No. 439

‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that there was a black slave girl owned by an Arab tribe, and they set her free, but she remained with them. The slave girl said: "Once, one of their girls (of that tribe) came out wearing a red leather scarf decorated with precious stones. It fell from her or she placed it somewhere. A kite passed by that place, saw it lying there and thought it a piece of meat; so it flew away with it. People looked for it but did not find it. So they accused me of stealing it, and started searching me even my private part." The slave girl added: "By Allah! While I was standing (in that state) with those people, the same kite passed by them and dropped the red scarf, and it fell in front of them. I told them, "This is what you accused me of and I was innocent; and here it is." ‘Ā'ishah added: "That slave girl came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and embraced Islam." She had a tent or a small room with a low roof in the mosque. She used to visit me, and every time she came, she would say the following: "The day of the scarf was one of the wonders of our Lord, for He rescued me from the disbelievers' town. ‘Ā'ishah added: "Once, I asked her, "What is the matter with you? Every time you sit with me, you say these words." Then ‘Ā'ishah said: "so she told me the whole story."