The Age of Aisha: Marriage to Muhammad (pbuh) Explained with Proof

A historical, scientific and logical analysis on Aisha's age when married to Muhammad

Today, a multitude of criticisms against Islam circulate among non-Muslim circles. One such criticism alleges that the Prophet ﷺ married a child, citing the ḥadīth recorded in Bukhārī and Muslim, where ʿĀʾisha¹ mentions marrying the Prophet at six years old and consummating the marriage at nine. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that this question arose to question the character of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Table of Contents

Prophet Mohammad’s youngest and only virgin wife is Aisha (ra) (Aysha or Ayesha), the daughter of his closest companion, Abu Bakar (ra). Her age at the time of marriage is uncertain.

The age of Aisha (RA) at the time of her marriage has been described differently in various Islamic sources. As such, in some traditions this age is between 6-9 (directly mentioned in some ahadeeth) and in some traditions it is more than that (according to several scholars based on some references). It would not be wrong to say that there is no reliable basis or priority for the fact that age was recorded very seriously in that era.

Even if the age of Aisha (RA) was 6 in time of her marriage, it doesn’t make Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) pedophile in the light of historical facts and science.

Today we will know about this in detail from both perspectives. May Allah guide us to the path of truth.

Why is Aisha's Age getting so much weight?

The most painful thing about the discussion around Aisha’s age is not its existence, but the excessive weight, time, and attention it receives. Focusing on her age at marriage overshadows her significant contributions, which were crucial in preserving and transmitting this beautiful faith (Islam).

Aisha (ra) may have been as young as nine years old when she married the Messenger of God ﷺ, but the controversy over her age is a fabricated one. During the Prophet’s lifetime, his enemies seized every opportunity to harm and defame him. They called him mad, spread false rumors about his wife committing adultery, and made several attempts on his life. They exploited every chance to physically harm him or highlight a potential flaw. So, one must ask: if Aisha’s age was truly controversial, why didn’t his contemporaries use it against him?

The controversy regarding Aisha’s age is a relatively recent development. It is merely an attempt to defame the Prophet ﷺ, similar to past efforts, by questioning his judgment and ethics in marrying Aisha at such a young age. However, like all previous attempts, this defamation falls flat.

What Was the common age for marriage 1000 years ago?

For Aisha’s age at marriage to be considered controversial, there must be a universally accepted appropriate age for marriage in our society.

The appropriate age to get married varies significantly depending on cultural, legal, and personal factors.

A thousand years ago, the common age of marriage varied significantly across different cultures and regions, but some general trends can be identified:

Medieval Europe: In medieval Europe, it was common for girls to marry as soon as they reached puberty, typically between the ages of 12 and 15. Boys often married a bit later, usually in their late teens to early twenties. Marriage was often arranged for social, economic, and political reasons.
Islamic World: In the Islamic world, similar patterns existed. Girls were often married soon after reaching puberty, around 12 to 15 years old, while boys typically married in their late teens to early twenties. Marriages were influenced by social, religious, and economic factors.
East Asia: In regions such as China and Japan, arranged marriages were common, and girls could be married off as early as 12 to 14 years old. Boys often married in their late teens or early twenties.
South Asia: In India and surrounding regions, child marriages were common, with girls often marrying shortly after puberty, around 12 to 15 years old. Boys usually married slightly later.
Indigenous Cultures: Indigenous cultures around the world had varied practices. In some societies, marriage ages were similar to those in Europe and Asia, with girls marrying shortly after puberty. In others, practices could be quite different based on local customs and social structures.

Overall, the age of marriage was closely linked to the onset of puberty, and societal norms and expectations played a significant role in determining when individuals married.

If we analyze some hadith regarding Aisha’s condition at the time of her marriage, we find that she had some certain physical developments. She was in her puberty already. Now think about the case in 1400 years ago. If you check the historical evidence, you will see that the ideal age of marriage varied based on cultures, states and many other factors.

Authentic Sources That Reported Aisha's Age in Number

Authentic Hadith reports indeed confirm that the Prophet Muhammad married Aisha when she was six years old. However, they also indicate that the marriage was consummated when she reached the age of nine.

