Aisha is not mother of the believers

بسم الله الواحد القهار

One of the important issues that the Muslims today dispute about is the status of Aisha in Islam. 
One of the issues is that she is given often exclusively the title of “Ummul-Muminin”, i.e. the Mother of the Believers from among the wives of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) by the masses of Muslims. We rarely hear Muslims using this title for any other wife of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله).

It is rather one of the bizarre wrong traditions that some unlearned Shia inherited from their opponents to call Aisha with this title. 

In this article I try to present the evidences mainly from Shia sources which makes us certain that Aisha is no more a Mother of the Believers and a wife of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) and that it is not correct for Shia Muslim to use this title for her and some other unfaithful wives of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله).

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The Content of this article:

• The Mothers of the Believers in the Qur'an
• Aisha and Hafsa in the Qur'an
• The Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) gives Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) the authority to divorce his wives after him
• What is the meaning of this divorce?
• Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) argues with his authority of divorce
• The authority of divorce for Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) is famous
• Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) asks companions to testimony for him his authority of divorce
• Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) threatens Aisha with divorce
• Imam Al-Husain(عليه السلام) sends the document of the divorce to Aisha
• The opinion of scholars about this divorce
• With Istifadha certainty can be achieved, authentic chains not necessary
• Conclusion

The Mothers of the Believers in the Qur'an:

Allah Almighty says in Qur’an Surah 33 Al-Ahzaab:

النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ

The Prophet has a greater claim on the faithful than they have on themselves, and his wives are as their mothers.

[33:6]

I do not want to present the reason behind this verse and why it was revealed in detail, except that it would be good to present some of the later verses of the same Surah of Qur’an which clarifies one aspect of this title.

وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَاء حِجَابٍ ذَلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُؤْذُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَن تَنكِحُوا أَزْوَاجَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ أَبَدًا إِنَّ ذَلِكُمْ كَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَظِيمًا

And when ye ask of them (the wives of the Prophet) anything, ask it of them from behind a curtain. That is purer for your hearts and for their hearts. And it is not for you to cause annoyance to the messenger of Allah, nor that ye should ever marry his wives after him. Lo! that in Allah's sight would be an enormity.

[33:53]

The above verse shows an aspect about the wives of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) and that is the verdict that it is not allowed for Muslims to marry his wives after him. 

However the verse also carries a special kind of honor for the wives the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) according to the statements of Ahlulbayt(عليهم السلام) that will be explained later. This honor and respect is but conditional and the conditions can be found in the Qur’an itself.

We can name three main conditions for this honor for the wives of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) in the Qur’an:

• Abstinence and fearing Allah
• Staying at home and not setting out for war showing their finery
• Staying away from obscenity

Each of these conditions has its special interpretations through Ahlulbayt(عليهم السلام) that will be presented in the evidences I put forward throughout this article.

All these three conditions can be found in the same Surah 33(Al-Ahzaab):

يَا نِسَاء النَّبِيِّ مَن يَأْتِ مِنكُنَّ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ يُضَاعَفْ لَهَا الْعَذَابُ ضِعْفَيْنِ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرًا

O wives of the prophet! whoever of you commits an open indecency, the punishment shall be increased to her doubly; and this is easy to Allah.

[33:30]

يَا نِسَاء النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاء إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ

O wives of the Prophet! you are not like any other of the women; If you fear Allah

[33:32]

وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ

And stay in your houses and do not display your finery like the displaying of the ignorance of yore

[33:33]

We see that even our opponents have narrated narrations that the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) mentioned the above three conditions as the criteria for his wives whether they can be his wives in the Hereafter or not in explicit terms.

Ibn Sa’d:

Narrated to us Mohammad Ibn Umar from Abdullah Ibn Ja’far from Mohammad Ibn Abi Harmala from Ataa Ibn Yasaar who said: The Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said to his wives: “Whoever of you fears Allah and does not commit an open indecency and stays put on the carpet of her house, she will be my wife in the Hereafter.”

Source: Tabaqaat Al-Kubra, Vol. 20 Pg. 198

Some of the Shia might argue that the above narration is not Hujja upon Shia. However we can use it in this case as an external proof, especially in this case, because the content of the Hadith is in complete correlation with the above three conditions that Allah has specified in the Qur’an.

Aisha and Hafsa in the Qur'an:

Furthermore the Qur’an shows that Aisha and Hafsa were not of the pious and God fearing wives of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) even during his lifetime:

Surah At-Tahreem[66:1-12]:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ تَبْتَغِي مَرْضَاتَ أَزْوَاجِكَ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

O Prophet! why do you forbid (yourself) that which Allah has made lawful for you; you seek to please your wives; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

 [66:1]

قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ تَحِلَّةَ أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَاللَّهُ مَوْلَاكُمْ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ

Allah indeed has sanctioned for you the expiation of your oaths and Allah is your Protector, and He is the Knowing the Wise.

[66:2]

وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلَى بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيثًا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِ وَأَظْهَرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُ وَأَعْرَضَ عَن بَعْضٍ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنبَأَكَ هَذَا قَالَ نَبَّأَنِيَ الْعَلِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ

When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it (to another), and Allah made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and repudiated a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said, "Who told thee this? "He said, "He told me Who knows and is well-acquainted (with all things).

[66:3]

إِن تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ

If you both turn to Allah, then indeed your hearts are already inclined (to this); and if you back up each other against him, then surely Allah it is Who is his Guardian, and Jibreel and -the believers that do good, and the angels after that are the aiders.

[66:4]

عَسَى رَبُّهُ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُ أَزْوَاجًا خَيْرًا مِّنكُنَّ مُسْلِمَاتٍ مُّؤْمِنَاتٍ قَانِتَاتٍ تَائِبَاتٍ عَابِدَاتٍ سَائِحَاتٍ ثَيِّبَاتٍ وَأَبْكَارًا

Maybe, his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your place wives better than you, submissive, faithful, obedient, penitent, adorers, fasters, widows and virgins.

[66:5]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ

O you who believe! save yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is men and stones; over it are angels stern and strong, they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, and do as they are commanded.

[66:6]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا الْيَوْمَ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

O you who disbelieve! do not urge excuses today; you shall be rewarded only according to what you did.

[66:7]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِي اللَّهُ النَّبِيَّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ نُورُهُمْ يَسْعَى بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

O you who believe! turn to Allah a sincere turning; maybe your Lord will remove from you your evil and cause you to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, on the day on which Allah will not abase the Prophet and those who believe with him; their light shall run on before them and on their right hands; they shall say: Our Lord! make perfect for us our light, and grant us protection, surely Thou hast power over all things.

[66:8]

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be hard against them; and their abode is hell; and evil is the resort.

[66:9]

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا اِمْرَأَةَ نُوحٍ وَاِمْرَأَةَ لُوطٍ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَقِيلَ ادْخُلَا النَّارَ مَعَ الدَّاخِلِينَ

 Allah sets forth an example to those who disbelieve the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut: they were both under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them so they availed them naught against Allah, and it was said: Enter both the fire with those who enter.

[66:10]

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اِمْرَأَةَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

And Allah sets forth an example to those who believe the wife of Firon when she said: My Lord! build for me a house with Thee in the garden and deliver me from Firon and his doing, and deliver me from the unjust people:

[66:11]

وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ

And Marium, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our inspiration and she accepted the truth of the words of her Lord and His books, and she was of, the obedient ones.

[66:12]

As we can see this Surah of the Qur’an entirely is about two wives of the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله), who were Aisha and Hafsa by the consensus of the Muslims about it without any dispute.

The points of this Surah:

• Allah reveals that Aisha and Hafsa conspired against the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) and Allah revealed it to His Messenger and revealed their hypocrisy.
• Allah threatened them to repent for their sins.
• Allah threatens them with divorce.
• Aisha and Hafsa were not submissive, faithful, obedient, penitent, …
• Allah ordered His Messenger to fight against disbelievers and hypocrites.
• Allah compared Aisha and Hafsa with the two wives of Prophet Nuh(عليه السلام) and Lut(عليه السلام), both of those wives were of the people of the Hellfire.
• Allah then gave the example of the wife of Pharaoh, who was a God fearing woman even though her husband was a tyrant disbeliever.
• And finally gave the example of Mariam(عليها السلام) who guarded her chastity and was a God fearing, obedient servant of Allah.

The question that is raised here is that, how it is that the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله), did not divorce them when Allah revealed their true faces?

The answer would be that Allah also orders His Messenger in the verse 9 to fight against disbelievers and hypocrites, but he (صلی الله و عليه وآله) had never the chance to fight against the hypocrites, thus he delegated that task to his successor Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام), saying that he(صلی الله و عليه وآله) fought for the Revelation(Tanzeel) of Qur’an with the disbelievers, but Ali(عليه السلام) will fight against the hypocrites for the Interpretation(Ta’weel) of the Qur’an. Likewise we can say that the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) delegated the task of divorcing his hypocrite wives to Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) too.

As for the reason of this delay we can refer to what Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) said after the battle of Jamal with Aisha, that it was because Allah wanted to test the Muslim Ummah, whether they obey Allah or obey Aisha.

