forgiveness, and a provision honourable.

Ibn Kathir wrote in his Tafsir under this verse 26 of Surah Nur:

"Evil women are for evil men and evil men are for evil women, and good women are for good men and good men are for good women. This also necessarily refers back to what they said, i.e., Allah would not have made `A'ishah the wife of His Messenger unless she had been good, because he is the best of the best of mankind. If she had been evil, she would not have been a suitable partner either according to His Laws or His decree.

But the Islamic critics point out that this Quranic claim of pure men only having pure women goes against the human logic. The Qur'an itself gives the example of wife of Lut, who was not pure of heart, while Lut himself was a pure man. The Qur'an also gives the example of wife of Pharaoh; she was a pure woman, while Pharaoh was not. Similarly with wife of Noah, who herself was not pure. This explanation thus seems to go against the known biographies of many of the Islamic prophets. And there are also common observation that many Muslim men do fornication in the western countries with the western women, but then go back to their country of origin, and wed the Muslim girls/women, who are pure according to the Islamic standards.

Criticism: Islamic Ruling of 4 eye-witnesses in the case of adultery

Muhammad also claimed the revelation of verse 24 of Surah Nur at the same time of incident of Ifk. This verse stipulated an entirely new condition of number of witnesses to be 4 in case of slandering. And it also stipulated another entirely new condition i.e. if there numbers are less than 4, then all the witnesses should be lashed 80 times, even if they are telling the truth.

And those who accuse chaste women and then do not produce four witnesses - lash them with eighty lashes and do not accept from them testimony ever after.

The first one who made a slander of adultery against 'Aisha was 'Abdullah Ibn Ubai. Muhammad firstly ordered his killing. But he was an influential person and Muhammad failed to incite the Muslims from his tribe to kill him.

Then there were 3 other Sahaba (companions) who also made the slander of adultery against 'Aisha. They were:

  1. Hassan bin Thabit (the famous poet)
  2. Mistah
  3. Hamna bint Jahsh (She was a sister of Zaynab, who was another wife of Muhammad)

These 3 companions were not influential like 'Abdullah bin Ubai. Thus after the revelation of verse 24:4, those 3 got the punishment of 80 lashes each, while their numbers were less than 4.

Islam critics claim that this Islamic ruling is totally against human rationale to lash the witnesses even if they are telling the truth. This illogical ruling proves that no revelation was coming from any divine being, but it was Muhammad himself, who was extremely angry upon those people who were putting his position of prophethood in danger by slandering 'Aisha. And Muhammad wanted to teach them the lesson. And for this reason he himself did this human drama of revelation, and stipulated the numbers of witnesses to be 4, and to punish all if their numbers are less that 4, even if they are telling the truth. The number of those witnesses was 3. But if their number was 4, then Muhammad would have still punished them by simply raising the number of witnesses to 5. And if the number of witnesses was 5, then still Muhammad would have still punished them by putting the condition of 6 witnesses.

Criticism: How did Muhammad know that Allah will 'soon' reveal the verses of innocence of 'Aisha after one month?

No revelation came for 'Aisha's innocence for the whole month. Then Muhammad came to 'Aisha (who was staying in her parent's house at that time) and he claimed that Allah will 'soon' reveal the verses about her innocence. And then surprisingly, only after one minute, he claimed that revelation came and it made 'Aisha free of those accusations.

Allah's Messenger came, greeted us and sat down. He had never sat with me since that day of the slander. A month had elapsed and no Divine Inspiration came to him about my case. Allah's Apostle then recited Tashah-hud and then said, 'Amma Badu, O `Aisha! I have been informed so-andso about you; if you are innocent, then soon Allah will reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin, then repent to Allah and ask Him for forgiveness for when a slave confesses his sins and asks Allah for forgiveness, Allah accepts his repentance ... (Aisha said) 'By Allah, no doubt I know that you heard this (slanderous) speech so that it has been planted in your hearts (i.e. minds) and you have taken it as a truth. Now if I tell you that I am innocent, you will not believe me, and if confess to you about it, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you will surely believe me ... Then I turned to the other side and lay on my bed ... But, by Allah, before Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) left his seat and before any of the household left, the Divine inspiration came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). So there overtook him the same hard condition which used to overtake him. The sweat was dropping from his body like pearls though it was a wintry day and that was because of the weighty statement which was being revealed to him. When that state of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was over, he got up smiling, and the first word he said was, 'O `Aisha! Allah has declared your innocence!'

Islam critics claim that Muhammad could have only make such claim (i.e. soon revelation will come for her innocence) when it was in his own hands to make the revelations at any time that he wished. And it is strange that indeed the revelation came immediately after that as soon as Muhammad and 'Aisha finished their conversation.

All the people who show magic tricks, they play with the minds of others, and make many such dramas in order to convince the people that they are indeed talking with unseen creatures. Therefore, Muhammad once himself forgot that he had to sweat while claiming the descent of revelation, and instead of that, he slept and kept on snorting.

A man said (to the Holy Prophet): What do you command me to do during my Umra? (It was at this juncture) that the revelation came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he was covered with a cloth, and Ya'la said: Would that I see revelation coming to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He (Hadrat 'Umar) said: Would it please you to see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) receiving the revelations 'Umar lifted a corner of the cloth and I looked at him and he was emitting a sound of snorting. He (the narrator) said: I thought it was the sound of a camel. When he was relieved of this (revelation) he said: Where is he who asked about Umra? When the person came, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Wash out the trace of yellowness, or he said: the trace of perfume and put off the cloak and do in your 'Umra what you do in your Hajj.

