Ayesha’s Age: The Myth Of A Proverbial Wedding Exposed

[amjk22]

AYESHA’s AGE: THE MYTH OF A PROVERBIAL WEDDING EXPOSED

T.O Shanavas MD
Vice President
Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.
7102 W. Shefford Lane
Louisville, KY 40242-6462
Website: http://www.irfi.org





A Christian friend asked me once, “Will you marry your seven year old daughter to a fifty year old man?” I kept my silence. He continued, “If you would not, how can you approve the marriage of an innocent seven year old, Ayesha, with your Prophet?” I told him, “I don’t have an answer to your question at this time.” My friend smiled and left me with a thorn in the heart of my faith. Most Muslims answer that such marriages were accepted in those days. Otherwise, people would have objected to Prophet’s marriage with Ayesha. However, such an explanation would be gullible only for those who are naïve enough to believe it. But unfortunately, I was not satisfied with the answer.



The Prophet (PBUH) was an exemplary man. All his actions were most virtuous so that we, Muslims, can emulate them. However, most people in our Islamic Center of Toledo, including me, would not think of betrothing our seven years daughter to a fifty-two year-old man. If a parent agrees to such a wedding, most people, if not all, would look down upon the father and the old husband.



In 1923, registrars of marriage in Egypt were instructed not to register and issue official certificates of marriage for brides less than sixteen and grooms less than eighteen years of age. Eight years later, the Law of the Organization and Procedure of Sheriah courts of 1931 consolidated the above provision by not hearing the marriage disputes involving brides less than sixteen and grooms less than eighteen years old. (REF: Women in Muslim Family Law, John Esposito, 1982). It shows that even in the Muslim majority country of Egypt the child marriages are unacceptable.



So, I believed, without solid evidence other than my reverence to my Prophet (pbuh), that the stories of the marriage of seven-year-old Ayesha (ra) to fifty-year-old Prophet are only myths. However, my long pursuit in search of the truth on this matter proved my intuition correct. My Prophet was a gentleman. And He did not marry an innocent seven or nine year old girl.



The age of Ayesha (ra) has been erroneously reported in the hadith literature. Furthermore, I think that the narratives reporting this event are highly unreliable. Some of the hadith regarding Ayesha’s age at the time of her wedding with prophet are problematic. I present the following evidences against the acceptance of the fictitious story by Hisham ibn `urwah and to clear the name of my Prophet (pbuh) as an irresponsible old man preying on an innocent little girl.



EVIDENCE # 1 Reliability of Source

Most of these narratives printed in the Hadith books are reported only by Hisham ibn `urwah reporting on the authority of his father. First of all, more people than just one, two or three should logically have reported. It is strange that no one from Medinah, where Hisham ibn `urwah lived the first seventy one years of his life has narrated the event, even though in Medinah his pupils included people as well known as Malik ibn Anas. The origins of the report of the narratives of this event are people from Iraq, where Hisham is reported to have shifted after living in Medinah for seventy-one years.



Tehzibu'l-tehzib, one of the most well known books on the life and the reliability of the narrators of the traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) report that according to Yaqub ibn Shaibah:

" He [Hisham] is highly reliable, his narratives are acceptable, except what he narrated after moving over to Iraq." (REF: Tehzi'bu'l-tehzi'b, Ibn Hajar Al-`asqala'ni, Dar Ihya al-turath al-Islami, 15th century. Vol 11, p. 50).



It further states that Malik ibn Anas objected on those narratives of Hisham which were reported through people of Iraq:

“I have been told that Malik [ibn Anas] objected on those narratives of Hisham which were reported through people of Iraq." (REF: Tehzi'b u'l-tehzi'b, Ibn Hajar Al-`asqala'ni, Dar Ihya al-turath al-Islami, Vol.11, p. 50)



Mizanu'l-ai`tidal, another book on the life sketches of the narrators of the traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) reports:

"When he was old, Hisham's memory suffered quite badly" (REF: Mizanu'l-ai`tidal, Al-Zahbi, Al-Maktabatu'l-athriyyah, Sheikhupura, Pakistan, Vol. 4, p. 301)



CONCLUSION: Based on these references, Hisham’s memory was failing and his narratives while in Iraq were unreliable. So, his narrative of Ayesha’s marriage and age are unreliable.
Chronology

Now let me state some of the pertinent dates in the history of Islam:


Jahilliyya Before Revelation

First Revelation 610 CE

Abu Baker accepts Islam 610 CE

Public preaching 613 CE

Emigration to Abyssenia 615 CE

Umar bin al Khattab accept Islam 616 CE

Generally accepted betrothal of Ayesha 620 CE

Hijarah 622 CE

Generally accepted year of Ayesha living

with Prophet 623 or 624CE (1 or 2 AH)


EVIDENCE # 2 Betrothal

According to Tabari (also according to Hisham ibn ‘urwah, Ibn Hunbal and Ibn Sad), Ayesha was betrothed at seven years of age and began to cohabit with Prophet at the age of nine years. However, in another work, Al- Tabari says:

"All four of his [Abu Bakr's] children were born of his two wives -- the names of

whom we have already mentioned -- during the pre-Islamic period."(REF: Tarikhu'l-umam wa'l-mamlu'k, Al-Tabari (died 922), Vol. 4, p. 50, Arabic, Dara'l-fikr, Beirut, 1979)



If Ayesha was betrothed in 620 CE (at the age of 7 years) and started to live with Prophet in 624 CE or 2 AH (at the age of nine years), she was born in 613 CE {(Year of living with Prophet MINUS Ayesha’a age at that time of living with Prophet EQUALS the date of birth of Ayesha (624CE – 9 yrs = 613 CE)}. So, based on one account of Al-Tabari the numbers show that Ayesha must have born (613 CE) three years after the beginning of revelation (610 CE). And yet another place Tabari says that Ayesha was born in Pre-Islamic time (in Jahilliyyah). If she were born in pre-Islamic time (before 610 CE), she would have be at least 14 years old. So, Tabari contradicts himself.

CONCLUSION: Al-Tabari is unreliable in the matter of determining Ayesha’s age.


Contradicting Reports

EVIDENCE # 3 The Age of Ayesha in Relation to the Age of Fathima.



According to According to Ibn Hajar,

“ Fatimah (ra) was born at the time the Ka`bah was rebuilt, when the Prophet (pbuh) was 35 years old... she (Fatimah) was five years older that Ayesha (ra).” (REF: Al-isabah fi tamyizi'l-sahabah, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Vol. 4, P. 377, Maktabatu'l-Riyadh al-haditha, al-Riyadh, 1978)



So, based on Ibn Hajar, Fathima was born when Prophet was 35 years old and Ayesha was 5 years younger than Fathima. If Ibn Hajar’s statement is factual, Ayesha was born when Prophet was forty years old (Prophet’s age at the birth of Fathima PLUS 5 years = 40 years). If Ayesha was married to Prophet when he was 52 years old, Ayesha’ age at marriage would be 12 years {(Prophet’s age at the time of marriage MINUS Prophet’s age at Ayesha’s birth (52 yrs – 40 years = 12 yrs)}.



CONCLUSION: Ibn Hajar, Tabari an Ibn Hisham and Ibn Humbal contradict each other. So, the marriage of Ayesha at seven years of age is a myth.