Sulaym Ibn Qays:

Then Ali(عليه السلام) talked about Aisha and her leaving the house and what she did to Ali (عليه السلام). So Ammar said: “O Amirul-Muminin, you leave talking about her because she is your mother.” He (عليه السلام) stopped talking about her and started another matter. Then he returned towards mentioning her and said stronger things than before. Ammar said again: “O Amirul-Muminin, leave talking about her. She is your mother.” Then he (Ali AS)

turned away from talking about her, but returned to it a third time and said even stronger matter than the second time.”

He continues: “Then Ammar said: “O Amirul-Muminin, keep away from her because she is your mother.” So he replied: “Never, I am with Allah, I do not care about those who oppose Allah. Surely Allah has tested you through your mother, so it becomes known whether you are with Him or with her.”

Source: Book of Sulaym Ibn Qays, H-No: 67

Now that we proved the status of Aisha and Hafsa in the Qur’an, without going into details about who else of the wives of the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) held these conditions, we look in our sources and some of the sources of our opponents that reveal details about whether Aisha in particular held those conditions to be given the title of “the Mother of the Believers” or not.

The Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) gives Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) the authority to divorce his wives after him:

Allamah Al-Majlisi:

Through the same previous chain (i.e. Shareef Al-Radhi from Harun Ibn Musa from Ahmad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Ammar Al-Ijli) from Isa Al-Dharir from Al-Kadhim(عليه السلام) from his father who said: the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said in his will to Ali(عليه السلام) while the people were present around him, „by Allah O Ali, most of them will go back to disbelief, fighting each other, and there is nothing between you and witnessing that other than that I pass away.“

He(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said in his will to Ali, “whoever of my wives and companions disobeys you, she/he has disobeyed me and whoever disobeys me, has verily disobeyed Allah and I am innocent of them, so make me innocent of them” then Ali(عليه السلام) said: “Yes, I will do it” so he(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said: “O Allah, be witness!, O Ali, the people will conspire against you and antagonize you and they will decide overnight to do it and whoever does that I am innocent of him, and this verse has been revealed about them: “a party of them decide by night upon doing otherwise than what you say; and Allah writes down what they decide by night” [4:81].

And through the same chain from Al-Kadhim(عليه السلام) from his father who said: the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said in his will to Ali(عليه السلام), “O Ali, verily so and so(i.e. Aisha) and so and so(i.e. Hafsa) will conspire against you and antagonize you after me and so and so(i.e. Aisha) will revolt against you with armed soldiers and the other one will stay back and help her with collecting supporters, they both are the in the same position in that matter, so what would you do O Ali?” He said: “O Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) if they did that I will recite the Book of Allah to them and that is a proof against them in my account with them, if they accepted that would good, otherwise I will talk with them by Sunnah that it is obligatory upon them to obey me and that my right is obligatory on them, if they accepted that would be good, otherwise I will take Allah as witness and you over them and I will fight them for their deviancy.” he(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said: “and slay the camel, even if it was in fire(i.e. even if it was extremely hard).” I said: “Yes” he(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said: “O Allah be witness.” Then he(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said: “O Ali, when they did what the Qur’an has witnessed about them, then separate them from me, for verily they both will be separated from me and their father are their associates with them in what they do.” He(عليه السلام)  said: „then the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said in his will,‘O Ali be patient upon the oppression of the oppressor, for the disbelief and apostasy and hypocrisy is approaching with the first one of them(i.e. Abu Bakr) and then with the second one(i.e. Umar) and he is more evil and oppressor than the first one, then the third one(i.e. Uthman), and then supporters will gather around you and you will fight with their help with those who break their allegiance(i.e. Aisha, Talha and Zubayr in the battle of the camel) and then with the oppressors(i.e. Mu’awiya in Siffin) and then with the apostates(i.e. the Khawarij of Nahrawan) and their misguided followers and pray against them in your prayers, they are the misguided parties and their followers.‘“

Source: Bihaar Al-Anwaar, Vol. 22 Pg. 488

The above narrations are taken from the Kitab Al-Wisiyya of Isa Ibn Al-Mustafad Al-Dharir, who was a companion of Imam Al-Kadhim(عليه السلام). He used to ask the Imam(عليه السلام) about the will of Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) and compiled them a book. Our scholars like Sheikh Al-Kulayni have narrated the narrations of that book in Al-Kafi too. Most of the book has been narrated by Ibn Tawoos in the book of Al-Turaf and also by Shareef Al-Radhi, the author of Nahjul Balagha in his book Khasahis Al-A’immah.

Allamah Al-Majlisi in his commentary of Al-Kafi talks about the book of Isa Ibn Al-Mustafad under one of the narrations of that book that Sheikh Al-Kulayni has narrated from it.

Allamah Al-Majlisi:

The narration is weak according to the famous opinion, but it is reliable, because it has been taken from the book of Al-Wasiyya of Isa Ibn Al-Mustafaad (Died 220 A.H.) and that is one of the reliable Usool (original books of the companions of the Imams (a.s)). Al-Najashi has mentioned it and Al-Sheikh Al-Tusi in their Fihrists. And Al-Sayyid ibn Tawoos has narrated most of the book in his book Al-Turaf. And what Al-Kulayni has mentioned here is a summary of a long narration that we have narrated it in the large book and in that narration there are many benefits and unfamiliar affairs.

Source: Mir’atul Uqool, Vol. 3 Pg. 193

Sheikh At-Tabarsi:

It has been narrated from Ja’far Ibn Mohammad Al-Sadiq(عليه السلام) from his father from his forefathers from Ali(عليه السلام) who said: I was in the presence of the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) in the mosque after the Fajr prayers, then he stood up, so I stood up too, and whenever the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) wanted to go somewhere, he used to tell me and if he stayed for a long time there, I would go to him to know what he is doing, because my heart could not be patient with separation from him even for an hour, so he told me: ‘I am going to the house of Aisha.’ Then I went to the house of Fatimah Az-Zahra(صلوات الله عليها), so I spent time with her and Al-Hasan and Al-Husain and we were happy with them, then I stood up and went to the door of Aisha and I knocked the door, she said: ‘who is this?’ I said: ‘it is me Ali.’ She said: ‘the Prophet is recumbent.’ So I left, then I said to myself: The Prophet is sleeping while Aisha is in the house?! So I went back and knocked the door, Aisha said to me: ‘the Prophet is busy with something.’ So I returned feeling ashamed of knocking the door, but then I felt something in my heart that I could not stay patient anymore, so I went back fast and knocked the door intensely, Aisha said: ‘who is this?’ I said: it is me Ali, then I heard the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) saying:’O Aisha open the door for him’; then she opened the door and I entered, so he said to me: ‘sit down O Abal Hasan to tell you what was I doing, or you inform me about your delay from meeting me?’ so I said: O Messenger of Allah, tell me because your speech is better. So he said: ‘O Abal Hasan, I was very hungry and I was hiding it, so when I went to the house of Aisha and sat there for long, she did not have anything to offer to me, so I raised my hands and asked Allah who is close to his servants and is listening, then my friend Jibraheel(عليه السلام) came down to me and this bird was with him’, putting his hand on the cooked bird which was in front of him, and then said: ‘verily Allah revealed to me: eat from this bird and it is the best food in the paradise, that I give to you O Mohammad, so I thanked Allah very much and then Jibraheel ascended, so I raised my hands to the sky and said: O Allah, bring to me a servant of yours who loves you and loves me, so that he can eat with me from this bird.’ I waited a while and I did not see anyone knocking the door, then I raised my hand again and said: ‘O Allah, bring to me a servant of yours who loves you and loves me, so that he can eat with me from this bird.’ Then I heard that the door was knocked and heard your voice, so I said to Aisha: ‘let Ali come in, then you came in, so I continued thanking Allah that He revealed to me that you love Allah and love me, and Allah loves you and I love you, so eat with me.’

When I ate with the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) the bird, he said: “O Ali now you tell me your story.”

So I said: O Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) I was with Fatimah and Al-Hasan and Al-Husain and all of us were happy, then I got up to meet you, I came and knonked the door, Aisha said: ‘who is this?’ I said: ‘it is me Ali.’ She said: “the Prophet is recumbent, so I went back, I was on my way that I came back again, I said to myself, the Prophet is recumbent while Aisha is the house?! This can’t be, so I came back and knocked the door, she said: ‘who is this?’ I said: ‘it is me Ali.’ She said: ‘the Prophet is busy, so I went back ashamed, when I reached the place like the last time, I felt something in my heart that I could not be patient anymore, and I said: the Prophet is busy while Aisha is in the house?!, so I came back and knocked the door and you heard me this time and I heard your voice saying to Aisha to: ‘let Ali come in.’”

The Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) then said: “it wasn’t possible unless it was like that you said, O Humaira, what made you do this?”

She said: ‘O Messenger of Allah I wanted that my father eat from that bird.’

So the Prophet said to her: ‘this is not the first enmity between you and Ali, and I told Ali that you will fight with him, if Allah wants.’

She said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, do women fight with men?’

