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Disclaimer: This thread does not promote nor condone hatred, discrimination or violence against Muslims. I absolutely condemn bigotry in all forms. It is not my intention to insult or denigrate anyone. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. This thread was made to analyse and criticise unsubstantiated claims about the age of Aisha
Background
There has been an intense discussion and debate regarding the age of Aisha, the favourite wife of the Prophet Muhammad, at the time of her marriage and consummation. Traditional Sunni Muslim sources and Hadith state that she was around 6 to 7 years old at marriage, 9 at consummation, and 18 at widowhood. She did not bear any children.
Why does this matter?
However, in light of modern and western sensibilities, a growing body of Muslims today question or outright deny these controversial Hadith. For many it is uncomfortable to acknowledge them. Justifying the marriage of a 6 year old to a man decades older than her, can create a profound sense of cognitive dissonance. Unfortunately, in an attempt to defend their position, some believers may ultimately decide to deny authentic Hadith, which unknowingly sets a dangerous precedent and puts major Islamic sources into question.
In this thread I will discuss the inaccurate and misleading claims often made about the age of Aisha and break them down, one by one.
(All sources will be listed, including references to the Quran, Sahih Hadith, Seerah, Ulema, etc)
1st Objection: All these traditions are narrated by only one person i.e. Hisham bin 'Urwa and none from Medina narrated it
But this objection is false.
The traditions about Aisha's age at the time of marriage have been narrated by multiple alternative chains of narrations, including the people of Medina too.
Sheikh Haddad is a Sunni Hadith Master, and he replied to this objection as following (link):
“Al-Zuhri also reports it from `Urwa, from `A'isha; so does `Abd Allah ibn Dhakwan, both major Madanis. So is the Tabi`i Yahya al-Lakhmi who reports it from her in the Musnad and in Ibn Sa`d's Tabaqat. So is Abu Ishaq Sa`d ibn Ibrahim who reports it from Imam al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, one of the Seven Imams of Madina, from `A'isha. All the narratives of this event have been reported. In addition to the above four Madinese Tabi`in narrators, Sufyan ibn `Uyayna from Khurasan and `Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya from Tabarayya in Palestine both report it.”
The traditions about Aisha's age at the time of marriage have been narrated by multiple alternative chains of narrations, including the people of Medina too.
Sheikh Haddad is a Sunni Hadith Master, and he replied to this objection as following (link):
“Al-Zuhri also reports it from `Urwa, from `A'isha; so does `Abd Allah ibn Dhakwan, both major Madanis. So is the Tabi`i Yahya al-Lakhmi who reports it from her in the Musnad and in Ibn Sa`d's Tabaqat. So is Abu Ishaq Sa`d ibn Ibrahim who reports it from Imam al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, one of the Seven Imams of Madina, from `A'isha. All the narratives of this event have been reported. In addition to the above four Madinese Tabi`in narrators, Sufyan ibn `Uyayna from Khurasan and `Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya from Tabarayya in Palestine both report it.”
Here is also a list of 17 authentic Hadith, which tell that:
- Aisha was married at the age of 6,
- And the marriage was consummated when she was 9 years old.
- And 4 of these Hadith also tell that Aisha was 18 years old when Muhammad died.
- Moreover, few of them are narrated by other people than Hisham (i.e. people who deny Aisha's age of 9 years at the time of consummation, they falsely claim that all such Hadith are narrated by Hisham only).