EVIDENCE # 4 The Age of Ayesha in Relation to the Age of Asma

According to Abda'l-Rahman ibn abi zanna'd:

“Asma (ra) was ten years older than Ayesha. (REF: Siyar A`la'ma'l-nubala', Al-Zahabi, Vol. 2, p. 289, Arabic, Mu'assasatu'l-risalah, Beirut, 1992)



According to Ibn Kathir:

"She [Asma] was elder to her sister [Ayesha] by ten years". (REF: Al-Bidayah wa'l-nihayah, Ibn Kathir, Vol. 8, p. 371, Dar al-fikr al-`arabi, Al-jizah, 1933)



According to Ibn Kathir:

"She [Asma] saw the killing of her son during that year [i.e. 73 AH], as we have already mentioned, and five days later she herself died. According to other narratives she died not after five days but ten or twenty or a few days over twenty or a hundred days later. The most well known narrative is that of hundred days later. At the time of her death, she was 100 years old." (REF: Al-Bidayah wa'l-nihayah, Ibn Kathir (died 1333), Vol. 8, Pg. 372, Dar al-fikr al-`arabi, Al-jizah, 1933)



According to Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani:

"She [Asma (ra)] lived a hundred years and died in 73 or 74 AH." (REF: Taqribu'l-tehzib, Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani, Pg 654, Arabic, Bab fi'l-nisa', al-harfu'l-alif, Lucknow)



According to almost all the historians Asma (ra), the elder sister of Ayesha (ra) was ten years older than Ayesha (ra). If Asma was 100 years old in 73 AH, she should have been 27 or 28 years old at the time of hijra { Asma’s age MINUS 73 hijrah EQUALS the age of Asma at the time of Hijrah( 100 – 73 or 74 = 27 or 28)}.



If Asma (ra) was 27 or 28 years old at the time of Hijrah, Ayesha (ra), being younger by 10 years, should have been 17 or 18 years old {Asma’s age at the time of Hijarah MINUS the age difference between Asma and Ayesha EQUALS the age of Ayesha at the time of Hijarh (27 or 28 –10 = 17 or 18 yrs)}. Thus, Ayesha (ra), being 17 or 18 years of at the time of Hijra, she started to cohabit with Prophet between 19 to 20 years old (The Age of Ayesha at the time of Hijra + the year of Ayesha cohabiting with Prophet (19-20 + 1-2 Hijra) = The Age of Ayesha when she cohabit with Prophet (19 or 20 years).



Based on Hajar, Ibn Katir, and Abda'l-Rahman ibn abi zanna'd, age of Ayesha at the time living with Prophet would be 19or 20 years. In evidence # 3, Ibn Hajar suggests that Ayesha is 12 years old and in evidence # 4 he contradicts himself with a seventeen or eighteen-year-old Ayesha (ra). What is the correct age, twelve or eighteen?

CONCLUSION: Ibn Hajar is an unreliable source for Ayesha’s age.


EVIDENCE # 5 Battles of Badr and Uhud

A narrative regarding Ayesha's (ra) participation in Badr is given in Muslim, Kitabu'l-jihad wa'l-siyar, Bab karahiyati'l-isti`anah fi'l-ghazwi bikafir. Ayesha (ra) while narrating the journey to Badr and one of the important events that took place in that journey says: "when we reached Shajarah". It is quite obvious from these words that Ayesha (ra) was with the group travelling towards Badr.

A narrative regarding Ayesha's (ra) participation in the battle of `uhud is given in Bukhari, Kitabu'l-jihad wa'l-siyar, Bab Ghazwi'l-nisa' wa qitalihinna ma`a'lrijal:

"Anas reports that On the day of Uhud, people could not stand their ground

around the Prophet (pbuh). [On that day,] I saw Ayesha (ra) and Umm-i-Sulaim

(ra), they had pulled their dress up from their feet [to avoid any hindrance in their movement]."

CONCLUSION: Ayesha (ra) was present in the battles of Uhud and Badr.



It is narrated in Bukhari, Kitabu'l-maghazi, Bab ghazwati'l-khandaq wa hiya'l-ahza'b:

"Ibn `umar (ra) states that the Prophet (pbuh) did not permit me to participate in Uhud, as at that time, I was fourteen years old. But on the day of Khandaq, when I was fifteen years old, the Prophet (pbuh) permitted my participation."



Summary: Based on the above narratives, (a) the children below 15 years were sent back and were not allowed to participate in the battle of `uhud, (b) Ayesha participated in the battles of Badr and Uhud



CONCLUSION: Ayesha's (ra) participation in the battle of Badr and Uhud clearly indicates that she was not nine old but at least 15 years old or older. After all, women used to accompany men to the battlefields to help them, not to be a burden on them. This account is another contradiction about Ayesha’s age.


EVIDANCE # 6 Surat al Qamar

According to the generally accepted tradition, Ayesha (ra) was born about eight years before Hijrah. But according to another narrative in Bukhari (kitabu'l-tafseer) Ayesha (ra) is reported to have said:



"I was a young girl (jariyah)" when Surah Al-Qamar was revealed. (REF: Sahih Bukhari, kitabu'l-tafsir, Bab Qaulihi Bal al-sa`atu Maw`iduhum wa'l-sa`atu adha' wa amarr)

The 54th surah of the Qur'an was revealed eight years before Hijrah (REF: The Bounteous Koran, M.M. Khatib, 1985). So, it was revealed in 614 CE {Year of Hijrah MINUS year of revelation of Al Qamar (622 CE – 8 = 614 CE)}. If Ayesha started living with Prophet (pbuh) at the age of nine in 623 CE or 624 CE, she was a newborn infant (a sibyah) {Year of Ayesha living with Prophet MINUS age of Ayesha when she started to live with Prophet (623 CE or 624 CE– 9 years=614 0r 615) at the time the Surah Al-Qamar was revealed.



According to the above tradition, Ayesha (ra) was actually a young girl (jariyah), not an infant (sibyah) in the year of revelation of Al Qamar. “Jariyah” means young playful girl (Lane’s Arabic English Lexicon). So, Ayesha, being a Jariyah not a sibyah (infant), must be somewhere between 6-13 years at the time of revelation of Al-Qamar, and thereby she must have been 14-21 years (6-13 + 8= 14-21 years) at the time she married Prophet.

CONCLUSION: This tradition also contradicts the marriage of Ayesha at the age of nine.


EVIDANCE # 7. Arabic Term

According to a narrative reported by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, after the death of Khadijah (ra), when Khaulah (ra) came to the Prophet (pbuh) advising him to marry again, the Prophet (pbuh) asked her regarding the choices that she had in her mind. Khaulah said: "You can marry a virgin (bikr) or a woman who has already been married (thayyib)". When the Prophet (pbuh) asked the identity of the bikr (virgin), Khaulah proposed Ayesha's (ra) name.



All those who know the Arabic language, are aware that the word "Bikr" in the Arabic language is not used for an immature nine-year-old girl. The correct word for a young playful girl, as stated earlier is "Jariyah". "Bikr" on the other hand, is used for an unmarried lady without conjugal experience prior to marriage, as we understand the word, virgin, in English. Therefore, obviously a nine-year-old girl is not a "lady" (Bikr). (REF: Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol. 6, p. .210, Arabic, Dar Ihya al-turath al-`arabi, Beirut.)



