| 26 September 2009
Muhammad’s lust and his “god”
Aisha, one of Muhammad’s wives , says to him:
-"Ma era rabbeke illa yüsariu hevake" See: Buhari, e's-Sahih, Kitabu't-Tefsir/33/7,Kitabu'n-Nikah/29;From Diyanet publication of Tecrid, hadith no:1721;Müslim, e's-Sahih, Kitabu'r-Rıda/49,hadith no:1464;İbn Mace Sünen, Kitabu'No:-Nikah/57, hadith No: 200; Ahmed İbn Hanbel,6/134,158)
What is the meaning of this sentence ?
“I see that your God immediately *grants you *your wish. ” *(Ahmed Davudoğlu, Sahih-i Müslim Terceme ve Şerhi. 7/402)
“Your God rushes to fulfill *(not your wives’) only your wish.” (Translation by Kamil Miras, Diyanet Publications - Turkey)
Aisha’s expression can also be translated as;
“ I see that your God is only working to fulfill your thing’s pleasure ( heva) ”
It is clearly stated in the Hadith that the God is working to fulfill only Muhammad’s sexual pleasure ( heva).
“Heva” means: human desire, want. But , here it is not meant to be an ordinary desire; sexual desire ( lust) is meant. Because the main subject of this hadith is about sexual desire. Also, the first time Arabic word “heva” is used for the same meaning ( sexual desire) *. Ragip also says: “heva” means “Mevlun’nefsi ile'eş-şehveti” ( See Mufredat, Heva). In other words “human will ( or self) leaning towards sexual desire.”
Ragip mentions in the same place that “Heva” can be interchangeable with “human will (self) that leans towards sexual desire.”
Why does Aisha say that ?
Muhammad has many wives. Except his old wife , Sawda bint Zama, all of them are beautiful. And every one of them have sexual desires. In the name of justice, Muhammad’s sexual intercourse with his wives were put in order. Except Sawda, none of them wanted to give up their turn. At this circumstances, a verse comes from God and the situation is changed.
Muhammad’s “heva” ( sexual pleasure) gets more importance than *justice:
Muhammad’s selection of the woman ( whom to sleep with) , depending on his sexual desire , as expressed with the word “heva” in the hadith, overpowers the justice and the order of selection is nullified by this verse in favor of Muhammad’s wishes:
“(O Muhammad !) You may put off whom you please of them ( your wives) , and you may take to you whom you please, and whom you desire of those whom you had separated provisionally; no blame attaches to you; this is most proper, so that their eyes may be cool and they may not grieve, and that they should be pleased, all of them with what you give them, and Allah knows what is in your hearts; and Allah is Knowing, Forbearing.” – Surah : 33(AL-AHZAB) verse :51
What does this mean ?
According to Hadith and explanations it means that:
“O Muhammad ! , From now the order of selection is not obligatory for you. You can put off the wife whose turn comes and select another whom you desire and sleep with her. “
In summary: Muhammad’s sexual affair with his wives was made easier by Quran’s God. God abrogated the obligatory system of order and said “ You are free to sleep with any of your wives you choose”
Upon this , *Aisha cannot hold herself anymore and says :
“ I see that your God is only working to fulfill your thing’s pleasure …”
Aisha admits that, she understood the situation when Al-Ahzap 51st verse was revealed and she did not understood at the time of 50th verse, that is why she respond to *the revelation of 50th verse , as it is *mentioned in it about a woman who gives *herself (without marriage payment) to the prophet:
“Is it ever possible ? Does not a woman feel ashamed of herself , giving herself to a man as a present ?” ( Tecrid, Hadith no:1721)
Privileged ones within his wives :
Muhammad liked some of his wives better than others. He also supported some more than others. Aisha was the most supported one by him. She was Abu Bakr’s daughter, that is why she was influential. Even sometimes she challenged Muhammad. As she was smart, she gained some privileges. When Muhammad’s order of sexual affairs with his wives was abrogated ( by the verse) , she was the best one to take advantage of this situation. *She took the “day” (one’s turn of sexual affair with him) from old Sawda bint Zama *who was trying to please Muhammad in order not to be divorced. *She also took other wives’ turns and slept with Muhammad. She did not give up her turn ( or day) *even though Muhammad wanted to sleep with an other woman.
