Many people are saying that Prophet Muhammad married Aisha when she's about 7 years old. And this is often to be used to offense him and Islam by Non-Muslim. I honestly don't believe it's an abuse of child. But since I don't know, I prefer to keep silent.
However, I found an interesting article lately, of "How Old Aisha when Prophet Muhammad married her?"
This is the summary of the original source
The author gave some facts that she wasn't actually 7 years old at the time. Here they are:
#1 : The quality of Hadith
The Hadith regarding of Aisha's age in her marriage are categorized as Dho'if. All of them are pointing to one source: Hisham ibn Urwah, and it was told when he's 71 years old, when his memories had gotten worse significantly, and no one other than him mentioned about it, including the other famous narrators of Hadith.
He's a very trustworthy person, but not in his old age
#2: The Betrothal and Chronology
In another Hadith from Al-Tabari, all of Abu Bakar's children are said to be born during pre-Islamic period.
But if Aisha was 7 years old when she accepted the betrothal, then it would contradict with it.
If she was born before 610CE, she would be at least 14 years old.
# 3: The Age of Aisha in Relation to the Age of Fatima
According to Ibn Hajar, Fatima was born at the time the Ka`bah was rebuilt, when the Prophet was 35 years old... she was five years older that Ayesha. And if Aisha married Muhammad when he's 52 years old, then she would be 12.
# 4: The Age of Aisha in Relation to the Age of Asma
According to Abdurrahman ibn Abi Zannad, Asma is 10 years older than Aisha.
According to Ibn Hajar, Asma died when she's 100 years old at year 73 or 74 Hijriyah.
Calculating from that, Asma was 27 or 28 years old when Hijrah, and Aisha would be 17 or 18 years old.
Contradicting from #3, it seems that Ibn Hajar can't be relied on regarding Aisha's age.
#5: The Battles of Badr and Uhud
There's a narration about Aisha was participating in the Battle of Badr and Uhud.
According to Bukhari, Ibn Umar wasn't permitted to participate in Battle of Badr by Muhammad. He was 14 at the time. But he was allowed to participate in Battle of Uhud a year later.
This shows that Aisha, who was participating in Badr, should be at least 15 at the time if it's the age limit for the war participant. (Battle of Badr happened in year 624)
#6: Surah al-Qamar
according to the generally accepted tradition, Aisha was born 8 years before Hijrah.
according to another narrative in Bukhari, Ayesha is reported to have said: “I was a young girl (jariyah in Arabic)” when Surah Al-Qamar was revealed.
And Al-Qamar was revealed in year 614, 8 years before Hijrah. and that means Aisha wasn't a baby at the time, thus was older when accepting the betrothal.
#7: Arabic Terminology
When Khaulah advising the prophet to marry again after the death of Khadijah, she said “You can marry a virgin (bikr) or a woman who has already been married (thayyib)”, and whe she's asked about the virgin, she mentioned Aisha.
the meaning of Bikr is “adult woman with no sexual experience prior to marriage.”, while the correct word for a young playful girl is jariyah (as mentioned in #6)
Therefore, Aisha isn't a jariyah, as Bikr isn't used for an immature 9 years old girl.
#8: Al-Quran
Al-Quran stated in An-Nisa:5-6 that we should test the maturity of a girl at least until the age of marriage.
Ibn Hambal in his narration said that the 9-years old Aisha prefer to play rather than serving as a wife.
it is an impossible task to educate a child satisfactorily before the child attains the age of seven and it's almost impossible to think someone intellectual as Abu Bakar would betroth his immature 7 years old daughter to the 50 years old Prophet while violating what is stated in Quran.
The conclusion is there's many version of Aisha's age, it could be lost in history, but none of them saying that she's 7 or 9 years old ast the time. Allah know best about everything.
However, I found an interesting article lately, of "How Old Aisha when Prophet Muhammad married her?"
This is the summary of the original source
The author gave some facts that she wasn't actually 7 years old at the time. Here they are:
#1 : The quality of Hadith
The Hadith regarding of Aisha's age in her marriage are categorized as Dho'if. All of them are pointing to one source: Hisham ibn Urwah, and it was told when he's 71 years old, when his memories had gotten worse significantly, and no one other than him mentioned about it, including the other famous narrators of Hadith.
He's a very trustworthy person, but not in his old age
#2: The Betrothal and Chronology
- pre-610 CE: Jahiliya (pre-Islamic age) before revelation
620 CE: Generally accepted betrothal of Ayesha to the Prophet
623/624 CE: Generally accepted year of Ayesha living with the Prophet
In another Hadith from Al-Tabari, all of Abu Bakar's children are said to be born during pre-Islamic period.
But if Aisha was 7 years old when she accepted the betrothal, then it would contradict with it.
If she was born before 610CE, she would be at least 14 years old.
# 3: The Age of Aisha in Relation to the Age of Fatima
According to Ibn Hajar, Fatima was born at the time the Ka`bah was rebuilt, when the Prophet was 35 years old... she was five years older that Ayesha. And if Aisha married Muhammad when he's 52 years old, then she would be 12.
# 4: The Age of Aisha in Relation to the Age of Asma
According to Abdurrahman ibn Abi Zannad, Asma is 10 years older than Aisha.
According to Ibn Hajar, Asma died when she's 100 years old at year 73 or 74 Hijriyah.
Calculating from that, Asma was 27 or 28 years old when Hijrah, and Aisha would be 17 or 18 years old.
Contradicting from #3, it seems that Ibn Hajar can't be relied on regarding Aisha's age.
#5: The Battles of Badr and Uhud
There's a narration about Aisha was participating in the Battle of Badr and Uhud.
According to Bukhari, Ibn Umar wasn't permitted to participate in Battle of Badr by Muhammad. He was 14 at the time. But he was allowed to participate in Battle of Uhud a year later.
This shows that Aisha, who was participating in Badr, should be at least 15 at the time if it's the age limit for the war participant. (Battle of Badr happened in year 624)
#6: Surah al-Qamar
according to the generally accepted tradition, Aisha was born 8 years before Hijrah.
according to another narrative in Bukhari, Ayesha is reported to have said: “I was a young girl (jariyah in Arabic)” when Surah Al-Qamar was revealed.
And Al-Qamar was revealed in year 614, 8 years before Hijrah. and that means Aisha wasn't a baby at the time, thus was older when accepting the betrothal.
#7: Arabic Terminology
When Khaulah advising the prophet to marry again after the death of Khadijah, she said “You can marry a virgin (bikr) or a woman who has already been married (thayyib)”, and whe she's asked about the virgin, she mentioned Aisha.
the meaning of Bikr is “adult woman with no sexual experience prior to marriage.”, while the correct word for a young playful girl is jariyah (as mentioned in #6)
Therefore, Aisha isn't a jariyah, as Bikr isn't used for an immature 9 years old girl.
#8: Al-Quran
Al-Quran stated in An-Nisa:5-6 that we should test the maturity of a girl at least until the age of marriage.
Ibn Hambal in his narration said that the 9-years old Aisha prefer to play rather than serving as a wife.
it is an impossible task to educate a child satisfactorily before the child attains the age of seven and it's almost impossible to think someone intellectual as Abu Bakar would betroth his immature 7 years old daughter to the 50 years old Prophet while violating what is stated in Quran.
The conclusion is there's many version of Aisha's age, it could be lost in history, but none of them saying that she's 7 or 9 years old ast the time. Allah know best about everything.
