'A'isha frees forty slaves as an expiation for her oath
Where does the Prophet (S.A.W.) stand as opposed to his wife, 'A'isha, who offered an expiation for an oath she broke by freeing forty slaves; is she more pious and pure than the Prophet of Allah?
Al-Bukhari reported in his Sahih in "The Book of Etiquettes" in "The Chapter of Avoidance and the Saying of the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.): 'It is not permissible for a man to avoid his brother for more than three [days]".Volume 7, p. 90. "'A'isha said that she was told that 'Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr on hearing that she was selling or giving something given to her as a gift, said: 'By Allah, if 'A'isha does not give this up, I will declare her incompetent to dispose [of her wealth]'. I said: 'Did he say so?' They said: 'Yes'. She said: 'I vow to Allah that I will never speak to Ibn al-Zubayr'. When this desertion lasted long, 'Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr sought intercession with her, but she said: 'By Allah, I will not accept the intercession of anyone for him, and will not break my vow'. When this was prolonged on Ibn al-Zubayr, he said to al-Miswar b. Makhrama and 'Abd al-Rahman b. al-Aswad b. 'Abu Yaghuth, who were from the tribe of Banu Zahra: 'I beseech you, by Allah, to let me enter upon 'A'isha, for it is unlawful for her to vow to cut relations with me'. So al-Miswar and 'Abd al-Rahman, wrapping their sheets around themselves, asked 'A'isha's permission saying: 'Peace and Allah's Mercy and Blessings be upon you! Shall we come in?' 'A'isha said: 'Come in'. They said: 'All of us?' She said: 'Yes, come in all of you', not knowing that Ibn al-Zubayr was also with them. So when they entered, Ibn al-Zubayr entered the screened place and got hold of 'A'isha and started requesting her to excuse him and wept. Al-Miswar and 'Abd al-Rahman also started requesting her to speak to him and to accept his repentance. They said: 'The Prophet (S.A.W.) forbade what you know of avoiding for it is unlawful for any Muslim not to talk to his brother for more than three nights'. So when they continually reminded her and brought her down to a critical situation, she started reminding them, and wept saying: 'I have made a vow, and [the question of] vow is a difficult one'. They persisted [in their appeal] till she spoke with 'Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr and she manumitted forty slaves as an expiation for her vow. Later on, whenever she remembered her vow, she used to weep so much that her veil used to become wet with her tears".
Even though the vow of 'A'isha was not proper because the Prophet (S.A.W.) forbade a Muslim to avoid his brother for more than three days, but she refused [to speak] until she gave an expiation for her vow by freeing forty slaves. This is also another proof for us that she had her own property, otherwise how could 'A'isha own forty slaves or their value? That is not an easy thing. History has not recorded that the Prophet (S.A.W.) freed this large number [of slaves] during his life. They did not leave any evil or defect without attaching it to him, all that [was done] for justifying the acts of their leaders, may Allah destroy them for their fabrications.
To justify their defiling the shari'a laws, here are some narrations:
The Prophet plays with the laws of God as he wishes
Al-Bukhari reported in his Sahih in "The Book of Fasting", in "The Chapter of The Bath of One who is Fasting" and Muslim in his Sahih in "The Book of Fasting", "The Chapter on Severe prohibition of Intercourse during the day in Ramadhan on the one Fasting, and the Incumbency of Major Expiation for it, it is obligatory for the Rich and Poor", on the authority of Abu Hurayra who said: "While we were sitting with the Prophet (S.A.W.) a man came and said: 'O Allah's Apostle! I have been ruined'. He asked: 'What happened'? He replied: 'I had sexual intercourse with my wife while I was fasting'. The Prophet of Allah asked him: 'Can you afford to manumit a slave?' He replied: 'No'. He asked him: 'Can you fast for two successive months?' He replied: 'No'. The Prophet asked him: 'Can you afford to feed sixty poor persons?' He replied: 'No'. The Prophet (S.A.W.) kept silent and while we were in that state, a big basket full of dates was brought to the Prophet. He asked: 'Where is the questioner?' He replied: 'I [am here]'. The Prophet said: 'Take this and give it in charity'. The man said: 'Should I give it to a person poorer than I? By Allah, there is no family between its (i.e. Medina's) two mountains who are poorer than my family'. The Prophet (S.A.W.) smiled till his pre-molar teeth became visible and then said: 'Feed your family with it".