He said to her: ‘O Aisha, you will fight with Ali, and a number of people of my family and companions will invite you to this and accompany you and they make you to fight him, and your fight with him will be something that will be mentioned by all generations, and the sign of it will be that you will ride a Shaytan, then before you reach the place you will be heading to, the dogs of Al-Hawhab bark on you, and you will ask to be returned, but a group of forty people will testimony in front of you that the place is not of the dogs of Al-Hawhab, then you will go to a city that its people are your supporters and it is the most distant city from the sky and the nearest to the water, and you will come back while you are belittled and have not achieved what you wanted, and this is the person who will force you to return with the help of his trusted companions, and that is better for you, and I am warning you that it will be the separation between me and you in the Hereafter, and whoever that Ali divorces from me, that separation would be valid.’

She said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I wish to die before that happens what you said.’

He said to her: “nay, nay, by the One in Whose hand is my soul, what I said to you will happen, it is as if I am seeing it right now.”

Then he said to me: “get up O Ali, it is the time of prayers of the Dhuhr” , then he ordered Bilal to call the Adhaan, Bilal recited the Adhaan and we performed the prayers and we stayed in the mosque.

Source: Al-Ehtijaaj, Vol. 1 Pg. 261-263

Sheikh At-Tabarsi does not mention the complete chains in his book of Al-Ehtijaaj, and he gives the following reasons for it in the introduction of the book:

Sheikh At-Tabarsi:

And I haven’t mentioned the chains for most of the narrations that I have presented in this book, it is either because of consensus about those narrations, or because it is something that the intellect agrees with it, or because it is famous in the books of Sira and history, both among the Shia and their opponents, except for the narrations that I have narrated from Abi Mohammad Al-Hasan Al-Askari(عليه السلام), because it is not that famous like the others, even though they might fulfill some of the conditions that I have mentioned above, that is why I have mentioned its full chain at the beginning of the book and I haven’t mentioned the others, because all of what I have narrated from him(عليه السلام)  I have narrated it through one chain from among the narrations of his Tafsir.

Source: Al-Ehtijaaj, Vol. 1 Pg. 14

Allamah Al-Majlisi:

[Al-Daylami in his book Irshaad Al-Qulub from Hudhayfah Ibn Al-Yamaan], …,

He said: then the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) ordered a servant of Umm Salama and said to gather his wives, so they gathered in the house of Umm Salama, then he said to them: “listen to what I say to you” and then pointed with his hand towards Ali Ibn Abi Talib(عليه السلام) and said to them: “this is my brother and the executer of my will and my heir and my trustee over you and over the Ummah after me, so obey him in whatever he orders you and do not disobey him, for you might get destroyed by his disobedience.” Then he said to Ali: “O Ali, I ask you to be good to them as long as they obey Allah and obey you, give them from your own wealth and command them to the good and enjoin them from what makes you doubt and divorce them if they rebelled against you.” Then Ali(عليه السلام) said: „O Messenger of Allah, they are women and there is weakness and debility in their counsel.“ then the Prophet said: “take it easy on them whenever is better to do so, but if anyone of them disobeyed, then divorce her such a divorce that make Allah and His Messenger innocent of her.”

All the wives of the Prophet were silent and did not say a thing, then Aisha said: “O Messenger of Allah, we are not like that, that you order us something and we disobey him in that.” Then the Prophet said: “Yes, O Humaira, you disobeyed my order, an intense disobedience, and by Allah you will disobey this command of mine too, and you will rebel against him after me and you will come out of the house that I leave you in, in a state of displaying your finery, while masses of people have gathered around you, so you will disobey him, oppressing him and you will be rebellious against Allah and the dogs will bark on you on the way in the district of Al-Hawhab, verily this is going to happen.” Then he said: “get up and go to your houses”, so his wives got up and left.

Source: Bihaar Al-Anwaar, Vol. 28 Pg. 45

Allamah Al-Majlisi:

[In Al-Fadhahil of Ibn Shazaan] Jabir b. Abdullah Ansari narrates – Once I was with Mu’awiya Ibn Abi Sufiyan on a journey to Syria. There we saw an old man approaching from the side of the desert of Iraq. Mu’awiya said: let’s call this Sheikh and ask him from where is he coming and where he wants to go, and Abul A’war Al-Salami was with Mu’awiya and his son Khalid and Yazid and Amr Ibn Al-Aas, so we went to him, then Muawiyah said: O Sheikh! Where are you coming from and where are you headed?....[].

Mu’awiya said: Did you participate in the battle of Jamal when Ali fought with the wife of Holy Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله) Aisha – so tell me who was on truth?

Old man: Truth was with Ali.

Mu’awiya: Has Allah not said?

وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ

“And his wives are their mothers.” (Surah Ahzaab (33): Verse 6)

Aisha was the Mother of the Believers then why did Ali (عليه السلام) fight her?

Old man: But did Allah not order Aisha and other wives of the Holy Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله)

وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَى?

“And stay in your houses and do not display your finery like the displaying of the ignorance of yore…” (Surah Ahzaab (33): Verse 33)

Among the wives of the Noble Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله), Aisha was the only woman who had violated Allah’s order and ventured out of the house, just like in the period of ignorance and paganism, in the company of Muslim men which was prohibited for her and fought Ali (عليه السلام).

Didn’t the Holy Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله) inform:

“O Ali, after me you are my caliph and you are the caretaker of my wives and the authority to divorce them is also in your hands.”  Do you still see that the truth was with Aisha, she caused bloodshed of Muslims, destruction of their wealth and property. Curse of Allah be upon the unjust!

And certainly they both(i.e. Aisha and Hafsa) are like the wife of Nuh in the Hellfire and it is the worst destiny for the disbelievers.

Source: Bihaar Al-Anwaar, Vol. 33 Pg. 248-250

What is the meaning of this divorce?

Allamah Al-Majlisi:

[Kamaluddin] from Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Hatim Naufali from Abul Abbas Ahmad bin Isa Washsha Baghdadi from Ahmad bin Tahir Qummi from Muhammad bin Bahr bin Sahl Al-Shaibani from Ahmad bin Masroor from Saad bin Abdullah Al-Qummi, who said:

“I was very fond of collecting books on intricate and difficult subjects so that I may learn the reality. I used to consider it my duty to speak up about the reality and had the habit of learning by heart complicated matters. I always desired to obtain success over the deviations and difficulties of the books. I had firm belief in the religion of the Imamiyah and often took part in debates against the opponents. I used to expose their defects and explained the weaknesses of their Imams. I exposed scandals of their religious guides till one day I was subjected to a fight with severe Nasibis. Enmity with them continued for a long time and there were terrible fights between us. I used to ridicule them through questions and proved that they were obstinate on a false stand.

Once I faced a debate with a deeply bigoted Nasibi. During the debate he said: ‘Death be on you and all your co-religionists. You Rafidis lay curse on the Emigrants and Helpers and deny their love for the Holy Prophet while the Siddiq was the most exalted persons among the companions and he had precedence in accepting Islam. Don’t you know that the Messenger of Allah took him along to the cave on the night of migration due to the risk to his life, just as he was concerned for his own safety. Because he knew that he would be his caliph and successor. Therefore he wanted to protect his life like he was concerned about his own security. So that the religion may not be destroyed after him. In those very circumstances he made Ali sleep on his bed as he knew that even if he were killed there would be no problem for Islam in the future because there were people among the companions who could have taken his place, therefore he did not accord much importance to his (Ali) getting killed.’”

Saad says: “I replied to it but the replies were not so effective. So he said:

‘You Rafidis say that the first and the second caliphs were hypocrites and you support it by what happened on the Lailatul Uqbah.’ Then he said: ‘Come let us see if they accepted Islam willingly and happily or it was under duress and pressure?’

Here I did not give any reply, because if I said it was under duress it would not be correct as Islam at that time was not dominant and if I said they accepted willingly it would negate their hypocrisy. I returned from this debate with a heavy heart, took a paper and wrote down forty odd questions that were difficult for me and said to myself that I must hand it over to the representative of Maula Abu Muhammad Hasan bin Ali Askari (a.s.) (that is Ahmad bin Ishaq who resided in Qom). But when I went to him I learnt that he had left on a journey. I departed in his pursuit and when I reached him I told him all that had happened.

Ahmad bin Ishaq said to me: Come let us go together to Surre man Raa (Samarrah) and ask our master, Hasan bin Ali (a.s.) about this. So I accompanied him to Surre man Raa till we reached the house of our master and asked for permission to enter, which was given and we went inside. Ahmad bin Ishaq had a leather bag that he had concealed inside his Tiberian cloak. The bag contained one hundred and sixty purses containing gold and silver coins. Each purse was sealed with the seal of the sender. When our eyes fell on the elegant face of His Eminence, Abu Muhammad al-Hasan bin Ali (a.s.) we saw that his face was like a full moon and a child was sitting in his lap. He was very beautiful, like a Jupiter star having nice locks of hair. In front of the Imam was placed a golden pomegranate decorated with jewels and precious stones; it was presented by an affluent gentleman from Basra. The Imam was holding a pen and writing something on paper. Whenever the child caught his hand he tossed the pomegranate and the little one chased it and brought it back. In the meanwhile he wrote whatever he wanted. So Ahmad bin Ishaq opened the cloak and the leather bag before Imam Hadi (a.s.) [a title of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.)]. His Eminence threw a glance at the child and said: Remove the seals from the gifts of your Shias and friends. It was asked: O my master, is it lawful that a pure hand should extend towards impure gifts and filthy monies?”

