A’ishah lies about Prophet Muhammad

Question:

Did A’ishah ascribe to the Messenger (s.) false things which he denied?

Answer:

Ubaid Ibn Umair reported that A’ishah said: “The Prophet Muhammad (s.) used to stay with Zainab, the daughter of Jahsh, and drink honey with her,therefore I and Hafsah took it to heart, that each of us, to whom the Messenger (s.) enters, should say: “I smell on you the smell of (bad) smelling gum. You have eaten a smelling gum!” Then he came in to one of them, who then said this to him, but he said: “No, not at all, I drank honey at the house of Zainab, the daughter of Jahsh, and I will not return there. So it was sent down: “O Prophet, why do you forbid what God has allowed you to do? (66:1) Until the passage about A’ishah and Hafsah: “Will you both turn to God in repentance, for your hearts have already deviated.” (66:4) And: “When the prophet gave a message to one of his wives in secret (66:3) Because of his statement: “Not at all I drank honey!” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith 4966]

حدثني الحسن بن محمد بن صباح حدثنا حجاج عن ابن جريج قال زعم عطاء أنه سمع عبيد بن عمير يقول سمعت عائشة  أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يمكث عند زينب بنت جحش ويشرب عندها عسلا فتواصيت أنا وحفصة أن أيتنا دخل عليها النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فلتقل إني أجد منك ريح مغافير أكلت مغافير فدخل على إحداهما فقالت له ذلك فقال لا بل شربت عسلا عند زينب بنت جحش ولن أعود له فنزلت يا أيها النبي لم تحرم ما أحل الله لك إلى إن تتوبا إلى الله لعائشة وحفصة وإذ أسر النبي إلى بعض أزواجه لقوله بل شربت عسلا

Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (s.) said: “Do not lie about me, for he who lies about me abides in the fire!” [Sahih Muslim, Volume 1 Page 5]

وحدثنا أبو بكر بن أبي شيبة حدثنا غندر عن شعبة ح وحدثنا محمد بن المثنى وابن بشار قالا حدثنا محمد بن جعفر حدثنا شعبة عن منصور عن ربعي بن حراش أنه سمع عليا رضي الله عنه يخطب قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا تكذبوا علي فإنه من يكذب علي يلج النار

Comment:

Whoever claims that A’ishah is not a liar, declares the Messenger (s.) a liar, because he denied her allegation.

Whoever admits that the Messenger (s.) is truthful with his “No” declares A’ishah to be a liar and thus a dweller in hell.

A’ishah took the lie about the messenger (s.) to her heart. In the Qur’an it says: “Man is truly in loss, except those who believe and do good works and take the truth to heart.” [Al-Asr 103:2-3]