Friday Sermon delivered at Masjid Mubarak, Islamabad, Tilford, UK
After reciting Tashahhud, Ta`awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba) said that with reference to the life of the Holy Prophet(sa) he would continue narrating the incident of the Great Calumny against Hazrat A’ishah(ra).
His Holiness(aba) quoted Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra) who writes regarding the narration from Sahih al-Bukhari outlining this incident:
It is the most detailed and well-composed of all narrations. The facts which are ascertained from the narrations related by other narrators in parts, have been brought together in this sole narration. In addition to this, such enlightening insight is derived from this narration on the domestic life of the Holy Prophet(sa) that no historian can disregard it. Then, with regards to authenticity, this narration is of such an exceptionally high calibre that it leaves no room for uncertainty and doubt. Now, one should contemplate the magnitude of this conspiracy hatched by the hypocrites. The motive was not only to attack the honour of a chaste, extremely righteous, pious lady, rather, the greater objective was to directly destroy the honour of the Founder of Islam, and to dangerously shake the Islamic society. This filthy and vile propaganda was spread by the hypocrites in such a manner that simple, yet loyal Muslims were caught in this snare of deception. The names of Hassan bin Thabit(ra), the poet, Ḥamnah bint Jahash, the sister of Zainab bint Jahash(ra), and Mistah bin Uthathah, have especially been recorded. However, it is a testimony to her lofty character that Hazrat ‘A’ishah(ra) forgave them all, and did not harbour a grudge against them in her heart. As such, it is mentioned that after this occurrence, whenever Hassan bin Thabit would come to visit Hazrat ‘A’ishah(ra), she would receive him graciously. On one occasion, when he presented himself before Hazrat ‘A’ishah(ra), a Muslim named Masruq, who was present as well, became astonished and said, “What! Do you grant Hassan the permission of audience?” Hazrat ‘A’ishah(ra) responded, “Let it be, the poor man has lost his sight, is this not misery enough? Then, I cannot forget that Hassan would compose verses in support of the Holy Prophet(sa) against his enemies.” Hence, Hassan was granted permission, upon which he came in and sat down. He spoke a verse in praise of Hazrat ‘A’ishah(ra).
“She is a pure and chaste woman, who possesses wisdom and foresight, and her position is above and beyond doubt and uncertainty; she does not eat the flesh of upright and innocent women, i.e., she does not slander them, nor does she speak ill of them in their absence.”
When Hazrat ‘A’ishah(ra) heard this couplet, she said…“What about your own state, you did not prove to bear this quality, i.e., you took part in leveling an accusation against me though I was innocent.” Let us witness the Arabic scholarship, or prejudice, of Mr. Muir, who translates the above-mentioned couplet in an absolutely incorrect manner, in contradiction to the rules of Arabic grammar, and asserts that Ḥassānra praised the slender body of ‘A’ishah(ra), who in turn taunted him on his large figure.Mr. Muir has also committed other blatant mistakes in relating this incident. For example, he writes that Safwan(ra) and ‘A’ishah(ra) were unable to catch the army en-route, and then openly entered Madīnah before the gaze of all, even though this is absolutely incorrect and categorically baseless. The Ahadith and history both substantiate that Safwan and Hazrat ‘A’ishah(ra) managed to catch up to the Muslim army en-route in only a few hours. Thankfully enough, however, in relation to the actual calumny itself, Mr. Muir accepts the innocence of Hadrat ‘A’ishah(ra). As such, he writes:
“Little remark is needed regarding the character of Ayesha, and the alleged message from above to which it gave occasion. There are not materials sufficient for deciding upon the charges brought against her, and the question is immaterial.”
In terms of logic and narration, this allegation proves to be clearly false and forged, because except for the absolutely coincidental occurrence that Hazrat ‘A’ishah(ra) was left behind by the Muslim army, and then she caught up to it in the company of Safwan(ra), the slanderers had nothing else in their hands. In other words, there were no witnesses, nor any further evidence; and of course, until a charge is substantiated, it cannot be accepted as true. Especially if the objection relates to such people whose life is proof of the purity of their dispositions. However, for the additional satisfaction of the Muslims and so that a fundamental rule could be established in relation to such cases for the future, divine revelation was sent down. This revelation confirmed the innocence of Hazrat ‘A’ishah(ra) and Safwan(ra), and declared the aspersion as being completely false. Furthermore, it also presented such a fundamental law to the world with regards to occurrences of this nature, that the honour and dignity of the people, peace and harmony of society, and protection of the morality of the community was heavily based upon it.’
(Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa), Vol. 2, pp. 438-441)
His Holiness(aba) quoted the Second Caliph, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad(ra) who investigated the topic of why such an allegation would be created against Hazrat A’ishah(ra). The Second Caliph(ra) said that there was no one who had any personal enmity against Hazrat A’ishah(ra) which would lead them to do something like this. The only plausible conclusion is that the people who created this fabricated allegation wished to use Hazrat A’ishah(ra) to get to someone else; either the Holy Prophet(sa) or Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra). Before the Holy Prophet’s (sa) arrival in Madinah, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul had been touted as the next ruler of Madinah. In fact, his throne was being prepared when word was received about the advent of the Holy Prophet(sa) and then ultimately the Holy Prophet(sa) migrated to Madinah and became accepted as the ruler of Madinah, a position which Abudllah bin Ubayy had been coveting. This was essentially the origin of Abdullah bin Ubayy’s enmity against Islam, however he seemingly accepted Islam on the surface, whereas he was the chief of the hypocrites. These hypocrites could do nothing to diminish the stature and status of the Holy Prophet(sa), however they also wished to make attempts in ensuring that the movement of Islam could not continue after the Holy Prophet(sa) and they thought that if anyone could become the Holy Prophet’s (sa) successor it would be Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra). Hence, they wished to attack the honour of Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) by creating a completely false and fabricated allegation against his daughter, Hazrat A’ishah(ra).
His Holiness(aba) quoted the Promised Messiah(as) who said that the fact that the Holy Prophet(sa) was not immediately made aware about the reality of the situation through divine revelation and the fact that he even asked Hazrat A’ishah(ra) that if she was guilty of what was alleged then she should confess shows the great state of difficulty he was also facing. Finally, God revealed a Qur’anic verse which declared Hazrat A’ishah(ra) completely free from any fault in the matter. However, it is completely baseless for anyone to allege that the Holy Prophet(sa) that not having immediately be sure about the true state of affairs diminishes his stature in any way. The Holy Prophet(sa), nor any other prophet, ever claimed to be knowers of the unseen. Hence to say such a thing about the Holy Prophet(sa) would be tantamount to disbelief and one who had true knowledge regarding history would never raise such futile allegation.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Holy Prophet(sa) also mended the relationship between the Aus and the Khazraj, whose relationship had become strained. It is recorded that the Holy Prophet(sa) took hold of Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adh’s(ra) hand and along with some Companions went to Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadah(ra). Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadah(ra) presented some food which everyone ate. Then after a few days, the Holy Prophet(sa) took hold of Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadah’s(ra) hand and led him to the home of Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adh(ra) along with a few Companions. There, Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adh presented some food which everyone ate. The Holy Prophet(sa) did so in order to remove any of the negativity or bad blood that had arisen as a result of the Great Calumny.
His Holiness(aba) said that there are various narrations regarding the number of people who raised this allegation; some mentioning three or ten while others mention 15 or even 40. According to the Second Caliph, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad(ra), there were three people who were punished for the false accusation raised against Hazrat A’ishah(ra); Hazrat Hassan bin Thabit(ra), Mistah, and another woman. There is another instance where the Second Caliph(ra) mentions that Abdullah bin Ubayy was also given the punishment of stripes in relation to this incident.
His Holiness(aba) said that this completed mention of this incident.
His Holiness(aba) said regarding the Jalsa Salana (Annual Convention) which was held in Germany that the external guests or those who attended for the first time expressed very positive sentiments and were very happy, complimenting the overall environment. Similarly, through the various modes of media, the message of Ahmadiyyat reached millions. As such, the Jalsa is a great means of propagation enabling the message to reach such places where we ourselves are unable to reach. His Holiness(aba) prayed that may Allah the Almighty enable this to bear virtuous and long lasting results, and enable Ahmadis to always take advantage of such opportunities.
His Holiness(aba) urged continued attention towards prayers. His Holiness(aba) prayed that may Allah the Almighty always keep us wrapped in His mantle of grace and mercy.
His Holiness(aba) said that he would mentioned a deceased member whose funeral he would lead:
Imam Muhammad Belu of Sudan recently passed away. He accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1966. Despite not being able to communicate with the Khalifa on account of the restrictions by being in Sudan, he remained firm in his faith. He faced great opposition in Sudan. They had a small mosque made of leaves and branches which was burned by opponents. Then another similarly made mosque was again burned by the opponents and the Ahmadis were driven out. They settled at another distant place from again where they were driven out. Eventually, this caravan of Ahmadis set out on foot towards Nigeria. They endured great difficulties, although they had the priceless wealth of faith. Eventually, they reached Imam Isa bin Lail, from whose propagation they had accepted Ahmadiyyat, and remained with him for 13 years. Imam Isa saw a dream based on which he advised that this caravan should return to Sudan. Imam Muhammad Belu was the first to return to Sudan in 2010. It was after their return that the terrorist organisation Boko Haram arose in Nigeria. God knows what sort of cruelty they would have faced in Nigeria had they stayed there. Nonetheless, these Ahmadis continued to face difficulties in Sudan, and then the ongoing war broke out, in which Ahmadis are suffering a great deal as well. His Holiness(aba) prayed that may Allah elevate the station of the deceased and also keep the other Ahmadis firm and change their circumstances. May Allah the Almighty end the disorder in their country, and have mercy upon these people, enabling them to do justice to each other’s rights. May He enable Muslims to do justice to their ties of brotherhood and may He bring an end to the disorders in Muslim states and grant Ahmadis the ability to truly live in peace and security.