So, neither any hard condition overtook Muhammad, nor he sweat due to the heavy weight of the revelation, but this time he kept on sleeping and snorting comfortably while receiving the revelation.

Criticism: Why was the revelation delayed for the whole month?

No revelation came about the innocence of 'Aisha initially despite the tense situation of war between the two Muslim tribes. Only after one month, Muhammad claimed the revelation of Quranic verses for the innocence of 'Aisha. It is doubted by Islam critics that the revelation was delayed for one month, while Muhammad wanted to make sure that 'Aisha was not pregnant (i.e. if a woman gets her monthly menstrual blood, then it is a sign that she is not pregnant). Muhammad had many wives at that time, but he was unable to bear any children from all of them. Thus, if only 'Aisha would have become pregnant one month after being alone with Safwan, then people would have started doubting the revelation for announcing the innocence of 'Aisha, and this would have destroyed his claim of prophethood completely. Therefore, although on one side Muhammad was trying to limit the slanders against 'Aisha, but on the other hand he let the door open to punish 'Aisha if she would have become pregnant later.

Criticism: Role of Hijab and Islamic Modesty in the incident of Ifk

The idea of 'Hijab' and 'Islamic Modesty' plays a role in this incident:

Narrated `Aisha: ... I was carried (on the back of a camel) in my howdah and carried down while still in it (when we came to a halt). So we went on till Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had finished from that Ghazwa of his and returned. When we approached the city of Medina he announced at night that it was time for departure. So when they announced the news of departure, I got up and went away from the army camps, and after finishing from the call of nature, I came back to my riding animal. I touched my chest to find that my necklace which was made of Zifar beads (i.e. Yemenite beads partly black and partly white) was missing. So I returned to look for my necklace and my search for it detained me. (In the meanwhile) the people who used to carry me on my camel, came and took my howdah and put it on the back of my camel on which I used to ride, as they considered that I was in it...They made the camel rise and all of them left (along with it). I found my necklace after the army had gone.

The Islamic idea of hijab necessitates the wholesale separation of women from the society of all men, who are not in some way related to them. Even conversation, and any kind of interaction between men and women is considered vulgarity, and is against the 'Islamic Modesty'. Therefore, on this journey too, 'Aisha was made to hide from the eyes of men behind the curtains of her howdah. And since men and women could not even 'greet' each other as it is also considered vulgar in Shariah, thus those men (who were lifting her howdah) were unable to find out if she was present in the howdah or not, by simply saying 'hello' to her. Therefore, this whole incident happened only due to these restrictions upon the woman in name of Hijab and Islamic Modesty.

Moreover, Islam critics claim that such 'restrictions' in name of 'Islamic Modesty' are against the 'Human NATURE'. And these unnatural restrictions make the society so much paranoid and skeptic, that it becomes a 'psycho' case. Muslims are unable to tell why these 2 companions (i.e. Hassan bin Thabit and Mistah) made a slander against 'Aisha. But the reason seems to be simple that these unnatural restrictions are making members of Islamic society paranoid, where they believe in such things which actually are not there.(Note: Muslims still use "Radhi Allahu 'Anhu" for these 2 companions and consider them to be the people of high status). Even today, thousands of killings take place in Islamic societies, in name of 'Honour Killing', which are based merely upon doubts and paranoia.

Also see again this lack of interaction between them when Safwan found 'Asiha, and they didn't exchanged any words with each other.

Narrated 'Aisha: ... While I was sitting in my resting place, I was overwhelmed by sleep and slept. Safwan bin Al-Muattal As-Sulami Adh-Dhakwani was behind the army. When he reached my place in the morning, he saw the figure of a sleeping person and he recognized me on seeing me as he had seen me before the order of compulsory veiling (was prescribed). So I woke up when he recited Istirja' (i.e. "Inna li l-lahi wa inna llaihi raji'un") as soon as he recognized me, I veiled my face with my head cover at once, and by Allah, we did not speak a single word, and I did not hear him saying any word besides his Istirja'. He dismounted from his camel and made it kneel down, putting his leg on its front legs and then I got up and rode on it. Then he set out leading the camel that was carrying me till we overtook the army in the extreme heat of midday

Islam critics ask what wrong could have happened if they would have greeted each other, and Safwan would have asked her about the problem why she was alone there, and if she needed some other kind of help too in that situation? Even today Muslim ladies and girls are unable to take help without any hesitation in each and every field from men (either they are male doctors or male teachers etc). So much energy of the society is wasted in these unnatural restrictions, and half of the Islamic society (i.e. women) become practically useless and unable to help with the productivity.

PS:

Muslims are divided on the issue if woman's 'face' should be veiled or not. Those who support the veiling of face too, they present this tradition as a proof, while here 'Aisha veiled her full face from Safwan.

Criticism: Why did Muhammad use to take his wives during the battles?

In the pre-islamic Jahiliyyah period in Arabia, the Kings acted like the dictators. They didn't allow their common soldiers to take their wives during the journeys, but did bring their own wives for themselves, despite the extra burden this imposed on their army.

Muhammad also followed the footsteps of these jahili dictator kings. The incident of Ifk happened while Muhammad took 'Aisha with him in that journey.

In this same Hadith about Ifk, 'Aisha narrated:

Narrated `Aisha: Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) intended to go on a journey, he used to draw lots amongst his wives, and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to take with him the one on whom lot fell. He drew lots amongst us during one of the Ghazwat (in which the incident of Ifk happened) which he fought. The lot fell on me and so I proceeded with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).