- Sunan Ibn Majah, 1877 [marriage at 7, consummation at 9, age of 'Aisha when Muhammad died = 18. Not narrated by Hisham]
- Sahih Muslim, 1422c 9 [marriage at 7, consummation at 9, age of 'Aisha when Muhammad died = 18. Not narrated by Hisham]
- Sahih Muslim [marriage at 6, consummation at 9, age of 'Aisha when Muhammad died = 18]
- Sunan Nisai, 3258 [consummation at 9, age of 'Aisha when Muhammad died = 18]
- Sunan Ibn Majah, 1876 [consummation at 9, age of 'Aisha when Muhammad died = 18]
- Sunan Abu Dawud, 2121 [marriage at 7 or 6, consummation at 9]
- Sunan Nisai, 3256 [marriage at 7, consummation at 9]
- Sunan Nisai, 3378 [marriage at 6, consummation at 9]
- Sunan Nisai, 3257 [consummation at 9, stayed with Muhammad for 9 years till he died]
- Sunan Nisai, 3255 [marriage at 6, consummation at 9]
- Sahih Bukhari, 5134 [marriage at 6, consummation at 9, stayed with Muhammad for 9 years till he died]
- Sahih Bukhari, 3894 [marriage at 6, consummation at 9]
- Sahih Bukhari, 5133 [marriage at 6, consummation at 9, stayed with Muhammad for 9 years till he died]
- Sahih Bukhari, 5158 [marriage at 6, consummation at 9, stayed with Muhammad for 9 years till he died]
- Sahih Bukhari, 3896 [marriage at 6, consummation at 9]
- Sahih Muslim, 1422a [marriage at 6, consummation at 9]
- Sahih Muslim, 1422b [marriage at 6, consummation at 9]
2nd Objection: Revelation time of surah al-Qamar
According to Sahih Bukhari (link), Aisha explains she was a "playful girl" (jariyatun al-'abu لَجَارِيَةٌ أَلْعَبُ) when Surah (chapter) al-Qamar of the Quran was revealed. This group of modern apologists claim that Surah al-Qamar was revealed 9 years before Hijrah, which makes Aisha to be much older than 6 years at the time of marriage.
But they are wrong as there is no proof present that Surah al-Qamar was revealed 9 years before Hijrah. Sheikh Haddad refutes them by stating (link):
“The hadith Masters, Sira historians, and Qur'anic commentators agree that the splitting of the moon took place about five years before the Holy Prophet's (upon him blessings and peace) Hijra to Madina. Thus it is confirmed that our Mother `Aisha was born between seven and eight years before the Hijra and the words that she was a jariya or little girl five years before the Hijra match the fact that her age at the time Surat al-Qamar was revealed was around 2 or 3. A two year old is not an infant. A two year old is able to run around, which is what jariya means. As for "the comments of the experts" they concur on 6 or 7 as the age of marriage and 9 as the age of cohabitation.”
But they are wrong as there is no proof present that Surah al-Qamar was revealed 9 years before Hijrah. Sheikh Haddad refutes them by stating (link):
“The hadith Masters, Sira historians, and Qur'anic commentators agree that the splitting of the moon took place about five years before the Holy Prophet's (upon him blessings and peace) Hijra to Madina. Thus it is confirmed that our Mother `Aisha was born between seven and eight years before the Hijra and the words that she was a jariya or little girl five years before the Hijra match the fact that her age at the time Surat al-Qamar was revealed was around 2 or 3. A two year old is not an infant. A two year old is able to run around, which is what jariya means. As for "the comments of the experts" they concur on 6 or 7 as the age of marriage and 9 as the age of cohabitation.”
3rd Objection: Battle of Badr and Uhud
This apologetic argument aims to make the claim that Aisha was at the Battles of Badr and Uhud, and that since standard practice at the time disallowed anyone under 15 from joining the battlefield, she could not have been younger than this.
Shaykh Haddad responds to this apologetic argument (link):
“First, the prohibition applied to combatants. It applied neither to non-combatant boys nor to non-combatant girls and women. Second, `A'isha did not participate in Badr at all but bade farewell to the combatants as they were leaving Madina, as narrated by Muslim in his Sahih. On the day of Uhud (year 3), Anas, at the time only twelve or thirteen years old, reports seeing an eleven-year old `A'isha and his mother Umm Sulaym having tied up their dresses and carrying water skins back and forth to the combatants, as narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.”
Shaykh Haddad responds to this apologetic argument (link):
“First, the prohibition applied to combatants. It applied neither to non-combatant boys nor to non-combatant girls and women. Second, `A'isha did not participate in Badr at all but bade farewell to the combatants as they were leaving Madina, as narrated by Muslim in his Sahih. On the day of Uhud (year 3), Anas, at the time only twelve or thirteen years old, reports seeing an eleven-year old `A'isha and his mother Umm Sulaym having tied up their dresses and carrying water skins back and forth to the combatants, as narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.”
4th Objection: Age of Asma
One da’if (weak) hadith narrated from al-Zinad and recorded in the works of some medieval scholars, including al-Dhahabi (link), states that Aisha's older sister Asma was ten years older than her. This has been combined with improbable information about Asma being 100 years old at the time of her death in 73 AH to calculate that Aisha was eighteen or nineteen at the time of her marriage consummation (1 AH or 2 AH - (73 - 100) - 10).