Observe how the laws and regulations of Allah which He enjoined for his servants regarding the emancipation of a slave for the prosperous are treated. [As for] those unable to free a slave, they only need to feed sixty poor people. If this is not possible and if he is poor, then nothing [is incumbent] upon him except fasting. This is the stipulated expiation for the poor who do not have enough wealth to free a slave or feed the poor. But this tradition exceeds the bounds of Allah which He legislated for his servants, it is sufficient for this transgressor to say a word that makes the Prophet laugh till his teeth show and for him to be negligent of the law of Allah and to permit him to take the sadaqa to his household.
Is there any slander greater than this against Allah and His Prophet (P) that the wrongdoer is allowed to sin willingly instead of being punished? Is there any greater encouragement than this for the disobedient and corrupt ones who will cling on to such false traditions and dance with joy?
Due to such narrations, Allah's religion and His laws have become a [type of] amusement and mockery. Now a fornicator takes pride in his corrupt acts and, calling himself a fornicator, sings songs of praises for it at weddings and parties, just as the one who breaks his fast in the month of Ramadhan defies those who fast.
Al-Bukhari has also reported in his Sahih in "The Book of Faith and Vows", in "The Chapter If one breaks an Oath through Forgetfulness" from 'Ata on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (R) who said: "A man said to the Prophet (S.A.W.): 'I visited before stoning (i.e., I circumambulated the house of Allah, tawaf al-Ziyara )'. The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: 'There is no objection [to it]'. Another man said: 'I shaved my head before making the sacrifice'. He said: 'There is no objection [to it]'. Another one said: 'I made the sacrifice before stoning'. The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: 'There is no objection [to it]".
From 'Abd Allah b. 'Amr b. al-'As who reported that while the Prophet (S.A.W.) was delivering a sermon on the day of sacrifice, a man went up to him and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I used to consider this and this before that and that". Thereafter, another person stood up and said: "O Prophet of Allah, I used to consider this and this as part of the three (shaving the head, sacrifice, and stoning)". The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Do it! There is no objection to any of them today".
Anything that he was asked about that day he said "Do it! Do it! There is no objection [to it]".
It is strange that when you read these objectionable narrations, some obstinate people will confront you [saying] that the religion of God means ease and not burden. And that the Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Make things easy, do not make things difficult".
It is a true statement intended to [lead to] falsehood. For there is no doubt that Allah desires ease for us and does not desires any hardship upon us, and that he did not impose hardship upon us in religion. However, the rulings and legislations which He has outlined and imposed on us by way of the noble Qur'an and the pure Prophetic sunna and has given us necessary concessions when the situation demands like tayammum in the absence of water or fear of [using] cold water, or like performing the prayer in a sitting position when required, or breaking the fast and shortening [the prayer] while travelling, all of this is true - but for us to go against His injunctions, Glory be to Him, by, for example, structuring the wudu' or tayammum as we desire so that we wash the hands before the face, for example, or wipe the feet before the head - this is not permitted.
Nonetheless, the forgers wished that the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) would waive everything so that they could find a loophole, as many people say today (when you argue with them on matters of law): "There is no burden upon you, my brother! The only important thing is to pray! Pray as it pleases you".
It is strange that al-Bukhari himself related, on the same page where there are the words of the Prophet: "Do it! Do it! There is no objection [to it]" an incident where the Prophet demonstrates extreme severity. He reported, on the authority Abu Hurayra, that a man entered the mosque to pray while the Prophet (S.A.W.) was in a corner of the masjid . The man came and greeted him. He said to him: "Return and pray for you have not prayed". So the man went back and prayed then greeted him; the Prophet said "And unto you too. Return and pray for you have not prayed!" The man repeated the prayer three times, and, on every occasion, the Prophet said to him: "Return and pray for you have not prayed". The man said to the Prophet: "Teach me, O Messenger of Allah" so he taught him to be at ease in ruku' , and in prostration. He said: "Then bow until you are at ease in the bowing position, then raise your head until you are standing erect, then prostrate until you are at ease in the prostrate position. Then rise until you are balanced and are at ease in the sitting position then prostrate until you are at ease in the prostration, then rise until you are standing erect. Do this in your whole prayer".
In his Sahih, al-Bukhari narrated in "The Book of Tawhid ", in "The Chapter On Allah's Words: 'Recite from the Qur'an what is easy for you' from 'Umar b. al-Khattab who said: 'I heard Hisham b. Hakim recite Sura al-Furqan during the lifetime of the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) so I listened to his recitation and lo! He was reciting in a mode which the Prophet of Allah had not taught me. I almost grabbed him during the prayer, but I waited until he recited the salam . Then I took hold of his lower garment and said: 'Who taught you to recite this Sura which I heard from you?' He said: 'The Prophet of Allah made me recite [this way]'. I said: 'You have lied! He made me recite in a manner different from what you recited'.