Summary prepared by The Review of Religions
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V(aba) stated:
In the historical accounts from the life of the Holy Prophet(sa) which were being mentioned in the sermons prior to the Jalsa in Germany, the incident of Ifk [the Great Calumny] in relation to Hazrat Aisha(ra) was also mentioned. With regards to this, the Promised Messiah(as) states:
“God Almighty has made it an integral part of His own noble attributes to avert prophecies of warning on the basis of repentance, seeking forgiveness, prayer, and charity, so did He teach the same morals to man as is evidenced by the Holy Quran and the Hadith. When—out of sheer maliciousness—the hypocrites had perpetrated a calumny against Hadrat Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, some unwary Companions also had joined in this narrative. One of those Companions used to get his meal, twice a day, from the home of Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Due to this lapse, Hadrat Abu Bakr(ra) pledged that he would never again feed him as a punishment for this misdeed, whereupon the verse was revealed:
وَلۡیَعۡفُوۡا وَلۡیَصۡفَحُوۡاؕ اَلَا تُحِبُّوۡنَ اَنۡ یَّغۡفِرَ اللّٰہُ لَکُمۡ ؕ وَاللّٰہُ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ
“[Let them forgive and pass over the offence. Do you not desire that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful. (The Holy Quran, 24:23)]
“At that, Hazrat Abu Bakr broke his pledge and restored his meals as usual.”
The Promised Messiah(as) states:
“It is for this reason that it is part of Islamic morality that should one pledge something by way of punishment, the breaking of that pledge is a component of good morals. For example, if someone swears regarding his servant, ‘I will certainly strike him fifty times with a shoe,’ then forgiving him upon his repentance and earnest supplication is the practice of Islam, so that one may act upon تخلق باخلاق اللّٰہ, i.e., mirroring the attributes of Allah. Nevertheless, it is not permissible to break a promise; one will be held accountable for the breach of promise, but not for breaking a pledge of chastisement.” (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part 5, pp. 181)
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra) mentions the incident of the Great Calumny in light of the narration in Sahih al-Bukhari. He writes:
“It is the most detailed and well-composed of all narrations. The facts, which are ascertained from the narrations related by other narrators in parts, have been brought together in this sole narration. In addition to this, such enlightening insight is derived from this narration on the domestic life of the Holy Prophet(sa) that no historian can disregard it. Then, with regard to authenticity, this narration is of such an exceptionally high calibre that it leaves no room for uncertainty and doubt. Now, one should contemplate the magnitude of this conspiracy hatched by the hypocrites. The motive was not only to attack the honour of a chaste, extremely righteous, pious lady, rather, the greater objective was to directly destroy the honour of the Founder(sa) of Islam, and to dangerously shake the Islamic society. This filthy and vile propaganda was spread by the hypocrites in such a manner that simple, yet loyal Muslims were caught in this snare of deception. The names of Hassan bin Thabit(ra), the poet, Hamnah bint Jahash, the sister of Zainab(ra) bint Jahash, and Mistah bin Uthathah, have especially been recorded. However, it is a testimony to her lofty character that Hazrat Aisha(ra) forgave them all, and did not harbour a grudge against them in her heart. As such, it is mentioned that after this occurrence, whenever Hassan bin Thabit would come to visit Hazrat Aisha(ra), she would receive him graciously. On one occasion, when he presented himself before Hazrat Aisha(ra), a Muslim named Masruq, who was present as well, became astonished and said, ‘What! Do you grant Hassan the permission of audience?’ Hazrat Aisha(ra) responded, ‘Let it be, the poor man has lost his sight, is this not misery enough? (He had developed an eye ailment.) Then, I cannot forget that Hassan would compose verses in support of the Holy Prophet(sa) against his enemies.’ Hence, Hassan was granted permission, upon which he came in and sat down. He spoke a verse in praise of Hazrat Aisha(ra):
حَصَانٌ رَزَانٌ مَا تُزَنُّ بِرِیْبَۃٍ
وَتُصْبِحُ غَرْثٰی مِنْ لُحُوْمِ الْغَوَافِلِ
“‘She is a pure and chaste woman, who possesses wisdom and foresight, and her position is above and beyond doubt and uncertainty; she does not eat the flesh of upright and innocent women, i.e., she does not slander them, nor does she speak ill of them in their absence.’