CONCLUSION: The literal meaning of the word, Bikr (virgin), in the above Hadith is adult women with no sexual experience prior to marriage. Therefore, Ayesha was an adult woman at the time of her marriage.



EVIDENCE # 8. The Qur’anic Text

All Muslims agree that the Qur’an is the book of guidance. So, we need seek the guidance from the Qur’an to clear the smoke and the confusion created by the eminent men of the classical period of Islam in the matter of the age of Ayesha at her marriage. Does the Qur’an allow or disallow marriage of an immature child of seven years of age?



There are no verses that explicitly allow such marriage. However, I found a verse that guides us in our duty to raise a child deprived with the death of one or both parents. I believe that guidance of the Qur’an on the topic of raising orphans is also valid in the case of our own children. The Verse states:

“And make not over your property (property of the orphan), which Allah had made a (means of) support for you, to the weak of understanding, and maintain them out of it, clothe them and give them good education. And test them until they reach the age of marriage. Then if you find them maturity of intellect, make over them their property……” (Qur’an 4:5-6).



In the matter of children who has lost a parent, a Muslim is ordered to (a) feed them, (b) clothe them, © educate them, and (d) test them for maturity “until the age of marriage” before entrusting them with management of finances. Here the Qur’anic verse demands meticulous proof of their intellectual and physical maturity by objective test results before the age of marriage in order to entrust their property to them.



In the light of the above verses, no responsible Muslims would hand over financial management to a seven or nine year old immature girl. If we cannot trust a seven-year-old to manage the financial matters, she cannot be intellectually or physically fit for marriage also. Ibn Hambal (REF:Musnad Ahmad ibn Hambal, vol.6, p 33 and 99) claims that Ayesha at the age of nine was rather more interested to play with toy-horses than to take up the responsible task of a wife. Therefore, I would not believe that Abu Baker, a great Moimin, would betroth his immature seven-year-old daughter to fifty-year-old Prophet. Similarly, I would not believe that Prophet (pbuh) would marry a seven-year-old immature girl.



Another important duty demanded from the guardian of a child is “to educate them.” Let us ask the question, “How many of us in the Islamic Center believe that we can educate our children satisfactorily before they reach the age of seven or nine years?”

The answer is “none.” It is a logically impossible task to educate a child satisfactorily before the child attains the age of seven. Then, how can we believe that Ayesha was educated satisfactorily at the claimed age of seven at the time of her marriage? Abu Baker (ra) was a better judicious man than all of us. So, he definitely would have judged that Ayesha was a child at heart and was not satisfactorily educated as demanded by the Qur’an. He would not have married her to any one. If a proposal of marrying the immature and yet to be educated seven-year-old Ayesha came to Prophet (pbuh) he would have rejected it outright because neither Prophet (pbuh) nor Abu Baker (ra) would violate any clause in the Qur’an.



CONCLUSION: Marriage of Ayesha (ra) at the age of seven years would violate the maturity clause or requirement of the Qur’an. Therefore, the story of the marriage of the seven-year-old immature Ayesha is a myth.

EVIDENCE # 9. Consent in Marriage

A women must be consulted and get her permission to make the marriage valid (REF:Mishakat al Masabiah, translation by James Robson, Vol. I, p.665). So, in the Muslim marriage, a credible permission from women is a pre-requisite for the marriage to be valid. By any stretch of imagination, the permission by a seven-year-old immature girl cannot be a valid authorization for marriage. It is unconceivable to me that Abu Baker, an intelligent man, would take seriously the permission of a seven-year-old girl to marry a fifty-year-old man. Similarly, Prophet would not have accepted permission given by an immature girl who, according to Muslim, took her toys with her when she went live with Prophet (pbuh).

CONCLUSION: Prophet (pbuh) did not marry seven-year-old Ayesha because it would have violated the requirement of valid permission clause of Islamic Marriage Decree. Therefore, Prophet married intellectually and physically mature Lady Ayesha.



Summary: It was neither an Arab tradition to give away girls in marriage at an age as young as seven or nine years, nor did the Prophet (pbuh) marry Ayesha (ra) at such a young age. The people of Arabia did not object to this marriage, because it never happened in the manner it has been narrated.

Obviously, the narrative of the marriage of nine year old Ayesha by Hisham ibn `urwah cannot be held true when it is contradicted by many other narratives reported above. Moreover, I see absolutely no reason to accept the narrative of Hisham ibn `urwah as true when other scholars including Malik ibn Anas view his narrative, while in Iraq, as unreliable.



The quotations from Tabari, Bukhari and Muslim show they contradict each other regarding Ayesha's (ra) age. Furthermore, many of these scholars contradict themselves in their own records. Thus, the narrative of Ayesha's (ra) age at the time of the marriage is not reliable due to the clear contradictions seen in the works of classical scholars of Islam. Therefore, I see absolutely no reason to believe that the information on Ayesha's (ra) age is accepted as true when there are adequate grounds to reject it as myth. Moreover, the guidance from the Qur’an is against the marriage of immature girls and boys and also against entrusting them with responsibilities.



ANSWER TO MY CHRISTIAN FRIEND: We do not know the exact age at the time of her marriage due to lack of reliable records. Based on the evidences presented above, the marriage of fifty-two-year-old Prophet (pbuh) with Ayesha (ra) at nine year of age is only a proverbial myth. On the contrary, Ayesha (ra) was an intellectually and physically mature Bikr (virgin = adult unmarried woman with no sexual experience) when she married Prophet (pbuh).
http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_151_200/ayesha_age_the_myth_of__a_prover.htm

Sorry if this has been posted before.

I thank this brother for the first convincing article on this subject. Too many people brush it off as a cultural thing or ignore it.

[salman]

Salamu Alaikum


I thank this brother for the first convincing article on this subject. Too many people brush it off as a cultural thing or ignore it.

An extremely flawed article!

Shaikh Gibril Haddad has refuted this:

See Sis. fisabillahs post for link.

[Simon Iskander]

Assalamu 'alaykum

In addition to the article by Sidi Gibril Haddad, here is another good one dealing with this issue by Ustadh Abdullah bin Hamid Ali of lamppostproductions.org:


In Defense of My Beloved

[Revised]

Since the atrocities of 9/11/01 the world has witnessed the increasingly malicious onslaught and attacks made by many followers of the Christian faith – in particular the Evangelicals – against Islam, Muslims, and The All-Merciful’s beloved, Muhammad – may Allah bless and grant him peace.

The most vicious and malicious of those attacks directed against him has been the accusation that he was a pedophile[1], i.e. a child molester. This is due to the well-known fact that one of his wives, ‘Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her, was only 6 years of age when he contracted marriage to her, and she was only 9[2] when he consummated it.

To date, there have been a number of defenses of our beloved Messenger focusing mainly on the fact that menstruation and puberty are signs of adulthood and accountability, and as a result the Prophet (pbuh) did nothing wrong in marrying such a young girl.

But, attempting to justify what appears to be a gross and deplorable happening and engagement of a holy prophet – may peace be on all of them – to a people accustomed to only seeing good or evil from their own specific paradigm can be one of the most difficult tasks that the modern-day Muslim has on his/her shoulders.

How do you justify a marriage occurring between a minor and a senior? How do you even justify the marriage between an 18-year-old woman and a 40, 50, or 60-year-old man?

