Wet Dreams In The House Of Revelation

When a woman is widowed, she tries her utmost to live her life in such a manner that no one can raise questions about her morality. She seeks to keep away from the members of the opposite sex, so as to refrain from people maligning her character. 

During her husbands’ lifetime, the widow may have been introduced to his male friends/associates. They may even have visited their home on frequent occasions, BUT once the husband dies, that type of contact ceases to exist. This is for the widow to both protect her honour and maintain her good character in her community. No woman would want to risk a scandal about herself. 

A woman who has previously been subjected to questions about her moral character would be even more conscious about not letting history repeat itself. 

Despite this we find that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet (saw) who had previously been subject to false allegations of sexual impropriety operating a very nonchalant attitude when it came to her mixing with the opposite sex. As per authentic narrations she allowed men to spend the night at her home, all of whom soiled their provided bedsheets following wet dreams.

Person # 1: Abdullah ibn Shihab Al-Khaulani 

Muslim Ibn Hajjaj:

Abdullah b. Shihab al-Khaulani reported: I stayed in the house of 'A'isha and had a wet dream (and perceived its effect on my garment), so (in the morning) I dipped both (the clothes) in water. This (act of mine) was watched by a maid-servant of A'isha and she informed her. She (A'isha) sent me a message: What prompted you to act like this with your clothes? He (the narrator) said: I told that I saw in a dream what a sleeper sees. She said: Did you find (any mark of the fluid) on your clothes? I said: No. She said: Had you found anything you should have washed it. Incase I found that (semen) on the garment of the Messenger of Allah (saw) dried up, I scraped it off with my nails.

Source: Saheeh Muslim. H.290. Pg . # 146 - 147.

Person # 2 Al-Harith bin Humam 

Sulayman ibn Dawood:

Ibraheem said that Al-Harith bin Humam stayed in the house of Aisha and had a wet dream so (in the morning) began to wash his garment, this (act of him) was watched by a maid-servant of Aisha and she informed her. She (Aisha) sent me a message: I used scraped it off the garment of the Messenger of Allah (saw).

Footnote: 

Hussain Saleem Assad says; Saheeh (Authentic). 

Source: Musnad Aboo Dawood Tayalisi. H. 1504. Pg. # 29.

As the saying goes; “Once bitten, Twice shy” - meaning that once someone has had a bad experience, they will be more risk averse thereafter, thus seeking to avoid the previous unfortunate event to be repeated. 

RTS are NOT, in any way, suggesting that there was any physical contact between A'isha and the said individuals, however we remain critical of her judgment/decision making. We maintain that A’isha, having already been falsely accused of sexual relations during the lifetime of the Prophet (saw); in the event of 'Ifk'. We reiterate that it would have befitted A’isha to have been more prudent to the risks and intentionally steered clear of anything that might have maligned her chastity. However it was to the contrary, the questions about her character and chastity became rampant after the Prophet (saw) passing away? 

This leave us with some important questions;

- Did A’isha not consider the consequences of allowing sexually mature men to spend the night at her home, and did she not perceive how this might raise questions about her character?  

- What activities can be reasonably excused for these men to then have wet dreams? 

- Why did A’isha allow this to happen again, despite the first incident?

- Why was A’isha not considerate of the perception this would leave in the eyes of outsiders? 

- Did A’isha not envisage what would people think about the widow of the Prophet (saw) allowing her apartment to be used as a hostel? 

- If was not bad enough that men were sleeping in the apartment, what would people assume when they leave in a ritually impure state?

- It is evidenced that Aisha did not have a large residence, the Prophet (saw) was buried in the apartment of A'isha, and her room was small; where did these men have their wet dreams?