Shaykh Haddad (link) and the IslamQA (link) website both independently criticise this approach as relying on a single narrator, who most scholars regard as weak, and note that a hadith by a more reliable chain from the same narrator gives a broader range for the age difference between the sisters. Both also note that al-Dhahabi too gave the vaguer opinion that Asma was "ten or more" years older than Aisha.
Shaykh Haddad (link) and the IslamQA (link) website both independently criticise this approach as relying on a single narrator, who most scholars regard as weak, and note that a hadith by a more reliable chain from the same narrator gives a broader range for the age difference between the sisters. Both also note that al-Dhahabi too gave the vaguer opinion that Asma was "ten or more" years older than Aisha.
5th Objection: Tabari's account of Abu Bakr's children and wives
Apologists claim that al-Tabari recorded that Aisha was born in the pre-islamic period, and thus could not have been less than 14 tears old (Reference: Al-Tabari, Vol. 4, Pg. 50, Arabic, Dar al-fikr, Beirut, 1979)
However, al-Tabari's own account reports at least five times that Aisha was around 6-7 years old during marriage and the marriage was consummated 3 years later (link).
Furthermore, Shaykh Gibril Haddad (link) says that the initial passage mentioned is misinterpreted, stating:
"Al-Tabari nowhere reports that 'Abu Bakr's four children were all born in Jahiliyya' but only that Abu Bakr married both their mothers in Jahiliyya, Qutayla bint Sa`d and Umm Ruman, who bore him four children in all, two each, `A'isha being the daughter of Umm Ruman."
However, al-Tabari's own account reports at least five times that Aisha was around 6-7 years old during marriage and the marriage was consummated 3 years later (link).
Furthermore, Shaykh Gibril Haddad (link) says that the initial passage mentioned is misinterpreted, stating:
"Al-Tabari nowhere reports that 'Abu Bakr's four children were all born in Jahiliyya' but only that Abu Bakr married both their mothers in Jahiliyya, Qutayla bint Sa`d and Umm Ruman, who bore him four children in all, two each, `A'isha being the daughter of Umm Ruman."
6th Objection: Time of Umar's conversion to Islam
This argument draws on the Seerah (Biography of the Prophet) to claim that since Aisha converted to Islam before Umar she could not have been born during the first year of Islam (link).
However, even if the claim Aisha converted to Islam before Umar was true, it does not mean this took place during the first year of Islam, since Umar converted in 617 AD, about 4 years after Aisha’s birth in 613 AD (link). Furthermore, Aisha never remembered a time before when her family wasn't Muslim (Sahih Bukhari)
Besides disputing the claim that Ibn Hisham reported that Aisha accepted Islam quite sometime before `Umar ibn al-Khattab, Shaykh Haddad also casts doubt on the claim stating (link):
“Nowhere does Ibn Hisham say this. Rather, Ibn Hisham lists `A'isha among 'those that accepted Islam because of Abu Bakr.' This does not mean that she embraced Islam during the first year of Islam. Nor does it mean that she necessarily embraced Islam before `Umar (year 6) although she was born the previous year (year 7 before the Hijra) although it is understood she will automatically follow her father's choice even before the age of reason.”
However, even if the claim Aisha converted to Islam before Umar was true, it does not mean this took place during the first year of Islam, since Umar converted in 617 AD, about 4 years after Aisha’s birth in 613 AD (link). Furthermore, Aisha never remembered a time before when her family wasn't Muslim (Sahih Bukhari)
Besides disputing the claim that Ibn Hisham reported that Aisha accepted Islam quite sometime before `Umar ibn al-Khattab, Shaykh Haddad also casts doubt on the claim stating (link):
“Nowhere does Ibn Hisham say this. Rather, Ibn Hisham lists `A'isha among 'those that accepted Islam because of Abu Bakr.' This does not mean that she embraced Islam during the first year of Islam. Nor does it mean that she necessarily embraced Islam before `Umar (year 6) although she was born the previous year (year 7 before the Hijra) although it is understood she will automatically follow her father's choice even before the age of reason.”
7th Objection: Tabari's account of Abu Bakr's migration to Habshah
This argument claims that al-Tabari states that when Abu Bakr was planning to migrate to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), he spoke to Mut`am, with whose son, Jabayr, Aisha was engaged. This migration occurred eight years before hijrah, at which time Aisha had only just been born if she consummated her marriage to Muhammad at the age of 9 or 10.