In this essay I’ll attempt to present an argument to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike, which will hopefully be easier to digest than the mere argument about menstruation being the age when a girl/woman can give birth.

But despite my attempts, the main objective is not to appease those who have rejected the faith, or even convince them. It is just to give a more balanced look at the topic, and to offer a number of important points to consider before one launches accusations of decadence and immorality at a Messenger of the Creator of the Universe.

I pray that God will grant me the success in fully clarifying what others before have not been able to.

The Age of Marriage in Islam

Islam holds the view that prior to the age of puberty, no male or female child is subject to God’s reward[3] or punishment for performing or abandoning any of the religious burdens. This also means that – as a general rule – a child who is pubescent can also execute or participate in a number of activities particular to adults who have reached the age of full maturity. This includes marriage.[4]

Allah says, ((And those of your women who are in despair over (the return of) monthly cycles – if you (men) are in doubt, then their waiting periods (from divorce) are three lunar months, and the same is for those who don’t have a monthly cycle)) [Talaq: 4].

This verse indicates that it is permitted for young ladies who haven’t reached puberty to marry. This is taken from Allah’s statement ((…and the same is for those who don’t have a monthly cycle)). In other words, the same waiting period of three lunar months after a divorce as assigned to women who have entered menopause is the same for those girls who haven’t begun their menstrual cycles but are divorced.

But despite this general rule and what even many Muslims generally misunderstand about the marriage of youths and what puberty indicates, this doesn’t mean that a child is given the same degree of responsibility as full-grown adults.

For instance, those who have not reached full maturity are not given full reign over their monetary transactions and contracts until they show that they are mature enough to manage their own wealth. Allah says,

((Give not unto the foolish (what is in) your (keeping of their) wealth, which Allah hath given you to maintain; but feed them and clothe them from it, and speak kindly unto them)) [Nisa: 5].

He also says, ((Prove orphans till they reach the marriageable age; then, if ye find them of sound judgment, deliver over unto them their fortune)) [Nisa: 6].

We learn from this that a child cannot independently initiate a contract before or after puberty without the authorization of its legal guardian, or until they reach the age of full maturity. But, when a full grown adult shows signs of carelessness and mismanagement of wealth his/her expenditures will be restricted and supervised until they are tested and proven to be responsible.[5]

As for marriage, a child cannot initiate the contract on his/her own accord, but his/her guardian may do it as long as such a contract doesn’t bring greater harm than benefit to the child.

An example of a marriage when one is a minor that might bring more harm than benefit to the child is when the girl isn’t physically fit enough to withstand the sexual thrust of a man.

For this reason, many scholars hold the view that a minor girl can only be married whether before or after puberty if and only if she is developed enough to withstand a man’s sexual thrust.[6] If not, she cannot be married off. And the case of ‘Aisha was that she was fit for this, especially since she was raised in a society where womanhood was reached at a much earlier age than it is in many societies today.

The Prophet’s Marriage to ‘Aisha

Imam Muslim reports on the authority of ‘Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her – that she said,

“The Messenger of Allah – may Allah bless and grant him peace – married me at six years of age. And he consummated (the marriage) with me when I was nine years of age.”

As for the day the marriage was consummated, ‘Aisha relates the following,

“Then we arrived in Medinah. And I fell extremely ill from fever for a month. Then, (when I improved) my hair had grown (back) to ear’s length. Then Umm Ruwaman[7] came to me while I was on a seesaw with my friends, and she called out (to me). So I went to her – not knowing what she wanted with me. Then she took hold of my hand and sat me at the door. Then I said: ‘ehha ehha[8] until I caught my breath. Then she put me in a room, when suddenly (I saw) some of the women of the Ansar. They said: “With good, blessing, and good fortune.” Then she handed me over to them. They washed my hair and beautified me. And nothing caught me by surprised but the sudden entrance of the Messenger of Allah – may Allah bless and grant him peace. Then they handed me over to him.”

‘Aisha also said,

“The Messenger of Allah – may Allah bless and grant him peace – married me in Shawwal. And he consummated with me in Shawwal. So which of the wives of Allah’s messenger – may Allah bless and grant him peace – enjoyed more favor with him than I?"

The Lessons Taken from This Marriage

Based upon the aforementioned reports, we deduce the following lessons:

1- Islam doesn’t consider it a sin for a senior to marry a minor as long as such a marriage happens with the approval of the parents, and as long as such a marriage doesn’t bring any harm on the girl.

2- The Prophet’s union with ‘Aisha was a marriage approved and witnessed by her parents. So there was no molestation involved. Never did the Prophet kiss, fondle, or touch her in any sexual fashion in a secluded area without the prior permission of her parents to marry her. As for molesters and pedophiles, their custom is to seek secrecy with minors in order to commit the offenses they customarily commit against minors. So the accusation of him being a pedophile is disproved.

3- The Arabs around the Prophet (pbuh) didn’t consider the marriage of a minor girl to a senior to be objectionable. What stresses this point is the general excitement displayed by ‘Aisha’s mother and the women of the Ansar over the said union. Otherwise, the Prophet’s staunchest enemies would have been the first to speak out against his doing as they objected to him marrying the ex-wife of his adopted son, Zayd. And since there was no objection, we know that he didn’t do anything strange or out of the ordinary in their view.

4- ‘Aisha also approved of her marriage to the Prophet – may Allah bless and grant him peace, and didn’t consider herself taken advantage of. This is shown through the fact that she boasted of her being married and losing her virginity in Shawwal, and using it as an indication that she was the most favored of his wives. And this statement was made after the Prophet’s death when ‘Aisha had grown into a fully mature woman.

Who or What is the Criterion for Defining Good and Evil?

Now, after having a look at the reports about the marriage, a legitimate question for one to ask is, ‘What is wrong with a man in his fifties marrying a nine year old girl?’ In other words, ‘Why is it a sin?’ The next question would be, ‘Who or what determined it to be a sin?’

As people of religion and scripture, Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike are supposed to be guided by the words of God. This means that if anything is a sin, it is because God said so.

And even were a Christian or Jew to use the Prophet’s marriage to ‘Aisha as a basis for denying his prophethood, then they are to also deny the prophethood of the many prophets and messengers of the Bible who they accuse of falling from grace, like Noah, Lot, David, and others, in addition to other politically incorrect references and statements found in the Bible. So if they believe a messenger of God can fall from grace in their own tradition, then it shouldn’t be so hard for them to accept what they see as a disgraceful act committed by the likes of Muhammad, may Allah bless and grant him peace. And if the extreme politically incorrectness of the Bible doesn’t invalidate the religions of Christianity and Judaism, then what they deem as being inappropriate on the part of Muhammad should also not invalidate Islam as a religion.

But the true reason that Christians have chosen to make such a ruckus out of this issue is their refusal to accept the truth about Muhammad’s message. So it is a clear attempt to dissuade people away from the message of Muhammad by having them focus on his person, behavior, and cultural practices, which are deemed deplorable in a modern western context.

As people who don’t take guidance from scripture, good and evil are judged based either on the rules defined by government and societal norms, or based on what we as individuals conjure up in our own minds to be good or evil. Many of us may even define good as ‘whatever brings me comfort and benefit’ and evil as ‘whatever brings me grief, suffering, and harm.’

So, again, the question, ‘Why is the marriage of a senior to a minor a sin?’ Did God declare it to be a sin in either the Koran or the Bible? Unequivocally and absolutely not!

