The prophet did it, though none would want their daughters to marry a man as old as their grandfather these days.
Does this not prove that Society & Culture is stronger than Religion.
Re: 50 year old men marrying 10 year old girls
Prophet may have done that, but you shouldnt have mentioned it like this.
Source
Some people claim the Bukari and Muslim hadith reporting Hazrat Aisha’s age are “weak” (I won’t call them weak hadits, in reality they are attack on our prophet pbuh.)
There is material from both these hadith writers and earlier Islamic histories suggesting Aisha must have been older than nine when married.
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Most of these narratives are reported only by Hisham ibn Urwa reporting on the authority of his father. All the narratives of this event have been reported through narrators from Iraq, where Hisham ibn Urwa is reported to have shifted after living in Madinah for seventy-one years. It is reported in one of the most well known books on the life and reliability of the narrators of the traditions ascribed to the Muhammad reports that Yaqub ibn Shaibah said, “narratives reported by Hisham are reliable except those that are reported through the people of Iraq”. It further states that Malik ibn Anas objected on those narratives of Hisham, which were reported through people of Iraq. Another book on the narrators of the traditions of the Muhammad reports that when he was old, Hisham’s memory suffered quite badly.
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According to the generally accepted tradition, Aisha was born about eight years before Hijrah. However, according to another narrative in Bukhari (Kitaab al-Tafseer) Aisha is reported to have said that at the time Surah Al-Qamar, the 54th chapter of the Qur’an , was revealed, “I was a young girl”. The 54th Surah of the Qur’an was revealed nine years before Hijrah. According to this tradition, Aisha had not only been born before the revelation of the referred Surah, but was actually a young girl, not even only an infant at that time. So if this age is assumed to be 7 to 14 years then her age at the time of marriage would be 14 to 21.
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According to almost all the historians, Asma the elder sister of Aisha, was ten years older than Aisha. It is reported in Taqreeb al-Tehzeeb as well as Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah that Asma died in the 73rd year after migration of Muhammad when she was 100 years old. Now, obviously if Asma was 100 years old in the 73rd year after Migration to Medina, she should have been 27 or 28 years old at the time of migration. If Asma was 27 or 28 years old at the time of hijrah, Aisha should have been 17 or 18 years old at that time. Thus, Aisha - if she got married in 1 AH (after Migration to Medina) or 2 AH - was between 18 to 20 years old at the time of her marriage.
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According to many Ahadith in Bukhari, it is believed Aisha participated in the battle of Badr and Uhud.Also in Bukhari (Kitabu’l-maghazi) Ibn `Umar states that the Prophet did not permit me to participate in Uhud, as at that time, I was 14 years old. But on the day of Khandaq, when I was 15 years old, the Prophet permitted my participation. So if it was not allowed to participate in Uhud for people younger than 15, then Aisha would be atleast 15 in those battles, making her age atleast 13 to 14 at the time of marriage.
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Tabaqat ibn Sa’d, 8:58; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1:410. Opinions are in disagreement concerning her marriage with Muhammad. Their marriage seems to have taken place either two of five years after the Migration (Usd al-ghaba, 5:501).
Re: 50 year old men marrying 10 year old girls
Thanks Mirch, I was gonna point it out.
The problem is though, that people believe that he did. So, they can justify it.
Thanks Mirch, I was gonna point it out.
The problem is though, that people believe that he did. So, they can justify it.
People believe in Flying Saucers, Loch Ness Monster, etc . I and you do not so it is our job to tell them that we do not believe in their BS and tell them what we believe in.
The prophet did it, though none would want their daughters to marry a man as old as their grandfather these days.
Does this not prove that Society & Culture is stronger than Religion.
if you give me another example of something that is obligatory upon us (ie prayer, fasts etc) and not something that is a personal choice and we as muslims in general are not doing it......then yes I would say society and culture is stronger then religion. until then I'll have to say NO! your example proves nothing.
Re: 50 year old men marrying 10 year old girls
I wonder how every INDIAN get hold of Aisha's birth certificate.
