Revelation, and the Innocence of ʿĀ'ishah

"I swear the Messenger of Allah had not left his seat before Allah sent down upon him what He used to send. He was wrapped up in his cloak and a pillow of leather was placed beneath his head." So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was now receiving waḥy. "As for myself, when I witnessed this, I swear I felt no alarm or concern. I knew that I was innocent and that Allah wouldn't harm me. However, I swear by Him who bears ʿĀ'ishah's soul in His hands, that as soon as the Messenger of Allah recovered, I thought my parents would expire for fear that confirmation of what people had been saying would come from Allah." Subḥān Allāh: ʿĀ'ishah is saying that her parents were worried that Qur'an would come to confirm the accusation that ʿĀ'ishah had committed zinā, and this shows how dangerous these rumours could be, that it reached the extent that the parents of ʿĀ'ishah were worried.

"Having recovered," ʿĀ'ishah continues, "the Messenger of Allah sat up, his face streamed with droplets like a winter's day. He began wiping the sweat from his face and saying, 'Rejoice, ʿĀ'ishah. Allah, Almighty and Glorious as He is, has sent down confirmation of your innocence.' I said, 'Al-ḥamdu lillāh.' He then went out to the people, addressed them, and recited to them what Allah the Almighty and Glorious had revealed from Qur'an on the subject. He then gave orders about Misṭaḥ ibn Uthāthah, Ḥassān ibn Thābit and Ḥamnah, these having been the most outspoken in their calumny, and they received the flogging prescribed by law."

This is the story of al-Ifk as narrated by ʿĀ'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). In a different narration, it says that when these āyāt were revealed and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) told her the news, the mother of ʿĀ'ishah told her, "Go and walk up to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and thank him." She said, "No, I won't. I am only going to thank Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." So she was still a bit upset, may Allah be pleased with her.