Narrated Aisha:
The Prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six (years). We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Bani-al-Harith bin Khazraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell down. Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Um Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girl friends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me. She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when my breathing became Allright, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said, “Best wishes and Allah’s Blessing and a good luck.” Then she entrusted me to them and they prepared me (for the marriage). Unexpectedly Allah’s Apostle came to me in the forenoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age. [Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Number 234]

According to Muslim, al-ʿAmash narrates from Ibrahīm who narrates from al-ʾAswad that ʿĀʾisha said: “The Messenger of God ﷺ married her when she was six years old and consummated the marriage when she was nine, and he passed away when she was eighteen.”²

She also narrated, ” I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and I had friends who would play with me. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) entered they would hide themselves and he would call them to come and play with me.” [Shahi Bukhari 7130; Muslim 2440]
Al-Bukhārī records that Hishām [ibn ʿUrwa] narrates from his father, conveying the words of ʿĀʾisha, may God be pleased with her, stating: “The Prophet ﷺ married her when she was six years old and consummated the marriage when she was nine, and then she remained with him for nine years.”³
Narrated by Aisha – “The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came back from the campaign to Tabook or Khaybar and there was a curtain over her niche. The wind lifted the edge of the curtain and uncovered ‘Aa’ishah’s toy dolls. He said: “What is this, O ‘Aa’ishah?” She said: My dolls. He saw among them a horse with two wings made of cloth and he said: “What is this that I see in the midst of them?” She said: A horse. He said: “What is this that I see on it?” I said: Two wings. He said: “A horse with wings?” She said: Have you not heard that Sulaymaan had horses with wings? She said: And the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) smiled so broadly that I saw his eyeteeth. [Abu Dawood 4932 – Classed as Saheeh by al-Albaani in Adaab az-Zafaaf (p. 203)]

These narrations, found in the most authentic Islamic texts after the Qurʿān, Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, are supported by numerous other authentic ḥadīths.⁴ Prominent medieval Islamic scholars unanimously accepted these ages.

Ibn Hazm⁵ states: “The age of ʿĀʾisha is recorded in the texts without a difference of opinion.”⁶
Ibn Kathīr⁷ affirms: “This is a matter in which there is no difference of opinion amongst people.”⁸
Ibn Abd al-Barr⁹says in al-Istīʿāba, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the marriage [contract] with her in Makkah before the migration when she was six, though some say she was seven. He ﷺ consummated the marriage with her in Madīnah when she was nine and I don’t know of anyone who has disagreed with this. He ﷺ passed away when she was eighteen years old.”¹⁰

Therefore, it can be inferred that the ages of six and nine represent the prevailing understanding, and any evidence challenging this must be equally or more authoritative.

The Marriage Incident

The marriage of Prophet Muhammad to Lady Aisha was ordained by a divine command.

Narrated `Aisha:

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, “You were shown to me twice (in my dream) before I married you. I saw an angel carrying you in a silken piece of cloth, and I said to him, ‘Uncover (her),’ and behold, it was you. I said (to myself), ‘If this is from Allah, then it must happen.’ Then you were shown to me, the angel carrying you in a silken piece of cloth, and I said (to him), ‘Uncover (her), and behold, it was you. I said (to myself), ‘If this is from Allah, then it must happen.’ [Sahih al-Bukhari 7012; Book 91, Hadith 30]

The proposal for the Prophet’s ﷺ marriage to ʿĀʾisha came after the passing of Khadīja, his first wife. Khawla bint Ḥakīm¹¹ suggested two options: Sawda bint Zamʿa¹² and ʿĀʾisha bint Abī Bakr. She then approached Abū Bakr’s house to request ʿĀʾisha’s hand in marriage on behalf of the Prophet ﷺ.

However, Abū Bakr had two concerns.

Firstly, he was worried because the Prophet had previously referred to him as his brother, raising questions about the permissibility of the marriage. He returned to the Prophet ﷺ, who clarified that their brotherhood was only in the context of Islam, making the marriage permissible. Secondly, ʿĀʾisha was already engaged to Mutʿim ibn ʿAdiyy¹³, a non-Muslim. Abū Bakr visited ʿAdiyy’s house and discovered that the family feared ʿĀʾisha might influence their son to convert to Islam, prompting them to break off the engagement. Consequently, the Prophet ﷺ married ʿĀʾisha.¹⁴

Note that, Aisha was already engaged to Mutim ibn Adiya which helps us to come to a possible conclusion. Firstly, when Aisha married the Prophet ﷺ, she was generally considered mature enough for marriage. Secondly, Aisha’s age at the time of her marriage to the Prophet ﷺ was culturally appropriate. Had the Prophet ﷺ not married Aisha, she would likely have married someone else around the same time.

Another fact is, Khawlah considered the match appropriate, and the Prophet ﷺ also showed no concern about her age. His lack of concern was not because he disregarded public opinion or felt he had the power to marry anyone without exception. Rather, the Prophet ﷺ was unconcerned about her age because it was not an issue in their time.

