Volume 6, Book 60, Number 435:
Narrated Ibn Abbas:
For the whole year I had the desire to ask ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab regarding the explanation of a
Verse (in Surat Al-Tahrim) but I could not ask him because I respected him very much. When he
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went to perform the Hajj, I too went along with him. On our return, while we were still on the way
home. ‘Umar went aside to answer the call of nature by the Arak trees. I waited till he finished and
then I proceeded with him and asked him. “O chief of the Believers! Who were the two wives of the
Prophet who aided one another against him?” He said, “They were Hafsa and ‘Aisha.” Then I said to
him, “By Allah, I wanted to ask you about this a year ago, but I could not do so owing to my respect
for you.” ‘Umar said, “Do not refrain from asking me. If you think that I have knowledge (about a
certain matter), ask me; and if I know (something about it), I will tell you.” Then Umar added, “By Al –
lah, in the Pre-lslamic Period of Ignorance we did not pay attention to women until Allah revealed
regarding them what He revealed regarding them and assigned for them what He has assigned.
Once while I was thinking over a certain matter, my wife said, “I recommend that you do so-and-so.”
I said to her, “What have you got to do with the is matter? Why do you poke your nose in a matter
which I want to see fulfilled.?” She said, How strange you are, O son of Al-Khattab! You don’t want to
be argued with whereas your daughter, Hafsa surely, argues with Allah’s Apostle so much that he re –
mains angry for a full day!” ‘Umar then reported; how he at once put on his outer garment and went
to Hafsa and said to her, “O my daughter! Do you argue with Allah’s Apostle so that he remains
angry the whole day?” H. afsa said, “By Allah, we argue with him.” ‘Umar said, “Know that I warn you
of Allah’s punishment and the anger of Allah’s Apostle . . . O my daughter! Don’t be betrayed by the
one who is proud of her beauty because of the love of Allah’s Apostle for her (i.e. ‘Aisha).” ‘Umar
addled, “Then I went out to Um Salama’s house who was one of my relatives, and I talked to her. She
said, O son of Al-Khattab! It is rather astonishing that you interfere in everything; you even want to
interfere between Allah’s Apostle and his wives!’ By Allah, by her talk she influenced me so much
that I lost some of my anger. I left her (and went home). At that time I had a friend from the Ansar
who used to bring news (from the Prophet) in case of my absence, and I used to bring him the news
if he was absent. In those days we were afraid of one of the kings of Ghassan tribe. We heard that he
intended to move and attack us, so fear filled our hearts because of that. (One day) my Ansari friend
unexpectedly knocked at my door, and said, “Open Open!’ I said, ‘Has the king of Ghassan come?’ He
said, ‘No, but something worse; Allah’s Apostle has isolated himself from his wives.’ I said, ‘Let the
nose of ‘Aisha and Hafsa be stuck to dust (i.e. humiliated)!’ Then I put on my clothes and went to Al –
lah’s Apostle’s residence, and behold, he was staying in an upper room of his to which he ascended
by a ladder, and a black slave of Allah’s Apostle was (sitting) on the first step. I said to him, ‘Say (to
the Prophet ) ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab is here.’ Then the Prophet admitted me and I narrated the story to
Allah’s Apostle. When I reached the story of Um Salama, Allah’s Apostle smiled while he was lying on
a mat made of palm tree leaves with nothing between him and the mat. Underneath his head there
was a leather pillow stuffed with palm fibres, and leaves of a saut tree were piled at his feet, and
above his head hung a few water skins. On seeing the marks of the mat imprinted on his side, I wept.
He said.’ ‘Why are you weeping?’ I replied, “O Allah’s Apostle! Caesar and Khosrau are leading the
life (i.e. Luxurious life) while you, Allah’s Apostle though you are, is living in destitute”. The Prophet
then replied. ‘Won’t you be satisfied that they enjoy this world and we the Hereafter?’ ”
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Volume 6, Book 60, Number 436:
Narrated Ibn Abbas:
I intended to ask ‘Umar so I said, “Who were those two ladies who tried to back each other against
the Prophet?” I hardly finished my speech when he said, They were ‘Aisha and Hafsa.”

Volume 6, Book 60, Number 437:
Narrated Ibn Abbas:
I intended to ask ‘Umar about those two ladies who back each other against ‘Allah’s Apostle . For
one year I was seeking the opportunity to ask this question, but in vain, until once when I accom –
panied him for Hajj. While we were in Zahran, ‘Umar went to answer the call of nature and told me
to follow him with some water for ablution. So I followed him with a container of water and started
pouring water for him. I found it a good opportunity to ask him, so I said, “O chief of the Believers!
Who were those two ladies who had backed each other (against the Prophet)?” Before I could com –
plete my question, he replied, “They were ‘Aisha and Hafsa.”