If this is so, then why do Christians lambaste our beloved Prophet for marrying a minor? Did Jesus say it was a sin? Did Moses declare it to be a sin? Did David or Solomon declare it to be a sin? Did any of the Koranic or Biblical personages mention explicitly or implicitly that the marriage of a senior to a minor is a sin? The answers are obvious.

Next, we move to the cultural basis for condemning our Prophet Muhammad – peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Why is it a crime according to societal norms and common law for a senior to marry a minor?

The response to this question is either for fear that the older man will take advantage of the innocence and naivety of the young girl or woman, or that it is just because this is something that we as a society don’t usually do.

If we accept the first justification that gives consideration to the welfare of the young woman or girl, we can all agree that this is a legitimate fear. So anytime it is feared that a young girl will be harmed from being in an intimate relationship with an older man or senior, measures should be taken to ensure that the young girl isn’t harmed.

But what if measures can be taken to ensure that she won’t be harmed by such a relationship? Would it then be enough justification for such a marriage? What if the parents of the girl who take into consideration the good character and standing of the potential groom arrange the marriage?

What if there are those who propose to the potential groom as opposed to him making the proposal or even overstepping his bounds by taking advantage of a moment of seclusion with the girl in order to molest her?

So what true basis does anyone have to condemn Muhammad and accuse him of pedophilia or child molestation? There was no molestation involved. So he was not a pedophile.

Add to that, a child molester usually molests, dumps, and does not care for his victim. But Muhammad – peace be upon him – on the other hand, cared for ‘Aisha and all of his wives, he provided for them until his death, and he didn’t divorce them even when they sometimes caused him trouble.

As for those who condemn such a marriage simply because it is not what most of us customarily do in our society, can we really consider custom and cultural norms to be a legitimate basis for condemnation? Consider the following:

- Cultural and social norms are not characterized by stability and permanence, and they change with the change of time. What is accepted in one time or place is not acceptable in another time or place.

- The final judge of the appropriateness and inappropriateness of a person’s actions in cultural and social norms is the whims, lusts, and fancies of the overwhelming majority of the members of a society or it is influenced by the decrees, dictates, and regulations of government.

Examples of things that show the volatile nature of cultural and social norms are:

1- The sale of wine and alcoholic beverages was strictly prohibited in the US all the way up to the early part of the 20th century. Soon after, it was declared to be legal. Social norms and government regulations is what helped in changing the way it was viewed. So is this a valid criterion for judging good and evil?

2- Not long ago, homosexuality was considered an abomination in America and elsewhere. But now, the State of Massachusetts allows same-sex marriages, and other states are planning to pass legislation in support of same sex marriages. So is homosexuality good or evil? Which verdict is correct? The old one or the new one?

3- Fornication and adultery were also considered intolerable. But nowadays, most people in our society encourage fornication and accept it as normal and praiseworthy behavior to the point that virginity is viewed with disdain.

4- In the past, the institution of slavery and the sale of slaves were universally acknowledged as an acceptable practice. But today in most parts of the world it has been abolished and is looked upon as a practice and institution worthy of the most severe form of censure and rebuke. So which ruling is correct? The one that says that slavery is praiseworthy and justified or the one that says it is deplorable?

These are just a few examples of how cultural and social norms change according to what people come to accept as being good or bad. So the criterion is merely what people come to accept or reject. If this is the case, then cultural and social norms cannot be the basis for determining whether or not a senior being married to a minor is an evil practice or a sin.

This is the case, especially for those who hold the view that good is what brings you benefit and evil is what brings you harm. If this is the case, then rape, theft, and burglary would be good, since it would bring me benefit despite the fact that it would bring harm to my victims, in whose case these things would be considered evil from the victim’s regard, since they bring harm.

And even for people who believe in scripture, this idea should not be hard to understand, especially since all monotheistic scriptural religions believe that there was a time that God allowed marriage between brothers and sisters, a thing that is today considered to be incest. But for those who believe in scripture, this can be justified by the fact that God has the right to change the rules of right and wrong as he sees fit.

So nothing is inherently evil, just as nothing is inherently good. God is the best judge of that, since it is He who created the world and all that is deemed good and evil within it.

Another example is the permissibility of marriage between cousins. Despite the fact that no scripture forbids marriage between cousins, most people in the US look upon such a marriage as being incest. But where does this understanding come from? What criterion was used to arrive at the conclusion that this is an incestuous marriage?

Similarly, almost every Muslim woman involved in a marriage of polygany has no desire to be a partner in it in spite of the fact that she knows its permissibility in Islam. But does that dislike make the act impermissible or a sin?

Conclusion

Cultural norms and customs cannot be used as the criterion for judging the rightness or wrongness of an action. And that includes the marriage between a senior and a minor, viz. the marriage of the Prophet Muhammad – may Allah bless and grant him peace – to the Mother of the Faithful, ‘Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her.

Many times we cannot easily perceive the extent of our influence by cultural norms. And as people of scripture who base our lives on divine revelation, we may many times dislike a thing, even though God may not dislike it. And we may at times like a thing that God abhors. When we realize the dichotomy in our paradigms, it is our duty to correct these contradictions. Otherwise, what is the degree of our sincerity?

And as people who judge by societal norms, we must also understand the volatile nature of those norms and the carnal bases of many of their incentives, and as such they cannot be used as a basis for judging between good and evil in our everyday lives. But only God has the right to forbid and allow. For He is the Creator of all, and the best knower of what is a benefit or harm for His creature.

Then, I add, that Muhammad and his closest companions, like Umar ibn Al-Khattab, who married the daughter of ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib – Umm Kalthum – around the age of 11[9], were extraordinary people who should not necessarily be emulated in such marriages to girls so young in present times.

Every sunnah isn’t stressed or encouraged. And the degree of the proper application of a sunnah is measured by the degree of the benefit or harm it will bring to a person or to society at large. So everything the Prophet – peace be upon him – did is not meant to be emulated by the populous in all cases.

Despite the fact that Muhammad – peace be upon him – did nothing wrong by marrying such a young girl, I am not writing this treatise to encourage any man to marry his young daughter off to a much older man just because the Prophet did.

In the distant past – when incidents like this happened – the average person didn’t keep track of his/her actual age. So they didn’t really know what their exact ages were. Birthdays were not celebrated then, and peoples’ ages were quite murky. This being the case, it was the development of the girl that determined her fitness for marriage rather than facts about age that people now automatically assume as part of the background.

((And say: My Lord! Increase me in knowledge)) 20:114

Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

Imam, SCI Chester State Correctional Facility

Chester, PA (USA)

[1] The legal definition of a pedophile doesn’t apply to the Prophet – may Allah bless and grant him peace – and those who assail the Prophet’s character with this accusation intentionally or unintentionally do so by taking advantage of the personal culturally and societal shaped biases of the western populous and their ignorance of the proper meanings of such terms.

The American Psychiatric Association defines Pedophilia:

A pedophile is a person who over at least a 6 month period has recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (age 13 years or younger). The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The person is at least age 16 years and at least 5 years older than the child or children. Not to include an individual in late adolescence involved in an ongoing sexual relationship with a 12 or 13 year old (straight or gay). Individuals with pedophilia generally report an attraction to children of a particular age range. Some individuals prefer males, others prefer females, and some are aroused by both males and females. Pedophila involving female victims is reported more than pedophilia involving male victims.