Even his enemy never raised questions about the age of Aisha on that time. Why? Because it was normal on that day to marry someone of that age culturally.

Was AIsha really nine years old when she married Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)?

Some claims suggest ʿĀʾisha was in her teens when she married and consummated the marriage. However, a thorough examination of historical evidence, including relevant dates, supports the widely accepted ages of six and nine for marriage and consummation.15

609 CE – Birth of Fāṭima
610 CE – Commencement of revelation
614/615 CE – Birth of ʿĀʾisha
617 CE – Revelation of Sūra al-Qamar
620/621 CE – Marriage of ʿĀʾisha
622 CE – Hijra (Migration to Medina) 1 AH/2 AH
623/624 CE – Consummation of marriage 2 AH
624 CE – Battle of Badr 3 AH
625 CE – Battle of ʾUḥud 73 AH
692 CE – Death of ʾAsmāʾ

There are two groups of scholars who have widely accepted the hadiths regarding Aisha’s age at the time of her marriage to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh). This group consists of both prominent medieval and modern Islamic scholars.

The other group, who have questioned these hadiths, are modern scholars. They raised these questions based on their assumptions related to other hadiths.

The argument that ʿĀʾisha married the Prophet in her teens and consummated the marriage in her late teens is supported by several claims:

According to orientalists, the hadiths related to Aisha’s age in times of her marriage are fabricated.
Determining one’s age in pre-Islamic and early Islamic Arabia was nearly impossible due to the lack of record-keeping and consciousness about age among the people of that time.
Hishām ibn ʿUrwa, a narrator of hadith regarding the age of Aisha, relayed it during his time in Iraq, a period when he faced accusations of having a poor memory.
Asmaʾ, ʿĀʾisha’s older sister, was ten years her senior and passed away at the age of 100, placing ʿĀʾisha at eighteen when the marriage was consummated.
Fāṭima, who was five years older than ʿĀʾisha, was born when the Prophet ﷺ was thirty-five, implying ʿĀʾisha was around twelve at the time of her marriage.
ʿĀʾisha participated in the Battle of ʾUḥud, suggesting she was at least fifteen, the age at which the Prophet permitted participation in battles.
ʿĀʾisha’s narration in Bukhārī about the revelation of Sūra al-Qamar¹⁶ indicates she was a “playful jāriya”¹⁷ (young girl) at the time, supporting the notion of her youthful age during key events.
Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham narrated in the biography of Prophet Muhammad that, Aisha (ra) accepted Islam in a young age.
Abu Bakr (ra) married two wives during the days of Jahiliya which creates an assumption that Aisha’s birth occured before a years before Nabuwat (prophethood).
Some revisionists claim that ‘after ten’ was implied in the original statement.
Some people claim that ‘proposing Aisha to Jubair b. Mut‘im is a proof that she was mature enough and over 14 years old.র্
Aisha termed Abus Sayed Khudri and Anas ra as “little boys” which shows her seniority.
Aisha addressed Fatima as daughter which is a proof of his maturity in age.

Arguments OF THE RIVISIONISTS About The Age of Aisha (ra)

Aisha's Previous Betrothal to Jubair Bin Mut‘im

The claim that ‘Aisha had been proposed to Jubair b. Mut‘im is often used to suggest that she must have been born before the advent of Islam. The argument goes: how could Abu Bakr accept Mut‘im’s proposal for his son to marry ‘Aisha after he had embraced Islam? This, it is argued, would only be possible before Abu Bakr became a Muslim, which he did soon after the first revelation.

Refutation:

The argument overlooks a crucial detail: in the early years of Islam, the rules regarding the unlawfulness of marriage between believers and polytheists had not yet been revealed. For instance, the Prophet (ﷺ) himself married three of his daughters to idolaters and did not seek to dissolve these marriages after the daughters became Muslims. Zainab was married to al-As and lived with him until after the Prophet (ﷺ) migrated to Madina. Similarly, Umm Kulthum and Ruqayya were married to the two sons of Abu Lahab, although their marriages had not been consummated.

[Source: –Ibn Sa‘d, in al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 8, pp. 29-30, mentions that both were married before the prophethood. However, al-Dhahabi corrects Ibn Sa‘d regarding Ruqayya, noting that she was married before the hijra, which means after the prophethood. Refer to al-Dhahabi, Siyar al-A‘lam al-Nubala, Vol. 2, p. 251.]

The Prophet (ﷺ) did not unilaterally dissolve these marriages; Abu Lahab’s two sons divorced Umm Kulthum and Ruqayya only after the Qur’an specifically condemned their parents by name.