Dear scholars, thanks for your efforts in educating people about Islam. But would you help us address the misconceptions filling the mind of some people, especially the Westerners about the Prophet’s marriage to `Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, as they claim it to be a sign of child abuse?
**In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All thanks and praise are due to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.**
Dear questioner, we would like to express our deep gratitude for the great confidence you have in us and hope our humble efforts meet your great expectations. We also admire the great interest you show in understanding the teachings of this great religion of Islam.
As regard your question, we’d like to make it clear in the very beginning that Prophet’s marriage to `Aisha, the Mother of the Faithful, has always been a subject of attack and criticism by the enemies of Islam. First of all, we want to clarify to people who view this marriage as some sort of brutal act and child abuse that they should try to understand the main purpose of this marriage and the condition of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, before the marriage.
As for the purpose of this marriage, it was purely for sociopolitical reason. The Prophet’s main concern was the future of Islam. He was interested in strengthening the Muslims by all bonds. This also explains the reason why he married the daughter of Umar, his Second Successor. It was by his marriage to Juwayriyyah that he gained the support for Islam of the whole clan of Bani Al-Mustaliq and their allied tribes. It was through his marriage to Safiyyah that he neutralized a great section of the hostile Jews of Arabia. By accepting Mariya, the Copt from Egypt, as his wife, he formed a political alliance with a king of great magnitude. So his marriage to Aisha could never be of anything save cementing his relation with Abu Bakr, `Aisha’s father.
As for the Prophet’s condition before this marriage, it clearly explained what we’ve said that it was a purely sublime aim and purpose that motivated him to marry `Aisha. That’s why the marriage was not consummated until sometime after the emigration to Madinah, when she had reached maturity. The motives of this marriage can be understood to be anything except passion and physical attraction. However, he lived with her, in addition to Sawdah, for five to six years, when he was 56 years of age, without taking any other wife.
One important point we have to clarify here is that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when proposing to Aisha, was not the first suitor, for, according to many historians, Jubair ibn Mutam proposed to her before the Prophet, peace and blessings for him. This gives an indication that `Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, was mature enough for marriage at that age.
Giving more details on this issue, Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi, deputy chairman of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, states the following:
Firstly, Prophet’s proposal to `Aisha came through a suggestion made by Khawalh bint Hakim as a sign of strengthening the relation with his Companion Abu Bakr and confirming his love for him.
Secondly, the fact that Aisha, before the Prophet proposed to her, was being pursued by Jubair ibn Mutam, indicates that she was mature enough for marriage, according to the prevailing tradition at that time, if not, the Quraish people, who would never waste any chance to insult the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would have found this marriage as a golden opportunity to pour on him rain of insults. Rather they found nothing wrong in this engagement, and they received the news of the Prophet’s proposal for `Aisha as something usual, and even, expected.
Aisha was not the first case, for many girls married at her same age to men who were at their fathers’ age. Hala, the cousin of Amina bint Wahb was married to Abdul-Muttalib on the same day his son Abdullah married Aminah bint Wahb who was at Hala’s same age. Also, the Companion `Umar ibn Al-Khattab married the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah honor his face, while he was at her grandpa’s age.
After the passage of many centuries, we find now some Orientalists who try to strike a comparison between the conditions of our present time and what was existing 1400 years ago. They are trying to apply the criterions of the Western society to that society that existed in the Arabian Peninsula very long ago.
It should be noted that in the hot regions, it’s normal for a girl to attain maturity at a very early age. Thus the case is totally different from that which does exist in the cold regions where a girl does not attain puberty before 21 [Physicians maintain that the age of puberty in the hot regions normally ranges from 9 to 16]. At all rates, it should be stressed that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, on marrying `Aisha, never aimed at fulfilling a lust or satisfying a desire; rather, his aim was to strengthen his relation with the most beloved Companion of his.
