Assalaamu alaykum. I read this somewhere: "And she ['Aa'ishah] once told him in an angry speech, 'You are the one who pretends to be the Prophet of Allaah.'" [The Revival of Religious Sciences, volume 2, page 43. Authored in the 11th or 12th century by Al-Ghazaali] 1) Is this authentic? 2) Why would Al-Ghazaali include this in his book, even if he recorded it weak and fabricated things? Could he not tell that this is kufr (disbelief).

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Al-‘Iraqi, when classifying the ahaadeeth of Ihyaa’ ‘Uloom ad-Deen, said about this hadeeth, "It was reported by Abu Ya’la in his Musnad and by Abu ash-Shaykh in the book Al-Amthaal min Hadeeth Aa’ishah, and in this hadeeth, there is Ibn Is-haaq who narrated it with 'An'anah (i.e. transmitting a Hadeeth saying "from so and so" without declaring their direct hearing from him, and since Ibn Is-haaq is known for Tadlees, then his 'An'anah can be a disconnection in the chain of narrators)." He thus pointed out that this hadeeth is weak.

As regards Al-Ghazaali mentioning this hadeeth, then he has mentioned it in the context of other ahaadeeth among which some were reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. The purpose is that he intended to establish an important matter, which is the perfection of the conduct of the Prophet that he had very good marital relations with his wives, and that he was seeking to find excuses for them, especially with regards to what happens between them as they were co-wives and were jealous towards each other. Indeed, this jealousy between co-wives is not strange, in addition to the fact that each one of them loved the Prophet and endeavored to gain his pleasure and love for her.

It does not necessarily mean that Al-Ghazaali reported it while knowing that it is weak, and perhaps he knew but still reported it as it is strengthened by [i.e. its meaning exists in] other authentic ahaadeeth.

As regards why he did not say that this was kufr, it is because he knows that this speech was said in a context where ‘Aa’ishah is excused, and she said such statements in other occasions, among which is what was reported by Al-Bukhari; that ‘Aa’ishah said, “I used to be jealous against the women who offered themselves to the Prophet and said, ‘How is it that a woman offers herself?’ And when Allaah revealed (what means): {You [O Muhammad] may put aside whom you will of them or take to yourself whom you will. And any that you desire of those [wives] from whom you had [temporarily] separated - there is no blame upon you [in returning her].} [Quran 33:51]; I said, ‘I do not see your Lord but hastening to fulfill your desires.’”

Al-Qurtubi said: “This statement is flirting and jealousy, and it is like her saying [after the incident when she was accused of adultery, and Allaah declared her innocent, and she was asked (by her parents) to praise the Prophet for that and she said]: ‘I will not praise you nor him; it is only Allaah that should be praised (for declaring my innocence).’ On the other hand, attributing desires to the Prophet is not understood to mean its literal meaning because the Prophet does not speak of his own desires and does not act according to his desires; if she had said: ‘Allaah hastens to please you,’ it would have been more appropriate, but jealousy is something excused and what is said because of it is forgivable.”

Finally, we remind you, dear Brother, that we have already drawn your attention to avoid questions about misconceptions, and we apologize if we do not answer any question like this in the future as we are busy answering many questions that we get about practical Islamic rulings.

Allaah knows best.