When Fadak came back to haunt Ayesha

In the dispute over Fadak, the rulers very conveniently presented a forged tradition to the effect that 
prophets do not leave behind any inheritance – everything they leave behind is for the nation.

Among the witnesses of the forged tradition was Ayesha and Hafsa, along with Malik Ibn Aws, a Bedouin.

Usman reminds Ayesha of her false testimony

It is related by Tabari and Thaqafi in their respective history compilations:

During the tenure of Usman, Ayesha approached him and demanded:

Grant me (the pension) bestowed upon me by my father Abu Bakr and then by Umar.

Usman retorted: I have found nothing in the Book and the Sunnah to back this grant. Rather your father and Umar granted it to you on a whim, but I will not do so.

She demanded: Grant me my inheritance from Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.a.)?

Usman shot back: Didn’t Fatima (s.a.) approach you to seek her inheritance from Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.a.)? But you testified along with Malik Ibn Aws al-Basri (al-Nazri) that – ‘Surely the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) did not leave inheritance. In this way you usurped the right Fatima (s.a.) sought from you.’

I will not grant you (the inheritance).

Tabari reports further – Usman said – Weren’t you (Ayesha) the one, along with the Bedouin who used to perform ablutions with his own urine, to testify near your father that the prophets do not leave anything as inheritance?

• Bait al-Ahzan p 167
• Behaar al-Anwaar v 31 p 295
• Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah v 16 p 220 (Ahle Tasannun) with variation
• Al-Amaali of Shaikh Mufeed (r.a.) p 25 with variation
• Kashf al-Ghummah v 1 p 479 with variation

Clearly Ayesha by claiming inheritance of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) rejected her own previous testimony. Even to a person like Usman, the contradiction in her stand was obvious, as was the motive behind her false testimony – to deprive Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.) of her inheritance.