The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 433
IX - Repeated Treachery of the Jews, Compilation and Sequence of the Holy Qur ’ā n, Marriage of Ḥaḍrat Zainab ra , the Great Calumny and Mischief of the Hypocrites 433 The Great Calumny However, who knows the mischief with which the dispositions of the hypocrites of Madīnah were leavened. Nothing would open their eyes. Quite the contrary, every failure would further intensify their mischief and sedition. On the return of this very journey, another dangerous conspiracy was hatched, which was many times greater than the one alluded to above, with respect to its type and seditious influence. That is to say, the incident of the famous calumny against Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah Ṣiddīqah ra , which took place whilst returning from this very Ghazwah. 1 This false allegation was similar in nature to the aspersion hurled at Ḥaḍrat Maryam, the mother of Ḥaḍrat Jesus as , or Sīta, the wife of Rāmchandar Jī by evil people. It seems more appropriate to describe this incident in the words of Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah ra herself, because it is an extremely detailed and interesting account, which not only provides reliable details relevant to the actual occurrence, but also sheds ample light on the civilisation and custom of that era. Hence, crucial extracts from the narration of Bukhārī as related by Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah ra are presented below. Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah ra relates: “It was a custom of the Holy Prophet sa that when he intended to embark on a journey, he used to draw lots amongst his wives, then he would take along with him the one on whom the lot fell. On one occasion, before a Ghazwah, he drew lots in the same manner, and the lot fell on me. Thus, the Holy Prophet sa took me along. This was the time when injunctions on Pardah had already been revealed. Hence, during this journey, I would sit in a litter, and it would be placed on the back of a camel. Wherever a halt was made, it would be placed on the ground. When the Holy Prophet sa set back after having finished from his Ghazwah, and we approached near the city of Madīnah, one night, the Holy Prophet sa ordered a departure. When I heard this announcement, I left to one side, away from the army, in order to attend to the call of nature, and returned 1 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Ghazwatu Banil-Muṣṭliqi Min Khuzā‘ata Wa Hiya Ghazwatul-Muraisī‘ * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 674, Qatlā Banil-Muṣṭaliq, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) * Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 3, p. 119, Dhikrul-Aḥdāthillatī Kānat Fī Sanati Sittim-Minal-Hijrati / Ḥadīthul-Ifki, Dārul- Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) * Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 2, p. 282, Ghazwatu Rasūlillāhi sa Al-Muraisī‘, Dāru Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)