Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I obviously know islam is the only true religion but sometimes weird thoughts come in to my mind doubting the existence of Allah, which ofcourse are brought by shaitan. What should I do to ward these off. Also I want to ask if u cant travel w/o a na mehram without a certain distance then how did bibi aisha participate in war. Also when her necklace was lost she disappeared for a long time, which ofcourse means she was all alone without a mehram, so isnt that wrong? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Aisha travel with Mehram

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: I obviously know islam is the only true religion but sometimes weird thoughts come in to my mind doubting the existence of Allah, which ofcourse are brought by shaitan. What should I do to ward these off.

Dear and beloved sister, although there are innumerable Signs in creation which prove without any doubt of an absolutely Magnificent and Omnipotent Creator and Sustainer; in our humble opinion, there is no better place or way to form a conviction regarding the Oneness of the Lord Creator than the understanding of His Revealed Message, The Glorious Quran. If ever there was any angle where the Shaytaan could sow the seeds of doubt in one’s mind regarding the existence of the Lord Most High, the Glorious Quran thoroughly responds and breaks the back of every doubt with magnificent ease, logic, and wisdom.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.132a

What to Say When One is struck by Doubt

Abu Hurairah reported that Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "The Shaytaan comes to you and says, 'Who created so-and-so, until finally he says, 'Who created your Lord?' So, when he inspires such a doubt, one should seek refuge with Allah and give up such thoughts.''

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

In another authentic narration the Prophet (saws) said, "The people will continue raising questions until they ask, 'Allah created the creation, but who created Allah?' So whoever is faced with such a situation should say, 'I believe in Allah and His Messengers'."

And if ever the Shaytaan tries to sow the seeds of doubt again, seek refuge in your Lord Creator from his mischief by declaring the phrase: ‘Aoodobillahe minas shaytaan rajeem’ and by reciting the last two Surahs of the Quran: 113^th Surah Al-Falaq, 114^th Surah An-Naas. It is expected that Allah Subhanah will protect you from any and all evil.

Your Question: Also I want to ask if u cant travel w/o a na mehram without a certain distance

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.194 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet (saws) said, "It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to travel for one day and night except with a Mahram."

Your Question: how did bibi aisha participate in war.

After the death of Prophet Mohamed (saws), many amongst his noble and chaste wives performed the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages, and considering their special status bestowed upon them by Allah Subhanah as the ‘mother of the believers, special arrangements were made for these ladies by the Islamic State for their honor and protection.

If the war you referring to is the ‘Battle of Jamal’, then one should know that Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) was on her Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah when the news of the murder of the Khalifah of the times, Hadrat Uthman (r.a.) was relayed to her and the believers. Such was the state of the believers at the time, that the way the news was related aroused emotions and anger and based upon a severe misunderstanding at the happening of events which led to the murder, the believers under the command of Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) declared war against the believers of Madinah with Hadrat Ali (r.a.).

Once the emotions were cooled and the misunderstanding regarding the position of Hadrat Ali (r.a.) and the believers of Madinah was clarified, Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) realized and accepted her mistake, and the battle was brought to an end immediately.

During the Hajj journey itself, Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) was accompanied by her nephew Hadrat Abdullah ibn Zubayr (r.a.) who was her mehram; and after the truce with Hadrat Ali (r.a.), Hadrat Ali (r.a.) sent Hadrat Mohamed bin Abu-Baqr (r.a.) who was her brother, to escort her back to her home in Madinah with full dignity and honor.

Your Question: Also when her necklace was lost she disappeared for a long time, which ofcourse means she was all alone without a mehram, so isnt that wrong? 

Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) was in the company of the Prophet (saws) during her journey when she lost her necklace. Her going to search for her necklace cannot be counted as a journey by itself, for she could not have gone very far in search of her necklace. But by the time she returned to the site where the believers were camped, she realized that the caravan had left without her. The story regarding what exactly transpired is recorded by Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) and related by Bukhari:

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.462 Narrated byAisha

Whenever Allah's Messenger (saws) intended to go on a journey, he used to draw lots amongst his wives, and Allah's Messenger (saws) used to take with him the one on whom lot fell. He (saws) drew lots amongst us during one of the Ghazwat which he fought. The lot fell on me and so I proceeded with Allah's Messenger (saws). I was carried (on the back of a camel) in my howdah and carried down while still in it (when we came to a halt). So we went on till Allah's Messenger (saws) had finished from that Ghazwa of his and returned.

When we approached the city of Medina he (saws) announced at night that it was time for departure. So when they announced the news of departure, I got up and went away from the army camps, and after finishing from the call of nature, I came back to my riding animal. I touched my chest to find that my necklace which was made of Zifar beads (i.e. Yemenite beads partly black and partly white) was missing. So I returned to look for my necklace and my search for it detained me. (In the meanwhile) the people who used to carry me on my camel, came and took my howdah and put it on the back of my camel on which I used to ride, as they considered that I was in it. In those days women were light in weight for they did not get fat, and flesh did not cover their bodies in abundance as they used to eat only a little food. Those people therefore, disregarded the lightness of the howdah while lifting and carrying it; and at that time I was still a young girl. They made the camel rise and all of them left (along with it). I found my necklace after the army had gone.

Then I came to their camping place to find no call maker of them, nor one who would respond to the call. So I intended to go to the place where I used to stay, thinking that they would miss me and come back to me (in my search). While I was sitting in my resting place, I was overwhelmed by sleep and slept. Safwan bin Al-Muattal As-Sulami Adh-Dhakwani was behind the army. When he reached my place in the morning, he saw the figure of a sleeping person and he recognized me on seeing me as he had seen me before the order of compulsory veiling (was prescribed). So I woke up when he recited Istirja' (i.e. "Inna lillahi wa inna llaihi raji'un") as soon as he recognized me. I veiled my face with my head cover at once, and by Allah, we did not speak a single word, and I did not hear him saying any word besides his Istirja'. He dismounted from his camel and made it kneel down, putting his leg on its front legs and then I got up and rode on it. Then he set out leading the camel that was carrying me till we overtook the army in the extreme heat of midday while they were at a halt (taking a rest).’

The journey Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) made with the non-mehram companions was in a state of emergency! Even today, when a woman is lost in a distant place, the Shariah law of traveling with a mehram would not apply if she sought help to find her way back to her home or city. Besides, Allah Subhanah Himself revealed the Verses in His Glorious Quran which absolutely absolved Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) of any error and wrongdoing during this incident; but it is indeed unfortunate that some believer after 1400 years, still try to hold Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) accountable for her role in the incident!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verses 11-19:

11 Those who brought forward the lie (regarding the incident of Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) during the journey) are a body among yourselves: think it not to be an evil to you: on the contrary it is good for you: to every man among them (will come the punishment) of the sin that he earned, and to him who took on himself the lead among them will be a Penalty Grievous.

12 Why did not believeing men and women when ye heard of the affair put the best construction on it in their own minds and say "This (accusation) is an obvious lie"?

13 Why did they not bring four witnesses to prove it? When they have not brought the witnesses such men in the Sight of Allah (stand forth) themselves as liars!

14 Were it not for the Grace and Mercy of Allah on you in this world and the Hereafter a grievous penalty would have seized you in that ye rushed glibly into this affair.

15 Behold ye received it on your tongues and said out of your mouths things of which ye had no knowledge; and ye thought it to be a light matter while it was most serious in the Sight of Allah.

16 And why did ye not when ye heard it say "It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to Allah! This (accusation against Aisha) is a most serious slander!"

17 Allah doth admonish you that ye may never repeat such (conduct) if ye are (true) believers.

18 And Allah makes the Signs plain to you: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.

19 Those who love (to see) scandal published (and) broadcast among the believers will have a grievous Penalty in this life and in the Hereafter: Allah knows and ye know not.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan