أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ الثِّقَةُ الْمَأْمُونُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتِ اجْتَمَعْنَ أَزْوَاجُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَرْسَلْنَ فَاطِمَةَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْنَ لَهَا إِنَّ نِسَاءَكَ وَذَكَرَ كَلِمَةً مَعْنَاهَا يَنْشُدْنَكَ الْعَدْلَ فِي ابْنَةِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ فَدَخَلَتْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ مَعَ عَائِشَةَ فِي مِرْطِهَا فَقَالَتْ لَهُ إِنَّ نِسَاءَكَ أَرْسَلْنَنِي وَهُنَّ يَنْشُدْنَكَ الْعَدْلَ فِي ابْنَةِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَتُحِبِّينِي ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَأَحِبِّيهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ فَرَجَعَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ فَأَخْبَرَتْهُنَّ مَا قَالَ فَقُلْنَ لَهَا إِنَّكِ لَمْ تَصْنَعِي شَيْئًا فَارْجِعِي إِلَيْهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ‏.‏ وَكَانَتِ ابْنَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَقًّا فَأَرْسَلْنَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ أَزْوَاجُكَ أَرْسَلْنَنِي وَهُنَّ يَنْشُدْنَكَ الْعَدْلَ فِي ابْنَةِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَتْ عَلَىَّ تَشْتِمُنِي فَجَعَلْتُ أُرَاقِبُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَنْظُرُ طَرْفَهُ هَلْ يَأْذَنُ لِي مِنْ أَنْ أَنْتَصِرَ مِنْهَا - قَالَتْ - فَشَتَمَتْنِي حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَنْتَصِرَ مِنْهَا فَاسْتَقْبَلْتُهَا فَلَمْ أَلْبَثْ أَنْ أَفْحَمْتُهَا فَقَالَ لَهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِنَّهَا ابْنَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَلَمْ أَرَ امْرَأَةً خَيْرًا وَلاَ أَكْثَرَ صَدَقَةً وَلاَ أَوْصَلَ لِلرَّحِمِ وَأَبْذَلَ لِنَفْسِهَا فِي كُلِّ شَىْءٍ يُتَقَرَّبُ بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى مِنْ زَيْنَبَ مَا عَدَا سَوْرَةً مِنْ حِدَّةٍ كَانَتْ فِيهَا تُوشِكُ مِنْهَا الْفَيأَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ هَذَا خَطَأٌ وَالصَّوَابُ الَّذِي قَبْلَهُ ‏.‏

"The wives of the Prophet got together and sent Fatimah to the Prophet. They told her to say: 'Your wives'" -and he (the narrator) said something to the effect that they are urging you to be equitable with regard to the matter of the daughter of Abu Quhafah. She said: "So she entered upon the Prophet when he was with 'Aishah under her cover. She said to him: 'Your wives have sent me and they are urging you to be equitable with regard to the matter of the daughter of Abu Quhafah.' The Prophet said to her: 'Do you love me?' She said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Then love her.' So she went back to them and told them what he said. They said to her: 'You did not do anything; go back to him.' She said: 'By Allah, I will never go back (and speak to him) about her again.' She was truly the daughter of the Messenger of Allah. So they sent Zainab bint Jahsh." 'Aishah said: "She was somewhat my equal among the wives of the Prophet. She said: 'Your wives have sent me to urge you to be equitable with regard to the matter of the daughter of Abu Quhafa.' Then she swooped on me and abused me, and I started watching the Prophet to see if he would give me permission to respond to her. She insulted me and I started to think that he would not disapprove if I responded to her. So I insulted her and I soon silenced her. Then the Prophet said to her: 'She is the daughter of Abu Bakr.'" 'Aishah said: "And I never saw any woman who was better, more generous in giving charity, more keen to uphold the ties of kinship, and more generous in giving of herself in everything by means of which she could draw closer to Allah than Zainab. But she had a quick temper; however, she was also quick to calm down."