Truth From Myths

Hazrat Aisha Was Not 9 at the Time of Her Marriage

Critics of Islam often claim that Hazrat Aisha(ra) was not mature when Prophet Muhammad(sa) married her. However, nothing can be further from the truth.

Truth From Myths

Hazrat Aisha Was Not 9 at the Time of Her Marriage

Critics of Islam often claim that Hazrat Aisha(ra) was not mature when Prophet Muhammad(sa) married her. However, nothing can be further from the truth.

AMIR AZIZ AHMEDI, KOLKATA

November 7, 2020

There are many misconceptions regarding the age of Hazrat Aisha^ra at the time of her marriage to the Holy Prophet^sa. This is one of the main issues that critics often use as a basis for making harsh criticisms and ridicule against the noble personality of Prophet Muhammad^sa.

The age of marriage is something that varies across different societies even today, depending on various factors such as physical, mental, social, and geographical conditions. Even in this 21^st century, in many Western societies, which these critics themselves consider as centres of progressive values, the legal age of marriage and consent is as low as 14 years, and in some cases, even lower. This is an important fact to remember.^[1]

The fact that such people mock a marriage that took place 1,400 years ago without understanding these realities exposes the folly in their criticisms. According to Islamic principles, for a marriage to be valid, both the bride and groom must have reached physical and mental maturity, and Hazrat Aisha^ra was fully capable of marriage at that time. Therefore, the objections raised regarding this issue have no valid basis.

However, upon analysing historical records, we can see that some misunderstandings exist regarding Hazrat Aisha’s age at the time of marriage. This article aims to provide a historical analysis to clarify such misconceptions.

Non-Reliability of the six-year narrative

Most scholars who support the view of Hazrat Aisha’s early marriage rely upon narrations in Bukhari and other books of traditions in which Hazrat Aisha^ra reportedly stated that she was a girl of six years at the time of marriage and nine years at the time of consummation.^[2]

Hence, it is often argued why these reports from authentic sources, as well as Hazrat Aisha’s own account, are ignored when it comes to calculating her correct age. This argument warrants special addressing.

The fact is that these narrations asserting the age of Hazrat Aisha^ra to be six years at the time of marriage and nine years when she entered the household of the Holy Prophet^sa do not hold true when examined in the light of established historical facts.

Incompatibility with the Holy Prophet’s marriage timeline: It is accepted by most historians that the Holy Prophet’s Nikah (the formal announcement of marriage) with Hazrat Aisha^ra took place in the month of Shawwal in the 10^th year after prophethood.^[3] Similarly, he consummated this marriage in the month of Shawwal in the second year after migration.^[4]

Given these facts, one can easily calculate that a period of full five years has elapsed between the Holy Prophet’s Nikah and marriage with Hazrat Aisha. Hence, it is obvious that the reports of her age being six and nine years in no way conform to these established historical facts, and thus, cannot be relied upon.

Moreover, the narrative of six years is itself not definite. Hence, there is a discrepancy between her age being six years and seven years^[5] at the time of Nikah, which points to the ambiguity of the narrative and suggests that any of the narrators would possibly have erred in providing accurate information.

Hazrat Aisha^ra was already engaged: Hazrat Aisha^ra was engaged to the son of Mut’im bin Adiyy prior to her engagement to the Holy Prophet.^[6] This clearly suggests that Hazrat Aisha^ra had already reached the age of marriage at that time and was not six years old.

Revelation period of Surah Al-Qamar: Sahih Bukhari records a narration from Hazrat Aisha^ra in which she says:

“When the verse, ‘Aye, the Hour is their appointed time; and the Hour will be most calamitous and most bitter’ was revealed to Muhammad^sa at Mecca, I was a playful young girl.”^[7]

The mentioned verse is from Surah al-Qamar. Reports suggest that Surah al-Qamar was revealed in the fifth year after prophethood, i.e. 614 AD.^[8] It is known that Hazrat Aisha started living with the Holy Prophet Prophet^sa in the second year after Hijra (the Prophet’s migration to Medina), i.e. in 624 AD. If she was 9 years old at that time, then she would not even be born at the time when Surah al-Qamar was revealed.

Now, even if Surah al-Qamar is assumed to have been revealed later by one or two years as some other reports suggest, still Hazrat Aisha^ra would be a child below 2 years of age, an infant not capable of remembering such details.

Apart from this, other traditions and historical details also cast doubt on this narrative.

There are generally two perspectives that nullify the reports which imply her age to be six and nine years.

First Perspective: Age of 18 years or more

Many historians report that Hazrat Aisha^ra was ten years younger than her elder sister Hazrat Asma^ra^[9]. Two acclaimed historical books namely Tazhib at-Tahzib and Al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya report that Hazrat Asma died at the age of hundred in 73 AH^[10].