Had it been true that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, aimed at fulfilling a lust or satisfying a desire, he would have done this while still in his youth when he was still free from the responsibilities of delivering Allah’s call. At his early age, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, accepted to marry Khadija, may Allah be pleased with her, who was 15 years older than him. He also never married a new wife until after her death. Even after her passing away, his new wife Sawdah bint Zamah was an old-aged widow who possessed no particular appealing qualities. This adds to our certainty that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had many great lofty aims behind his marriages. Also, when Khawlah bint Hakim suggested to him to marryAisha, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, thought thoroughly whether to accept or to refuse. He took into consideration his relation with Abu Bakr.
When Aisha reached the Prophet’s house, Sawdah gave her the first place and took care of her till her death.. Afterwards, Aisha remained a faithful wife to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him; her 10 years of marriage were of the life of a fully dedicated disciple, trainee and scholarly student in the noble Prophetic school. She was the source of knowledge for almost every Companion. She was of the main sources for revealing knowledge and information of the private life of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. She was a big celebrity in politics and the best example of generosity.
The Prophet’s love for Aisha was a sign of his love for her father. On being asked about the dearest person to his heart, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned Aisha. Then, on being asked about the dearest man to him and he, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned her father, Abu Bakr.
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Peace malhot
Muhammad (SAW) set his life as range of permissible acts for us to perform. The marrying of a woman much younger than oneself is not intended to be a norm though it is allowed by religion. Religion sets the limits whereas culture sets the norms. Only when culture goes outside the limits you will see the great effect of religion.
Peace bro Mirch
I have also seen the rather unconvincing counter argument to this also. The fact is that ith these hadith we can develop a fuller picture of what might be happening. We must understand that though hadith are not infalible they are essential for our understanding of Islam. It was using hadith that you have brought this issue to hand. The problem is that people equate muttawatir with true, but that is not the case. Also the reason why hadith were compiled were to fit a certain purpose in the mind of the scholar. Without giving their own opinion on the matter they have collected muttawatir hadith and grouped them under the heading of nikkah. These will fulfil legal reasons. But for us to say that the hadith mentioned in Bukhari regarding the younger age of Aisha is the correct view when there are hadith to conflict with this is the wrong understanding. In my view the hadith gives us important information that one is allowed to be betrothed for marriage and actual marriage to take place at some point in the future. That is all this hadith gives me, the ages are superfluous because of the other hadith that provide the overall picture on the age issue. At the very best the age in the hadith is questionable but the manner is substantiated. By making this observation in Bukhari and Muslim please do not think that hadith are useless rather we should understand the limitations in them and how we should understand them. The hadith is probably still muttawatir, but we cannot blame the scholars for compiling them as they have not indicated whether they agree or disagree with them.
It is a method for explaining away the truth by clutching at straws
Re: 50 year old men marrying 10 year old girls
So the people who so strongly critisize about prophet marrying Aisha believe in hadeeth now… ???because we know all these details through hadeeth …
can you guys be man enough to believe that Allah is our Creator and Muhammad 
is His true and final prophet?
Don’t be shy? either believe the witness completely or reject it completely… Thankyouverymuch
:biggthumbVery well said , I never heard this argument before, and for the criticizers this should be strong enough argument to stop bringing this issue up again and again.
Re: 50 year old men marrying 10 year old girls
^ would you argue then that people who discuss/debate christianity on the basis of biblical text, such as Zakir Naik, need to believe in the bible in its present form verbatim?
^ would you argue then that people who discuss/debate christianity on the basis of biblical text, such as Zakir Naik, need to believe in the bible in its present form verbatim?
are you saying he takes the biblical text and prove that it is right or does he try to show them from the text where the contradiction occurs or what conforms with the Islamic teachings?
in case of Prophet marrying Aisha is simply no comparitive study at all and hence a TOTALLY different case ... It's just taking hadeeth and believing it to be true ... if they are believing the narrator, simple question is what makes them not believe in the same narrator when he/she talks about Islam being the true religion? Simple Question...
Re: 50 year old men marrying 10 year old girls
Prophet did not do anything out of norm .. this was part of Arab society in those days..
female age expectancy in those days was very little (even all of prophet's daugters died with in 30-40 years of age)
it was a matter of convenience to marry a girl young (a soon as she enters a child bearing age).
