The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 437
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 437 addressed me saying, “O ‘Ā’ishah! I have been informed such and such thing about you. If you are innocent, I trust that God shall affirm your innocence. If, however, you have committed a mistake, you should seek forgiveness from God and bow before him, because when a person bows before God confessing his sin, Allāh accepts his repentance, and shows Mercy to him. ” When the Holy Prophet sa had finished his address, I noticed that my tears had dried away completely, and there was absolutely no sign of them. At that time, I looked to my father and mother, and asked them to respond on my behalf, but they said, “By God! We do not know what to say in response. ” At the time, I was a young girl and did not know much of the Qur’ān, but, being disappointed by my parents, I submitted to the Holy Prophet sa myself, “By God, I am aware that certain things which people have rumoured about me have reached you, and you have been affected by these statements. Hence, if I advocate my innocence, you shall doubt me, but if I accept myself as being guilty, despite my being innocent, you shall believe me. By God, I find myself in the situation of the father of Joseph as , who said: 1 وَّاللّٰه ُ الْمُسْتَعَان ُ عَلی ٰ مَا تَصِفُوْن َ. ٌ صَبْر ٌ جَمِیْل That is to say, patience is better for me, and it is Allāh alone Whose help I seek against what these people assert. ” Upon saying this, I turned to the other side and at the time I had firm conviction that since I was innocent, Allāh the Exalted would quickly manifest my innocence. However, I did not imagine that a Qur’ānic revelation would be sent down to clear me of the charges, and that God the Exalted would declare my innocence in His manifest word. I thought that perhaps the Messenger of Allāh would be shown a vision, etc. by Allāh the Exalted in this regard. However, by God, the Holy Prophet sa had not yet left this sitting, nor had any other person of the household left, when he was overtaken by the state which he would experience upon the receipt of divine revelation. Though it was a cold day, drops of perspiration began to fall from his countenance, and after sometime this state left him. The Holy Prophet sa smiled and looked towards me saying, “O ‘Ā’ishah! God has affirmed your innocence. ” At this, my mother spontaneously said, “O ‘Ā’ishah! Get up! Thank the Messenger of Allāh. ” At the time, since my heart was saturated with gratitude to God, I said, “Why should I thank the Holy Prophet sa , I am thankful 1 Y ū suf (12:19) [Publishers]