Proponents of this claim admit they have no primary source, which originated in Kandhalvi's Urdu booklet (link). Shayk Haddad responds that "there is no mention of emigration in Tabari's account of Abu Bakr's discussion with Mut`im" and "there had been only some preliminary talk, not a formal arrangement".
Proponents of this claim admit they have no primary source, which originated in Kandhalvi's Urdu booklet (link). Shayk Haddad responds that "there is no mention of emigration in Tabari's account of Abu Bakr's discussion with Mut`im" and "there had been only some preliminary talk, not a formal arrangement".
8th Objection: The meaning of bikr
This argument cites a hadith in Ibn Hanbal's Musnad saying that Khaulah suggested Aisha to Muhammad as a virgin (bikr) he could marry. The claim is that bikr would not be used for a young girl (link).
However, there are multiple sahih hadith narrations of a highly relevant conversation between Muhammad and Jabir in which bikr (virgin) is clearly compatible with jariyah (young girl).
Narrated Jabir: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "Have you got married O Jabir?" I replied, "Yes." He asked "What, a virgin [bikr] or a matron [thayyib]?" I replied, "Not a virgin but a matron." He said, "Why did you not marry a young girl [jariyah] who would have fondled with you?”
Sahih Bukhari 5:59:382
Shaykh Haddad (link) says regarding the claim, "This is ignorant nonsense, bikr means a virgin girl, a girl who has never been married even if her age is 0 and there is no unclarity here whatsoever.".
However, there are multiple sahih hadith narrations of a highly relevant conversation between Muhammad and Jabir in which bikr (virgin) is clearly compatible with jariyah (young girl).
Narrated Jabir: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "Have you got married O Jabir?" I replied, "Yes." He asked "What, a virgin [bikr] or a matron [thayyib]?" I replied, "Not a virgin but a matron." He said, "Why did you not marry a young girl [jariyah] who would have fondled with you?”
Sahih Bukhari 5:59:382
Shaykh Haddad (link) says regarding the claim, "This is ignorant nonsense, bikr means a virgin girl, a girl who has never been married even if her age is 0 and there is no unclarity here whatsoever.".
9th Objection: Fatima's age difference
This claim is that according to ibn Hajar, Fatima was five years older than Aisha and Muhammad was 35 years old when Fatima was born. Therefore, based on this claim, Aisha must have been a teenager at the time her marriage was consummated.
However, the proponent of this claim (link) has combined and selectively quoted conflicting sources. Shaykh Haddad responds (link):
“Ibn Hajar mentions two versions: (1) al-Waqidi's narration that Fatima was born when the Prophet was 35; and (2) Ibn `Abd al-Barr's narration that she was born when he was 41, approximately one year more or less before Prophethood, and about five years before `A'isha was born. The latter version matches the established dates.”
However, the proponent of this claim (link) has combined and selectively quoted conflicting sources. Shaykh Haddad responds (link):
“Ibn Hajar mentions two versions: (1) al-Waqidi's narration that Fatima was born when the Prophet was 35; and (2) Ibn `Abd al-Barr's narration that she was born when he was 41, approximately one year more or less before Prophethood, and about five years before `A'isha was born. The latter version matches the established dates.”
10th Objection: Hadith said Aisha had reached puberty
This argument is based on a mistranslated hadith, Sahih Bukhari 1:8:465, which in one English translation states that Aisha had seen her parents follow Islam since the age of puberty, and not a day passed by without Muhammad visiting them.
“Narrated `Aisha: (the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings[...]”
However, the word أَعْقِلْ means thoughts or reasoning, but the translator, Muhsin Khan, has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is simply that 'Aisha was aware that her parents were following Islam. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion". The exact same Arabic phrase is translated correctly by the same translator in another narration of the same hadith (link).
“Narrated `Aisha: (the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings[...]”
However, the word أَعْقِلْ means thoughts or reasoning, but the translator, Muhsin Khan, has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is simply that 'Aisha was aware that her parents were following Islam. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion". The exact same Arabic phrase is translated correctly by the same translator in another narration of the same hadith (link).
11th Objection: Hadith in which Aisha menstruated
This argument is also based on a mistranslated hadith.
Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam):
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.
Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan Ref)
Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated".
Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply" (Dar-us-Salam does not include Abu Dawud's comment).
Abu Dawud's comment is "ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ)", which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed".
Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam):
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.
Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan Ref)
Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated".
Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply" (Dar-us-Salam does not include Abu Dawud's comment).
Abu Dawud's comment is "ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ)", which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed".
12th Objection: Aisha remembered the migration setting out to Abyssinia
Another hadith has been commonly misinterpreted in order to claim that Aisha remembered Muhammad coming to Abu Bakr when it was time to migrate to Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia). This forced migration occurred due to what Urwa b. al-Zubayr in his first letter describes as the first persecution (al-fitnah al-ūlā) in Mecca, before the migration some years later to Medina.
Response:
The hadith itself does not state which migration it relates too.
Narrated Aisha: Rarely did the Prophet (ﷺ) fail to visit Abu Bakr's house everyday, either in the morning or in the evening. When the permission for migration to Medina was granted, all of a sudden the Prophet (ﷺ) came to us at noon and Abu Bakr was informed, who said, "Certainly the Prophet (ﷺ) has come for some urgent matter." The Prophet (ﷺ) said to Abu Bakr, when the latter entered "Let nobody stay in your home." Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! There are only my two daughters (namely `Aisha and Asma') present." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I feel (am informed) that I have been granted the permission for migration." Abu Bakr said, "I will accompany you, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You will accompany me." Abu Bakr then said "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have two she-camels I have prepared specially for migration, so I offer you one of them. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I have accepted it on the condition that I will pay its price."
Sahih Bukhari 3:34:348
Another hadith shows clearly that the above hadith actually refers to the migration to Medina, not Abyssinia. Notice the similar phrasing about Muhammad coming to Abu Bakr at noon after being granted permission to migrate. At the end of the quote, Medina is mentioned.
Narrated `Aisha: Abu Bakr asked the Prophet (ﷺ) to allow him to go out (of Mecca) when he was greatly annoyed (by the infidels). But the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Wait." Abu Bakr said, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you hope that you will be allowed (to migrate)?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "I hope so." So Abu Bakr waited for him till one day Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came at noon time and addressed him saying "Let whoever is present with you, now leave you." Abu Bakr said, "None is present but my two daughters." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Have you noticed that I have been allowed to go out (to migrate)?" Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Apostle, I would like to accompany you." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You will accompany me." Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have got two she-camels which I had prepared and kept ready for (our) going out." So he gave one of the two (she-camels) to the Prophet (ﷺ) and it was Al-Jad`a. They both rode and proceeded till they reached the Cave at the mountain of Thaur where they hid themselves. Amir bin Fuhaira was the slave of `Abdullah bin at-Tufail bin Sakhbara `Aisha's brother from her mother's side. Abu Bakr had a milch she-camel. Amir used to go with it (i.e. the milch she-camel) in the afternoon and come back to them before noon by setting out towards them in the early morning when it was still dark and then he would take it to the pasture so that none of the shepherds would be aware of his job. When the Prophet (and Abu Bakr) went away (from the Cave), he (i.e. 'Amir) too went along with them and they both used to make him ride at the back of their camels in turns till they reached Medina. [...]
Sahih Bukhari 5:59:419
Response:
The hadith itself does not state which migration it relates too.
Narrated Aisha: Rarely did the Prophet (ﷺ) fail to visit Abu Bakr's house everyday, either in the morning or in the evening. When the permission for migration to Medina was granted, all of a sudden the Prophet (ﷺ) came to us at noon and Abu Bakr was informed, who said, "Certainly the Prophet (ﷺ) has come for some urgent matter." The Prophet (ﷺ) said to Abu Bakr, when the latter entered "Let nobody stay in your home." Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! There are only my two daughters (namely `Aisha and Asma') present." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I feel (am informed) that I have been granted the permission for migration." Abu Bakr said, "I will accompany you, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You will accompany me." Abu Bakr then said "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have two she-camels I have prepared specially for migration, so I offer you one of them. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I have accepted it on the condition that I will pay its price."
Sahih Bukhari 3:34:348
Another hadith shows clearly that the above hadith actually refers to the migration to Medina, not Abyssinia. Notice the similar phrasing about Muhammad coming to Abu Bakr at noon after being granted permission to migrate. At the end of the quote, Medina is mentioned.
