The Fornication (al-Zinah) of Aisha ...

Sheikh al-Kulayni (rah) believed that Aisha performed Zinah, and he also quoted a hadith as well as Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi (rah) on this matter. Both of these great men were pillars for Shia’ism, and both believed that Aisha was a perverted woman.

Sh. al-Kulayni (rah) quotes from Imam al-Baqir (as):

The Imam asked: “What do you think of unfaithfulness in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘They both were unfaithful to the two of them.’ (66:9) He does not mean thereby anything other than obscenity (Fahisha here means Zinah). The Messenger of Allah had married so and so (Aisha and Hafsa).
: فقال لي: ما ترى من الخيانة في قول الله عزوجل " فخانتاهما (3) " ما يعني بذلك إلا الفاحشة (4) وقد زوج رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) فلانا،

Note: He (Sh. al-Kulayni) quoted this two times in his great book and we have quoted only the important part of the great narration that takes up two pages.
- Usul al-Kafi, Vol.2, Page 402-403, Hadith Number 2

- Furu' al-Kafi, Vol.5, Page 350, Hadith Number 12

The second part (of the Vol.5, Page 350) Sh. al-Kulayni or the narrator of it didn't quote it all:
 إلا في قول الله عز وجل: (فخانتاهما) ما عنى بذلك إلا (2) وقد زوج رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) فلانا،
Except from the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘They both were unfaithful to the two of them.’ (66:9) He does not mean thereby anything other than (2) The Messenger of Allah had married so and so (Aisha and Hafsa).

And this is well explained in the footnote of Kitab al-Kafi (Dar al-Kitab al-Islamiyah دار الكتب الاسلامية) by Ali Akbar al-Ghafari where he say:
(2) The part that has been removed is "except obscenity and betrayal" as the author has narrated in the Volume 2 of the book Page 402 Chapter al-Dhalal, the second narration.
(2) المستثنى محذوف تقديره الا الفاحشة والخيانة كما رواه المؤلف في المجلد الثاني من الكتاب ص 402 باب الضلال الحديث الثاني.
- Number 2 of the Footnote of Furu' al-Kafi, Vol.2, Page 402

In another version, the commentator Muhammad Ja'far Shams al-Din of al-Kafi (Dar al-Ta'arif al-Mabtu'at دار التعارف للمطبوعات) says the same thing.
(2) The part has been removed and it is "obscenity"
(2) المستثنى محذوف، وهو الفاحشة

In another version, the commentator 'Allamah Sheikh Muhammad Jawad al-Faqih (my own copy of Furu' al-Kafi) he reports the same thing.

(2) The part that has been removed is "except obscenity and betrayal" as the author has narrated in the Volume 2 of the book Page 399 Chapter al-Dhalal, the second narration.
(2) المستثنى محذوف تقديره الا الفاحشة والخيانة كما رواه المؤلف في المجلد الثاني من الكتاب ص 402 باب الضلال الحديث الثاني.

'Allamah Baqir al-Majlissi (rah) says and explains on the second Hadith of the Vol.5, Page 402, Hadith Number 12:
Muwathaq (i.e. all of its narrators are Thiqa 'trustworthy')
(الحديث الثاني عشر) (6): موثق.

(2) This part was removed from the copy or it may be possible that he said (as) (just) : "He does not mean thereby anything other" which the next part explains it more 'in the word of Allah that "They both were unfaithful to the two of them."'.
 (2) هنا سقط من النساخ أو هو مقدر أي قال عليه السلام:" أما و الله أخبرني ما عنى بذلك" و يفسره‏
قوله" إلا في قول الله فَخانَتاهُما"
- Mirat al-Uqool, Vol.20, Page 50

If some people still reject the narration even after what 'Allamah Baqir al-Majlissi (rah) said, here an analysis of the chain.