“When Hazrat Aisha(ra) heard this couplet, she said وَلٰکِنْ اَنْتَ and in another narration the words لَسْتَ کَذَالِکَ have been related, meaning ‘What about your own state, you did not prove to bear this quality, i.e., you took part in levelling an accusation against me though I was innocent.’”
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra) writes:
“Let us witness the Arabic scholarship, or prejudice, of Mr Muir (an orientalist), who translates the above-mentioned couplet in an absolutely incorrect manner, in contradiction to the rules of Arabic grammar, and asserts that Hassan(ra) praised the slender body of Aisha(ra), who in turn taunted him on his large figure. Mr Muir has also committed other blatant mistakes while relating this incident. For example, he writes that Safwan(ra) and Aisha(ra) were unable to catch the army enroute, and then openly entered Medina before the gaze of all, even though this is absolutely incorrect and categorically baseless. The ahadith and history both substantiate that Safwan and Hazrat Aisha(ra) managed to catch up to the Muslim army en route in only a few hours. Thankfully enough, however, in relation to the actual calumny itself, Mr Muir accepts the innocence of Hazrat Aisha(ra). As such, he writes that the life prior to this incident and after it, prove that Hazrat Aisha(ra) was free of such allegations.
“In terms of logic and narration, this allegation proves to be clearly false and forged, because except for the absolutely coincidental occurrence that Hazrat Aisha(ra) was left behind by the Muslim army, and then she caught up to it in the company of Safwan(ra), the slanderers had nothing else in their hands. In other words, there were neither witnesses, nor any further evidence, and of course, until a charge is substantiated, it cannot be accepted as true. Especially if the objection relates to such people whose lives are proof of the purity of their dispositions. However, for the additional satisfaction of the Muslims and so that a fundamental rule could be established in relation to such cases for the future, divine revelation was sent down. This revelation confirmed the innocence of Hazrat Aisha(ra) and Safwan(ra), and declared the aspersion as being completely false. Furthermore, it also presented such a fundamental law to the world with regards to occurrences of this nature, that the honour and dignity of the people, peace and harmony of society, and protection of the morality of the community were heavily based upon it.” (Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets(sa), Vol. 2, pp. 438-441)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud(ra) has explained the reason as to why this allegation was levelled against Hazrat Aisha(ra). He writes:
“Let us ponder the real motive behind the allegation levelled against Hazrat Aisha(ra). The reason for this was not because those people had any enmity towards Hazrat Aisha(ra). Why would anyone have any enmity towards a woman who was sitting in her home and had no relation with politics, jurisprudential matters, official positions, distribution of wealth, battles, conquests against the opposing powers, governance, or economy. (She did not have anything to do with these matters.) Thus, there was no reason for anyone to have any personal enmity towards Hazrat Aisha(ra). There are only two possibilities for this allegation to be levelled against her, either God-forbid this allegation was true, which no believer could entertain for even a second, especially as Allah the Almighty had completely rejected this filthy notion from the heavens. Or the second possibility is that this allegation was levelled against Hazrat Aisha(ra) in order to cause harm to other people through her.
“We have to ponder over the people whom the hypocrites and their leaders could benefit from disgracing and those whom they could make a target of their enmity. Even from a cursory glance, one will realise that by slandering Hazrat Aisha(ra), their enmity was directed towards two people, one of whom was the Holy Prophet(sa) and the other being Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra), because one was her husband and the other was her father. The status of both these personalities was such that there were some who could derive political benefit by defaming them, while others could fuel their hatred. Furthermore, the objectives of some people were dependent upon their defamation. Otherwise, to simply defame Hazrat Aisha(ra) alone was of no interest to anyone. At the most, the only parties interested in this could have been the other wives of the Holy Prophet(sa). It could have been that seizing the opportunity to degrade Hazrat Aisha(ra) and increase their own repute in the eyes of the Holy Prophet(sa), the other wives of the Holy Prophet(sa), could have taken part in this issue. However, history bears testimony to the fact that none of the Holy Prophet’s(sa) other wives(sa) took part in the calumny. On the contrary, in her own testimony, Hazrat Aisha(ra) says that among the wives of the Holy Prophet(sa), she did not consider anyone to be her contemporary aside from Hazrat Zainab bint Jahsh(ra) (because she was the one who would speak out the most).