Aisha: “ I won’t give up my day to anyone ! “
According to Aisha : Even after the revelation of surah Al-Ahzap verse 51 which gave Muhammad freedom to choose to sleep with any of his wives anytime he wanted, he had to ask permission from Aisha to sleep with another woman during Aisha’s “day”. He asked her permission but Aisha did not give:
-“If I have the authority to give permission or not, I do not want to give. God’s prophet ! You should know that I do not prefer anyone to be ( or sleep ) with you.” ( See Buhari, e's-Sahih, Kitabu Tefsiri'l-Kur'an/33/7)
As it is understood from the hadith, Muhammad could not say a word to Aisha’s rebellious acts; he did not or could not say “ There is the verse, the verse which gives me the permission to sleep with any of my wives whomever I desire “
Faction between Muhammad’s wives:
Prophet’s wives split into two groups: On one side : Aisha , Saffiyya and Sawda. On the other side: Umm Salama and prophet’s other wives. Muslims knew Muhammad’s love for Aisha; For this reason, when someone among them *wanted to give a present to prophet, he would delay it until Aisha had gone to her room.
Muhammad’s wives: “We want justice !”
Then, Umm Salama started complaining about it. The woman on her side went to Umm Salama saying to her:
-Umm Salama ! Say to the prophet. He should speak to everyone and make an announce that; If anyone wants to give a present to prophet , he should give it to him without paying attention to which one of his wives is next to the prophet. *
Muhammad does not care:
Umm Salama, told prophet what his wives said to her. But prophet said nothing. The wives came and asked Umm Salama:
-What did prophet say ?
- He didn’t say anything to me.
-Then, tell him again !
Umm Salama, on her “day” ( of sexual affair) told prophet, *again. But again , prophet did not say anything. When wives asked again, she said “prophet didn’t say anything to me”. And wives asked her to do *the same till he replies. When prophet came back to her for sexual relationship , Umm Salama told him what the other wives told her. This time prophet said:
Muhammad: “I receive revelation only on Aisha’s day ! “
-Don’t make me upset about Aisha ! Understand that *I do not receive any revelation while any other woman is in my arms but receive only when she is in my arms. *
Upon this, Umm Salama said:
-O God’s Apostle ! Because I upset you, I turn to God and repent !
Wives asked Muhammad’ daughter Fatima to be the mediator:
Then, the same women appealed to prophet’s daughter Fatima ; then sent her to prophet and asked her to tell him:
-Your Wives , for the sake of God, *ask you to ( stop favoring and ) act with justice about Abu Bakr’s daughter (Aisha)
Mediation of Fatima doesn’t produce any results:
Fatima , told prophet whatever his wives asked her to tell. But prophet responded :
-My dear daughter ! Do you love whoever I love ? *
Fatima responded:
-Yes !
Prophet:
-Then, love Aisha , too !
49 years old man ( Muhammad) married a 6 years old child (Aisha) :
Again, Aisha tells the story in this hadith:
At the beginning of this hadith, Aisha said:
-“Prophet married me; I was six years old at the time.”
Yes, on one side 49 years old Muhammad, on the other side 6 years old Aisha, they got married. The fact that Aisha was 6 years old when Muhammad married her had to be accepted by Islamic tradition. Because this hadith that tells us the story is accepted as an indisputable and *dependable (sahih) type of hadiths. That is , it is found in both Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim which are the most respected collection of hadiths in Islamic tradition. * *
As it is told, *the marriage happened, but the entrance to nuptial chamber *( sexual intercourse ) did not happen for three more years. After this period , they entered to the nuptial chamber.
