The Quran bestows the title of “Mother of the Believers” (Umm Al Mumineen) to Aisha (رضّى الله عنها), Hafsa (رضّى الله عنها), and the rest of the Prophet’s wives:
“The Prophet is closer to the believers than their ownselves, and his wives are their mothers.” (Quran, 33:6)
Therefore, anyone who declares “baraa” (disassociation) from Aisha (رضّى الله عنها) and says that she is not his mother, such a person is not a believer. In order to be a believer, a Muslim must accept all of the Prophet’s wives as his mothers as decreed in the quoted verse. He must treat Aisha (رضّى الله عنها) with the same respect that he treats his own mother with. Let us see what the Quran says about respecting one’s parents:
“Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: ‘My Lord! bestow on them Your Mercy…’” (Quran, 17:23-24).
Allah says again: “And (there is one) who says to his parents ‘oof’ ! …for they are those in loss!” (Quran, 46:17-18)
If Aisha (رضّى الله عنها) is the mother of the believers, then the people who slander her, insult her, and criticize her are not believers. We wonder what will be the fate of those who speak of Aisha (رضّى الله عنها) with contempt, who repel Aisha (رضّى الله عنها), disassociate themselves from her [i.e. “baraa”], and call her an enemy of Islam? How can the mother of Muslims, as declared by Allah, be an enemy of the Muslims?
Why would Allah bestow this honor upon Aisha (رضّى الله عنها) and Hafsa (رضّى الله عنها) if they were the enemies of the Muslims? Surely then Allah would have addressed them with the title of Umm Al Nasibioon (Mother of the Nasibis). Why would Allah try to confuse the believers by complimenting a supposed enemy of Islam? Was Allah trying to fool us? In another verse in the Quran, Allah addresses the Prophet’s wives (رضّى الله عنهم) as “Ahlel Bayt”:
“O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other of the women; If you will be on your guard, then be not soft in your speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease yearn; and speak a good word. And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance; and establish regular Prayer, and give regular Charity; and obey Allah and His Messenger. And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, you Ahlel Bayt (People of the House), and to make you pure and spotless.” (Quran, 33:32-33)
Allah bestowed upon Aisha (رضّى الله عنها) and Hafsa (رضّى الله عنها) the special honor of being addressed in the Quran as both Ahlel Bayt and Umm Al Mumineen, a position of double respect not given to anyone else other than the Prophet’s wives (رضّى الله عنهم). This is something for our Shia brothers to reflect upon. Do they really feel comfortable criticizing people who have been elevated to such a high status by Allah in the Quran? Can any Shia claim to be mentioned in the Quran in such a manner? No mainstream Muslim is mentioned in the Quran like this either. Based on this, everyone alive today should know their place in this world as inferior to the Prophet’s wives; and inferior people should not criticize those higher in rank than them (i.e. higher in the ranks of Allah). We ask: are any of the contemporary Shia Ayatollahs mentioned in the Quran and bestowed an honor like the Prophet’s wives? The answer is a resounding no: none of them are mentioned in the Quran, and so it is up to the Shia wether or not he chooses to follow those honored in the Quran (i.e. the Prophet’s wives) or those who malign those honored in the Quran.
Would our Shia brothers enjoy it if their local Ayatollahs delivered sermons denouncing their biological mothers? Would our Shia brothers enjoy it if Al-Islam.org or other Shia websites broadcasted slander against their biological mothers like they dedicate page after page denouncing Aisha (رضّى الله عنها)? Al-Islam.org has a whole page dedicated to the charge that Aisha (رضّى الله عنها) was a jealous woman. Answering-Ansar has a page dedicated on their site to condemning the Prophet’s wife. Would believers find it acceptable and within religious protocolto insult their own biological mothers? Yet, an insult against Aisha (رضّى الله عنها) is a personal insult to all the believers. Recently, the Muslims rallied against the Denmark newspaper which insulted the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم); should we not also rally against the forces that insult his wives and the Mothers of all the Believers?
Should we not heed the word of Allah and lower the wing of humility to Aisha (رضّى الله عنها), the Mother of the Believers? Should we not, in fact, pray for her and the rest of the Prophet’s wives as mentioned in the Quran: “My Lord! bestow on them Your Mercy…” (Quran, 17:23-24)
Article Written By: Ibn al-Hashimi, www.ahlelbayt.com
