Was the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم Romantic?
بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
السلام عليكم ورحمت الله و بركاته
الحمد الله
The following are the stories narrated by Shaykh Waleed Basyouni (HafidhahuLlah) in his lecture, “Was the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم Romantic?:
Once Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم made ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas رضي الله تعالى عنه the commander for the army during a battle. He رضي الله تعالى عنه was happy and thought he was better than other companions so therefore he went to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and asked him, “Who is the most beloved to you?” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “’Aishah.” ‘Amr رضي الله تعالى عنه said, “Amongst the men?” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “HER father.” Notice that Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم didn’t say “Abu Bakr,” he صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Her father.” This shows how much Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم loved ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها.
The Muslims noted how much Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم loved ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها, so they would always give the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم the gift when he صلى الله عليه وسلم was in ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها’s house. So, basically the gift used to go ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها’s house therefore the other wives of Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to get frustrated and they called for a meeting. They asked Um Salamah رضي الله تعالى عنها, “Talk to the Prophet and tell him that he should announce in the Masjid, ‘If you have a gift don’t only wait for ‘Aishah’s day, give it whenever you want.’” Um Salamah رضي الله تعالى عنها agreed. She رضي الله تعالى عنها talked to Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, but the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم didn’t reply to her. She رضي الله تعالى عنها continued, “Would you tell them that it is not fair that everything goes to ‘Aishah?” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Don’t say anything bad about ‘Aishah!” Um Salamah رضي الله تعالى عنها said, “O’ RasuluLlah I will never say anything bas about her.” Then the wives of Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sent to him صلى الله عليه وسلم the most beloved person to him صلى الله عليه وسلم: his daughter Fatimah رضي الله تعالى عنها. She came walking exactly the way Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to and when Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها, covered and laid down in the bed, and didn’t change his صلى الله عليه وسلم’s position and said, “O’ Fatimah, what do you want?” She رضي الله تعالى عنها said, “I came from your wives, they are all gathered and they asked me to talk to you because it is not fair that all gifts go to her, so would you talk to the people?” He صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “My daughter, do you know who is this?” Fatimah رضي الله تعالى عنها answered, “Yes, ‘Aishah.” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then said, “I love her, so love her too.” She replied, “Ya RasuluLlah, I love her.” Then she went back and told Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s wives that she could not talk to him صلى الله عليه وسلم anymore. Then they رضي الله تعالى عنهم said, “Who the Prophet loved most after ‘Aishah?” They knew it was Zaynab رضي الله تعالى عنها. Then Zaynab رضي الله تعالى عنها went to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and entered their room without even knocking. Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked, “What do you want?” She said, “I came to tell you that your wives are angry about what’s happening” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم remained silent. She then said, “I am afraid when ‘Aishah show you her shoulder, you will accept from her whatever she would say.” She then looked at ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها and talked with her using harsh words. ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها narrated and said, “When she looked at me, I turned my face away from her out of respect of the Prophet and then I understood that the Prophet wanted me to reply to her. But ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها remained silent. Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم smiled and said, “She is the daughter of Abu Bakr and Abu Bakr is very well known as an eloquent person.”
Masruq (RAH), one of the Tabi’in, when he used to narrate hadith from ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها, he used to say, “From ‘Aishah the Righteous woman, the daughter of a Righteous man, the one Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم loved most, she told me such-and-such…”
Upon an occasion someone said something bad about ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها in front of ‘Ammar ibn Yasir رضي الله تعالى عنه. He said, “You said badly about ‘Aishah, whom Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم loved the most? Get out of here!”
Um Salamah رضي الله تعالى عنها was once asked, “Did the Prophet kiss you when he was fasting?” She said, “Me? No!” But for ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها, she said, “He used to kiss her when he would be fasting. He couldn’t hold himself because of his love to her.”
When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to have extra meat in his house, he صلى الله عليه وسلم used to send it to the friends of Khadijah رضي الله تعالى عنها because of his love to her.
When Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was getting married to Safiyyah رضي الله تعالى عنها, ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها wanted to see her, so she wore niqaab and came to see her, i.e. to see how she looked like. Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم noticed her and asked her, “How do you find her?” ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها answered, “She is just a jewish woman like any jewish woman” She didn’t admit that Safiyyah رضي الله تعالى عنها was a beautiful woman
Upon an occasion when Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was ill, Safiyyah رضي الله تعالى عنها came to him and said, “I wish pain from which you are suffering, was not in you but in me.” Hearing this, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s wives were like she is just saying this. Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Why are you doing that? WAllahi she is saying the truth!”
Once there were some Ethiopians were playing with their spears in the rear of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم Mosque. Then the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها, “Come to watch them!” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم held a curtain with his hands and then Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها came and put her chin on the shoulder of Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها narrated and said, “Then I put my cheek touching his cheek.” Then Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked, “Have you finished?” She said, “No, not yet.” Then Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked again, “Have you finished?” She said, “No, not yet.” Then Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked once again, “Have you finished?” She said, “No, not yet.” ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها narrated and said, “WAllahi I am not enjoying watching them, I am enjoying myself touching him and I want all the other wives to see me.” Then all of a sudden ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله تعالى عنه walked and the Ethiopian boys ran from ‘Umar رضي الله تعالى عنه and ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها ran to her house.
‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها said, “I used to play with dolls and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to send young girls of my age to my house to play with me.”
‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها narrated, “I went with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in one of his journeys. Then in the desert, my necklace fell down. I said, ‘Ya RasuluLlah, I lost my necklace.’ (It was dark already) Then the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘Everybody stop, look for her necklace.’” The whole army was upset with ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها. She continued, “I know father is angry with me, then he came to at night and I heard a lot of harsh words from him. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was laying down and his head was in my lap sleeping whilst my father was talking to me and he used to tap me very strongly on my waist and wAllahi I wanted to scream and move but I didn’t because I didn’t want to wake up Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.” They did not have any water. Then in the morning, Allah (SWT) revealed Ayaat concerning Tayammum. Then one of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم companions, Usayd ibn al-Huwayr رضي الله تعالى عنه came to ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها and said, “This is not the first good thing that came from the family of Abu Bakr!”
Once Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was travelling with his wife Safiyyah رضي الله تعالى عنها and suddenly they fell of their camels due to some reason. So, Abu Talhah رضي الله تعالى عنها jumped towards the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and went to pick him up. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “See the woman first!” Abu Talhah رضي الله تعالى عنها narrated, “Then I put my Thawb behind me walked toward her with my back because I don’t know maybe she became uncovered when she fell down. Then when I came close to her and I threw my thawb to her so she could cover herself with.”
On one occasion the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was with his guests and Hafsah رضي الله تعالى عنها sent food to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها was in her house, she would not allow anyone to send food because it would feel insulting. When the servant came with the food, ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها got a rock and threw at the servant. The plate broke and the food fell down in front of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم with his guests. Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم smiled and said, “Your mother became jealous.” Later on he صلى الله عليه وسلم told ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها to give Hafsah رضي الله تعالى عنها one of her plates.
One night, Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم left the house. ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها said to herself, “No, he going to leave the house on my night to go to somebody else’s.” She narrated, “I followed him to Baqi’ and then I hid. Then he raised his hands and made du’a 3 times. Then he returned home. I then started walking. He walked fast, I walked fast. He ran, I ran. He walked, I walked faster and got into my bed and covered myself. But I was breathing very heavily. When then Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saw me like that, he asked, ‘What’s wrong with you? Do you have asthma or something?’” She continued, “Whenever I was sick, he used to ask me.” ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها replied to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, “No, I don’t have anything.” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then said, “No, there’s something wrong with you. I left alright.” She said, “Nothing.” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “You’ll tell me or Allah (SWT) will tell me.” ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها said, “I thought you were going to any of wife’s house so I followed you.” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “So, you were the person who was following me.” ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها narrated, “He patted me and pushed my chest very strongly.” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “You know why I left? Because Jibreel came to me and he will never enter the house when you are not covered. And I didn’t want to wake you up in the middle of the night and tell you to cover yourself so Jibreel could come in because I am afraid that you’ll be scared.” ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها said, “Ya RasuluLlah, so what did you say when I walked into the grave yard?” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “You should say Assalamu ‘Alaikum Ahl-ad-Diyaar Min al Mu’minina Wal Muslimeen RahimaLlahu Mustaqdimeena Minkum Minna Wal Musta’khirin Wa Inna Insha’Allah Bikum Lahiqoon.”