In ‘Aisha’s case, the marriage had not been formally solemnized; it was merely an understanding and a promise that ‘Aisha would eventually be married to Jubair. When Khawla made the proposal on behalf of the Prophet (ﷺ), the following exchange occurred:

Umm Ruman said, “Mut‘im b. ‘Adi has asked for her in marriage to his son, and, I swear, Abu Bakr never broke an agreement he had made.” Abu Bakr went to Mut‘im bin ‘Adi, who had his wife, the boy’s mother, with him. She commented, “Well, Ibn Abu Quhafa! Perhaps you want our boy to change his religion and join yours if he gets married into your family?” Abu Bakr asked Mut‘im b. ‘Adi, “Is your reply the same?” He replied, “She has a say!” Abu Bakr left, understanding that the promise was now void.[Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, Hadith 25769; classified as hasan]

Umm Ruman mentioned that Abu Bakr had promised to marry ‘Aisha to Mut‘im’s son. The boy’s mother expressed her apprehension about the marriage, which Abu Bakr took as a revocation of the promise. Jubair was not even part of the conversation; therefore, it was not a marriage dissolved through divorce but rather a retracted promise.

Note that, it can be argued that a report suggests Abu Bakr married ‘Aisha (jawwajaha) to Jubair and that she was later divorced (tallaqaha).[Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 8, p. 47; al-Tabarani, Mu‘jam al-Kabir, Vol. 23, p. 26, Hadith 62.] However, this report is unreliable because it is related by Ibn Abi Mulaika without citing ‘Aisha or another authoritative source. Notably, Ibn Abi Mulaika has narrated ‘Aisha’s statement about her age at marriage, but his mention of Jubair’s involvement appears only in a mursal form (See Ibn Rahuwayh, Ishaq, al-Musnad, Hadith 1238, 1784; al-Nasa’i, Sunan al-Kubra, Hadith 5345; Al-Tabarani, al-Mu‘jam al-Awst, Hadith 8116). Therefore, the report should not be accepted at face value. It is possible that he paraphrased the entire affair, conflating a promise to marry and its retraction with an actual marriage and divorce.

Additionally, Mut‘im b. ‘Adi, though a disbeliever, was unlike Abu Lahab. He was noble in his conduct and had protected the Prophet (ﷺ) upon his return from Ta’if [Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyya, Vol.1, 381] In appreciation, the Prophet (ﷺ) said about the prisoners taken at Badr, “If al-Mut‘im b. ‘Adi had been alive and spoken to me about these filthy ones, I would have freed them for him.”[Al-Bukhari, al-Sahih, Hadith 3139, 4024]

Given that there were no restrictions on interfaith marriages at the time, the example of the Prophet’s daughters, and Mut‘im’s noble character, Abu Bakr’s agreement to marry ‘Aisha to Jubair b. Mut‘im does not cast doubt on ‘Aisha’s statements about her age.

Records keeping problem in Pre-Islamic and early Islamic Era

Determining one’s age in pre-Islamic and early Islamic Arabia was extremely challenging due to the prevailing illiteracy and lack of record-keeping practices. This is elucidated in a hadith:

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “We are an unlettered nation, we do not write or calculate. The month is such-and-such or such-and-such – meaning sometimes it is twenty-nine and sometimes it is thirty.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1814; Muslim, 1080)

According to narrators, the Holy Prophet ﷺ demonstrated this by lifting the fingers of both hands thrice the first time, lifting all fingers twice the second time, and only nine fingers the third time. (Fath al-Bari, by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Dar al-Ma‘rifa, Vol. 4, p. 127)

Record Events In Arabia

According to Wikipedia,

“In central Arabia, particularly Mecca, there is a dearth of epigraphical evidence, but details are discernible in the writings of Muslim authors from the Abbasid era. Inscriptions of the ancient South Arabian calendars unveil the utilization of various local calendars. Some of these South Arabian calendars adhered to the lunisolar system. According to both al-Biruni and al-Mas’udi, the ancient Arabs employed similar month names as the Muslims, although they also documented other month names used in pre-Islamic Arab culture.”

The Islamic calendar, established in the 18th year after the Prophet’s migration (hijrah), was initiated due to the confusion arising from discrepancies in dates and formats of correspondence received by Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari, the governor of Basra. He suggested to Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab to implement a standardized calendar, starting from the year of hijrah.

