RIYADH: The Permanent Committee for Religious Research and Ifta in the Kingdom has issued a statement saying one of the principal beliefs of Ahl Al-Sunnah and Jama'ah is love for the Prophet's family (Ahl Al-Bayt). This shows that nobody will be considered a true believer unless he respects the Prophet's wives because by slandering his companions including his wives, it shows disobedience to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and in turn disobedience to Allah, it said. The statement said the committee reviewed the insults and dishonoring of the Prophet's wife Aisha Bint Al-Siddeeq, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), circulated by the media, which discredit the Book of Allah and the Sunnah. The committee made it clear that one of the principal beliefs of Ahl Al-Sunnah and Jama'ah is the imperative love of the Prophet's companions who accompanied him during the revelation of the Holy Qur'an and who Allah praised in His Book. They also referred to the Prophet's hadith which says, “Do not slander my Companions, for if one of you were to spend an amount of gold equivalent to the size of Mount Uhud, you would not even come halfway to their level.” Moreover, the Prophet (pbuh) said, “The best of my nation is my generation, then those who follow them, and then those who follow them.” So how can a person dare to insult Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) – the Mother of the Believers, who was so pious and loved the Prophet (pbuh) more than any other generation? This shows that insulting the Prophet's companions, particularly his wives, is a grave sin, especially when it comes to Al-Siddiqa Bint Al-Siddeeq, who was one of the most loving wives of the Prophet and the most knowledgeable woman in the Ummah, who has no parallel. Thus, when the most knowledgeable Companions of the Prophet (pbuh found difficulty in jurisprudential issues, they used to come and clarify the matter with Aisha – the Mother of the Believers. This furnishes conclusive evidence that Aisha was an authority in Hadith and Fiqh (jurisprudence). Another quality to be added to her countless qualities is that she was the most beloved wife to the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) confirmed this when Amr Ibn Al-Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (pbuh) who is the one most beloved to him. He said: Aisha and from men is her father. What shows the lofty position and status of the Mother of the Believers is that the Prophet (pbuh) died between her chest and lap and was buried in her house. If this is the case, how can one insult the Mother of the Believers by spreading fabricated hadiths? The Permanent Committee for Religious Research and Ifta also pointed out that no Muslim is allowed to insult the wives of the Prophet (pbuh) as they were the Mothers of the Believers, as mentioned in the Qur'an.