His Eminence asked Ahmad bin Ishaq to take out the contents of the bag so the lawful and the unlawful can be separated. He did as he was told. The child said: “This is from so-and-so of so-and-so locality of Qom, containing 62 dinars from sale proceeds of a house, and inheritance from his father 45 dinars and from the money of six dresses 40 dinars and the rent of three shops amounting to three dinars.” Our master said: “You are right, my son. Now tell us what is unlawful in it?” The child said: “There is a dinar in this purse which was minted in Rayy in so-and-so year. Half of its inscription is worn out; its three corners are cropped, such that its weight is reduced by 1.5 Daniq. This same amount is unlawful in it because the sender of this purse in so-and-so year, so-and-so month gave to a weaver who was his neighbor a mound and a quarter of old cotton for spinning.

That cotton was stolen from the weaver who informed him about it but he didn’t accept his version and in its place took a mound and a half of softer cotton. Then he ordered a garment be made for him from this material. Thus that money and the cropped amount is from that money.” Ahmad bin Ishaq untied the purse and removed from it the said dinar and the cropped pieces from it. Then he took out another purse. The child said: “This is from so-and-so of so-and-so locality of Qom, containing 50 dinars. It does not befit us to touch it at all.” Ahmad bin Ishaq asked: “Why?” He replied: “It is the sale proceed of wheat that the sender had paid to his farmers but while giving he measured some with a correct measure and some with a tampered measure.”

Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) said: “You are right my son.” Then he said: “O Ibne Ishaq, take that purse and return it to the sender and tell him to give the money to its actual owner, that is those farmers, as we are not in need of this money.” At that moment he said: “Give me the garment sent by the old lady.”

Ahmad bin Ishaq said: “I have forgotten it.” He went out to look for it. At that moment my master, His Eminence, Abu Muhammad Hadi (a.s.) looked at me and asked: “What a surprise that you came here?” I said: “Ahmad bin Ishaq encouraged me to come and meet you.” He asked: “What happened to those questions that you wanted to ask?” I said: “They are yet unanswered, my master.”

He said: “Ask whatever you want from my dearest son.” And he gestured to the child. I asked: “O our master and master’s son, it is narrated to us that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) had given Amirul Momineen (a.s.) the right to divorce his wives. Therefore on the day of Jamal he sent message to Ayesha that she had wreaked havoc with Islam and Muslims (and taken wrong advantage of her position). That she has in an ignorant way condemned her children to perdition.

‘Thus if you do not refrain from your act I will divorce you.’ Tell me, my master, that what is the meaning of divorce here? That the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) left it at the discretion of Amirul Momineen (a.s.)?”

He replied: “The Almighty Allah, hallowed be His name, gave an exalted status to the wives of the Prophet and gave them the honor of being the mothers of the faithful. Thus the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) told Amirul Momineen (a.s.): O Abal Hasan, this status is valid for them till they remain in the obedience of the Almighty Allah. So whoever of them disobeys Allah and after me, comes out in armed confrontation against you, remove her from my wifehood and take away her status of motherhood of faithful.”

Then I asked: “What is open obscenity? That if the wife commits, the husband is entitled to expel her from his house even during her menses?”

He replied: “It is Musahiqa and not fornication. Because if she commits fornication they will apply the penalty on her and if one wants to marry her there is no problem in it. And the penalty that is given is no obstacle for it. But if she commits Musahiqa, it is obligatory that she must be stoned and being stoned is a disgrace, as for whomsoever Allah has ordered stoning, He has disgraced that person. Therefore no one is permitted to marry her.”

Then I asked: “O son of the Prophet, Tell me about the statement of the Almighty Allah to His Prophet Musa (a.s.) that:

فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى

“Therefore put off your shoes; surely you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa.” Surah Taha 22:12

Scholars of the two sects are of the view that the shoes of Musa (a.s.) were made of skin of dead animal?”

He replied: “Whoever says this has made a false allegation against His Eminence, Musa and considers him ignorant in his prophethood because it implies one of the two possibilities and each of them is a mistake; either prayer was allowed in it or not. If it was allowed it would also be allowed to hide them in that place as it is pure. If his prayer was not allowed, then His Eminence, Musa (a.s.) failed to discriminate between lawful and unlawful, that wearing what one can pray and with what not, and this is infidelity.”

I said: “So, my master, tell me the exegesis of this verse.” He replied: “His Eminence, was in the sacred valley when he said: ‘O my Lord, I have made my love sincere to You and washed my heart of everything other than You. But Musa was very much attached to his family. So the Almighty Allah told him:

“Therefore put off your shoes…” If your love for Me is sincere and your heart is devoid of inclination for anyone except Me, remove the love of your family from your heart.” “Please tell me what is the interpretation of the verse Kaaf Ha Ya Ain Saad?” He replied: “These letters are from the unseen informations that the Almighty Allah conveyed to His servant, Zakariya. Then He related the story to Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). It was that when Zakariya implored his Lord to teach him the names of Panjetan (the holy five) the Almighty Allah sent Jibraeel to him and he taught him their names. Thus whenever Zakariya mentioned (remembered) the names of Muhammad, Ali, Fatima or Hasan (a.s.) his sorrow and grief used to go away, but whenever he thought of Husain (a.s.) a terrible grief used to beset him and he was very much astonished why it was so. Thus one day he prayed to the Almighty: O my God, how is it so that when I remember the four names I obtain peace, but when I think of Husain, tears flow from my eyes and I begin to wail?

Allah, the Mighty and the High informed him about the tragedy of Imam Husain (a.s.) and told him that in Kaaf Ha Ya Ain Saad: Kaaf is for Kerbala, Ha stands for Halakat (getting killed) of ‘Itrat’ (progeny) the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), Ya implies Yazid who would oppress Husain (a.s.), Ain denotes ‘Atash’ (thirst) of Husain (a.s.) and Saad indicates ‘Sabr’ (patience).

Thus when Zakariya heard this he did not leave the Masjid for three days and did not allow anyone to meet him and continued to weep and wail. He lamented on Husain (a.s.) and prayed to Allah: My God, will they make the best of Your creature sit in mourning for his son? O Lord, would this tremendous tragedy befall him? My God, would they make Ali and Fatima put on the dress of mourning? Would they make the shock of this calamity reach their abode? Then he said: Bestow me a son so that I can be pleased in my old age and that his love affects my heart. After that make me sit in his mourning as You would make Muhammad, Your beloved sit. So the Almighty Allah gave him Yahya and later his martyrdom made him aggrieved. And the period of Yahya’s pregnancy was six months like in the case of Husain (a.s.).”

Then I asked: “O my master, why is it so that people cannot select the Imam for themselves?” He replied: “Righteous or a corrupt Imam?” I said: “Righteous.”

He said: “Is there a possibility that they may choose a transgressor while they are not aware what goes on in his mind, whether he is righteous or corrupt?” “Yes,” I said. He said: “That is the reason that I shall explain to you with logical argument.” I said: “Please do.”

He said: “Let us consider the prophets that the Almighty Allah has appointed, on whom He revealed heavenly scriptures and supported them with revelation and infallibility. They were the leaders of nations, like Musa and Isa.

Inspite of having knowledge and sharp insight were they not prone to select hypocrites considering them believers?” “No,” said I. The Imam said: “Then how did it happen that His Eminence, Musa Kalimullah, inspite of having that same knowledge and receiving revelations he chose seventy persons from the senior ones of the community and those who were in the forefront of his army; about whose sincerity he was sure and about whom he had no doubt, in fact he had selected hypocrites. Allah, the Mighty and the High says:

وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَى قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلاً لِّمِيقَاتِنَا

“And Musa chose out of his people seventy men for Our appointment…” Surah Araaf 7:155

As we have seen that when someone who is appointed by the Almighty Allah (like Musa and Isa) when he could select the corrupt instead of the righteous we realize that selection is not lawful except for one who is aware of hidden secrets and the concealed thoughts. And we understand that the selection of the Emigrants and Helpers was worthless, after the prophets intending to select good people ended up choosing corrupt men. Then he said: O Saad, your opponents claim that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) took with him the selected one of this Ummah to the cave as he was afraid for his safety in the same way as he was worried about his personal security because he knew that he would be the caliph of the Ummah after him. While the necessity of hiding in the cave only arose because he took him along. As for Ali (a.s.) he made him sleep on his bed as he knew that the vacuum created by the death of Abu Bakr will not be as that due to the death of Ali because there were others who could fill that vacuum. You can reply by asking him that are you not having the belief that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: After me the caliphate shall be for thirty years. And they apply it to the tenures of the four persons, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali (a.s.). The opponent will have to agree. Tell him if this is correct, why did he take only one caliph, Abu Bakr, to the cave, leaving the other three. This shows that the Prophet considered them unimportant since it was necessary that he acts with them all like he did with Abu Bakr. Since he did not do it, he considered their rights unimportant and he discriminated between them in his kindness to them while it was necessary for him to have the same concern for all of them.