9 years old Aisha enters to the nuptial chamber with 52 years old Muhammad:
Let’s look at the hadith. Aisha is the narrator:
-“ The Prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six (years). We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Bani-al-Harith bin Khazraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell down. Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Umm Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girl friends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me. She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when my breathing became alright, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said:
- Best wishes and God's Blessing and a good luck.
Then my mother entrusted me to them and they neatly prepared me . Unexpectedly God's Apostle came to me in the forenoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age.”
Aisha was a child who was playing in a swing when she was taken to Muhammad’ arms. In other words, Muhammad , at the age of 52 , *had an intercourse *with this child. *
When a girl reaches the age of 9, she becomes the “subject of lust” in Islamic tradition:
As Aisha was engaged into intercourse with Muhammad at the age of 9, Islamic law (Sharia) derives from this hadith the following: “A girl of 9 years old is at the age suitable for sexual intercourse. And because of this reason, it is lawful to marry a girl of 9 years old. “
Aisha grew up as Muhammad’s wife and at the age of 18-19 she became a very young widow like some other wives of Muhammad when he died. And she was forbidden to marry again as she and other wives were considered as the mothers of all Muslim believers.
Aisha’s lost necklace and Safwan:
Muhammad is in preparation for a trip to attack Bani Mustaliq at night. Year : 627 A.D. He also took Aisha with him. If the date of nuptial chamber when Aisha was only 9 years old is 623 A.D. , she must be then only 13 years old. Same age as Juwairiya , who had been captured as a booty at the end of night raid and given to Muhammad as a bride because of her beauty. A covered litter borne on a camel (Howdah); and Aisha was in it. They arrived, raided and accomplished whatever they aimed to and started to return back. Destination was towards Medina. Then, they stayed at a rest place for sometime. In some section of the night. Then, they started the journey again. At this same moment something happened: She left the group to urinate or defecate . Wouldn’t it have been better if she had told that she was leaving ? Yes, it would, but she didn’t tell anybody. After she finished her job , she returned, but something went wrong: when she checked her bosom she realized that she had lost her necklace. Then, she returned back to search her necklace. As her howdah was covered and nobody realized that she was not in it, the group resumed their journey. Aisha found her necklace but at this time of the night she was alone in the middle of the road. She returned back to the rest place and waited them to come back to pick her up. While she was waiting she fell asleep. At this moment: Safwan bin Al-Muattal arrived the place as he was traveling behind the group. He was surprised to see her there and expressed his surprise. Upon his expression Aisha was awakened. Safwan took her to his camel, they started the journey. Then, at another rest place they caught up with the group. At this moment, rumor started as Aisha told this story it must be the reality. (please see Sahih Bukhari - Book of *Witnesses Volume 3, Book 48 , Number 829 and *Sahih Muslim *- The Book Pertaining to Repentance and Exhortation to Repentance (Kitab Al-Tauba): Book 037, Number 6673 )
Questions about this event that come to the mind:
1) Why did not Aisha tell anybody when she was leaving the group to urinate or defecate ? If the reason is that she was a child ; isn’t that suitable for her being deceived by somebody ?
2) When Aisha was leaving, how come didn’t anybody from the group see her ? If somebody had seen her, why wasn’t her return waited ? If her return wasn’t observed, why did they reached the conclusion that “she *returned and entered the howdah !” ?
3) As it is mentioned in the hadith, there were servants who were to help Aisha to get off from the camel and get on again while she was in the howdah. (please see the same hadith sources) As howdah had been brought down at the resting place, why didn’t they look inside to see if Aisha was there or not, *before loading howdah back onto the camel ?