The chain of the second narration:
Muhammad Ibn Yahya, From Ahmad Ibn Muhammad, From Ibn Fadhal, From Ibn Bukayr, From Zurarah, From Abi Ja'far (as) who said:
- محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن ابن فضال، عن ابن بكير، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) قال

Muhammad Ibn Yahya:
Muhammad Ibn Yahya Abu Ja'far al-'Atar al-Qummi, Scholar from our compagnon in his time, Thiqah Ayn, to him alot of narration.
محمد بن يحيى أبو جعفر العطار القمي، شيخ أصحابنا في زمانه، ثقة، عين، كثير الحديث.
- Rijal al-Najashi, Page 353

Ahmad Ibn Muhammad:
And Abu Ja'far may Allah have mercy on him scholar of the people of Qom, their guides, their jurists, he is not on the defensive, he was also the president who used to meet the Sultan, he met al-Redha (as)
وأبو جعفر رحمه الله شيخ القميين، ووجههم، وفقيههم، غير مدافع. وكان أيضا الرئيس الذي يلقى السلطان بها، ولقى الرضا عليه السلام.
- Rijal al-Najashi, Page 81-82-83

Ibn Fadhal:
He narrated from al-Redha (as) and he was specialized by him, he had a great position, great his status is, he have a great position, devout and pious, Thiqah in narrations and the stories he has narrated.
روى عن الرضا عليه السلام وكان خصيصا به، كان جليل القدر، عظيم المنزلة، زاهدا ورعا، ثقة في الحديث وفي رواياته.
- Fihrist al-Tusi, Page 97-98

Ibn Bukayr:
Abdallah Ibn Bukayr, From the Fathi Madhab, except that he was Thiqah.
عبد الله بن بكير، فطحي المذهب، الا انه ثقة.
- Fihrist al-Tusi, Page 173-174

Zurarah:
Zurarah Ibn A'yan Ibn Sansan [...] Abu al-Hassan. He was the Sheikh and the head of our people during his time, and he was a scholar, Faqih (i.e. Jurist), Mutakallim (i.e. expert in the science of Kalam), poet. He had all religious and good characters, and he was trustworthy in what he narrate.
زرارة بن أعين بن سنسن مولى لبني عبد الله بن عمرو السمين بن أسعد بن همام بن مرة بن ذهل بن شيبان، أبو الحسن. شيخ أصحابنا في زمانه ومتقدمهم، وكان قارئا فقيها متكلما شاعرا أديبا، قد اجتمعت فيه خلال الفضل والدين، صادقا فيما يرويه.
- Rijal al-Najashi, Page 175

So we can conclude that all of the narrator are Thiqah as 'Allamah al-Majlissi (rah) said, that makes the Hadith Authentic - now let us see if Sheikh al-Kulayni (rah) believed if it was a proof for him, if it was authentic:

Verily, you solemnly wished that you possess a book which is sufficient, brings together the entire Islamic sciences of the knowledge of religion within it, wholly satisfies the needs of the student, acts as a reference for the seekers of guidance, and would be used by those who want to attain the knowledge of religion and practice upon it by deriving authentic narrations of the truthful ones (as) and the upright and acted upon traditions from it—through which the compulsory duties of Allah, the Powerful and Exalted, and the tradition of His Prophet (saw) can be fulfilled.

And you said: If that happens, I can hope that (the book) would be a means through which Allah will rectify our brothers and people of our religious community through his support and grace, and take them closer to their salvation.
وقلت: إنك تحب أن يكون عندك كتاب كاف يجمع [فيه] من جميع فنون علم الدين، ما يكتفي به المتعلم، ويرجع إليه المسترشد، ويأخذ منه من يريد علم الدين والعمل به بالآثار الصحيحة عن الصادقين عليهم السلام والسنن القائمة التي عليها العمل، وبها يؤدي فرض الله عز وجل وسنة نبيه صلى الله عليه وآله، وقلت: لو كان ذلك رجوت أن يكون ذلك سببا " يتدارك الله [تعالى] بمعونته وتوفيقه إخواننا وأهل ملتنا ويقبل بهم إلى مراشدهم.
- Introduction of al-Kafi Vol.1, Page 8

So we therefore see that he believed in what he quoted, and thus took the Hadith from his own book which made him firmly believe that Aisha performed Zinah.