[2] This is according to the soundest of reports. There are other reports and opinions that place her age a several years older prior to consummation.

[3] Some scholars hold the view that if a child prays or performs any of the religious burdens of Islam before reaching puberty, he/she is rewarded for it but not punished for abandoning it.

[4] What is odd is that one would argue that a child is too young to marry due to irresponsibility but that he/she is old enough to have sexual intercourse.

[5] The view of Abu Hanifa is that once a person reaches the age of 25, he/she is given full reign over his/her wealth regardless of the signs of carelessness and mismanagement unless the person is insane. [Refer to Ahkam Al-Qur’an of Ibn Al-‘Arabi under the tafsir of 4:6]

[6] This is the popular found in the Maliki School of Islamic Law. Ibn Al-‘Arabi says in Ahkam, “His saying – High is He, ((…and the same is for those who don’t have a monthly cycle)) is proof that a man can marry off his young children, because Allah – High is He – made the waiting period of women who haven’t menstruated three months. And she would not have a waiting period unless she has right to marriage. So that indicates this aim…”

[7] Umm Ruwaman was ‘Aisha’s mother.

[8] Meaning, that she panted from being out of breath.

[9] You can reference an article written by Dr. Gibril Fuad Haddad on his website Living Islam at the following link: http://www.abc.se/~m9783/o/umuk_e.html.


And Allah knows best.

Wassalam

Simon

[Fisabilillah]

Shaykh Gibril Haddad's refute- the link above in post #2 wasnt working (http://sunnipath.com/resources/Questions/qa00004861.aspx)

[Yahya]

I don't understand the need to argue about this. The Prophet :saw: did not do anything immoral during His entire lifetime. If He married a child, that only shows that it's OK to marry a child. It is the West that is mistaken and misguided on this issue.

[Fisabilillah]

also lets remember that it was revealed to Muhammad :saw: in a dream to marry Aisha bint Abu Bakr Radhi'Allahu'anha from Allah Azza wa Jal. how can we argue with that....we cant.


*anyone feel free to correct me if i'm wrong. :jazak:
:salam:

[mcguidj]

I don't think it's right to use the word, "myth." Alot of people are sensitive about the topic and I think all shools of thought on the subject are valid (In this case, there are two).

[Simon Iskander]

I'm sorry if I caused anyone any offence by posting the Ustadh Abdullah bin Hamid Ali article (In Defense of my Beloved). Just that reading that article helped to boost my iman, because a lot of people had come to me and started attacking Islam and the Prophet (may God's peace and blessings be upon him) because of their misunderstanding of this issue.

I wholeheartedly agree that the Prophet (may God's peace and blessings be upon him) never did anything immoral or wrong (both in this specific case and in general). Fisabilillah: yes, as far as I know, it was revealed to the Prophet (may God's peace and blessings be upon him) in a dream that he would marry 'A'ishah (may God be well pleased with her).

[amjk22]

I just read the refute to this article and I apologise for posting it, it seems the guy who wrote it was so eager to prove Aisha was not a young girl that he drew up false conclusions. I see now that the people who want to defame our prophet are just liars and they will always say such things, people have always slandered him and Islam since day one.

[salman]

Alhamdulilah

May Allah grant you good

[ilm_seeker]

As sallamu alaikum

When I was in College we had a Psychologist who came in and talked to us about paedophilia. He said that it's when people have a sexual attraction to children in general and that if they sexually abuse one child, they like to do it to other kids as well. Once they start, they like to continue with other children. It's not based on just one child. So even from a psychological perspective there was no paedophilia involved.

Wa alaikum as sallam

[abdushakur]

The bottom line is that from any perspective there was nothing whatsoever wrong with the Prophet's marriage (peace be upon him) to Our Mother Aisha (may Allah taAla be pleased with her).

The simple and straightforward answer being that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was the Mercy for the Whole of Humanity and everything he did was balanced and for the betterment of humanity at large and for the people he specifically came into contact with in particular.

We shouldn't have to lower the 'argument' surrounding our Noble Prophet's life account (peace be upon him) to the level of the dirty minds of his detractors.
Only dirty minds can even contemplate such dirty things from such noble personalities.

May Allah guide us all.

[abdul kareem hanif]

asalaamo alaykum
First of all i am a revert to islam born and brought up in the west. I think it is very silly muslims dont see this as a cultural thing but are frightend to get there feelings hurt from non muslims. When i was in kuwait in the military, A christian chaplin told me the prophet (SAW) was a child molester astfirallah. I told him that this part of middle eastern culture and that the israelites in the bible did the same things. HE told me no this is not true. Then i went to a rabbi who was fluent in hebrew and learned in israel about this. HE told me that any one who says that the israelites in the bible did not do this is ignorant of middle eastern culture. So realy look at your self and see that a jew has defended the prophet (SAW) and a muslim is not. This also shows how ignorant learned christians are about there holy scirptures and history. Well anyways some muslims get so sucked in kissing up to western culture and values. IN the west they think that western culture is chrisitan culture and that is inncorect. Way christianity is looked in middle east and latino world is differ than US. Another thing if prophet (SAW) the mercy of the world got married with a young woman. It doesnt mean he forced himself unto her. Do muslims realy think the most gentle and mercifulof all people was cruel to his wives. there is no narrations about him being so. And theother thing is why dont the extremist who focus on trying to marry poor little 9 year old ( like the saudi princes who buy kidnapped 9 year olds)focus on marrying divorced widows. I think that is more of the greatness of holy prophet (SAW). CAuse people these days just want pure virgin. When holy prophet (SAW) didnt even demand that for himself but merlly recommended it. Do people think themselves so holy that they need one. Im sorry i offended any one i just wanted to show the sillyness of triyng to debate about this while also trying to defend young girls who get caught up in abuse of muslims trying to interpet the religion in order to prey on the innocent.

[haqq]

QUESTION 1 - I have been having sleepless nights regarding these insults and I need some clarity please. They accused him of being a "pedophile" by marrying Aisha (RA) at the age of 6 while the Nabee (Peace and blessings upon him) consumated this marriage when she turned 9 years old. The Nabee (Peace and blessings upon him) was 52 years old at the time. My question is: what lesson are we as Muslims supposed to learn from marrying someone with these types of age differences? Aisha (RA) was just a child and today's society shuns marriage to someone this young (Child abuse, etc).

QUESTION 2 - Folowing on the previous question: Does this mean that the Muslim man of today is allowed to marry a young girl of that age (6yrs) and consumate the marriage with her when she gets reaches puberty (ie even if it is 9 yrs old or younger)? The website backed up their story with Hadith Volume 7, Book 62, Verse number 64 in Bukhari - ( their was other references to Bukhari's hadiths but this was the only one I wrote down). Are these facts and references correct (see question 1) - since there is a reward for every Sunnah that we revive, how does this one impact us (ie
the Muslim of today), is marriage to someone that age permissable? Or only for the Nabee (Peace and blessings upon him) as in the case where he was allowed 9 wives but we are allowed a maximum of 4 because of his superior manners to us?

