This is a response to the article by RevisitingTheSalaf.org entitled: The Prophet (saw) Would Indulge Himself In Romantic Pursuits While Fasting, which was published on the 29th of January, 2012, which can be read here.
RTS starts off by quoting narrations in which A’isha and Um Salama narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) would get up in the morning, while being in a state of impurity, due to sexual intercourse, he’d then bathe and fast.
RTS argues:
These narrations suggest that during the blessed moth of Ramadhan the Prophet (saw) would sleep after conjugal relation with his wife throughout the night, not offering Tahajjud prayers, nor reciting the Qur’aan, rather he would sleep through the entirety of the night and would in fact awaken in the morning (after Sunrise), would perform the Ghusl and then commence fasting.
There is nothing in the narrations by A’isha that suggests that the Messenger (pbuh) did not perform the night prayers or read the Qur’an prior to engaging in sexual activities. The narration is not, in any way, contradictory to what RTS quotes in Al-Kafi in his article. Nor does the narration state that he woke up after the Fajr (sunrise) period. On the contrary, in one narration in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, we find the exact timing being determined, it states:
كان يدركه الفجر وهو جنب من أهله ثم يغتسل ويصوم
The (time of) Fajr would come upon him, while he was in a state of Janaba due to his family (his wives), he would bathe, and fast. (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, p. 309, Dar Alsalam, 1419, 2nd edition)
RTS also says:
A’isha has ascribed a lie to the holy Prophet (saw) by suggesting he would waken in that state which could me either two things:
A) The Prophet (saw) was fasting read mourning prayers (At this point his fast was closed) then broke his fast by intentionally sleepin with his wive(s) then later performing Ghusul which would mean the Prophet (saw) broke his fast!?
or
B) The Prophet (saw) would miss night Prayers and Mourning prayers awake in the mourning in the state of Janub then performed Ghusul in the morning?!
A third possibility that wasn’t included by RTS is that he could have had sexual intercourse after his night prayers, then woke up and bathed at sunrise.
It is also strange that RTS quotes this narration, which is also attributed to Um Salama, but then states that it is a fabrication by the brother of A’isha. RTS argues:
In one tradition the brother of A’isha (la) seek to include Umma Salmah (r.a) as a narrator.
Well, firstly, the brother of A’isha is nowhere to be found. The event is narrated by Abdulrahman bin Al-Harith bin Hisham, whose full name is found in the narration itself. It is possible that RTS confused this narrator with Abdulrahman bin Abi Bakr Al-Siddeeq, A’isha’s brother. Either way, Abdulrahman is not the sole narrator of this narration from Um Salama, others have narrated the same from her, like Sulaiman bin Yassar (Saheeh Muslim, p. 496, Dar Al-Ma’rifah, 2007, 2nd edition) Nafi’ (Sunan Ibn Majah, p. 243, Daralsalam, 1420, First edition), and Amir, the brother of Um Salama. (See Musnad Ahmad, 28/287, Dar Al-Hadith, 1416, First edition.) Each and every single one of these narrations is authentic, of course.
In other words, this narration is not specific to A’isha, and was also narrated by Um Salama, who the Shias hold in a positive light.
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