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم loved honey very much and Zaynab رضي الله تعالى عنها was the wife who used to give it him. She used to boast to others that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came to eat honey in her house and others don’t have it. So, ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها and Hafsah رضي الله تعالى عنها made a deal that “When Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would come out of Zaynab رضي الله تعالى عنها’s house and come to your house, tell him, ‘What is that smell?’ And then when he will walk into my house I will also say, ‘What is that smell?’” When the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came out from Zaynab رضي الله تعالى عنها’s house, Hafsah رضي الله تعالى عنها said, “What is that smell?” Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “I only had honey at Zaynab’s house.” Then ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها said the same thing and Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied in the same manner. Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, then said “I will never eat honey again.” (Just because his صلى الله عليه وسلم’s wives did not like the smell) But Allah (SWT) revealed verses, “O’ Muhammad, why do make things forbidden for yourself and Allah made lawful for you?”
Anas رضي الله تعالى عنه said that, “The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would pass by his wives houses, he would talk with them, spend time with them and make du’a with them and then he would go to the one he should sleep with.”
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to gather all his wives after Maghrib in one house and talk to all of them. One night, he صلى الله عليه وسلم was in ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها’s house since it was her night. It was dark and a woman gave her hand to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and he was about pull her to she could be next to her because he thought it was ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها but she said, “O’ Messenger of Allah, I am Zaynab!” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then pulled his hand back. Then ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها got jealous and started arguing with Zaynab رضي الله تعالى عنها that how dare she put her hand in front of the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم so he could pull he next to him? Even though their argument became so loud, Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was smiling but Abu Bakr رضي الله تعالى عنه came and said, “O’ Messenger of Allah, come to the prayer.”
Once Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was seated between ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها and Sawdah رضي الله تعالى عنها. ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها cooked food and told Sawdah رضي الله تعالى عنها to eat but she refused and this happened three times. She continued, “Eat, if you don’t then I will daub your face with the sauce.” She asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, “Can I?” He صلى الله عليه وسلم replied in the affirmative. Then ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها dipped her hand in the sauce and started painting Sawdah رضي الله تعالى عنها’s face with it. Later on Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also allowed Sawdah رضي الله تعالى عنها to do the same. But when ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله تعالى عنها came and took permission, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم immediately told his wives to go and wash their faces and take the food with them. ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها then used to say, “Since then, I was afraid of ‘Umar because I saw the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم respecting him so much he didn’t even allow us to joke in front of ‘Umar.”
Upon an occasion, Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was travelling with Hafsah رضي الله تعالى عنها and ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها. ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها’s camel was shorter than Hafsah رضي الله تعالى عنها’s camel. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would walk beside ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها and talk to her. Hafsah رضي الله تعالى عنها told ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها, “We are going to pass from an area that has many good types of scenery, do you want to use my camel because it’s higher?” ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها excitedly said, “Yes!” When she rode Hafsah رضي الله تعالى عنها camel, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came to ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها’s camel but she was not there rather Hafsah رضي الله تعالى عنها was there. Without realising, Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم started to talking to her thinking that it was ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها since the camel had a carriage type of thing in which she was sitting. ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها said, “I didn’t look at anything else and I was so angry that I missed this chance. I put my foot in the trees hoping a scorpion or a snake would attack me and I would die but not to see this happening to me.”
One time, ‘Aishah رضي الله تعالى عنها had an argument with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and it went to the extent that she raised her voice over the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s voice. Abu Bakr رضي الله تعالى عنها came and slapped her daughter and said, ”How dare you raise your voice in front of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم?” Then Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “No, don’t do that. Who asked you to come in between us?” Later on Abu Bakr ضي الله تعالى عنه came and found them laughing and he said, “Why don’t you ask me to join when you are having a peaceful time, you only ask me join when have conflicts between you?”