No one is required to do that now, but pointing fingers at it is quite a big sin, in my opinion
Not this again, we recently had thread and detail discussion on consummating marriage with young women given that it meets Islamic conditions–the girl is a women (she has reached puberty) and it does not physically or physiologically harms her. What Prophet (Peace and blessing be upon him) did was according to the law of nature and Islamic teachings. There was a great wisdom behind this marriage; thus, scholar of Islam have consluded that such marriages should only take place if there is need for it and their is enough wisdom behind it. Just becuase it is allowed in Islam does not mean it is encouraged or mandatory or every person can do it. In fact some of the early and later scholars have discouraged such marriages. Enough said
A weak argument from Muslims in defence to this attack
1- it was part of the Arab culture
Counter Argument: However, Islam and Sunnah of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) is for all people and all kinds of culture till day of Judgement and Qur’an allows such marriages. Just b/c it was their culture does not it mean it is acceptable.
I say: when did practices of Arabs and their cultures become part of Islam? Prophet (Peace be upon him) did not do it b/c it was part of their culture or norm or it was considered moral, he did it b/c he followed the law of nature and teachings of Islam and Arabs were doing the same thing (following the absolute law of nature).
We, Muslims, do not need to to act “modern” in defence. Yes, the authentic ahadith say that He (Peace be upon him) married her (May Allah be pleased with her) when she was 7 and consummated the marriage when she was 9. Yes, still today it is permissible to marry a young women as long as there is enough wisdom behind it and marriage can only be consummated when the Islamic conditions are met.
Now as far concerning the misinterpreted and misleading facts to prove that she was older than nine, they have been debunked many times before.
Download the attachment which has complete rebuttal to these claims: http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vbe/showthread.php?t=1095&page=4
There was another one by G.F. Haddad: http://www.mereislam.info/articles/G-F-Haddad_Aisha's-Age-at-the-Time-of-Her-Marriage_2005-11.pdf
http://www.mereislam.info/articles/G-F-Haddad_More-on-Aisha's-Age-at-the-Time-of-Her-Marriage_2004-12.pdf
Re: 50 year old men marrying 10 year old girls
It is amazing how people get itchy and do hefty research on Hazrat Ayesha’s (ra) age and dig out reports from God knows whrere … while others do some more hectic work in finding faults in these findings.
Surprisingly, Muslims never seems to look into this objectively. And never do any research in finding faults in other dodgy reports regarding age of other famous companions. Just because they are not controversial and Non-Muslims dont ask questions about them. But as a matter of fact Logically, these Reported age of important personalities are more doubtful than Hazrat Ayesha’s age, in my opinon.
Re: 50 year old men marrying 10 year old girls
whatever her actual age was , the fact which all sources agree is that she has reached menarche when marriage was consumated , so whats the big deal ? does it matter if it was 12 ,14 or 18
Re: 50 year old men marrying 10 year old girls
Whether she was 6 or 9 or 13 or 15 or 21, by whose standards do people judge that this is "strange" or "unappropriate" or "wrong"? Standards set by those who call our Prophet a liar? Standards set by those who reject the Oneness of Allah and set up partners with Allah? Why should Muslims care about those standards? For someone who believes in Allah, accepts and follows the Prophet, and believes and follows in the Quran and authentic hadith, then the matter is simple. Whatever the Prophet did was BEST. I dont care how old she was, their marriage was pure and beautiful and we dont need articles written by people who try to suggest that Sahih Bukhari is weak or unreliable when it is the second most authentic book in Islam
[QUOTE]
The prophet did it, though none would want their daughters to marry a man as old as their grandfather these days.
Does this not prove that Society & Culture is stronger than Religion.
[/QUOTE]
No it doesnt prove anything. Would I marry by 6 or 9 or 13 year old daughter to a man as old as her grandfather is he asked for her hand? No I would not. Would I have married my 6 or 9 or 13 year old daughter to the Prophet peace be upon him if he asked for her hand? YES WITHOUT A MINUTE'S HESITATION