Calculating from this, it becomes evident that Hazrat Asma was about 27 or 28 years of age at the time of the Prophet’s migration to Medina. This puts Hazrat Asma at the age of 28 or 29 at the time of Hazrat Aisha’s marital consummation, which occurred in 2 Hijri. All of these facts indicate that Hazrat Aisha^ra should have been 18 or 19 years of age at the time when her marriage was consummated.

Although this perspective makes more sense historically than the nine-year narrative, it still cannot be considered to be the most accurate understanding of Hazrat Aisha’s age.

Second Perspective: Age of around 14 years

Another perspective is that Hazrat Aisha^ra was around 14 years of age when her marriage was consummated, which seems to be the most accurate understanding in this regard. There are many pieces of evidence from history that almost assert this fact to a level of certainty.

First evidence: Tabari in his Islamic history reports that Hazrat Abu Bakr^ra had four children and all four were born during the pre-Islamic period.^[11] If Hazrat Aisha^ra was born before Islam, her age could not have been less than 14 years in 2 Hijri.

Second evidence: According to Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Hazrat Fatima^ra was five years older than Hazrat Aisha^ra.^[12] Hazrat Fatima is reported to have been born when the Holy Prophet^sa was 35 years old.^[13] The Holy Prophet^sa migrated to Medina when he was 52, making Hazrat Aisha 14 or 15 years old in 2 Hijri.

Third evidence: A narration regarding Hazrat Aisha’s participation in the battle of Uhud can be found in Sahih Bukhari, which is as follows:

“Hazrat Anas^ra reports, on the day of Uhud, people could not stand their ground around the Holy Prophet^sa. On that day, I saw Aisha^ra and Umm-i-Sulaim^ra that they had pulled their dress up from their feet to avoid any hindrance in their movement.”^[14]

The Holy Prophet^sa had not permitted Ibn Umar^ra to participate in the same battle because of his young age. Hence, it is reported:

“Ibn Umar^ra states, the Holy Prophet^sa 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^sa allowed me to join.”^[15]

Hence, children below 15 years were not allowed to participate in the battle of Uhud while Hazrat Aisha^ra participated in it, which clearly indicates that she was at least 15 years or older at that time and 14 years or older when she joined the Holy Prophet’s household.

All of these proofs shatter the misconception that the Holy Prophet^sa married Hazrat Aisha^ra when she had not reached the age of maturity.

Conclusion

It is an acknowledged reality that the onset of maturity or puberty fluctuates based on many factors. Similarly, we find different acceptable ages of marriage throughout history, as well as in this day and age. The time factor and its contemporary practices should be the primary guidelines to evaluate any incident instead of comparing an event on a completely different time scale and culture in order to fit and justify one’s prejudiced interests against a particular faith just owing to sheer malice.

The fact is that the marriage of the Holy Prophet of Islam with Hazrat Aisha was a perfectly suitable marriage with the consensus of both parties including the parents of Hazrat Aisha as she had reached an age of maturity. Most of the traditions and references that are quoted about her age being less than 10 years or even lower are completely contradictory and unreliable as already explained.

None of the contemporaries or staunchest critics of the time of the Holy Prophet^sa ever raised this allegation despite challenging and opposing him on various fronts. Hence, it would be in the best interest of the critics of today to avoid such nonsensical dialogue and adopt dignity in discourse and criticism such that their own credibility stands at a position worthy of acceptance.

Amir Aziz holds a Master’s degree in English and is also a Management Post Graduate. Currently, he serves as the head of the Ahmadi Young Men’s Auxiliary (Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya), Kolkata chapter.

END NOTES

[1] In most European countries, the age of consent ranges from 14 to 16 years. In seven countries, the age of consent is 14, while only one country has set it at 18.

In the US, the general legal marriage age is 18. However, in some states, parental or judicial consent allows marriage at 15 years old. In four states (California, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Oklahoma), there is no minimum age requirement for such marriages.

[2] Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab an-Nikah (Book on Marriage)

[3] Tabaqat al-Kubra by Ibn Sa’d, vol. 8, p. 271 (First edition 1996)

[4] Sharh Al-Muwahib al-Ladunniyyah, Imam Zurqani, v. 4, p. 383, Aishah Ummul-Muminin, Darul-Kutubil-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)

[5] Sahih Muslim, Kitab an-Nikah (Book on Marriage)

[6] Musnad Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Baqi Musnad al-Ansar

[7] Sahih Bukhari, Kitab at-Tafsir (Book on Prophetic Commentary on Quran)

[8] The Bounteous Koran by M.M. Khatib (1985)

[9] Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’, v. 2, p. 289 (Beirut: Muassasat-al-Risalah, 1992)

[10] Al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya, v. 8, p. 371-372 (Al-jizah: Dar-al-fikr al-arabiyy, 1933)

[11] Tarikhul Umam wal-Muluk, Tabari, v. 4, p. 50, Arabic, Dara’l-fikr, Beirut, 1979

[12] Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz as-Sahaba, v. 8, p. 263

[13] Ibid

[14] Bukhari, Kitab al-Jihad wal-Sayr (Book on Jihad)

[15] Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi (Book on Expeditions)