As for your opponent’s question that: Did those two accept Islam willingly or unwillingly? Why don’t you say: It was due to greed. Because they used to sit in the company of Jews and they were knowing about the proclamation and victory of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) on the Arabs. The Jews had told them all about the prophecies in the Old Testament and ancient scriptures. They had said that his domination over the Arabs would resemble that of Nebuchadnezzar in Bani Israel except that he would be claiming to be a prophet while in fact he would not be one. Thus when the proclamation of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) was made they helped him on the testimony of ‘There is no god except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’ with the greedy intention that when circumstances are good and his affairs are in order, they would also be able to get his deputyship and authority. But when they despaired of getting rulership from His Eminence they joined other people having same view on the night of Uqbah to frighten the camel of Prophet (s.a.w.s.) so that it may throw him down, killing him. They covered their faces like others but the Almighty Allah kept His Prophet safe from their plot and they could not harm him in any way. Those two were just like Talha and Zubair who came and pledged allegiance to Ali (a.s.) coveting governorship of a province. But when they despaired, they broke the pledge and rose up in rebellion against His Eminence till they met the fate of those who break the pledge of allegiance.”

When the conversation reached this point, our master, Imam Hasan bin Ali (a.s.) arose to pray. Qaim (a.s.) also arose with him and I returned from their company and came out looking for Ahmad bin Ishaq. I saw him coming to me weeping. I asked: “Why were you delayed? And why are you crying?” He replied: “I don’t have the garment that my master has asked for.” I said: “Don’t be upset, go and tell the Imam about it.” So he went inside and returned smiling and reciting Durood on Muhammad and Aale Muhammad. I asked: “What happened?” He replied: “I saw the garment concealed under the feet of my master.” So we praised Allah the Almighty. After that day we visited the house of our master a few times more but did not see that child with His Eminence again.

When it was time to say farewell I, Ahmad bin Ishaq and some of our coreligionists came to His Eminence. Ahmad bin Ishaq stood up and said: “O son of Allah’s Messenger, departure is soon and our grief is intense. I pray to Allah to convey our Durood on your grandfather Muhammad Mustafa, your father, Murtuza, your mother, Sayydatunnisa and the two chiefs of the youths of Paradise, your uncle and your father and the Purified Imams after them from your forefathers. And also we convey our Durood and Salawaat on you and your son.

And we pray that may your station be exalted and may your enemies be disgraced. And may not Allah make this our last audience with you.” When Ahmad bin Ishaq reached this point His Eminence was moved to such an extent that tears flowed from his eyes. Then he said:

“O Ahmad bin Ishaq, in your supplication, do not ask for invalid thing as in this journey you will meet the Lord.” When Ahmad bin Ishaq heard this he fell down unconscious. On regaining consciousness he said: “I implore you by the sanctity of your grandfather, grant me a piece of cloth that I can take as my shroud.”

Our master, put his hand under his seat and removed thirteen dirhams and said: “Take this and don’t spend anything else on yourself and you will not be deprived of what you desire. Indeed Allah does not waste the reward of the doers of good.”

Saad continues: “On the return journey when three farsangs remained from Halwan, Ahmad bin Ishaq developed fever and became seriously ill and was on the verge of death. When we arrived at Halwan and lodged at one of the caravanserai, Ahmad bin Ishaq summoned one of his townsmen who lived in that place, and after that he said to us: ‘Tonight, you all leave me alone.’ Each of us retired to our bedrooms, and near dawn a thought came to my mind. When I opened my eyes I saw Kafoor, servant of my master, Abu Muhammad (a.s.) who said to me: ‘May Allah increase your reward in this calamity and may He compensate you for this tragedy. We have finished the funeral bath and shrouding of your friend. You may please get up for his burial, because his status in the view of your master is more exalted than that of you all.’ After that he went out of my sight and we participated in the funeral of Ahmad bin Ishaq, weeping and wailing. We fulfilled his rights and completed his last rituals, may Allah have mercy on him.”

It has been also narrated by Al-Tabari in Dala’el Al-Imamah through Abdul-Baqi from Abdullah Ibn Mohammad Al-Tha’aalabi from Ahmad Ibn Mohammad Al-Attaar from Sa’d  Ibn Abdullah likewise.

Also in Al-Ehtijaaj from Sa’d likewise with summarized content for some parts.

[Allahma Al-Majlisi explaining some words of the narration]

Allamah Al-Majlisi: Al-Najashi after authenticating Sa’d (the narrator of this narration) and declaring him as a great scholar, he says: He met our master Abu Mohammad (i.e. Imam Askari), and I saw that some of our companions weaken (the story of) his meeting with Abu Mohammad(a.s), and they say that this is a fabricated tale on him.

I(Al-Majlisi) say: In terms of knowing the credibility of the narrations, Al-Saduq is more knowledgeable than those “some people” whom we don’t know who they are. And rejecting the narrations with an immediate conjecture and delusion that their content witness to their authenticity is nothing but despising the narrations and lack of trust to very reliable scholars and committing fault in knowing the status of the Pure Imams(a.s), because we see that whenever the narrations which contain unfamiliar miracles ends in their hands, these people(i.e. those who lack insight into the status of the Imams(a.s)) either attack the content or its narrators, rather there is no other fault for the most of those narrators who are attacked by scholars of Rijal other than that they have narrated such narrations.

Source: Bihaar Al-Anwaar, Vol. 52 Pg. 78-89

We see that the narration has been narrated with at least two completely different chains from Sa’d Ibn Abdullah and Al-Tabarsi has narrated it in his book Al-Ehtijaaj without chain and he says that the narrations that are famous, he hasn’t mentioned their full chain. Al-Najashi actually also authenticates the content of the narration, since he does not accept the opinion of those whom he mentions that they did not approve the authenticity of the story and says that he has met Imam Al-Askari(عليه السلام) in that story.

Beside that the content of the narration is a witness to its authenticity too as Allamah Al-Majlisi says.

Allamah Al-Majlisi:

[Basahir Al-Darajaat] Ahmad Ibn Mohammad, from Ali Ibn Al-Hakam, from Sayf, from Hasaan, from Abu Dawood, from Yazid Ibn Shurahbil, who has narrated the following:

The Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله) said for Ali Ibn Abu Talib(عليه السلام): ‘This is the best of you all in forbearance, and the most knowledgeable of you all, and the foremost of you all’. Ibn Mas’oud said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you have preferred him(asws) with all of the good’.

The Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله) said: ‘I did not learn anything but I made it known to him, and I was not given a thing but I gave it to him, and I was not entrusted with a thing but I entrusted it to him’. He said, ‘The matter of your women is also with him?’ He said: ‘Yes’. He said, ‘During your lifetime?’

He said: ‘The one who disobeys him has disobeyed me, and the one who has obeyed him has obeyed me. If he were to call you, you must testify’.

[Kamaluddin] Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Hatim Naufali from Abul Abbas Ahmad bin Isa Washsha Baghdadi from Ahmad bin Tahir Qummi from Muhammad bin Bahr bin Sahl Al-Shaibani from Ahmad bin Masroor from Saad bin Abdullah Al-Qummi, who said: I asked Al-Hujja Al-Qa’im(عليه السلام):

O our master and master’s son, it is narrated to us that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) had given Amirul Momineen (a.s.) the right to divorce his wives. Therefore on the day of Jamal he sent message to Ayesha that she had wreaked havoc with Islam and Muslims (and taken wrong advantage of her position). That she has in an ignorant way condemned her children to perdition.

‘Thus if you do not refrain from your act I will divorce you.’ Tell me, my master, that what is the meaning of divorce here? That the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) left it at the discretion of Amirul Momineen (a.s.)?”

He replied: “The Almighty Allah, hallowed be His name, gave an exalted status to the wives of the Prophet and gave them the honor of being the mothers of the faithful. Thus the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) told Amirul Momineen (a.s.): O Abal Hasan, this status is valid for them till they remain in the obedience of the Almighty Allah. So whoever of them disobeys Allah after me, comes out in armed confrontation against you, divorce her from my wifehood and take away her status of motherhood of faithful.”

[In Al-Ehtijaaj] Sa’d has narrated it likewise.

I(Al-Majlisi): Abdul-Hamid Ibn Abil Hadid says in the commentary of the letter of Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) to Muawiya, “ and I swear by Allah that if it was not due to certain matters, you would see things from me that knock the bones and tear the flesh.” He says: “it might be said that the Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله) delegated the authority of the affairs of his wives to Ali after his death, so that he can remove the connection(with the Prophet) of whoever of them he wishes, whenever he thinks it is necessary and he had a group of companions to testify for him about this authority, so he was able to remove the connection of Umm Habiba(i.e. divorce her from the Prophet) and make her marriage permissible for men to punish her and Muawiya, her brother, because she used to hate Ali, as his brother used to do, and if he had done that(i.e. divorced her from the Prophet) it would tear the flesh of Muawiya(i.e. make him suffer) and this is the opinion of the Imamiyya and they have narrated through their narrators that Ali(عليه السلام)  threatened Aisha with that too, but we(i.e. the Bakriyya) do not confirm this narration and interpret it in another way.”, till the end of what he says.

I say: his statement shows that this matter is of the famous beliefs of the Shia, to the extent that even their opponents have learned about it and have attributed it to them.