4) The one who served her could have looked. Again, according to the hadiths, when hijab - to cover up, hiding women’s body under the cover - was not put into effect by verses of Quran , Sawfan had seen Aisha. (please see the same hadith sources) That means Sawfan and Aisha knew each other. Couldn’t this acquaintance possibly lead to a higher level relationship – an affair ? *
Aisha was accused of adultery:
Talks about what Aisha and Sawfan had done together while on the road was getting attention. Suspicion was intensifying. Gossip was spreading. It became increasingly widespread. Even , Muhammad’s attitude towards Aisha changed and became different than before: Aisha said: “ After I came to Medina, I was sick for a month. During that time, I wasn’t aware that slanderers were spreading gossip about me. While I was sick , something happened which made me suspicious: I was not receiving the same kindness from Allah's Apostle as I used to receive when I got sick. Now, he would only come , greet me and say ‘How are you ?’ and leave. (please see the same hadith sources)
After hearing these rumors , Aisha was saddened. She was adversely affected by these events, *hence her sickness got worse. She asked permission from Muhammad and went to her father’s house. There, she waited for a divine explanation about her situation. (please see the same hadith sources)
Somehow expected revelation doesn’t come:
In the hadith, the delay of the revelation about this event is reported. And Muhammad gathered his companions around him to solve the problem of his separation from his wife, Aisha. Ali was among them. Ali stated his opinion as;
- “O Apostle of Allah, Allah didn’t restricted in this world , did he ! There is woman other than Aisha, there are lots of women !” (please see the same hadith sources)
Ali also told Muhammad that he can talk to Aisha’s maid-servant, Barira to learn the truth. When Muhammad asked her witness of the events, maid-servant told him that she only knows nothing but goodness about her mistress. As Muhammad was thoroughly investigating from several other sources, he must have been extremely suspicious. This suspicion can be seen clearly from the same hadith where he said to Aisha;
Muhammad: “Aisha ! If you have such a guilt, repent !”
- “Aisha! I heard rumors as such and such about you ( it is about whether Sawfan and she had an affair). If you didn’t do this crime, Allah will exculpate you. If you did, because of your crime turn to Allah and repent! Because if a servant of His takes the responsibility of the crime and repent, then Allah will accept this repentance.” Aisha wanted her father and mother to respond to what Muhammad just said. But when they didn’t, she responded back *to Muhammad and told him that she will patiently wait for the consequences.
And at last the revelation comes:
After the conversation, Aisha returned to her bed. “waiting”… Aisha, as she said, she wasn’t waiting for a revelation of Quran about her. She had an explanation such as “ who I am that God will send a revelation of Quran about my problem !” Again, according to her explanation, she waiting for *Muhammad to see a dream and her being exculpated in that dream. But the events progressed beyond what she waited for: Muhammad entered his usual state of mind as it happened every moment of revelation. Then, he said that he received a revelation about this event. Aisha’s mother told her to get up and thank Muhammad. But, Aisha refused to do that; as the revelation was from God , she said that she must thank not Muhammad but God .
At once , “18 verses” arrives about Aisha not having committed adultery;
After such delay of time ( one month according to the hadith) , the revelation had arrived. And also, *10 verses at once according to some sources, 18 verses according to others ( please see An-Noor/The light Surah 24 verses 11-20. According to this section of Quran total number is 10 verses. But in tafsirs [ Quranic Exegesis ] it is stated that total number of verses is 18. Please see Nesefi, Tafsir , 3/134 or F.Razi, e’t-Tefsiru’l-Kebir, 23/173.) These verses can be found in the 24th Surah ( An-Noor/The light) in the today’s version of Quran , whose original content cannot be known as *they burned the first and second original edition of Quran ( please see the following articles about this). In these verses, requirement of four witnesses is called for to prove that there is a crime of adultery. And they state that if this requirement is not fulfilled , then it will be a slanderous act, and without giving names condemn these slanderers harshly. *
Following is from some of the verses: ( From the Quran translation by Mohsin Khan)