Narrated `Aisha: Abu Bakr asked the Prophet (ﷺ) to allow him to go out (of Mecca) when he was greatly annoyed (by the infidels). But the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Wait." Abu Bakr said, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you hope that you will be allowed (to migrate)?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "I hope so." So Abu Bakr waited for him till one day Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came at noon time and addressed him saying "Let whoever is present with you, now leave you." Abu Bakr said, "None is present but my two daughters." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Have you noticed that I have been allowed to go out (to migrate)?" Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Apostle, I would like to accompany you." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You will accompany me." Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have got two she-camels which I had prepared and kept ready for (our) going out." So he gave one of the two (she-camels) to the Prophet (ﷺ) and it was Al-Jad`a. They both rode and proceeded till they reached the Cave at the mountain of Thaur where they hid themselves. Amir bin Fuhaira was the slave of `Abdullah bin at-Tufail bin Sakhbara `Aisha's brother from her mother's side. Abu Bakr had a milch she-camel. Amir used to go with it (i.e. the milch she-camel) in the afternoon and come back to them before noon by setting out towards them in the early morning when it was still dark and then he would take it to the pasture so that none of the shepherds would be aware of his job. When the Prophet (and Abu Bakr) went away (from the Cave), he (i.e. 'Amir) too went along with them and they both used to make him ride at the back of their camels in turns till they reached Medina. [...]
Sahih Bukhari 5:59:419
13th Objection: The prophet Muhammad wanted a grown-up wife for his children
Pakistani Muslim Scholar Ghamidi also disputes the claim that Aisha was 9 at the time of consummation of marriage. His argument is that the Prophet desired a mature and grown-up wife to manage his household affairs and care for his young daughters. According to Ghamidi, Aisha's age at the time of Nikah was 16, and the consummation of marriage occurred when she was 19 years old.
However, this explanation seems weak. If we were to accept Aisha's age as 16 at the time of Nikah, a 16-year-old woman could have easily taken care of the children and the household. Why, then, did the Prophet wait three more years (until she turned 19) to bring her into his home? If he truly needed a woman to run the household, he could have done so immediately after the Nikah and consummated the marriage. The three-year delay raises questions.
Furthermore, the Prophet performed Nikah with Aisha even before marrying Sawdah. If Aisha was indeed 16 years old, there would have been no need for him to marry an older woman like Sawdah when a 16-year-old Aisha could have sufficiently taken care of his daughters and household.
However, this explanation seems weak. If we were to accept Aisha's age as 16 at the time of Nikah, a 16-year-old woman could have easily taken care of the children and the household. Why, then, did the Prophet wait three more years (until she turned 19) to bring her into his home? If he truly needed a woman to run the household, he could have done so immediately after the Nikah and consummated the marriage. The three-year delay raises questions.
Furthermore, the Prophet performed Nikah with Aisha even before marrying Sawdah. If Aisha was indeed 16 years old, there would have been no need for him to marry an older woman like Sawdah when a 16-year-old Aisha could have sufficiently taken care of his daughters and household.
14th Objection: Verse 4:6 is proof that pre-pubescent girls cannot be married
This group of modern apologists also uses verse 4:6 as an argument to deny marriage to minor girls in Islam.
Verse 4:6:
وَٱبْتَلُوا۟ ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغُوا۟ ٱلنِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ ءَانَسْتُم مِّنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ
And test the orphans until when they reached the age of marriage (Nikah), then if you perceive in them sound judgement then deliver to them their wealth.
Modern Muslim preachers claim that one gets sound judgement about his wealth when one is already an adult person. Thus, this means that Islam prescribed that one can marry only after becoming an adult.
Response:
Please take note that the word “Nikah" carries a double meaning in the Arabic language:
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ مَالَ ٱلْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ ۚ
Come not nigh to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength۔
In this verse, the term "أَشُدَّهُ" (full strength) denotes the age when young boys and girls begin to experience the desire or strength for sexual intercourse.
Please take note of the following points:
Even when Aisha came to Muhammad's house for the consummation of their marriage at the age of 9, she still lacked the mental acuity required to manage any property or business, as evident from the following hadith:
Sahih Bukhari 6130:
Narrated `Aisha: I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me.
Fourthly, according to Islamic Sharia:
Sahih Bukhari 5064:
Narrated 'Urwa: that he asked `Aisha about the Statement of Allah: 'If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (the captives) that your right hands possess. That will be nearer to prevent you from doing injustice.' (4.3) `Aisha said, "O my nephew! (This Verse has been revealed in connection with) an orphan girl under the guardianship of her guardian who is attracted by her wealth and beauty and intends to marry her with a Mahr (bride-dowry) less than what other women of her standard deserve. So they (such guardians) have been forbidden to marry them unless they do justice to them and give them their full Mahr, and they are ordered to marry other women instead of them."
And it is also evident from the following Quranic Verse:
Quran 4:127:
You also read them (the guardians) in the Book concerning orphaned women (in your charge) to whom you deny their ordained rights and yet wish to take them in marriage, as well as in respect of helpless children, that you should be just in the matter of orphans." The good you do is known to God
And the orphan girl, in the above tradition, is a small orphan girl who has not yet reached puberty. It is due to the reason that:
This verse 4:6 explains that an orphan’s money is given to him/her after they reach puberty and attain sound judgement. What’s meant by sound judgment is sound management of money. This can only happen after puberty.
“Reaching Nikah” mentioned in the verse means reaching puberty which can be known through sings such as menstruation for females and the growth of pubic hair. The verse used the expression “reaching Nikah” to actually mean “reaching puberty” because in most cases, it’s adults who perform Nikah. But this doesn’t mean that it’s not possible for non-adults to perform Nikah, which is permissible as proven by the Quran, Sunnah and the consensus of scholars. Plus, the same Surah and the same context of verses proves it (the permissibility of child marriage). (The verse that speaks about giving an orphan his money when he/she reaches Nikah is verse no.6) Verse no.3 says: “And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphangirls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (the captives and the slaves) that your right hands possess. ”.
This verse proves it’s allowed to marry an orphan. And an orphan cannot be an adult. It’s reported in Sahih Bukhari Hadith no. 2494: “Narrated Urwah that he asked `Aisha regarding the Verse: 'If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls, marry (other) women of your choice.' (4.3) `Aisha said, "It is about an orphan girl under the custody of her guardian who being attracted by her wealth and beauty wants to marry her with Mahr less than other women of her status. So such guardians were forbidden to marry them unless they treat them justly by giving them their full Mahr. Then the people sought the verdict of Allah's Apostle for such cases, whereupon Allah revealed: 'They ask your instruction concerning women..' (4.127) “https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6965
Ibn Hajar (d.1449 AD) commented on this Hadith saying: “This shows it’s allowed to marry orphans who haven’t reached puberty. Because after puberty they can’t be called orphans.”
Verse 4:6:
وَٱبْتَلُوا۟ ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغُوا۟ ٱلنِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ ءَانَسْتُم مِّنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ
And test the orphans until when they reached the age of marriage (Nikah), then if you perceive in them sound judgement then deliver to them their wealth.
Modern Muslim preachers claim that one gets sound judgement about his wealth when one is already an adult person. Thus, this means that Islam prescribed that one can marry only after becoming an adult.
Response:
Please take note that the word “Nikah" carries a double meaning in the Arabic language:
- In Islamic Sharia, "Nikah" is a specific terminology with the meaning of "marriage".
- However, in its literal sense in the Arabic language, "Nikah" refers to "sexual intercourse".
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ مَالَ ٱلْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ ۚ
Come not nigh to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength۔
In this verse, the term "أَشُدَّهُ" (full strength) denotes the age when young boys and girls begin to experience the desire or strength for sexual intercourse.
Please take note of the following points:
- Regarding Shar'i Nikah (marriage), there is no requirement for reaching the state of أَشُدَّهُ (full strength or sexual maturity).
- The evidence supporting this is that Muhammad himself performed the Shar'i Nikah with Aisha when she was only 6 years old.
- It is not customary to test a 6-year-old child for handling their property, as they lack both أَشُدَّهُ (strength/desire) and the necessary "sound judgment" to manage their assets.
Even when Aisha came to Muhammad's house for the consummation of their marriage at the age of 9, she still lacked the mental acuity required to manage any property or business, as evident from the following hadith:
Sahih Bukhari 6130:
Narrated `Aisha: I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me.
Fourthly, according to Islamic Sharia:
- When a girl reaches puberty, then she herself gets the right to give her consent for the marriage or to deny the marriage.
- But if she is a minor or prepubescent girl, then her father/guardian can wed her to anyone, even without her consent (link).
- And if she is prepubescent and also an orphan, then her guardian has the right to wed her with himself (even without her consent), in order to get her property and wealth.
