Response to: Ayesha and her Ability to Understand Quran

The following is a response to SlaveOfAhlubait’s “Ayesha and her ability to understand quran”. The article can be found on his blog and on the Wilayat website.

The narration is as follows:

“ayesha says that once she asked holy prophet asws about the verse {[Shakir] And those who give what they give (in alms) while their hearts are full of fear that to their Lord they must return (mominoon/60),} ; she said o prophet asws! does this verse speak of one who steals, does zina and drinks wine? upon this holy prophet said: no, it speaks of one who offers prayers, fasts, and gives charity and he is having fear of allah”

{molvi zafar iqbal says narration is sahih as per Albany}
[musnad ahmad, urdu, vol 11, page 345]

SlaveOfAhlubait uses this narration to suggest that A’isha is ignorant when it comes to understanding the meanings of the Qur’an. This is a silly accusation since the Arabic text of the Qur’an is vague regarding the meaning of the verse.

Allah the Almighty states:

الَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوْا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ

The terms “Yu’toon ma Aatoo” can hold various meanings. It can mean “those that commit what they have committed” or “those that give what they give” or “those that enter forth where they have entered”. Due to this, the understanding of the words can suggest a positive or a negative connotation, and in this case, A’isha assumed that it was a negative connotation, since the verse continues that those that do this have fear within their hearts. In other words, a mistake in understanding this narration is only human, which is why A’isha was keen to ask the Prophet – peace be upon him – about the meaning, since she had doubts about her own understanding.

More importantly, we find that SlaveOfAhlubait is filled with so much hatred for Abu Bakr that he could not translate the narration correctly. The narration includes the Prophet – peace be upon him – saying to A’isha, “No, O’ daughter of Al-Sideeq.” However, SlaveOfAhlubait’s fingers would not move upon the keyboard to include this.

Refer to the image below: