Hadith About Aisha’s House and Satan’s Horns
[A Sunni Perspective]

 

Praise be to Allah for giving us this opportunity to defend the Prophet’s wife. Truly what an amazing honor this is. May Allah raise us up with those who defend the Ahlel Bayt, as opposed to those who slander the blessed Ahlel Bayt. As for those who slander and insult the Prophet’s own wives, we can only imagine the Prophet’s anger towards these erring people; indeed, not even the vilest and most debased Shia would tolerate someone insulting his own wife! It will be the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah that will forever guard the honor of our Beloved’s beloved.

Shia Slander Against the Mother of the Believers

Despite the fact that Umm al Mu’mineen Aisha is part of the blessed Ahlel Bayt, the Shia propagandists revile her; of the many slanders they utter against her, one of their favorites is to claim that the “horns of Satan” or the “head of Satan” would emerge from Aisha’s house. This is based on their horrible misinterpretation of Sunni Hadith which they then propagate amongst the ignorant ones amongst the Sunnis.

Let us read the false translations and even falser interpretations made by the Shia propaganda website, Al-Islam.org:

Al-Islam.org says

The Prophet of Allah (PBUH&HF) warned the Ummah against her on several occasions…

Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 4.336
Narrated Abdullah:

The Prophet stood up and delivered a sermon, and pointed to the house of Aisha, and said: “Fitna (trouble/sedition) is right here,” saying three times, “from where the side of the Satan’s head comes out.”

In the above tradition the Prophet predicted the sedition which Aisha will bring for Muslims and that she will be seduced by Satan for instigating the first civil war in the history of Islam.

Muslim has also related in his Sahih from Ikrima Ibn Ammar from Salim from Ibn Umar who said:

“The Prophet of Allah (PBUH&HF) emerged from the house of Aisha and said. ‘The pivot of disbelief is from here, where the horns of Satan will rise.’”

Sunni reference: Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, the Chapter of Seditions, v4, p2229

A Similar Accusation Made By the Anti-Islam Orientalists

Unbeknownst to many Shia is the fact that this same Hadith is used by the Anti-Islam Orientalists (i.e. Non-Muslims) who seek to defile the good name of Prophet Muhammad. These Orientalists argue that the Prophet predicted that Satan’s horns would emerge from Aisha’s house, and then they are quick to mention that the Prophet himself was buried inside Aisha’s house! It is disconcerting how the Shia propagandists–in their overzealous attempts to slander the Ahlel Bayt (i.e. the Prophet’s wives)–have unwittingly allied themselves with Orientalists.

Indeed, if the Hadith in question is actually in reference to Aisha’s house, then nobody can deny that the Orientalists have rightfully pointed out that the Prophet was buried in that same house. If we take this interpretation, then we are led to the conclusion that Satan’s horn emerged from the Prophet himself; this claim has been made by the Christians for a very long time, whereby they argue that Prophet Muhammad was not sent by Allah but was rather one of Satan’s agents. The Christians argue that the Prophet was doomed by his own prophecy, in a similar fashion that Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of the Qadianis was doomed by his own prophecy. (Mirza Ghulam Ahmed had claimed to be a prophet after our Prophet Muhammad; he also prophecized that false prophets die from illnesses such as cholera. Ironically, Mirza Ghulam Ahmed himself died from cholera.)

Today, a very large mosque is built over Aisha’s house, known as al-Masjid al-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque). Are the Shia implying that the Horn of Satan would emerge from the second holiest mosque of Islam? Do they say that the Horn of Satan would emerge from the Prophet’s Mosque (not “Aisha’s Mosque”)? The Shia are agreed upon the sanctity of the Prophet’s Mosque, and yet at the same time they dare to make accusations that this was the site from where Satan’s horns would emerge?

The Hadiths in Question

In fact, the Hadiths in question have nothing at all to do with Aisha, but rather the Prophet was simply pointing in the direction of the East towards Iraq (i.e. the Persian Empire at that time). An analogy of this is if a man asks which direction is Qiblah, and his friend points towards a certain house on the street. This simply means that Qiblah is in that direction. The Prophet did not at all mean that Aisha’s house would be the source of Satan’s horns, but rather he meant the East. In relation to where the Prophet was standing, Aisha’s house simply happened to be in the direction of the East.

Shia Chat Member says

This Hadith has been narrated in the Sahihayn, in both Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari.

Indeed. Now let us reproduce the Hadiths from both Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari. We read:

Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 6938:

Ibn Umar reported that he heard Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying while he had turned his face towards the East: “Behold, turmoil would appear from this side, from where the horns of Satan would appear.”

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/041.smt.html#041.6938

Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 6939:

Ibn Umar reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood by the door (of the apartment of) gafsa and, pointing towards the East, he said: “The turmoil would appear from this side, viz. where the horns of Satan would appear,” and he uttered these words twice or thrice; and Ubaidullah in his narration said: the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had been standing by the door of Aisha.

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/041.smt.html#041.6939

Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 6940:

Salim b. Abdullah reported on the authority of his father that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him), while turning his face towards the East, said: “The turmoil would appear from this side; verily, the turmoil would appear from this side; verily, the turmoil would appear from this side–the side where appear the horns of Satan.”

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/041.smt.html#041.6940

Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 6941:

Ibn Umar reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) came out from the house of Aisha and said: “It would be from this side (pointing to the East) that there would appear the height of unbelief, viz. where appear the horns of Satan.”

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/041.smt.html#041.6941

Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 6942:

Ibn Umar reported: I heard Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying while pointing his hands towards the East: “The turmoil would appear from this side; verily, the turmoil would appear from this side (he repeated it thrice) where appear the horns of Satan.”

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/041.smt.html#041.6942

Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 6943:

Ibn Fudail reported on the authority of his father that he heard Salim b. Abdullah b. Umar as saying: O people of Iraq, how strange it is that you ask about the minor sins but commit major sins? I heard from my father Abdullah b. Umar, narrating that he heard Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying while pointing his hand towards the East: “Verily, the turmoil would come from this side, from where appear the horns of Satan and you would strike the necks of one another…”

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/041.smt.html#041.6943

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 53, Number 336:

Narrated Abdullah:

The Prophet stood up and delivered a sermon, and pointing towards Aisha’s house (i.e. Eastwards), he said thrice, “Affliction (will appear from) here,” and, “from where the side of the Satan’s head comes out (i.e. from the East).”

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/088.sbt.html

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, Number 212:

Narrated Salim’s father:

The Prophet stood up beside the pulpit (and pointed with his finger towards the East) and said, “Afflictions are there! Afflictions are there, from where the side of the head of Satan comes out,” or said, “..the side of the sun..” (i.e. the sun emerges from the East)

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/088.sbt.html

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, Number 213:

Narrated Ibn Umar:

I heard Allah’s Apostle while he was facing the East, saying, “Verily! Afflictions are there, from where the side of the head of Satan comes out.”

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/088.sbt.html

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, Number 214:

Narrated Ibn Umar:

The Prophet said, “O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Sham! O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Yemen.” The People said, “And also on our Najd (i.e. Iraq).” He said, “O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Sham (North)! O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Yemen (South).” The people said, “O Allah’s Apostle! And also on our Najd (i.e. Iraq).” I think the third time the Prophet said, “There (in the Najd, i.e. Iraq) is the place of earthquakes and afflictions and from there comes out the side of the head of Satan.”

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/088.sbt.html

Iraq was at that time referred to by the Arabs as the Najd, as stated in “Najd Qarnu ash-Shaytan”. This has been stated by al-Khattabi, al-Kirmani, al-Ayni, an-Nawawi, Ibn Hajr and others. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Hajr said:

“Al-Khattabi said: ‘For the one who is in Medinah, then his Najd would be the desert of Iraq and its regions (baadiya al-Iraaq wa Nawaaheehaa) for this is to the East of the People of Medinah.”

This is made abundantly clear by the same narration recorded in alternate wording:

Al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer, Compiled by Imam Al-Tabarani:

Narrated by Ibn Abbas:

The Prophet supplicated and said, “O Allah bestow your blessings on our Shaam and Yemen.” A person from amongst the people said, “O Prophet of Allah, and Iraq?” He said, “Indeed there (in Iraq) is the Horn of Satan, and the trials and tribulations will come like mounting waves, and indeed harshness is in the East.”

“Pointed Towards”, Not “Pointed To”

It is Hadith Number 336 of Vol.4, Book 53 of Sahih Bukhari that the Shia propagandists rely on most, namely because the translator used by the USC website (Muhsin Khan) made a mistake in his translation. He translates it as “pointed to Aisha’s house” instead of “pointed towards Aisha’s house.” However, the proper translation is “pointed towards” and not “pointed to.” In the Arabic text of said Hadith, the words are “fa-ashaara nahwa (towards) maskani `a’ishah” and not “fa-ashaara ila (to) maskani `a’ishah”. Therefore, we see that the Prophet was simply pointing towards the direction of Aisha’s house, and not at Aisha’s house specifically.

The Persian Empire: Wherefrom Satan’s Horns Emerged

At that time in history, Iraq was part of the Persian Empire; the Prophet had dispatched an ambassador to the Persian Chosroes inviting him to Islam. The haughty Persian leader scoffed at the Prophet’s call, rejecting to accept the “lowly” Arab “barbarians” as spiritual leaders over and above the “mighty” Persians. Soon thereafter, the Muslim Ummah would be propelled into an all-out war with the the Persian Empire; Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab blitzed across Iraq and this is when the Fitnah began for the Muslims. The perceptive reader should keep in mind that before the fall of Persia, the Muslim Ummah was united under its Caliph and Dar al-Islam was expanding its borders. Right after the liberation of Iraq from Persian domination, the assassinations of Caliphs began.

The Muslims had indeed defeated the haughty and proud Persian Empire, but the Persians carefully planned their revenge. The Persian governor Harmuzan was pardoned by the Caliph, but he conspired against the Muslims to avenge his humiliating defeat. The conquered Persians plotted against the Muslims, and it was their conspiracy plans which no doubt the Prophet was referring to as “Satan’s horns”. It was from the ashes of the Persian Empire that the Shia sect was formed, a mix between Islam and Zoroastrianism as well as Persian nationalism.

The Persian governor Harmuzan became partners with Jafeena Al-Khalil and Saba bin Shamoon (whose son was Abdullah ibn Saba, founder of the Shia sect); these three men hired Feroz Abu Lulu, a Persian POW from Iraq, to assassinate Caliph Umar. Today, the modern day Persian Shia venerate Abu Lulu, and they call him “Baba Shuja-e-din” which can be translated as “Honored Defender of Religion.” These Shia have a shrine erected for this murderer, located in the Iranian city of Kashan called the Abu Lulu Mausoleum wherein he is buried. The Shia travel from far distances to pray inside this shrine, and many of the Shia fast on the day that Umar was killed, and even pass out sweets. Feroz Abu Lulu is one of the venerated founding figures of Shia ideology; the same people who conspired to kill Umar were the ones who planted the seeds of the Shia movement.

Abu Lulu was hired by three men, and the third of these three was the father of Abdullah ibn Saba, founder of the Shia faith. His intention in creating the Shia faith was to create a sect within Islam that would split its ranks, create disunity, and–quite frankly–to forever be a rebel movement against mainstream Islamic governments. And if we look throughout history, we find that the Shia have always been rebels and turncoats, one of the reasons they are referred to as “Rafidhis” (or turncoats). Not only they were turncoats, but these Shia were Ahl al-Bidah (People of Innovation) for they adultered Islam with their Magian beliefs. This was the Satan’s horn that emerged from the East, and no doubt this is what the Prophet was referring to.

Aisha Did Not Start the Fitnah

The Shia argue that it was Aisha who started the Fitnah in the ranks of the Muslims by organizing an army against Ali. But in fact, this is incorrect. First of all, Aisha did not leave her house with the intention of instigating an armed revolt against Ali. Instead, she left her house only with the intention of Islah (reformation). In Tareekh Al-Tabari, the events precipitating the Battle of the Camel are recorded. Al-Tabari narrates that a man asked Aisha why she had come to visit Ali, saying: “O mother, what moved you and pushed you to this country?” She answered: “O son, to reconcile between people.”