There will come many narrations which are related to this topic and in a chapter that it is something dedicated to the Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله) and in other chapters.

Source: Bihaar Al-Anwaar, Vol. 38 Pg. 88-89

Allamah Al-Majlisi:

[Al-Ghaybah of At-Tusi] A group of narrators from Al-Bazufi from Ali Ibn Sinan Al-Mawsili Al-Adl from Ali Ibn Al-Husain from Ahmad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Al-Khalil from Ja’far Ibn Ahmad Al-Misri from his uncle Al-Hasan Ibn Alli from his father from Abi Abdullah Ja’far Ibn Mohammad from his father Al-Baqir from his father Zith-Thafanaat, Sayyidal Abideen from Al-Husain Az-Zaki Al-Shahid from his father Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام), he said, “Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said in the night that he passed away to Ali: “‘O Abal Al Hassan, bring me a leaf and a paper’, and he dictated his will until he came to a position where he said: ‘O Ali, there will be twelve Imams and after them there will be twelve Mahdi’s. You, O Ali, are the first of the twelve Imams, God has named you in his heavens Ali Al Mortada, The Prince of the believers, Grand truthful, the Judge between true and false, the trusted, and rightly guided. These names may not be truly attributed to other than you.

O Ali, you are my guardian on my own family, their living and their dead. My women, whom you maintain shall find me tomorrow, and whom you reject I am acquitted of her. I will not see her and she will not see me on the day of resurrection, and you are the successor on my nation after me. If the day of death comes to you, hand it over to my son Hassan the very beneficial. Then if the day of death comes to him, let him hand it over to my son Al Hussein, the Martyr, the Pure and the Assassinated. When the day of death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, the master of the servants and worshipers Ali. When the day of death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Mohamed Al Baqir. When the day of death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Jaâfar Al Sadiq (the honest). When the day of death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Moussa Al Kadhim (The Patient). When the day of death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Ali Al Reda. When the day of death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Mohamed Al Thiqa When the day of death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Ali Al Nasih. When the day death of comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Al Hassan Al Fadhil. When the day of death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Mohammed the Mandate of the Holy Family of Mohamad Peace be upon them all. These are the twelve Imams. Then there will be twelve Mahdi’s after them. then when Allah receiveth him, let him hand it over to his son, the first of the close ones, he has three names, one like mine and my Father’s: Abdullah (Servant of God), Ahmad and the third name is the mahdi and he is the first believer.”

Source: Bihaar Al-Anwaar, Vol. 36 Pg. 261-262

This narration is the odd narration that contains the 12 Mahdis, however the part about the authority of divorcing for Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) which has been mentioned in it, can be used as a supportive evidence for the other narrations that we have presented up to this point.

Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) argues with his authority of divorce:

Sheikh At-Tabarsi:

Amr Ibn Shimr has narrated from Jabir Al-Ju’fi from Abi Ja’far Mohammad Ibn Ali Al-Baqir, peace and blessing be upon him and his forefathers that: “When Umar Ibn Al-Khattab was going to die and decided to create a council, he sent to six people of Quraysh: to Ali Ibn Abi Talib(عليه السلام), Uthman Ibn Affan, Zubayr Ibn Al-Awaam, Talha Ibn Ubaydallah, Abdur-Rahman Ibn Awf and Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas; and ordered them enter the house and do not go out until they pay allegiance to one person among themselves, if four of them agreed about a person to choose for leadership and one of them opposed, he should be killed, and if two opposed and three paid allegiance, those two people should be killed, so they agreed upon Uthman.”

When the Commander of the Faithful(عليه السلام) found out about their decision upon paying allegiance to Uthman, he stood up among them to end any excuse for them, so he said: “I ask you by Allah, Who knows your truthfulness if you say the truth and knows your lies, if you lie, has anyone of you prayed towards the both two Qiblas other than me?”

They said: “No.”

[after mentioning some other of his merits]

He said: “I swear you by Allah, is there anyone among you that the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) gave the authority of divorcing his wives to him other than me?
They said: “No.”

Source: Al-Ehtijaaj, Vol. 1 Pg. 167,181

Qadhi Nu’man Al-Maghribi:

It has been narrated from Al-A’mash from Amer Ibn Wathila who said: I was behind the door in the day of the Shura(i.e. the council that was to elect the new Caliph after the death of Umar.), then the voices raised among them and I heard Ali(عليه السلام) saying:

[after mentioning many of his dedicated merits] 

He said: “I swear you by Allah, beside Whom there is no other God, O you five people, is there anyone among you that the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) made him his successor over his family and gave him the authority of divorcing his wives other than me?”

They said: “By Allah, No.”

Source: Sharh Al-Akhbaar, Vol. 2 Pg. 185, 190

Sheikh At-Tusi:

Narrated to us a group of narrators from Abil Mufaddal who said: narrated to us Hasan Ibn Mohamamd Ibn Shu’ba Al-Ansari and Mohammad Ibn Ja’far Ibn Ramis Al-Habiri in the palace and Ali Ibn Al-Husain Ibn Kaas Al-Nakha’i in Ramla and Ahmad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Sa’eed Al-Hamdani, all of them said: narrated to us Ahmad Ibn Yahya Ibn Zakariyya Al-Azdi Al-Sufi from Amr Ibn Hammad Ibn Talha Al-Qannad from Is’haq Ibn Ibraheem Al-Azdi from Ma’ruf Ibn Kharbuz and Ziyad Ibn Mundhir and Sa’eed Ibn Mohammad Al-Aslami from Abil Tufayl Amer Ibn Wathila Al-Kanani who said: When Umar was dying, he created a council of six people; Ali Ibn Abi Talib(عليه السلام) , Uthman Ibn Affan, Talha and Al-Zubayr, Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas and Abdur-Rahman Ibn Awf, and also Abdullah Ibn Umar was also consulted but he was not a member of the council. Abul Tufayl said: when they gathered, they put me behind the door to keep away the people, then Ali(عليه السلام) said:

You have gathered for what you have gathered here, so listen when I talk and if I said the truth, admit to it and if I said false things, then do not hesitate to reject it, for I am a man like one of you.

[after mentioning many of his dedicated merits] 

He said: “I swear you by Allah, is there anyone among you that the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) made him his successor over his family and wealth other than me?

They said: “By Allah, No.”

Source: Amali of Sheikh At-Tusi, Pg. 810-811

The authority of divorce for Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) is famous:

Sheikh Namazi Ash-Shahrudi:

As for the narrations that the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) delegated the authority over his wives to Ali Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام)  and his statement: „So whoever of them rebels against you, then divorce her and make Allah and His Messenger innocent of her.“

And that was famous, even to the extent that Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) mentions in the Hadith of Al-Munashada.

And Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) asks for the companions to testimony for him about that authority and thirteen men testify about it(that they have heard it from the Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله).

There is a chapter in Bihaar that the Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله) delegated the authority over his wives during his lifetime and after that to Ali(عليه السلام).

Source: Mustadrak Safinatul Bihaar, Vol. 4 Pg. 334

Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) asks companions to testimony for him his authority of divorce:

Sheikh At-Tabarsi:

It has been narrated from Al-Baqir(عليه السلام) that he said: In the battle of Jamal, while the litter of Aisha on the camel was covered with arrows, the Commander of the Faithful(عليه السلام) said: “By Allah, there is no other option for me except to divorce her, so I swear to Allah those of you who have heard the Messenger of Allah (صلی الله و عليه وآله) saying: ‘O Ali, the authority over my wives is in your hands after me.’ I swear them to stand up and bear witness.”

He said: “then thirteen men stood up, two of them were of the companions of Badr, so they testified that they have heard the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) saying to Ali Ibn Abi Talib(عليه السلام): ‚ O Ali, the authority over my wives is in your hands after me.‘”

He(عليه السلام) then said: then Aisha cried, so that they heard her voice. Then Ali(عليه السلام) said: “verily the Messenger of Allah (صلی الله و عليه وآله) informed me something and then said: ‘verily Allah will help you O Ali in the battle of Jamal with five thousand armed angels.’”

Source: Al-Ehtijaaj, Vol. 1 Pg. 219

Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) threatens Aisha with divorce:

Ibn Shahr Ashoub:

And from his(i.e. the Prophet’s) debts that he(i.e. Imam Ali عليه السلام) paid, was also the debts of Allah which are greater, and that is that Allah had ordered him to do, but he passed away before fulfilling them, and he willed to Ali to fulfill them in his place and from among them is the statement of Allah: “O Prophet! fight against the unbelievers and the hypocrites.” [9:73] and [66:9], the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) fought the disbelievers in his lifetime and ordered Ali to fight against the hypocrites after his death, so he(عليه السلام) fought with the Nakithin(i.e. those who broke their allegiance, in the battle of Jamal), and Al-Qasitin(i.e. the oppressors, in the battle of Siffin) and Al-Mariqin(i.e. the Khawarij, in the battle of Nahrawan) and he fulfilled the debts of the Messenger of Allah that was upon him from Allah.

And Abu Dar Ali Al-Muradi and Saleh Mawla Tawama have narrated from Aisha that the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) delegated the authority of divorce of his wives to Ali(عليه السلام).