So I went out with him and led him to the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.), and I said: 'I heard him reciting Sura al-Furqan in a mode different from what you have taught me'. He said: 'Let him be. Recite O Hisham'! So he recited the recitation I had heard him whereupon the Prophet of Allah said: 'So it was revealed'. Then the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) said: 'Recite O Umar'! So I recited it in the manner he had made me recite. He said: 'So it was revealed. Indeed this Qur'an was revealed in seven different modes of recitation. So recite it in whichever way is easy for you".
Does there remain any doubt, after this narration, that the falsifiers were insolent to the sanctity of the Prophet (P) even to the noble Qur'an, and that he taught his companions different recitations, telling each one of them that it was revealed in this manner? Had there not been a big difference in the mode of recitation, 'Umar would not have come close to breaking Hisham's prayer and would not have threatened him. This reminds me of the scholars of the ahl al-sunna who insist on a specific recitation and do not allow anyone to recite differently. One day, I was reciting " Udhkuru ni'mati al-lati an'amtu 'alaykum " ("Remember my bounty I have bestowed upon you").
One of them scolded me strongly and screamed saying: "Do not destroy the Qur'an if you are ignorant of the recitation". I asked: "How have I destroyed the Qur'an"? He said: "Udhkuru Ni'matiya and not Ni'mati".
Al-Bukhari reported in his Sahih in volume 3 page 88 in "The Book of Borrowing and the Repayment of Loans", in "The Chapter of Disputes" from 'Abd al-Malik b. Maysara who informed me, he said: "I heard al-Nazzal, I heard 'Abd Allah say: 'I heard a man recite a verse which I had heard the Prophet (S.A.W.) recite differently. So I took him by the hand and went to the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) who said: 'Both of you are fine"'. Shu'ba said: "I think he said: 'Don't disagree. For those who came before you disagreed and were destroyed".
Glory and Praise be to Allah! How can the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) accept their difference and say: "Both of you are fine" and not refer them to a unified [mode of] recitation, thereby eradicating differences?
Then, after that, he says to them: "Do not disagree for you will be destroyed". Is this not contradictory? O Servants of Allah! Give me your opinion, may Allah have mercy upon you! Did they not differ except by his permission, blessings and encouragement? Certainly not! Far be it for the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) [to promote] this contradiction and difference which reason shuns.
Do they not reflect upon the Qur'an which says: "Were it from other than Allah, they would have found many contradictions in it" (4:82)? Has a greater and more dangerous difference befallen the Islamic umma than numerous modes of recitations which have changed the meaning of the Qur'an to varying interpretations and views so that even the clear verses of wudu' have become a matter of dispute?
The Prophet behaves like a child and then disciplines
one who does not deserve punishment
Al-Bukhari, in his Sahih , in "The Book of Military Campaigns", in "The Chapter On The Illness and Death of the Prophet (S.A.W.)", and also Muslim in his Sahih , in "The Book of Peace", in "The chapter of Aversion to Medication Administered by Force" reported: "From 'A'isha who said: 'We poured medicine in one side of the Prophet's mouth during his illness and he started pointing to us, meaning to say: 'Don't pour medicine in my mouth'. We said: '[It is] a patient's dislike to medicine'. When he recovered he said: 'Didn't I forbid you to pour medicine in my mouth?' We said: '[We thought it was due to] the dislike patients have for medicines'. He said: 'Let everyone present in the house be given medicine by pouring it in his mouth while I am looking at him, except al-'Abbas as he has not witnessed you [doing the same to me]".
Strange indeed is the case of this slandered Prophet, whom the liars made like a child who is made to swallow bitter medicine which he does not accept. He indicates to them not to administer medicine to him, but yet they force it upon him despite his protests!
When he recovers he says to them: "Didn't I forbid you to pour medicine in my mouth?" They excuse themselves saying they assumed that his prohibition was due to the aversion of a sick person from medicine, then he decrees for all of them that they be given the medicine while he watches to satisfy his rancor, and did not exclude anyone except his uncle al-'Abbas since he was not present when they were administering it.
Lady 'A'isha did not complete the story, was the Prophet's (S.A.W.) order carried out on them or not, and to whom and how was this done to the men and women present?
