Some simpletons say that we must respect Ayesha because Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) has asked us to do so!! To prove their point, they quote the following:
Nahjul Balagha Sermon No. 155 (Arabic: Sermon No. 156) Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) says,
“As regards a certain woman (Ayesha), she is in the grip of womanly views, and malice is boiling in her bosom like the furnace of the blacksmith. If she were called upon to deal with others as she is dealing with me she would not have done it. And as for her (despite her hatred) after this is her original sanctity (i.e. return to the house of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in Medina), while the reckoning (of her misdeeds) is an obligation on Allah.”
Points of note in this:
1. Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) has addressed Ayesha with the word some woman (فُلاَنَةُ) rather than her name which is a word of disrespect among Arabs.
2. He (a.s.) has mentioned that she hated him like the furnace of a blacksmith.
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) says, “O Ali! Your love is faith and piety and your hatred is disbelief and hypocrisy” – Behar al-Anwaar vol. 39, p. 42
Nisaai records in his Sunan that, it was narrated that ‘Ali (a.s.) said:
“The Prophet [s.a.w.a.] made a covenant with me that none would love me but a believer, and none would hate me but a hypocrite.”
Sunan an-Nisai Book 47 Hadith 38
There are hundreds of such traditions that denounce those who hate Ameerul Momineen Ali (a.s.). Ayesha was certainly one of them as is clear from this Sermon! Not only she hated Ali (a.s.) but her hatred was to such an extent that it was like the furnace of a blacksmith! Brothers and Sisters! Which Muslim – in his right mind – will expect respect for the woman who hated Ali (a.s.) to this extent? Here, we are not even talking about her other several crimes like:
- Hating Umm al-Momineen Hazrat Janab-e-Khadijah al-Kubra (s.a.) – Sahih Bukhari Book 97, Hadith 110
- Troubling the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) Sahih Bukhari Book 65, Hadith 4961
- Making Hazrat Zahra (a.s.) – the Chief of all women of the universe – cry – (Al Khisal of Shaikh Saduq (a.r.) – vol 2, pg. 405)
- Attributing false traditions to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) Sahih Bukhari Book 66, Hadith 62
- Bringing down the position of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) through forged traditions like watching song and dance and making her do so too!! Sahih Bukhari Book 63, Hadith 157
- Waging a war against Ameerul Momineen Ali (a.s.)
- Celebrating the martyrdom of Ameerul Momineen Ali (a.s.)
- Shooting the first arrow at the holy corpse of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (a.s.)
- Accused other wives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) – the real mothers of believers – like Janaab-e-Maariyaa of adultery and bearing the son of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) out of wedlock!! (Tafseer-e-Shaykh Ali ibn Ibrahim Qummi vol 2, p. 99)
- Allowing strange men to sleep in her house after the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and shamelessly talking about their being junub!! Sahih Muslim Book 2, Hadith 134
The list is endless. If a common Muslim had committed even one of these crimes, he would be outside the realm of Islam. But when a companion or wife commits it, it is acceptable?!
3. The literal translation of the statement (وَلَهَا بَعْدُ حُرْمَتُهَا الاْولَى) is “As for her after this is her original sanctity”. Her sanctity was only that he (a.s.) treated her with grace and not with justice. Otherwise, as per the law of the Shariah which is acknowledged by ALL MUSLIMS regardless of their sects, anybody who revolts against a truthful Imam should be killed!! No Muslim worth his salt can dispute this unanimous verdict of the Shariah!
The action of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) where he gave amnesty to Abu Sufyan and Hind (the one who ate the liver of Hazrat Hamza (a.s.)) on the day of the conquest of Mecca. Does this mean we start treating them with respect?
4. And the final portion of the tradition (وَالْحِسَابُ عَلَى اللهِ) makes it clear that her abode is Hell.
5. The question is: Why Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) DID NOT KILL OR IMPRISON HER? The response is provided by our infallible Imams (a.s.) that he (a.s) on account of his foreknowledge knew that soon after him – i.e. the event of Karbala circa 61 A.H. – his daughters viz. Zainab, Umm Kulthum and others, will be held captive by the enemies of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) and lovers of Ayesha like Yazid and Ibn Ziyad. It was a matter of honor amongst the Arabs to return a favor of this nature with a similar favor. If he (a.s.) spares her today, they will spare his daughters tomorrow!