-Verily! Those who brought forth the slander (against Aisha the wife of the Prophet SAW) are a group among you. Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay, it is good for you. Unto every man among them will be paid that which he had earned of the sin, and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be a great torment. Why then, did not the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander) think good of their own people and say: "This (charge) is an obvious lie?" Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they (the slanderers) have not produced witnesses! Then with Allah they are the liars. Had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had spoken. When you were propagating it with your tongues, and uttering with your mouths that whereof you had no knowledge, you counted it a little thing, while with Allah it was very great. And why did you not, when you heard it, say? "It is not right for us to speak of this. Glory be to You (O Allah) this is a great lie." (An-Noor/The light , verses 11- 16)
The same verses from translation by Yusuf Ali :
- Those who brought forward the lie are a body among yourselves: think it not to be an evil to you; On the contrary it is good for you: to every man among them (will come the punishment) of the sin that he earned, and to him who took on himself the lead among them, will be a penalty grievous. Why did not the believers - men and women - when ye heard of the affair,- put the best construction on it in their own minds and say, "This (charge) is an obvious lie"? Why did they not bring four witnesses to prove it? When they have not brought the witnesses, such men, in the sight of Allah, (stand forth) themselves as liars! Were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, in this world and the Hereafter, a grievous penalty would have seized you in that ye rushed glibly into this affair. Behold, ye received it on your tongues, and said out of your mouths things of which ye had no knowledge; and ye thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the sight of Allah. And why did ye not, when ye heard it, say? - "It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to Allah! this is a most serious slander!" (An-Noor/The light , verses 11- 16)
Again some questions:
1- When there were rumors about Aisha , people who heard this rumors are condemned by verse no. 12 and 13 , because they did not say “ This is clearly a lie. This is a serious slander.” Doesn’t that condemnation by verses encompass not only Muhammad’s companions but also himself ? Because they did not have the opinion that it was “clearly a lie, a serious slander” :
- Let’s take Ali’s case: As he didn’t have such opinions, he even imply that Muhammad should divorce Aisha. *
- Let’s take Muhammad’s case: As he didn’t himself have such opinions ( that it was just a slander), he suggested to Aisha that she should repent to God if she had committed crime ( adultery) as it was claimed by others.
2- Also, how can it be expected from anybody to decide strongly that it is a slander without any proof ? Of course it cannot be concluded that adultery was committed *without any proof , either. But, how can anybody be condemned because they didn’t reach an decision and say that it was “clearly a lie, a serious slander” ?
3- As it is understood from the verses and some rumor : Mischief-makers were not the only ones who were spreading the rumor about Aisha.
- Let’s look at verse no. 14 : “Had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had spoken”. Therefore, there had been Grace and Mercy *of God unto those who spread those bad words not only in this world but also *afterlife. These people referred here cannot be the mischief-makers, *who were counted as infidels in Heaven. In other words these people are Muslims other than mischief-makers.
- The “leader” mentioned in the 11th verse was the head of mischief-makers , Abdullah Ibn Ubay as speculated by some, but according to others he was an important person like Muhammad’s famous poet Hassan Ibn Sabit. ( please see Tabari, Camiu’l-Beyan, 18/69-70 ; F.Razi, 23/174 ; Tefsiru’n-Nesefi, 3/134)
How about these questions?
4- If His intensions was to do so , why didn’t God send revelation to explain before the rumors appeared and spread ? Why did he wait one month, and saddened everybody, especially His Apostle and Apostle’s dear wife ? Why did the events happen this way ?
5 – Is it a realistic approach to ask four witnesses to prove adultery ?
As it is described in the hadith : An influential member of Banu al-'Ajlan clan, Asim bin Adi and from the same clan Uwaimir Al-'Ajlani *asked a question to the Prophet :
- If a man comes and finds out that his wife is having sex with another man what should he do ? If he finds him on her ? If he tries to find four witnesses , the adulterous man will finish what he is *doing and leave !!! Should we search for witnesses or ..? ( to look at *the hadith and different version of this question, please see ; F.Râzî, 23/164; Buhâri, e's-Sahih, Kitabu Tefsiri'l-Kur'an/24/1; Tecrîd, hadith no: 1716; Ebu Dâvüd, Sünen, Kitabu't-Talâk/27, hadith no: 1716; Ebu Dâvûd, Sünen, Kitabu't-Talâk/27, no: 2245.)
Isn’t that question based on the requirement of four witnesses to prove adultery ?
