Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
4. Sublime Character
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with those who honour their ties with you; it means
honouring your ties with those who severe their ties
with you.’ The well-known case of ‘A’ishah, wife of
the Prophet and daughter of Abu Bakr, being
accused of adultery, is an apt illustration of this
principle.
This accusation brought against ‘A’ishah when she
was accidentally left behind while returning from
the expedition to Banu al-Mustaliq (A.H. 6), then
rescued by a young companion of the Prophet by
the name of Safwan ibn al-Mu’attal was absolutely
slanderous. Indeed, the episode has become famous
in Islamic history as the “case of the slander.’ One of
the persons responsible for fabricating it and then
spreading it far and wide was a relative of Abu
Bakr named Mistah. When Abu Bakr learnt that
Mistah was one of those who had defamed his
innocent daughter, he cut off the allowance that he
used to grant Mistah as a needy relative. When Abu
Bakr took this step, God revealed this verse of the
Qur’an to His Prophet:
Let not the honourable and rich among you
swear not to give to their kindred, the poor,
