The Ruling on Mentioning What Occurred Between the Companions by Way of a Joke

Question:
The seventh question: What is the ruling on telling a story by way of a joke regarding the Mother of the Believers, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)? A person claiming to be a scholar outside this country mentioned a story that a dispute arose between a slave of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and a slave of another Companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When she was preparing to go out, a relative of hers asked her, “Where are you going, O Mother of the Believers?” She said, “To look into the dispute that arose between these and those regarding a mule, which both parties claimed.” Her relative said, “No, O Mother of the Believers, is the incident of the camel not enough for us, until you stir up an incident of the mule anew?” Then the one who told the story laughed, and those with him laughed. What is the ruling on that? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
I do not know of any basis for this story. However, regarding what occurred between the Companions, the belief of the Muslims is that it is obligatory to refrain from it, and that it is not to be criticized, even in the way of joking. What occurred between the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) must be left alone and not mentioned, except in the way of excusing them and being pleased with them. This is because they (may Allah the Exalted be pleased with them) are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and they have good deeds, and they have obedience and noble works that cover some of the independent legal reasoning (ijtihad) in which they were excused. They are those who exercise independent legal reasoning.
And the one who exercises independent legal reasoning, if he is correct, he has two rewards, and if he errs, he has one reward, and the error is forgiven. This is regarding the other scholars of the Muslims. So how about the Companions (may Allah the Exalted be pleased with them)? The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And the error is forgiven. This is regarding the scholars who exercise independent legal reasoning, from the Companions and others. So how about the Companions (may Allah the Exalted be pleased with them)? They have virtues, they have noble qualities, and they have noble works that cannot be counted.
So it is obligatory to leave alone what occurred between the Companions and not to mention it, except in the way of excusing them and being pleased with them, and not to delve into it. Even if this is in the category of joking, this opens the door for the disbelievers and the hypocrites to attack the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.