“However, Hazrat Aisha(ra) says, ‘I will never forget the beneficence of Zainab upon me. When this allegation was levelled against me, the one person who strongly refuted it was Hazrat Zainab(ra).’ (Al-Sirah al-Halabiayyh, Ghazwah Banu Mustaliq)
“Hence, if anyone were to have personal resentment towards Hazrat Aisha(ra), it would have been her sister wives. If they wished, they could have partaken in the slander so that Hazrat Aisha(ra) would be degraded in the eyes of the Holy Prophet(sa) thereby elevating their own standing (i.e., the other wives could increase their own honour).
“However, history attests to the fact that the other wives did not involve themselves in the matter at all. If any of them were asked (i.e., the other wives), they only commended Hazrat Aisha(ra). Furthermore, there is no reason for men to harbour enmity against women. Thus, this allegation against her was either because of enmity against the Holy Prophet(sa), or enmity against Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra).
“There was no way for the proponents of this allegation to snatch away the status granted to the Holy Prophet(sa), however what they feared was that even after the Holy Prophet(sa), they would be unable to fulfil their objectives. They saw that if anyone was capable of being a successor to the Holy Prophet(sa), it was Abu Bakr(ra). They saw this as a threat and thus created an allegation against Hazrat Aisha(ra) so that she would fall out of favour in the Holy Prophet’s(sa) sight as a result of which the stature of Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) among the Muslims would also diminish. The Muslims would begin thinking ill of Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) and would abandon the love that they had for him, thereby closing the door for Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) to become the Khalifa after the Holy Prophet(sa). It was for this reason that after the incident of the allegation being levelled against Hazrat Aisha(ra), God Almighty also mentioned the institution of Khilafat in Surah an-Nur of the Holy Quran.
“The ahadith clearly mention that the Companions used to converse among themselves and often said that after the Holy Prophet(sa), if anyone holds a significant rank, it is Abu Bakr(ra). (Sunan Abu Dawud, Kitab as-sunnah, Bab fi l-tafdil)
“There is a hadith that narrates that the Holy Prophet(sa) once said to Hazrat Aisha(ra), ‘O Aisha, I intended to appoint Abu Bakr as my successor; however, I did not say anything because I knew that Allah and the believers would be content with none other than him.’ (Sahih Muslim, Kitab fada’iil s-sahabah, Bab min fada’ili abi bakr)
“In other words, they would unanimously chose Abu Bakr(ra).
“Indeed, the Companions were certain that after the Holy Prophet(sa), the only person among them worthy of succeeding him was Abu Bakr(ra). He alone was deemed fit to become the Khalifa. During the Meccan period, the question of governance and its system did not arise, but after the Holy Prophet(sa) migrated to Medina, a government was established. Naturally, this sparked concern among the hypocrites, who feared that after the Holy Prophet(sa), the institution of Khilafat would be established, which would solidify the Islamic government and lead to their permanent downfall. The opponents, whose hopes had already been shattered by the Holy Prophet’s(sa) arrival in Medina, became anxious.
“History records that the two Arab tribes in Medina, the Aus and Khazraj, were frequently engaged in battles, leading to much bloodshed. When they realised that their constant fighting was weakening their tribes' influence, they decided to reconcile and agreed to unite under one leader. As a result, the Aus and Khazraj tribes made amends and chose Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul to be the king of Medina. After this decision, preparations were made, and a crown was ordered for him.
“During the course of this time, some pilgrims returned from Mecca to Medina and reported that the awaited Prophet had appeared in Mecca and that they had pledged allegiance to him. This news led to talks and discussions about the claim of the Holy Prophet(sa). Soon after, more people from Medina went to Mecca, accepted Islam, and pledged allegiance to the Holy Prophet(sa). They then requested the Holy Prophet(sa) to send a teacher and preacher with them to guide and educate them. The Holy Prophet(sa) sent one of his Companions as a missionary, and many people in Medina embraced Islam.
“Around the same time, the Holy Prophet(sa) and his Companions were facing severe persecution in Makkah. The people of Medina were aware of this and invited the Holy Prophet(sa) to migrate to their city. Subsequently, the Holy Prophet(sa), along with his Companions, migrated to Medina. (Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Nabaza min Zikr Munafiqin wa Bad’i Islam al-Ansar al-Aqabah al-Ula)
“The crown prepared for Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul became meaningless, as the people of Medina no longer needed another king when they had found the King of both worlds [i.e., the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa)]. Upon seeing his chances of becoming a king vanish before his eyes, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul became enraged, and though he outwardly joined the Muslims, he continued to place hurdles for Islam. If he could hope for anything, it would be that after the demise of the Holy Prophet(sa), he could still become the king of Medina . However, God Almighty frustrated even these plans, for even his own son was a devout Muslim. This meant that even if he happened to become king, the leadership would eventually return to Islam.