Al-Asbagh Ibn Nabatah says: Ali(عليه السلام) sent someone to Aisha, to tell her: “go back, otherwise I will speak out the words that separates you and Allah and His Messenger innocent of you.”

And Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) said to Hasan: “go to so and so(i.e. Aisha) and tell her that Amiral-Muminin says: ‘by the One who split the seed and created the man, if you do not leave(Basra) immediately, I will send to you that which you know.’ So when Al-Hasan informed her of what Amiral-Muminin said, she stood up and said: ‘take me(to Medina)’, a woman of Mahaliba said to her, ‘Ibn Abbas came to you, who the the Sheikh of Bani Hashim, but you rejected him and he went out angery, and then this young man came to you and made you to tremble like this?’ she said: ‘this young man is the son of the Messenger of Allah, and whoever wants to look at the Messenger of Allah, then he should look at this young man, and he was sent to me with something that I know.’ She said: ‘I ask you by the right of the Messenger of Allah to tell me what was he sent with to you.’ Aisha said: “verily the Messenger of Allah delegated the authority of divorce of his wives to Ali, so whoever he divorces in this world, she will be separated(from the Prophet) in the Hereafter.”

And in another narration: “the Messenger of Allah distributed some booties among his companions, so we asked to give us from that too and we urged on him for that, so Ali blamed us and said: ‘stop it, you made him suffer enough.’ So we rebuked him, then the Prophet became angry for what we said to Ali and then said: ‘O Ali, verily I have given you the authority of divorcing them, so whoever of them you divorce, she will be separated from us.’ And the Prophet did not specify a time for it in his lifetime or for after his death, so that is those words, and I fear to be divorced from the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله).

Khatib of Khawarazm recites one verse of poetry about this:

Ali is the bearer of the will over the wives***he is the trustee, who is not prohibited through Hijab.

Source: Manaqib Aal Abi Talib, Vol. 2 Pg. 153-154

Qadhi Nu’man Al-Maghribi:

Ibraheem Ibn Al-Husain has narrated through his chain from Salim Ibn Abi Ja’d, who says: Ali(عليه السلام) sent someone to Aisha after the battle of Jamal, while she was still in Basra, to go back to her house, but she refused, then he sent someone else, she refused again, then he sent someone a third time saying: “you either go back, or I will speak out those words that separated between you and Allah and His Messenger.” So she said: “take me, take me.” A woman of the women who were with her said to her: “O mother of the believers, what was in that message of Ali that made you so frightened?” she said: “The Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) has appointed him as his successor over his wives and put the authority of divorcing his wives in his hands.”

Source: Sharh Al-Akhbaar, Vol. 1 Pg. 210-211

Ibn A’tham Al-Kufi:

The next day he(عليه السلام) sent Al-Hasan to her, so Al-Hasan came and said to her: “the Commander of the Faithful says to you: ‘by the One who split the seed and created the man, if you do not leave(Basra) immediately, I will send to you that which you know.’ And Aisha was plaiting the hairs of the right side of her head and wanted to plait the left side, but when Al-Hasan said to her the message, she stood up immediately and said: “take me(i.e. bring me to Medina immediately).” Then a woman of Mahaliba said to her, ‘O mother of the believers, Ibn Abbas came to you and talked to you and you answered him until you raised your voice, and he went out while he was angry, and then this young man came to you with the message of his father and made you frightened like this? And even when his father came you did not get frightened and worried so much’ Aisha said: ‘I got frightened because he is the son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, and whoever wants to look at the Messenger of Allah, then he should look at this young man, beside that his father sent me a message that I know its meaning and I have to leave.’ The woman said: ‘I ask you by the right of Allah and Mohamamd(صلی الله و عليه وآله) to tell me what did Ali sent to you?’ Aisha said: “Woe to you, verily the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) achieved some booties in one of his battles and he started to distribute it among his companions, so we asked him to give us some of that to us too, and we urged in it over him, then Ali blamed us and said: “stop it, you made him suffer enough” So we rebuked him intensely, then he said: “It may happen that his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your stead wives better than you.” [66:5], so we rebuked him more and attacked him, then the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) became angry for what we said to Ali and he then said: ‘O Ali, verily I have given you the authority of divorcing them, so whoever of them you divorce, she will be separated from me.’ And the Prophet did not specify a time for it in his lifetime or for after his death, so that is those words, and I fear to be divorced from the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله).”

Source: Al-Futuh, Vol. 1 Pg. 484

Al-Fadhl Ibn Shazaan:

And you(i.e. the Bakriyya) have narrated from Abdullah Ibn Abdul-Quddus from Ali Ibn Hafs from Maqatil Ibn Hayyan who said: my aunt was a servant of Aisha and she narrated to me saying: Ali Ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام) sent his son Al-Hasan to Aisha, so he said to her: “go back to Medina to your house that the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) had left you and ordered you to stay there. She said: “I cannot leave until I see what happens to condition of Muslims”, then he sent Al-Husain(عليه السلام) to her, he said: tell her: “by Allah you either go or I will sent to you the words.” When Al-Husain(عليه السلام) came and approached the door, he asked permission, she said: “by Allah he has come with a different message this time, and he has come to say the words that he has come with.” When he(عليه السلام)  entered, she welcomed him and make him sit beside her and he said to her: “my father says to you: ‘go back to your house that the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) ordered you to stay in it and he left you in it, otherwise I will send to you those words.’” She said: “O my son, tell your father: ‘I ask you by Allah to not speak out the words or say anything; yes, I will leave, but I need a litter, and I want him to give it to me.’” He said: so the next day Commander of the Faithful(عليه السلام) prepared everything for her and sent with her fifty women to accompany her till her house.

Source: Al-Idhaah, Pg. 79-80

Sheikh Al-Mufid:

Al-Husain Ibn Hammad said: narrated to us Abul Jaroud from Asbagh Ibn Nabatah, that Commander of the Faithful(عليه السلام) said to Aisha: “go back to your house that the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) had left you and your father in it.” But she refused to go, so he told her: “you either go back or I will speak out the words that separate between you and Allah and His Messenger.” Then She left.

Source: Al-Kafu’a Fi Tawbatil Khati’a, Pg. 31

Imam Al-Husain(عليه السلام) sent the document of the divorce to Aisha: 

Al-Masoudi:

Al-Husain(عليه السلام) wanted to bury him(i.e. Imam Al-Hasan عليه السلام) with the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله), but Aisha prevented it and rode a mule and came out and commanding people and encourage them to not let it, when Al-Husain(عليه السلام) saw that he buried him in Baqih with beside his mother, and some of Bani Hashim approached her. and it is narrated that Ibn Abbas approached her when she was going back to her house, and told her: “was the day of the camel not enough in your profile that you added the day of the mule in it too?,  Oh alas, one day on a camel and one day one a mule, violating the Hijab of the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله), you want to put out the light of Allah, but Allah will not allow but that His light should be perfected, even though the Unbelievers may detest it. We are from Allah and to Him we return.” She said to him: “Let go off, fie upon you.”

And it is narrated that Al-Husain(عليه السلام) sent to her the letter of her divorce, when she did what she did(i.e. when she ordered people to attack the body of Imam Al-Hasan عليه السلام), and the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) had given the authority of divorcing his wives to Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام)  and Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) gave it to Al-Hasan(عليه السلام)  and Al-Hasan(عليه السلام) gave it to Al-Husain(عليه السلام), and the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) said: “verily among my wives there are those that will not see me in the Day of Judgment and they are those that my successors divorce them after me.”

Source: Ithbatul Wasiyya, Pg. 173

Sheikh Hurr Al-Ameli:

And it is narrated that Al-Husain(عليه السلام) when Aisha did what she did, i.e. when she prevented the body of Al-Hasan to be buried next to his grandfather, he sent to her the letter of divorce, and the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله) had given the authority of divorcing his wives to Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام)  and Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) gave it to Al-Hasan(عليه السلام)  and Al-Hasan(عليه السلام) gave it to Al-Husain(عليه السلام), and the Messenger of Allah (صلی الله و عليه وآله) said: “ verily among my wives there are those that will not see me in the Day of Judgment and they are those that my successors divorce them after me.”

Source: Ithbatul Huda, Vol. 2 Pg. 255

The opinion of scholars about this divorce:

Sheikh Hasan Ibn Ali At-Tabarsi:

Point: Allah Almighty knew that Aisha will change after his(صلى الله عليه وآله) death from what she used to show during his lifetime, so He revealed it to the Prophet(صلى الله عليه وآله) and willed to Ali(عليه السلام) to bury him in her house, so that people may realize that she is off her position and from being his wife.

And the Prophet(صلى الله عليه وآله) died while he had nine wives, each one of them had a house that she lived in it except for Aisha, because she was out, that is why the friends and foe have narrated that the Prophet(صلى الله عليه وآله) delegated the authority of divorcing his wives in the hands of Ali(عليه السلام), so that he can divorce whoever of them opposed what Allah is pleased with, so he(عليه السلام) divorced her in the day of Jamal and the proof of this is Tarikh Ibn A'tham Al-Kufi, because he has mentioned it in his Tarikh, even though Ibn A'tham was a Nasibi and used to manifest enmity towards Ahlulbayt(عليهم السلام).