QUESTION 3 - If this website is correct with it's Hadeeth quotations then can you please put in proper context why the Nabee (Peace and blessings be upon him) married Aisha but refused to marry the daughter of Hamza? Which is the correct context of these hadeeths? Was Abu Bakr a blood relation to the Nabee (Peace and blessings be upon him)? If my memory serves ne correctly, then Hamza was the uncle of the Prophet, and then Hamza's daughter would have been a blood relation to the Prophet but then why do cousins marry each other today??? Please help me understand this as I am missing lots of history, information. (See below)

Narrated 'Ursa:
The Prophet asked Abu Bakr for 'Aisha's hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said "But I am your brother." The Prophet said, "You are my brother in Allah's religion and His Book, but she (Aisha) is lawful for me to marry." Sahih Bukhari 7.18
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
It was said to the Prophet, "Won't you marry the daughter of Hamza?" He said, "She is my foster niece (brother's daughter). " Sahih Bukhari V.7, B62, N. 37


ANSWER 1 - Having sleepless nights on account of the insults which the kuffaar hurl at our Nabi Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is understandable. It is a sign of Imaan. But it is peculiar that only the issue of Rasulullah?s marriage with Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) has afflicted you with this bout of insomnia.
The kuffaar have been consistent and persistent in their exercises of insulting Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) for centuries. This type of slander is nothing new. It had first originated with the Mushrikeen of Makkah. Over the centuries, the Christians have excelled in this evil exercise Among their slanders and insults are:

? Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was an impostor.
? He was a mad man
? He was possessed by evil spirits and demons
? He fabricated the Qur?aan and claimed it to be divine revelation
? He was a sexually depraved man, hence his many marriages.
? His God was a false god
? He married his son?s (i.e. adopted son?s) wife
? His whole religion is a false religion
? He raided and looted commercial caravans
? Islam propagates terrorism
? He was a sinner while Jesus was sinless
And many many more slanders. May Allah Ta?ala save us from such blasphemy and may He protect our Imaan.
Many of these slanders are worse than their criticism regarding Hadhrat Aishah?s marriage. Why had you then singled out this issue for your insomnia? If you reflect deeply you will understand that western influences and indoctrination acquired in consequence of a western upbringing and exposure to western education accompanied by its liberal and immoral attitudes, have resulted in the acceptance by Muslims of the ideology of the western kuffaar. What is immoral to them, has become immoral to us. What is enlightened and progressive to them is enlightened and progressive to us.

They reject, revile and denounce everything of Islam, including Islam?s doctrines of Monotheism (Tauheed), Risaalat (Prophethood), etc. They virulently and scurrilously slander Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) because of the plurality of his marriages, yet they overlook that according to their bible, Prophet Solomon (Hadhrat Sulaimaan?alayhis salaam) had hundreds of wives, and so had other Ambiyaa?all confirmed by the bible. But, they single out Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) for having had less than a dozen wives. Just as all these slanders of the Christians should not give one sleepless nights, so too should their insult regarding Hadhrat
Aisha?s marriage not give us sleepless nights.

The issue of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) having married Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) had occurred fourteen centuries ago. This has never been a secret. Muslims from the time of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) to this day have been aware of it. It was accepted by all the Muslims and even the kuffaar of the age in which Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) existed.

We all know how vehemently the Mushrikeen of Makkah had slandered, persecuted and reviled Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and Islam. They had hurled many abusive epithets at him, but none among them found anything wrong with his marriage to Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha). Her father Hadhrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu), all the Sahaabah and Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) herself who had outlived Nabi-e-Kareem (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) by many decades, never ever found issue or fault with this marriage. When the entire Ummah and the entire society of that time, including the kuffaar, accepted the normality and veracity of the marriage, why should the insults of the Christian enemies of this belated age give us sleepless nights?

We searched several dictionaries and encyclopaedias for the meaning of the term ?pedophile?, but in vain. There was no such word in the English language. It is a new addition to the English language. It appears that this word has been recently coined. The meaning of this term which is also spelt ?paedophile? is a person who preys on little girls for illicit sexual gratification. Thus, it has been observed that some married men, while living with their wives, prey on little girls, molesting and raping, and even murdering them to conceal their crime. A paedophile is a person who unlawfully satisfies himself sexually on little girls, not one, not two, but many. He gains sexual gratification from little girls, not from adult women. There are criminal connotations to the term ?paedophile?.

There were absolutely no criminal connotations attached to the marriage with Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha). If marriage of an adult to a seven year old girl and consummation of the marriage after attainment of puberty, be it at the age of 10, are crimes and acts to ?cringe? over in western civilization, then we say unequivocally that these are not criminal acts according to Islamic civilization. Islamic norms and culture are not hitched to the immoral illicit western cult erroneously dubbed a culture.

According to the immoral libertine cult which the enemy of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) follows, gay ?marriages?, lesbian ?marriages?, homosexuality and many other acts of abomination are acceptable, sociable and perfectly lawful. The kuffaar governments of some western countries have in fact legalized these abominations and have accorded the unnatural deviates the constitutional right to practise their filth and evil.

The bible confirms that mankind reproduced initially by a system which is today known as incest. Christians do not contest that Hadhrat Aadam?s sons married their own sisters. In that early inceptional stage of mankind, such marriages were lawful in the Shariat of Nabi Aadam (alayhis salaam). So what is incest today even according to the Shariat of Islam, was not incest in the Divine Shariat of Nabi Aadam (alayhis salaam). Similarly, if child-marriage is evil to the libertine cult of the west, it is not so according to the Divine culture of Islam.

It was not at all regarded as unsocial or anything to cringe at as the enemy wants us to accept. The unfortunate thing is that Muslims have been indoctrinated by western influences and kuffaar norms, hence they have developed an inferiority complex. If any Islamic teaching or practice affronts the western kuffaar, westernised Muslims cringe and blush and seek interpretations to force the Islamic teaching/practice to conform to western kuffaar tastes, and if they fail to forge an amicable interpretation to comply with their masters? palates, they opt for rejecting the Islamic practice.

There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. We say with pride that Allah Ta?ala had ordained that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) marry the 7 year old Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) and consummate the marriage when she attained puberty. Adulthood in Islam coincides with puberty. Islam is not hitched on to the stupid 21 year limit of the kuffaar. In fact, the kuffaar are gradually lowering the age. In certain instances, they have lowered the age to 16. As time goes on, they will bring the age down to who knows, even 10.

In the prime of his life, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) married a 40 year old widow. He was 25 years at that time. Then for 25 years thereafter, he never married again. Only after the demise of Hadhrat Khadijah (radhiyallahu anha) did he marry Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha). In this marriage, the benefit of the Ummah was the foremost consideration. After Rasulullah?s demise, Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anhu) lived for 47 years. She had narrated 2210 Ahadith. She was a great Teacher of the ladies of the Ummah as well as of numerous males who acquired Hadith narrations from her. One quarter of the entire Shariah is based on her
narrations.

The chiefs of the Arab tribes had implored him to desist from propagating Tauheed. In return they would give him any amount of wealth, the most beautiful woman in all-Arabia and even proclaim him the king. But Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) refused all these offers.

A ?paedophile? in terms of the meaning of this word does not lawfully marry a child. He ambushes her, ravages her and perhaps will murder her to hide his evil crimes. He does not marry her with the consent of her parents and with the approval of society. Then he does not wait for three years until she has attained puberty for cohabitation. In short, every act of the paedophile in relation to the girls he ambushes is a criminal one. On the contrary, every act of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) pertaining to Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) was lawful and upheld by society and by the Ummah. If the immoral cult of the west decries marriage to under 16 year olds, then there is no obligation for Islam and Muslims to believe this age limit to be the product of divine revelation. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) consummated the marriage when Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) was an adult in terms of Islam, and even biologically. A female who is capable of becoming pregnant is not a child even if all the infidels of the
world say that she is a child.