The word “Fitnah” refers to turmoil which causes disunity in the ranks of the Muslim Ummah. Even before the time of the Battle of Camel, the Muslim ranks had become split, so why should the Shia blame this on Aisha? The Fitnah began right after the Persians assassinated the Caliph of the Muslims, which pre-dated the Battle of the Camel. In fact, it was the murder of Umar ibn al-Khattab by the Persians that started the chain reaction which resulted in the Battle of the Camel. Ubaidallah, Umar’s son, avenged the murder of his father by plotting to kill the three men who hired the assassin Abu Lulu. Ubaidallah was successful in killing two of the three men, but the third–Saba bin Shamoon–survived, and he demanded that Ubaidallah be executed for his double murder. Caliph Uthman, however, showed Ubaidallah mercy, despite Ali who advised the Caliph to execute him for his crime of vigilante murder.

The fact that Uthman showed mercy upon Ubaidallah angered Saba bin Shamoon and his son, Abdullah ibn Saba. These two men looked sympathetically towards Ali, due to the fact that Ali had taken a harsh stance towards Ubaidallah’s actions. It was thus that Abdullah ibn Saba “converted” to Islam and founded the Shia sect, calling the masses to adore Ali and agitating them against Uthman. It was Abdullah ibn Saba’s propaganda against Uthman that helped fan the flames of civil discontent and caused the people to rise against the Caliph. And so it was that the Saba’ites (followers of Abdullah ibn Saba) assassinated Uthman.

This murder of Uthman led to the rise of Ali as Caliph; the people demanded of Ali that he apprehend the killers of Uthman and this was the cause of the Battle of Camel. The people were upset with Ali for failing to apprehend the killers of Uthman–who happened to be in his own party, but Ali chose to delay apprehending them due to the fact that he did not want to alienate his own supporters in this time of civil discontent when he needed them the most. So Ali decided to delay on apprehending the killers until after he consolidated his power as Caliph, but the people were threatening to revolt against and even kill Ali, who was even wrongfully implicated in the murder of Uthman. And so it was that some of the people appealed to the Prophet’s wife to go talk to the Caliph on their behalf. Aisha agreed to do this, only to prevent bloodshed and furnish Islah (reformation) between the ranks of the Muslims. Aisha was hopeful that she could convince Ali to find the killers and apprehend them posthaste.

When the Saba’ite killers of Uthman found out that Aisha was on her way to meet the Caliph in order to urge him to apprehend the assassins, this naturally made them antsy and fear for their lives. So it was they who attacked Aisha’s contingent and thus began the Battle of the Camel, a result of the chain reaction that began with the Persian murder of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab. It was thus that the Persians were the cause of the Fitnah, and Aisha was innocent of that. Today, we find that the modern day Shia are soft towards the Persian conspirators but harsh towards the Mother of the Believers! The truth is that the Shia propagandists will be raised with those they love, and they will be raised up with the likes of the Persian Abu Lulu, whereas the Muslims will be raised with the blessed Ahlel Bayt including the Prophet’s wives. The Shia of today are the remnants of the Magian Persian Empire, and they are from where Satan’s horns emerged.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Hajar said:

“The People of the East were disbelievers at that time and the Messenger of Allah informed us that the trials and tribulations would arise from that direction and it was as he said. And the first of the trials that arose, arose from the direction of the East and they were the reason for the splitting of the Muslim ranks, and this is what Satan loves and delights in. Likewise the innovations appeared from that direction.” (Fath al-Bari 13/58)

Conclusion

The Prophet was not at all referring to his own wife. If that were the case, then nothing prevented him from simply pointing to his wife, instead of pointing towards Aisha’s house in the direction of the East. In fact, although this Hadith is abused by the Shia propagandists, in reality this same Hadith is a damnation of the Shia themselves for it was they who the Prophet was warning against us. May Allah save us from Shi’ism, the horn of Satan.

It is inconceivable that the Prophet of Islam would be buried at the spot wherefrom Satan’s horns emerged. May Allah bless the Prophet’s Ahlel Bayt including his wives, the Mother of the Believers.

Article Written By: Ibn al-Hashimi, www.ahlelbayt.com


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