The Final Prophet by Mohammad Elshinawy

Just as the Qur’an describes Jesus telling others about the secrets they concealed in the depths of their homes,310 it was common for the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to address the inner thoughts of those he interacted with. For instance, Wābiṣah ibn Ma‘bad  narrated: I came to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and he said, “You came to ask about righteousness and sin?” I said, “Yes.” He صلى الله عليه وسلم closed his hand, tapped my chest, and said, “Consult your heart. Consult your heart. Consult your heart. Sin is what discomforts your soul and wavers in your chest, even if the people continue to advise you otherwise.”311 Similarly, ‘Āishah , the Prophet’s wife, reports that he صلى الله عليه وسلم once told her, “You will either tell me, or the Most Subtle, the Most Acquainted, will inform me… Did you think that Allah and His Messenger would shortchange you?” She responded, “Whatever people conceal, Allah knows... Yes, indeed.”312 Imam al-Nawawī comments that all the manuscripts attribute “Yes, indeed” to ‘Āishah . In other words, it was not an inquiry which the Prophet responded to in the affirmative, so it was as if she was agreeing with herself about the reality she had just attested to.313