Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 293
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 293 by the disaffected, the principal one at the back of which was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. His purpose was not merely to attack the honour of a most pious and righteous woman, but to bring the Holy Prophet into contempt and to shake Muslim society to its foundations. The mean and wicked propaganda was carried on in such a manner that some sincere but simple Muslims were also caught in its wide net, among whom the names of the poet, Hassan bin Thabet, Hamnah bint Jahsh, sister of the Holy Prophet’s wife, Z ainab bint Jahsh, and Mistah bin Athathah, have been particularly mentioned. However, it is a great testimony to the high - mindedness of Aisha that she forgave all those who had been concerned in this affair and nursed no grievance against them. Whenever Ha ssan bin Thabet called on her thereafter, she received him graciously. It is related that, on one occasion, when he asked permission to present himself, a Muslim of the name of Masrooq, who was present, expressed his surprise to Aisha that she was prepared to let him come in. Aisha said to him, ‘He is to be pitied; the poor man can no longer see, and I can also not forget that he used to compose verses in support of the Holy Prophet against his detractors. ’ She gave permission, and Hassan came in and sat do wn and recited some verses in praise of Aisha in which he mentioned that she was not given to speak ill of innocent women. On this, Aisha was amused and retorted, ‘But what about you?’ Sir William Muir’s summing up of the whole affair is: ‘Little remark is needed regarding the character of Aisha …. her life both before and after must lead us to believe her innocent of the charge’ ( Life of Muhammad, p. 304).