Sahih Bukhari 5064:
Narrated 'Urwa: that he asked `Aisha about the Statement of Allah: 'If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (the captives) that your right hands possess. That will be nearer to prevent you from doing injustice.' (4.3) `Aisha said, "O my nephew! (This Verse has been revealed in connection with) an orphan girl under the guardianship of her guardian who is attracted by her wealth and beauty and intends to marry her with a Mahr (bride-dowry) less than what other women of her standard deserve. So they (such guardians) have been forbidden to marry them unless they do justice to them and give them their full Mahr, and they are ordered to marry other women instead of them."
And it is also evident from the following Quranic Verse:
Quran 4:127:
You also read them (the guardians) in the Book concerning orphaned women (in your charge) to whom you deny their ordained rights and yet wish to take them in marriage, as well as in respect of helpless children, that you should be just in the matter of orphans." The good you do is known to God
And the orphan girl, in the above tradition, is a small orphan girl who has not yet reached puberty. It is due to the reason that:
- Firstly, after becoming an adult, the guardian cannot compel her to marry him without her consent.
- Secondly, after becoming an adult, the guardian cannot marry her by giving her less than a standard dowry (i.e. Haq Mehr).
- Thirdly, after becoming an adult, she will get full control of her money and property too, and thus the guardian cannot take control of her property any more.
- Fourthly, after becoming an adult, she is no more considered an orphan.
This verse 4:6 explains that an orphan’s money is given to him/her after they reach puberty and attain sound judgement. What’s meant by sound judgment is sound management of money. This can only happen after puberty.
“Reaching Nikah” mentioned in the verse means reaching puberty which can be known through sings such as menstruation for females and the growth of pubic hair. The verse used the expression “reaching Nikah” to actually mean “reaching puberty” because in most cases, it’s adults who perform Nikah. But this doesn’t mean that it’s not possible for non-adults to perform Nikah, which is permissible as proven by the Quran, Sunnah and the consensus of scholars. Plus, the same Surah and the same context of verses proves it (the permissibility of child marriage). (The verse that speaks about giving an orphan his money when he/she reaches Nikah is verse no.6) Verse no.3 says: “And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphangirls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (the captives and the slaves) that your right hands possess. ”.
This verse proves it’s allowed to marry an orphan. And an orphan cannot be an adult. It’s reported in Sahih Bukhari Hadith no. 2494: “Narrated Urwah that he asked `Aisha regarding the Verse: 'If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls, marry (other) women of your choice.' (4.3) `Aisha said, "It is about an orphan girl under the custody of her guardian who being attracted by her wealth and beauty wants to marry her with Mahr less than other women of her status. So such guardians were forbidden to marry them unless they treat them justly by giving them their full Mahr. Then the people sought the verdict of Allah's Apostle for such cases, whereupon Allah revealed: 'They ask your instruction concerning women..' (4.127) “https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6965
Ibn Hajar (d.1449 AD) commented on this Hadith saying: “This shows it’s allowed to marry orphans who haven’t reached puberty. Because after puberty they can’t be called orphans.”
Contemporary Muslim Scholars, who accept that Aisha's age was 6 at the time of marriage and not 16
- Islam QA article on 'Aisha's age (2nd Article): Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid, Member of Senior Scholar Council KSA owner of well-known site islamqa.info fatwa “Refutation of the lie that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) married ‘Aa’ishah when she was 18 years old ”.
- Islamweb.Net: It firmly establishes Aisha’s age at 6/9. “Qatar Ministry of Religious Affairs, Fatwa Team: On this site, there is a committee of specialists that is responsible for preparing, checking and approving the Fatwas. This committee comprises a group of licentiate graduates from the Islamic University, Al-Imaam Muhammad Bin Sa’oud Islamic University in Saudi Arabia, and graduates who studied Islamic sciences from scholars at Mosques and other Islamic educational institutes in Yemen and Mauritania. This special committee is headed by Dr. ‘Abdullaah Al-Faqeeh, a specialist in Jurisprudence and Arabic language.” Responds to an unnamed article that uses asma and engagement arguments. 2/12/2012
- Yaqeen Institute (USA) 2018: It addresses Hisham, Asma, Fatima, Uhud, Surah 54/Moon
- Islamiqate.Com 2019: Though not a fatwa, it concerns a named scholar from Al-Azhar who also wrote about Badr & Uhud, Asma, Tabari, Fatima, Hisham, and migration to Abyssinia.