The Prophet leaves out some verses of the Qur'an
In the book of "The Merits of the Qur'an", in "The Chapter of Forgetfulness of the Qur'an", as well as in "The Chapter of One Who Sees No Problem in saying Sura so and so", al-Bukhari reported the following hadith as did Muslim in his Sahih in "The Book of The Prayers of Travellers and Shortening it" in "The Chapter of The Order to Abide by the Qur'an and the Hatefulness of saying 'I forgot verse so and so ..." : "Abu Usama informed us on the authority of Hisham b. 'Urwa, on the authority of his father from 'A'isha who said: 'One night, the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) heard a man reciting from a chapter [of the Qur'an]. He said: 'May Allah have mercy on him. He has reminded me of verse so and so which I had forgotten from sura so and so".
Similarly, in another narration, al-Bukhari related from 'Ali b. Mushiri from Hisham from his father from 'A'isha (R) who said: "The Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) heard a reciter at night in the masjid and said: 'May Allah have mercy on him. He has reminded me of verse so and so which I left out from Sura so and so ...".
This is the Prophet whom Allah, Glory be to Him, sent with the Qur'an, the eternal miracle, which he used to memorize from the day of its revelation upon him, verse by verse, until its complete revelation. Indeed Allah said to him: "Don't move your tongue to hasten to it" and He also said: "It is indeed a revelation of the Lord of all the worlds, sent down through the Faithful Spirit to your heart so that you may be among the warners speaking a clear Arabic tongue and it is indeed in the revealed book of the former Prophets" (26:196).
But the liars, deceivers and the forgers are not satisfied until they attribute false, nonsensical and legendary things to him which no sane mind or intellect can accept. It is the right of the Muslim researchers to dissociate the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) from such false traditions which fill the hadith books, especially those counted amongst the "Sahihs".
We have not transmitted [anything] except from the books of al-Bukhari and Muslim which are seen by the ahl al-sunna as the most reliable books after the book of Allah. If this is the status of the Sahihs , specifically the blemish on the sanctity and infallibility of the Prophet (P), then do not even ask about the other books. All these are [due to the] interpolations of the enemies of Allah; the enemies of His Apostle (S.A.W.) who sought to flatter the Umayyad rulers during the time of Mu'awiya and those who succeeded him, until they filled volumes and volumes with spurious hadiths through which they desired the denigration of the bearer of the message (P); for they did not believe in everything that he brought from Allah. This is one perspective. The other perspective was to justify the vile and disgraceful deeds of their leaders which Muslim history has recorded. The Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) had exposed them from the beginning of his mission, and warned against them, exiling them from Medina, and had cursed them. In his history, al-Tabari says: "The Prophet (S.A.W.) saw Abu Sufyan was approaching on a donkey, with Mu'awiya leading him, and Yazid, his son, herding it. He said: "May Allah curse the leader, the rider and the driver". Imam Ahmad in his Musnad , on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, said: "We were on a journey with the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) when he heard two men singing, one of them responding to the other. Whereupon the Prophet (S.A.W.) said: 'See who they are'. The people said: 'Mu'awiya and 'Amr b. al-'As'. The Prophet of Allah raised his hands and said: 'O Allah! Debase them and confine them into the fire". And from Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, who said to Mu'awiya: "I heard the Prophet of Allah say when you passed by him: 'O Allah! Curse him and make his stomach full of nothing but dust!" Imam 'Ali (A.S.) said in a letter that he sent to the people of Iraq:
"By Allah! Were I to meet them alone, and they filled the earth, I would not be scared of them. I am sure of their going astray due to what they indulge in; the guided path that we are in is reliable, clear, certain and insightful. I am eager to meet my Lord and am waiting for His bounteous reward. Yet sorrow overtakes me and grief overwhelms me; the matter of this umma will be taken away by the fools and corrupt ones; they will treat the property of Allah as their personal property and the servants of Allah as their slaves; they will fight the upright ones and will make those who have deviated members of their groups".
Since the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) cursed them as you have seen, and they did not find the hadith to be distorted since the prominent companions recognized it, they invented other traditions to change truth to falsehood, and to make the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) seem an ordinary person beset by the zeal of the period of jahiliyya , subject to severe anger, defaming and cursing those not deserving it. To defend their accursed leaders, they fabricated this hadith.