“Furthermore, God Almighty thwarted his plans by establishing a new system among the Muslims. They began asking the Holy Prophet(sa) various questions about the future of the Islamic government, what would happen after him, and what course of action the Muslims should take. Witnessing this, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul became fearful that the Islamic government would be established in such a way that he would have no part in it. To prevent this, he realised that the only person capable of establishing the Islamic government on Islamic principles was Abu Bakr(ra). He noticed that after the Holy Prophet(sa), the Muslims would naturally turn to Abu Bakr(ra), whom they esteemed above all others.
“Therefore, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul saw his success in discrediting Abu Bakr(ra), diminishing his standing in the eyes of the people, and even tarnishing his reputation in the sight of the Holy Prophet(sa). His opportunity to execute this malicious intent came when Hazrat Aisha(ra) was left behind during one of the expeditions, and this wretched individual slandered her with a vile accusation. Though the Holy Quran only hints at this incident, the ahadith provide more detail. Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul’s objective was to humiliate Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) in the eyes of the people and to strain his relationship with the Holy Prophet(sa). He hoped this would hinder the establishment of the system he saw as inevitable, which would consequently crush his ambitions.
“A hypocrite, in his delusion, always believes his death to be distant and speculates about the deaths of others. Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul, too, thought his death was far off and failed to realise that he would die writhing in agony during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa). He continued to imagine that once the Holy Prophet(sa) passed away, he would become the ruler of Arabia. However, he saw that Abu Bakr’s(ra) piety, righteousness, and greatness were widely acknowledged among the Muslims. When the Holy Prophet(sa) was unable to lead the prayers, Abu Bakr(ra) led them in his place.
“If one was unable to seek an edict from the Holy Prophet(sa), the Muslims would seek the edict from Abu Bakr(ra). Realising this, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul became extremely worried about his hopes for future leadership and so he sought to remove [this worry]. Hence, in order to remove it and to diminish the renown and esteem of Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) in the sight of Muslims, he created an allegation against Hazrat Aisha(ra), so that the Holy Prophet(sa) would develop an aversion to Hazrat Aisha(ra). As a result of developing an aversion for her), he sought to diminish Hazrat Abu Bakr’s(ra) honour in the sight of the Holy Prophet(sa) and all Muslims, thereby halting any chance of him becoming the Khalifah.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 8, pp. 519-524, chapter 24, verse 36)
Whilst mentioning the connection between the incident of the Great Calumny and the Khilafat of Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra), Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud(ra) further writes:
“In Surah an-Nur, the subject matter mentioned from beginning to end is the same. First, the calumny against Hazrat Aisha(ra) is mentioned. The actual reason for this calumny against her was to humiliate Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) and to ruin his relationship with the Holy Prophet(sa) and subsequently diminish his honour in the sight of Muslims. This was so he would not become the Khalifah after the Holy Prophet’s(sa) demise – because Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul had realised that if the Muslims looked towards anyone after the Holy Prophet(sa), it was Abu Bakr(ra) and if Khilafat was established through Abu Bakr(ra), then Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul’s dreams of leadership would never be fulfilled. Therefore, right after mentioning this allegation, Allah the Almighty mentions Khilafat and says that Khilafat is not a monarchy. Rather, it is a means of maintaining the divine light which is why its establishment rests in the hands of Allah the Almighty. To lose Khilafat would be to lose the light of prophethood and the light of God. Hence, He will certainly establish this light, and will appoint whoever He chooses as the Khalifa. In fact, He promises that He will not appoint just a single Khalifah, but will grant the mantle of Khilafat to many from among the Muslims and will thus extend the era of this spiritual light. If you wish to create allegations, then go ahead; you cannot erase Khilafat, nor can you hinder Abu Bakr(ra) from becoming the Khalifa, because Khilafat is a light. This light is one of the manifestations of Allah and no human efforts can erase it.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 8, p. 526, chapter 24, verse 36)
“The state of the Prophets is also such that when God Almighty informs them of a matter, they either distance themselves from it, or adopt it. Observe, in the matter of the calumny against Aisha(ra), the Holy Prophet(sa) was not initially bestowed knowledge regarding it and the matter progressed to the extent that Hazrat Aisha(ra) went to her father’s home and the Holy Prophet(sa) also said that if she had done this this then she should repent. Observation of these incidents clearly shows the degree of anguish which the Holy Prophet(sa) was in, yet the reality was not made apparent to him for some time. However, when God Almighty revealed Hazrat Aisha’s(ra) acquittal and said:
اَلۡخَبِیۡثٰتُ لِلۡخَبِیۡثِیۡنَ وَالۡخَبِیۡثُوۡنَ لِلۡخَبِیۡثٰتِ ۚ وَالطَّیِّبٰتُ لِلطَّیِّبِیۡنَ وَالطَّیِّبُوۡنَ لِلطَّیِّبٰتِ
“(The Holy Quran, 24:27)
“[‘Bad things are for bad men, and bad men are for bad things. And good things are for good men, and good men are for good things’]
“The reality regarding this calumny became clear to him. Does this in any way change the stature of the Holy Prophet(sa)? Absolutely not. Anyone who thinks this, is unjust and does not fear God and has reached the stage of disbelief. The Holy Prophet(sa) never claimed to be a knower of the unseen, nor did any of the other Prophets(as). Being Knower of the Unseen is a rank of God. Had such people been aware of the established ways of the Prophets(as) they would never raise such allegations.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 3, 2022, p. 316)
The Promised Messiah(as) thus also silenced those who raised allegations against him as well.