No one but the inveterate kuffaar enemies of the present age found fault with this holy union. Even the Mushrikeen enemies of that age did not see anything wrong with the marriage of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) to Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha). While the Mushrikeen had criticized Rasulullah?s marriage to Hadhrat Zainab because in their culture marriage to the wife of an adopted son was not permissible, they did not frown on his marriage with Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha).

The norms and attitudes of the western kuffaar are not products of Divine
Revelation. There is nothing rationally abhorrent in child-marriage and
consummation after puberty. A girl, regardless of her age, becomes capable of bearing children from the age of puberty. When Allah Ta?ala has made a girl a repository for child-bearing of which she is fully capable, then we should not spend sleepless nights worrying about the insults of stupid infidels who wallow in filth (najaasat)? Pysical and spiritual filth and impurities?Najaasat-e-Haqeeqi and Najaasat-e-Hukmi. They grovel their entire lives in the state of janaabat. Their minds are polluted with every kind of evil?physical and moral. Muslims should not attach any credence to the insults of such followers of shaitaan.

While they cringe over child marriage, they cannot intelligently present any logical or rational reason for their cringing other than it is considered bad in their culture. Well, if it is bad in their immoral libertine culture, it is not bad in our Divine Islamic Culture. Everything of our Shariah is bad for them. They cringe over all our Deeni practices. If you are going to spend sleepless nights whenever an infidel who reeks of the stench of kufr and janaabat, insults an Islamic doctrine, tenet or teaching, then we are afraid that you may head for a nervous breakdown. The Muslim?s reaction to such insults is to boldly and unequivocally assert the validity and goodness of the Islamic practice and teaching. Never react with an inferiority complex.

If as you say: ?today?s society shuns marriage to someone this young?, we ask: Which society? The Shariah is not the product of the whims of today?s society. The Shariah cannot be altered and abrogated to satisfy the norms and palates of today?s society. Today?s society cringe when they hear about child marriage, but they accept or meekly conform to gay and lesbian ?marriages?. Only fundamentalist and orthodox Muslims cringe at gay and lesbian ?marriages?. Modernist Muslims while they may believe that such filthy unions are improper, do not cringe as they cringe when
their western masters insult and paint Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) with evil colours. They need to examine their Imaan.

Their confounded inferiority has descended to such a low level of appeasement that they stupidly labour to interpret the Ahadith to please their western masters. They are at pains in a futile exercise of ?proving? that Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) was not 7 when she was married to Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and not 10 when the marriage was consummated.

Let it be known that: Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) married Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) at the age of 7 and consummated the marriage when she attained puberty at 10. So what? And, we all Muslims are proud of this marriage which was decreed in the Heavens.

ANSWER 2 - Even today child marriage is permissible. Consummation has nothing to do with age. It is related to puberty. When a female reaches an age when she is capable of bearing a child, she is ready for consummating her marriage Islam does not advocate nor encourage child marriage despite permitting it. It is not a Sunnat for every man to put into practice notwithstanding its permissibility. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was the Nabi of Allah Ta?ala. He acted under Divine Command.

Certain acts of the Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) do not come within the purview of revivication. For example, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would stand the entire night in Salaat so much so that his holy feet would become swollen. No one does this today nor is anyone expected by Islam to revive this practice of Nabi-e-Kareem (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Rasulullah?s mubaarak head was always so oily as a result of oil application that his headgear was perpetually very oily. No one?s turban or headgear today is soaked in oil. This is not a practice which has to be necessarily revived. His daughter, Hadhrat Faatimah (radhiyallahu anha) had once owned only one silver bangle. When Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) saw it on her arm, he refused to enter her home. She then sold the bangle and donated the money to the poor. It is permissible for Muslim women to have any amount of gold and silver jewellery. The austerity of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is not required to be revived with exactitude. Once when he saw Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha)
eating twice on the same day, he commented: ?O Aihsah! Have you been created for only eating??

It is not a requirement of the Deen to revive this Sunnat of eating only once a day. There are many practices which although permissible for all Muslims, do not come within the purview of the Hadith which exhorts reviviscence of the Sunnah.

The filthy-tongued infidel afflicted with a stercoraceous brain, in his currilous
attack on Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) says: ?But this moral relativist Prophet would use the same excuse to reject a woman he did not like.?

Let it be known that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was a human being. And, above all, he was the most perfect human being. Every Nabi of Allah was perfect in every human quality and ability. Allah Ta?ala never sent a man with any defects as a Nabi. Spiritually, morally and physically the Ambiya were perfect human beings. There never was a Nabi who had natural defects such as lameness, blindness, disease, impotency sexual deficiency, etc. Sexually too the Ambiya were the most potent of human beings. Despite the high degree of sexual potency, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was restricted to eleven wives while according to the Christian bible, Prophet Solomon had a few hundred wives.

ANSWER 3 - Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was fully entitled to choose whom he desired to marry. Only a man defective in the brains and who has no concept of female beauty which is a relative issue to men, will marry a woman he does not like. Different men have different ideas, concepts and attitudes of beauty. A woman may be beautiful to one man while ugly to another. If Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) did not marry a woman whom he did not like, what in the heaven and in the earth is wrong with this? Perhaps the infidel has an intensely ugly woman suffering from Aids, with a body emitting foul stenches as a consequence of a plurality of venereal diseases and rotting limbs, hence he is able to say that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would refuse to marry a woman whom he did not like. If the infidel due to the deficiencies in his brains, morality and physical body is constrained to accept just any woman who may be rotting with Aids, he should not expect the Man with the most excellent and perfect spiritual and physical attributes to act in emulation of such miserable specimens of mankind as himself.

Only a stupid man, dense in the mind and having no conception of marriage and beauty will marry anyone whom he does not like. The Nabi of Islam, being the most perfect man in every aspect, deserved the most beautiful and the best of womankind, and that was awarded to him by Allah Ta?ala-- our Holy Mother, Hadhrat Aishah Siddeeqah (radhiyallahu anha) being the zenith of beauty, excellence and intelligence, hence 25% of this Divine Shariah of Islam is structured on her stock of Ahadith.

Intelligent men, who do not suffer from western indoctrination, provided they have no filthy bias, can readily understand that the scurrilous attack of the infidel is devoid of rational substance. It is nothing but a diatribe of vilification by an emotionally deranged infidel. There is absolutely no need for any Muslim to suffer sleepless nights when the kuffaar direct their emotional filth against the august personality of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). The filth and malice which their hearts conceal are worse than what their mouths proclaim. In this regard the Qur?aan Majeed states: ?Verily, hatred (for you) has manifested from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is worse.?

Was-salaam

[Shaykh] A.S.Desai (db)

For

Mujlisul Ulama of S.A. (http://www.TheMajlis.net)

[tazkiyyah]

And the barewlis say the ulema of deoband dont defend the Prophet(Saw) enough?

:)

[ahsanirfan]

If any non-Muslim could give us one good reason against an elderly chap marrying a young girl, who has attained puberty, then this topic would be worthy of consideration. Otherwise such emotional garbage is well... garbage.