Al-Bukhari reported in his Sahih in "The Book of Supplications", in "The Chapter of The Prophet's (S.A.W.) saying: 'Whoever I have wronged, make it a charity and a blessing for him". Muslim also recorded in his Sahih under "The Book of Kindness, Kinship and Good Manners", in "The Chapter of Whoever the Prophet (S.A.W.) Cursed or Insulted or Prayed against, He did not Deserve it, it was made as a Charity, Reward and a Mercy For Him": "From 'A'isha who said: 'Two men called upon the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) and spoke to him about something which I do not know. They angered him and he cursed and insulted them. When they left, I said: 'O Prophet of Allah! Whatever good comes, these two will not receive it'. He said: 'How so?' I said: 'You cursed and insulted them'. He said: 'Don't you know what I have requested from my Lord when I said 'O Allah! I am just a man, so any Muslim that I curse or insult, make it a charity and reward for him".
On the authority of Abu Hurayra, the Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "O Allah! I have taken a covenant with You which you will never break. For I am only a man so any believer whom I wrong, insult, curse or whip, cause that to be a prayer and a charity for him through which he gets closer to you on the day of resurrection".
Due to such false traditions, the Prophet becomes angry for other than Allah's sake. He insults and abuses. Moreover, he curses and whips one who does not deserve it. What kind of Prophet is this who is so overcome by Satan that he goes beyond the sphere of reason? Is it permitted for an ordinary religious person to behave thus? Or is such a deed by him not detestable? Due to such hadith s, the Umayyad rulers, who the Prophet of Allah cursed, supplicated against and whipped a few of them for the vile deeds they committed and exposed them in front of the general populace, came to be [seen as] the oppressed ones! Rather, they became chaste and deprived ones, attaining closeness to Allah.
These spurious narrations are self revealing and disgrace the fabricators. The Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) was not an insulter, nor a curser, nor a corrupt person, nor one using obscene language. Allah forbid! Allah forbid! Grave indeed are the words that emerge from their mouths that cause Allah to be angry with them, curse them and prepare for them a painful chastisement!
To refute these false allegations, one narration which both al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from 'A'isha herself is sufficient for us. Al-Bukhari reported in his Sahih in "The Book of Etiquettes" in "The Chapter of the Prophet (S.A.W.) did not commit Vile Deeds or use Foul Language" on the authority of 'A'isha who said: "Some Jews came to the Prophet (S.A.W.) and said: 'Assaamu 'alaykum! (Death unto you)". 'A'isha said: "I said: 'And unto you, and may Allah curse and be angry with you'. The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: 'Go easy O 'A'isha! Be friendly, do not be harsh nor of vile deeds'. I said: 'Did you not hear what they said?' He said: 'Did you not hear what I said? I responded to them and my invocation against them was answered, and their invocation against me went unanswered".
Muslim also reported in his Sahih in "The Book of Kindness, Kinship and Etiquettes" that the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) prohibited Muslims from cursing. He even prohibited Muslims from cursing beasts and cattle. When it was said to him: "O Prophet, curse the polytheists!" He said: "I have not been sent as a curser, I have been sent as a mercy".
This is what is in concordance with the supreme character and gentle heart that were the special [traits] of the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.). He would not curse, abuse or whip those who did not deserve [such treatment]. When he got angry, he did so for Allah's sake; if he cursed, he did so upon one who deserved it; and if he ordered whipping, he did so in order to carry out the penalties [prescribed] by Allah; he did not whip the innocent ones against whom there was no clear proof, or witnesses, or confessions.
They dwindled and their hearts burnt due to the dissemination of narrations which contained curses on Mu'awiya and the Umayyads. They invented these false traditions to confuse the people and to elevate the status of Mu'awiya, the forger. As a result, you find that Muslim, in his Sahih, after reporting these hadiths which make the imprecations of the Prophet on Mu'awiya a charity, mercy and [a medium for] attaining closeness to Allah, reports a hadith from Ibn 'Abbas who says: "I was playing with the boys when the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) came, and I hid behind a door. He came and got me and said: 'Go and call Mu'awiya for me'. He said: 'I went and said: 'He is eating". He (Ibn 'Abbas) said: "He then said to me: 'Go and call Mu'awiya for me'. I went and said: 'He is eating'. He said: 'May Allah not satiate his stomach".