Mention is also found of the Holy Prophet(sa) mediating peace between the chieftains of Aus and Khazraj. Much resentment had arisen between them. In one narration, it is mentioned that after a few days, the Holy Prophet(sa) took the hand of Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adh(ra) and, along with some other Companions, departed and went to Hazrat Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah(ra). There, they spoke for a short while. Hazrat Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah(ra) presented food, and the Holy Prophet(sa), Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adh(ra), and the other Companions ate from it. Then, the Holy Prophet(sa) left.
The Holy Prophet(sa) waited for a few days, after which he took the hand of Hazrat Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah(ra) and, along with some Companions, went to the home of Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adh(ra) this time. They spoke for a short while; Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adh(ra) offered food, and the Holy Prophet(sa), Hazrat Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah(ra), and the other Companions ate from it. After that, the Holy Prophet(sa) returned. He did this in order to remove the resentment that had developed in their hearts due to the earlier incident. (Waqidi, Kitab al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, p. 371)
In other words, he visited one person’s house with the other, and on the second occasion, he visited the latter’s house with the former so that any ill feeling would dissipate. They both ate there, and fed each other as well, and this way, their resentment was gone. This was one of the methods the Holy Prophet(sa) used to foster love and affection and establish peace between people.
In various narrations, the number of those who had levelled this allegation differs. In one narration by Hazrat Ibn Abbas(ra), the number of those who falsely accused Hazrat Aisha(ra) is mentioned as three. Another narration by Hazrat Ibn Abbas(ra) states that the number was between three and ten. Ibn Uyainah recorded it as forty, while Mujahid mentioned it as between ten to fifteen. (Al-Jami’ li Ahkam al-Quran, Tafsir Qurtubi, Vol. 2, Surah an-Nur 24:12, Dar Ibn Hazm, p. 2169)
Regarding the punishment of those involved in the incident of the Great Calumny, it is mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud that the Holy Prophet(sa) ordered the punishment for two men and one woman, who had spread the rumour about indecency. They were Hazrat Hassan bin Thabit(ra) and Mistah bin Uthatha(ra). Nufaili narrates that people said that the one woman mentioned was Hamnah bint Jahsh. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Hudood, Bab haddi l-qazf, Hadith 4475)
Allamah Mawardi stated that there is a difference of opinion regarding whether those involved in the incident of the Great Calumny were given the hadd punishment [punishment commanded by God]. One opinion is that the Holy Prophet(sa) did not administer the hadd punishment to any of them, while another opinion is that the Holy Prophet(sa) ordered the hadd punishment of Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul, Mistah bin Uthatha, Hassan bin Thabit, and Hamnah bint Jahsh. Imam Qurtubi stated that the most famous narrations and recognised opinions among scholars is that Hassan, Mistah, and Hamnah were given the hadd punishment, but there is no mention of Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulool being given the hadd punishment. (Al-Jami’ li Ahkam al-Quran, Tafsir Qurtubi, Vol. 2, Surah al-Nur 24:12, Dar Ibn Hazm, pp. 2170-2171)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud(ra) stated in a sermon regarding this, “Due to the false accusation against Hazrat Aisha(ra), three individuals were flogged, one of whom was Hassan bin Thabit, the chief poet of the Holy Prophet(sa). Another was Mistah, who was the paternal uncle of Hazrat Aisha(ra) and was the maternal cousin of Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra). He was such a poor man that he lived in the home of Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra). He ate there, and Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) himself would arrange for his clothing. A woman was also among them [the guilty], and all three were punished.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 18, pp. 279-280)
In his commentary of Surah an-Nur, verse 36, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud(ra) further writes about the flogging of Ibn Salul and says:
لِکُلِّ امۡرِیٴٍ مِّنۡہُمۡ مَّا اکۡتَسَبَ مِنَ الۡاِثۡمِ
“‘That among those who make accusations, each shall receive a punishment according to what they have earned.’