Let us now see what Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi (rah) believed but before that who is Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi.

al-Najashi (rah) say:
Ali Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Hashim Abu al-Hassan al-Qummi, trustworthy in narration [Hadith], proven, certified, Authentic is his doctrine [Madhab], he heard and he added (and added), and he wrote a book and to half his age, he was struck blind.
He have a book of exegesis [Tafsir], Kitab al-Nasakh wal-Mansukh, Kitab Qurb al-Isnad, Kitab al-Sharai',
Kitab al-Hydh, Kitab al-Tawhid wal-Shirk, Kitab Fadail Amir al-Mumin (as), Kitab al-Maghazi, Kitab al-Anbiyah, [....] God knows that it added to [more and there is more books] To us from Muhammad Ibn Muhammad and others, from al-Hassan Ibn Hamza Ibn Ali Ibn Abdallah who said: Ali Ibn Ibrahim wrote to me allowing me [having] all of his narrations and  books.
 علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم أبو الحسن القمي، ثقة في الحديث، ثبت، معتمد، صحيح المذهب، سمع فأكثر (وأكثر)، وصنف كتبا وأضر في وسط عمره.
وله كتاب التفسير، كتاب الناسخ والمنسوخ، كتاب قرب الإسناد، كتاب الشرائع، كتاب الحيض، كتاب التوحيد والشرك، كتاب فضائل أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام، كتاب المغازي، كتاب الأنبياء، رسالة في معنى هشام ويونس، جوابات مسائل سأله عنها محمد بن بلال، كتاب يعرف بالمشذر، والله أعلم أنه مضاف إليه. أخبرنا محمد بن محمد وغيره، عن الحسن بن حمزة بن علي بن عبد الله قال: كتب إلي علي بن إبراهيم بإجازة سائر حديثه وكتبه.
- Rijal al-Najashi, Page 260

Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi (rah) say:
“Then Allah gave as an example of two of them (Aisha and Hafsa) and said: “Allah sets forth an example to those who disbelieve the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut: they were both under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them”, and said: by Allah! It’s clear from His words that treachery means nothing other obscenity (Fahisha here mean Zinah) and the Hadd (Islamic Punishment) have to be put on so and so when she was on her way and so and so used to love her and when wanted to go to the place of ... So and so told her that it is not allowed for you to go out without someone allowed to you (Muharam) so she married so and so.
 قال علي بن إبراهيم في قوله (ضرب الله مثلا) ثم ضرب الله فيهما مثلا فقال: (ضرب الله مثلا للذين كفروا امرأة نوح وامرأة لوط كانتا تحت عبدين من عبادنا صالحين فخانتاهما) فقال والله ما عنى بقوله فخانتاهما إلا الفاحشة وليقيمن الحد على فلانة فيما أتت في طريق وكان فلان يحبها فلما أرادت ان تخرج إلى... قال لها فلان لا يحل لك ان تخرجي من غير محرم فزوجت نفسها من فلان
- Tafsir al-Qummi, Vol.2, Page 377

Explanation of the word of Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qumim (rah) by Allamah Baqir al-Majlissi (rah)

Explanation: The four, i.e. Abu Bakr and Umar and their two daughters, the part "except obscenity" might only refer to marriage, the part "and the punishment will be held" refers to the Qaim (as) in Raj'ah, as it will be mentioned later, and Fulan refers to Talha as was mentioned before in the story of him saying that during the lifetime of the Prophet (saw) and in this narration there are strange things that we do not know its reality, so we leave it as it is and Allah and His Proofs (i.e. Aimah) know its meaning.
بيان: قوله: أربعة، أي أبو بكر وعمر وبنتاهما، قوله: إلا الفاحشة، لعلها مؤولة بمحض التزويج (3) قوله: وليقيمن الحد، أي القائم (عليه السلام) في الرجعة، كما سيأتي، والمراد بفلان طلحة كما مر ما يومي إليه من إظهاره ذلك في حياة الرسول (صلى الله عليه وآله)، وفي هذا الخبر غرائب لا نعلم حقيقتها، فطوينا على غرها والله يعلم وحججه صلوات الله عليهم جهة صدورها.
- Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.22, Page 241

We can conclude that two of our great scholars and narrators of ahadith believed in the Zinah of Aisha, one of them is even clearer on this matter - and we even get the view of Imam al-Baqir (as) who confirmed the Zinah of Aisha.