We find in the history books that, Imam al-Nasa'i, after writing a book of traits which were special to the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali b. Abi Talib (A.S.), came to Syria. The people of Syria rebuked and asked him as to why he did not record the excellences of Mu'awiya. He replied: "I do not know of any virtue of him except that Allah does not satiate his stomach". Whereupon they beat him around his private parts until he was martyred. Historians relate that the prayer of the Prophet (S.A.W.) was effective, for Mu'awiya used to eat and eat until he would get tired of eating, yet he was not full.
In fact, I was not aware of these narrations which made the curse a blessing and [form of] nearness to Allah, until one of the Shaykhs in Tunis informed me about it. He was reputed for his knowledge and erudition and we were in a gathering engaged in a conversation about hadith until the issue of Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan came up. The Shaykh had been speaking of him in profound awe, saying that he was intelligent and famous for his sagacity and astuteness in managing affairs. He started to speak about him and his politics and his victory over our master 'Ali (May Allah brighten his face) in war. I held my patience with anguish but he went to such an extent in his praise and adoration of Mu'awiya until I could no longer bear it. So I said to him that the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) did not like him and had actually supplicated against him and cursed him. Those who were present were astonished, and there were those who were angered at what I had said. But the Shaykh, with complete tranquillity, replied that he believed me, which increased the astonishment of those present. They said to him: "We do not understand anything. On the one hand you praise him and are pleased with him and, on the other hand, you agree that the Prophet cursed him. How can this be correct?" And I too, with them, asked how could this be correct?
The Shaykh responded to us with an answer which was perplexing and difficult to accept. He said: "Whoever the Prophet of Allah has cursed or insulted, it is for him a charity and a blessing, and [a means of] getting closer to Allah, Glory be to Him". Everyone asked in bewilderment: "How is this [possible]?" He replied: "Because the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) said: 'I am a mere mortal like the rest of mankind and I have asked Allah to make my supplications and curses a blessing and a charity". Then he added saying: "Even he who the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) kills, he goes from this world directly to heaven!"
I approached him alone afterwards and questioned him about the source of the hadith he had mentioned. He produced Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim and I studied those hadiths which only increased my certainty regarding the plots which the Umayyads perpetrated to cover up the realities and to hide their disgraces on the one hand, and to destroy the infallibility of the Prophet (P) on the other.
Subsequently, I found several narrations leading to the same goal. To be appeased, the plotters fabricated even more than that, attributing [them] to the Lord of all the worlds. Al-Bukhari has related in his Sahih, in "The book of Tawhid " in the Chapter of Allah's saying: "They wish to change Allah's words", from Abu Hurayra that the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) said: "A man who never did any good deed said that if he died they should burn him and throw half [the ashes] in the earth and the other half in the sea, for, by Allah, if Allah should get hold of him, He would inflict such punishment on him as He would not inflict on anybody else in the world. But Allah ordered the sea to collect what was in it (of his ashes) and similarly ordered the earth to collect what was in it (of his ashes). Then Allah said to him: 'Why did you do so?' The man replied: 'I was afraid of You, and You know it better'. So Allah forgave him".
From Abu Hurayra also on the same page: "I heard the Prophet saying: 'If somebody commits a sin and then says: 'O my Lord! I have sinned, please forgive me' and his Lord says: 'My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sins)'. Then he remains without committing any sin for a while and then again commits another sin and says: 'O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me' and Allah says: 'My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave'. Then he remains without committing any another sin for a while and then commits another sin and says: 'O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me' and Allah says: 'My slave has known that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for it. I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sin), he can do whatever he likes".
What kind of Lord is this, O servants of Allah? From the first instance, the servant knew that he had a Lord who forgives sins, even though his Lord was not aware of this fact, so that on every occasion he had to ask: "Does my servant know that he has a Lord who forgives sin?"
What kind of Lord is this who, because the repeated perpetration of sins and repeated forgiveness, becomes tired and exhausted and says to his servant: "Do as you wish. Give me rest, Allah will leave you alone".
"Grave indeed are the words that come out of their mouths. They utter not except falsehood, perchance you may kill yourself in their trail, they will still not believe in this speech". Yes, Indeed! They allege that the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) said to 'Uthman: "Do as you wish, for nothing of what you do will harm you after today". This was when 'Uthman helped substantially in preparing the army which was going to Tabuk. According to what they say, it was an absolvement of sins that monks used to give in exchange for an entry to heaven.
It was not surprising therefore when 'Uthman did those vile deeds that resulted in the uprising against him and his being killed and buried in a non-Muslim graveyard without being washed or [covered with] a shroud. That is their protection [against punishment]. Say: "Bring your proof if you are indeed truthful".