“Thus, those who participated in the conspiracy to level accusations were each given eighty lashes. And then it is stated:
وَالَّذِیۡ تَوَلّٰی کِبۡرَہٗ مِنۡہُمۡ لَہٗ عَذَابٌ عَظِیۡمٌ
“‘However, there is one person among them who is the greatest mischief maker, and is the founder of all this discord, namely Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul. Not only will We flog him, but We will also punish him ourselves.’ In accordance with this warning, he was also flogged (Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Bab maghaziyyati rasulillah(sa), Ghazwatu ani mustaliq)
“Later he also received punishment from Allah the Almighty. He died during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet(sa) whilst writhing in agony.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 8, p. 524, chapter 24, verse 36)
This brings these accounts to a conclusion.
Regarding the Jalsa Salana in Germany, I would like to say that the attendees, whether they were external guests or those who attended for the first time, expressed very positive sentiments and were very happy, complimenting the overall environment. Similarly, through the various modes of media and news outlets, the true message of Islam and Ahmadiyyat reached millions. As such, the Jalsa is a great means of propagation, enabling the message of Islam to reach such places where we ourselves are unable to reach. May Allah the Almighty enable this to bear virtuous and long lasting results and enable Ahmadis to always truly derive benefit from this.
Continue to focus on prayers. May Allah the Almighty always keep us wrapped in His mantle of grace and mercy.
At the end, I will also mention a deceased person and will lead their funeral prayer [in absentia], insha-Allah.
Imam Muhammad Bello Sahib was from Sudan, and recently passed away.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَیۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
The President of the Jamaat in Sudan writes about him, that the incident of his Bai’at was as follows: In 1966, an Ahmadi Imam from Nigeria, Isa Abdullah Bin Lail Sahib, came to visit him as a guest and preached to the villagers. The late Imam Muhammad Bin Bello was the first to have the opportunity to do Bai‘at. In those days, it was not possible to contact the Khalifa or the headquarters from Sudan; however, these Ahmadi members remained firm in their faith in Ahmadiyyat.
They faced severe opposition. Imam Muhammad Bello Sahib used to lead the Ahmadis in prayer. There, the Ahmadi Mosque was made of grass and straw, a sort of hut, which the non-Ahmadis set on fire, and they expelled the Ahmadis from the village. As a result, these Ahmadis migrated southward. There too they built a small mosque of grass and straw. Opposition arose there as well, and the opponents burned down the Ahmadi mosque and expelled the Ahmadis from that area.
One party of these Ahmadis moved far away from there, while the other, which included Imam Bello, went to Dueim city. There, they became guests of Abdullah Bin Awaz Qasim Sahib, who was the principal of Jamia Bakht al-Rida, but their families opposed them, and these Ahmadis were also expelled from there. These helpless people were driven out from there as well. Finally, they decided to go to Nigeria, to Imam Isa Abdullah Bin Lail Sahib, through whom they had become Ahmadis. Thus, this group of poor Ahmadis, along with their wives and children, set off for Nigeria riding on donkeys and other animals, but mostly on foot.
They had no provisions for the journey, nor visa documents, etc. There were many difficulties on the journey; however, they possessed the wealth of faith. They safeguarded their faith and continued their migration with the same zeal and passion, and never sacrificed their religion. Eventually, they reached Nigeria and stayed with Imam Isa Bin Lail Sahib for thirteen years. After that, Imam Isa Sahib advised them to return to Sudan based on a dream. They did not like this suggestion, but Imam Isa told them that it was a command from their Lord. Reluctantly, they agreed to return to Sudan. Imam Isa Sahib was shown in a dream that these people would return to Sudan after three years. After the completion of three years, these Ahmadi emigrants set out for their homeland. Imam Muhammad Bello was the first to return. In Sudan, they settled back in their original village, Kiuneza. This was in 2010. After the return of these Ahmadis to Sudan, a group called Boko Haram emerged in Nigeria. If these Sudanese Ahmadis had been in Nigeria at that time, only God knows how this group would have treated them. It was then that they understood the divine, hidden wisdom behind their return from Nigeria. However, upon returning to Kuneza, they once again faced severe opposition. The small mosque that they had built was burned down once more. Their homes were attacked, and cases were filed against them. They were again expelled from the village.
Then the current war began, and the situation throughout Sudan worsened, with no one remaining safe there. The Ahmadis also scattered into various parts of Sudan, in order to save their lives and find peace, and even now in different areas, they are living in great hardship and poverty. May Allah the Almighty elevate the rank of the deceased, grant him forgiveness, and strengthen the faith of the remaining Ahmadis. May Allah the Almighty change their circumstances, and as I mentioned, there is great unrest in the country; may Allah the Almighty bring an end to this disorder. May Allah the Almighty have mercy on these people and make them fulfil the rights of one another. May Muslims fulfil the rights of brotherhood towards each other, and may Allah the Almighty remove the discord within Islamic governments. May Allah the Almighty grant Ahmadis the ability to live a life of true peace and tranquillity.
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