Source: Asraar Al-Imamah, Pg. 170-171

Allamah Al-Majlisi:

[Al-Kafi]Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ who has said the following:

“Once I said to abu al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, ‘They have narrated from you about the death of abu al-Hassan (Musa al-Kazim), recipient of divine supreme covenant, that a man said to you, “You have learned of it (the death of your father) through the report of Sa’id.’ He said, ‘Sa‘id came only after I had learned about it (death of my father).’

“The narrator has said, ‘I asked the Imam, “I heard from him that you divorced mother of Farwa, daughter of Ishaq, in the month of Rajab, one day after the death of abu al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant. Did you divorce her when you knew that abu al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, has died?”’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, I did so.’ I asked him, ‘Did you do so before Sa‘id came to you?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, I did so before Sa‘id came.’”

Explanation: []… or this is of their(عليهم السلام) exclusive rulings, as Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) divorced Aisha to take away the title of the Mother of the Believers from her and maybe before divorce it is not allowed for them to marry other men(i.e. the wives of the Imams عليهم السلام)…[].

Source: Bihaar Al-Anwaar, Vol. 27 Pg. 293

Mawla Mohammad Saleh Al-Mazandarani:

And it is said that this is of their(عليهم السلام) exclusive rulings, as Ali(عليه السلام) divorced Aisha after the death of the Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله), so she lost the title of the Mother of the Believers.

Source: Sharh Usool Al-Kafi, Vol. 6 Pg. 345

Allamah Al-Majlisi:

As the hypocrites among the wives of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) were discharged of their title of the Mothers of the Believers, as Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) divorced Aisha in the day of Basra to show to people that she has been discharged of this verdict in some aspects, even though the impermissibility of marrying them is still in its place for the Muslims.

Source: Mir’atul Uqool, Vol. 9 Pg. 9

Sayyed Ne’matullah Al-Zajahiri:

In the hadith it has been mentioned that our master the Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) divorced Aisha after the battle of Jamal, and the meaning of that divorce is what our master Al-Askari(عليه السلام) has said: “The Almighty Allah, hallowed be His name, gave an exalted status to the wives of the Prophet and gave them the honor of being the mothers of the faithful. Thus the Messenger of Allah (صلی الله و عليه وآله) told Amirul Momineen (عليه السلام): O Abal Hasan, this status is valid for them till they remain in the obedience of the Almighty Allah. So whoever of them disobeys Allah after me, comes out in armed confrontation against you, divorce her from my wifehood and take away her status of motherhood of faithful.””  

But it is astonishing that the wife who was divorced is still called the Mother of the Believers, while they do not call most of the other wives of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) with this title.

Source: Zahrur Rabi’, Pg. 229-230

Sayyed Sadiq Ar-Rohani:

963: Aisha and the believers?

Question: Allah Almighty says: “and his wives are their mothers.” [33:6], is Aisha considered a mother for the believers or not?

Answer: His(صلی الله و عليه وآله) wives are the mothers of the believers according to this holy verse, however there are conditions for it, and whoever of them does not act upon those conditions she will not be a mother.

Footnote: that is because there are dedicated religious rulings for them, among them is the impermissibility of marrying them after the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله), as Allah Almighty explains it: “You are not like any other women, If you do fear (Allah)” [33:32], so the condition of fearing Allah is clear in the blessed verse. And fearing means obeying Allah and obeying his Messenger and not oppose intentionally as it was the case with Aisha and others. 

Source: Alf Suhal Wa Ishkaal Fi Taqlid Wal Aqahid, Pg. 516

With Istifadha certainty can be achieved, authentic chains not necessary:

As we can see there are overwhelming evidences that the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) gave the authority of divorcing of his wives to Amiral-Muminin (عليه السلام), even though the single chains might not be authentic, but as a whole it exceeds the level of Istifadha and we can safely claim that it reaches even the level of Tawatur Al-Ma’nawi. Istifadha is however enough for us to achieve certainty about this issue. Beside that not all evidences are presented for every single narration that are shown above, just to keep the article short and readable and not make it boring for our common readers.

Sayyed Ali Al-Husaini Al-Sadr:

Al-Mustafidh: It is a report that the number of its narrators exceeds three in every level, as it is the case for more than that, or according to some scholars, when it exceeds two, and their number has not reached Tawatur, and with this(i.e. Mustafidh) certainly can be achieved when combined with other internal and external proofs.

Source: Al-Fawahid Al-Rijaliyya, Pg. 25

Sheikh Sanad:

At this final point we mention another type of Hadith and that is Al-Mustafidh, and that is a kind of Hadith which is near to the level of Al-Mutawatir and it surpasses the level of solitary Hadith, but the number of its narrators has not reached the level of Tawatur, however it is supported with other internal and external evidences which makes it Mustafidh and a Mustafidh or reliable narration which is in its level, it is correct to use it as established proof as it is maintained in the Ilm Al-Usool, rather its level of reliability surpasses the level of a Sahih(authentic) narration.

Source: Al-Imamah Al-Ilahiyya, Pg. 52

Sayyed Al-Khoei:

If there was Istifadha of narrations, it will obviate the need to check their chains, even if most of them were weak, rather even if all of them were weak and disputable.

Source: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Hadith, Vol. 8 Pg. 360

We can see that all of the above conditions of Istifadha are available in the narration that we have presented, including many other supportive factors mentioned in every part, which makes us certain about the authenticity of the issue and makes it much stronger than one or two Sahih chains. Furthermore what makes us certain about this divorce is the correlation of different stages of the event with each other in different sources, which removes the possibility of it being just a tale. It is rather a complete scenario and strategy with a wisdom behind it to bring it to the intended purpose of the delegation of such an authority to Amiral-Muminin (عليه السلام) by the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله).

Conclusion:

In conclusion we can summarize the points:

• The wives of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) are the Mothers of the Believers. 
• This status has two aspects, one of them is that no Muslim is allowed to marry them after the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) and the other aspect is that it is an exaltet state and a state of honor for them too, however under certain conditions.
• In brief there are three conditions for a wife of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) to be the Mother of the Believers when that exaltet status is meant.
• The three conditions are: abstinence and fearing Allah, staying at home and not setting out for war showing her finery, staying away from obscenity.
• Aisha and Hafsa were not God fearing wives during the lifetime of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله).
• Allah threatens Aisha and Hafsa with divorce. Even though they both are not worthy of staying the wives of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله), he(صلی الله و عليه وآله) still does not divorce them before he passes away.
• Allah wants Aisha and Hafsa to remain wives of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) as a test for the Ummah of His Messenger(صلی الله و عليه وآله).
• The Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) gave the authority of his wives to Amiral-Muminin (عليه السلام) in his lifetime and after his death. They had to obey Amiral-Muminin (عليه السلام).
• The Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) gave the authority of divorcing his wives to Amiral-Muminin (عليه السلام) after his death.
• The Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) told his companions to bear witness for  Amiral-Muminin (عليه السلام) for having this authority over his wives and to testify for him whenever he asks for it.
• Amiral-Muminin (عليه السلام) mentioned this merit among the five members of the council when they wanted to elect the new Caliph and the members of the council attested him about it. 
• Amiral-Muminin (عليه السلام) asked those who had heard the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) to bear witness for him about this authority when he was victorious over Aisha and wanted to divorce her in the Battle of the Camel.
• Thirteen companions, two of whom were of the people of Badr testified that they had heard it from the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله). 
• After the Battle of the Camel Aisha did not want to leave Basra, she wanted to make trouble and create a new army apparently.
• Aisha refused to leave Basra and go to her house in Medina, despite the command of Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) for her to leave.
• Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) threatens Aisha that if she does not leave, he will send her the divorce document.
• Aisha is terrified upon hearing that her divorce from the Prophet (صلی الله و عليه وآله) might become public, therefore she immediately agrees to leave.
• Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) passes the divorce document to his son Imam Al-Hasan(عليه السلام) and he passes it to his brother Imam Al-Husain(عليه السلام).
• When Imam Al-Husain(عليه السلام) wants to bury his brother Imam Al-Hasan(عليه السلام), Aisha comes out riding a mule and orders to attack the body of Imam Al-Hasan(عليه السلام) with arrows, to not let the body to be buried next to the Messenger of Allah(صلی الله و عليه وآله).
• After this occasion there remains no more test for Aisha and people in that matter, so Imam Al-Husain(عليه السلام) sends her the divorce paper, informing her that she will never meet the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله) again.
• Imam Al-Hujja Al-Mahdi(صلوات الله عليه) explains the meaning of this divorce for Sa’d Ibn Abdullah Al-Qummi.
• Scholars attest that Aisha is no more the Mother of the Believers, because Amiral-Muminin(عليه السلام) divorced her and Imam Al-Husain(عليه السلام) sent her the divorce document when she attacked the body of Imam Al-Hasan(عليه السلام). 
• The number of evidences and their quality and the connection of the different stages of the narrations make us certain about the authenticity of the incident, even though taken independently they might be weak.

In conclusion we can safely say that Aisha is no more a Mother of the Believers and she is no more a wife of the Prophet(صلی الله و عليه وآله).

والحمد الله رب العالمين وصلى الله على محمد وآله الطاهرين