حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ حُصَيْنٍ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَسْرُوقُ بْنُ الأَجْدَعِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَتْنِي أُمُّ رُومَانَ ـ وَهْىَ أُمُّ عَائِشَةَ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ بَيْنَا أَنَا قَاعِدَةٌ أَنَا وَعَائِشَةُ إِذْ وَلَجَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَتْ فَعَلَ اللَّهُ بِفُلاَنٍ وَفَعَلَ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ أُمُّ رُومَانَ وَمَا ذَاكَ قَالَتْ ابْنِي فِيمَنْ حَدَّثَ الْحَدِيثَ‏.‏ قَالَتْ وَمَا ذَاكَ قَالَتْ كَذَا وَكَذَا‏.‏ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ سَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قَالَتْ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ‏.‏ فَخَرَّتْ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيْهَا، فَمَا أَفَاقَتْ إِلاَّ وَعَلَيْهَا حُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ، فَطَرَحْتُ عَلَيْهَا ثِيَابَهَا فَغَطَّيْتُهَا‏.‏ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَا شَأْنُ هَذِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخَذَتْهَا الْحُمَّى بِنَافِضٍ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَلَعَلَّ فِي حَدِيثٍ تُحُدِّثَ بِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ‏.‏ فَقَعَدَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَقَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ حَلَفْتُ لاَ تُصَدِّقُونِي، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُ لاَ تَعْذِرُونِي، مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَيَعْقُوبَ وَبَنِيهِ، وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ، قَالَتْ وَانْصَرَفَ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عُذْرَهَا ـ قَالَتْ ـ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ لاَ بِحَمْدِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ بِحَمْدِكَ‏.‏

Um Ruman, the mother of `Aisha said that while `Aisha and she were sitting, an Ansari woman came and said, "May Allah harm such and-such a person!" Um Ruman said to her, What is the matter?" She replied, "My son was amongst those who talked of the story (of the Slander)." Um Ruman said, "What is that?" She said, "So-and-so...." and narrated the whole story. On that `Aisha said, "Did Allah's Apostle hear about that?" She replies, "yes." `Aisha further said, "And Abu Bakr too?" She replied, "Yes." On that, `Aisha fell down fainting, and when she came to her senses, she had got fever with rigors. I put her clothes over her and covered her. The Prophet (ﷺ) came and asked, "What is wrong with this (lady)?" Um Ruman replied, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! She (i.e. `Aisha) has got temperature with rigors." He said, "Perhaps it is because of the story that has been talked about?" She said, "Yes." `Aisha sat up and said, "By Allah, if I took an oath (that I am innocent), you would not believe me, and if I said (that I am not innocent), you would not excuse me. My and your example is like that of Jacob and his sons (as Jacob said ): 'It is Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be sought against that you assert.' Um Ruman said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) then went out saying nothing. Then Allah declared her innocence. On that, `Aisha said (to the Prophet), "I thank Allah only; thank neither anybody else nor you."