In pre- and early-Islamic Arabia, calendars were adopted from regions like Egypt, Abyssinia, Iran, and Syria. These calendars were primarily utilized by tribal bureaucrats to strategically schedule festivals, ensuring they coincided with desired seasons. For example, the Hajj pilgrimage was scheduled for autumn to coincide with the passage of trade caravans through Hijaz, maximizing the economic benefits of these gatherings (refer to Al-Asaar al-Baqiya by Abu Rehan al-Biruni).

Due to the absence of a standardized calendar for the general populace and the limited understanding of numerical concepts, recording dates or birth years was virtually impossible. Instead, significant personal events were often linked to major historical occurrences, such as “A year before or after the Year of the Elephants (Aam al-Fil)” or “so and so many months before or after the reconstruction of the Ka‘bah.”

The year of the Holy Prophet’s claim to prophethood became a pivotal milestone in the lives of believers, leading many events to be chronologically tied to it. Similarly, the birth of Aisha is often calculated in relation to these significant historical markers.

Refutation:

This is one kind of assumption stated above made by many scholars in recent centuries. Although the assumption may be crucial to the question, it doesn’t confirm anything. Since Aisha (ra) narrated the hadith by herself and specified her age as nine, it is more reliable to adhere to that. Besides, historically there’s no exact number of adulthood. The age of adulthood varies from culture to culture, and state to state.

Hishām ibn ʿUrwa IS NOT THE ONLY NARRATOR

1. The argument against the reliability of Hishām ibn ʿUrwa as a narrator for the ḥadīth regarding ʿĀʾisha’s age is met with counterpoints. Some suggest that Hishām was the sole narrator of this ḥadīth.

2. Another contention arises from claims that Hishām’s memory weakened while he resided in Iraq, leading to potential mixing of narrations. .

Refutation:

1. It has been narrated from ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) through several chains of narration, contrary to the claims of some ignorant individuals who assert there is only one chain. The most well-known chain is from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr, from his father ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr, from ‘Aishah. This is considered one of the most reliable narrations because ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr was closely acquainted with ‘Aishah, as she was his maternal aunt.

Another chain includes az-Zuhri narrating from ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr, from ‘Aishah, as recorded by Muslim (1422). Yet another chain involves al-A‘mash narrating from Ibrahim, from al-Aswad, from ‘Aishah, who stated: “The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) married ‘Aishah when she was six years old, consummated the marriage when she was nine, and he passed away when she was eighteen.” This too is documented by Muslim (1422).

Additionally, Muhammad ibn ‘Amr narrated from Yahya ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Hatib, from ‘Aishah, as recorded by Abu Dawud (4937).

Shaykh Abu Ishaq al-Huwayni compiled the names of those who followed ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr, including al-Aswad ibn Yazid, al-Qasim ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, ‘Amrah bint ‘Abd ar-Rahman, and Yahya ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Hatib. He also listed those who followed Hisham ibn ‘Urwah in narrating this hadith, such as Ibn Shihab az-Zuhri and Abu Hamzah Maymun, the freed slave of ‘Urwah.

The scholars from Madinah who narrated it from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah include Abu’z-Zinnad ‘Abdullah ibn Dhakwan, his son ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi’z-Zinnad, and ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn ‘Urwah. From the people of Makkah, it was narrated by Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah. Among the people of ar-Rayy, it was narrated by Jarir ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid ad-Dubbi. Among the people of Basra, the narrators include Hammad ibn Salamah, Hammad ibn Zayd, and Wuhayb ibn Khalid, among others.

These extensive lists refute the erroneous claim of some ignorant people who allege that Hisham ibn ‘Urwah was the sole narrator. Even if it were true that Hisham became confused towards the end of his life, this accusation was solely made by Abu’l-Hasan ibn al-Qattan in “Bayan al-Wahm wa’l-Iham,” and he was mistaken in doing so.

2. Adh-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated:

“Hisham ibn ‘Urwah was a prominent and authoritative scholar. However, in his old age, his memory began to fail, though he did not become confused. The view of Abu’l-Hasan ibn al-Qattan, suggesting that he and Suhayl ibn Abi Salih became confused and changed, is not valid. Yes, Hisham experienced some decline and his memory was not as sharp as in his youth. He forgot some of what he had memorized and made some mistakes, but this is to be expected—he was not infallible.

When he traveled to Iraq towards the end of his life, he shared a great deal of knowledge, including some hadiths he did not recall accurately. Similar occurrences happened to other senior and trustworthy narrators like Malik, Shu‘bah, and Waki‘. Therefore, it is unreasonable to mix trustworthy scholars with weak narrators or those who became confused. Hisham was Shaykh al-Islam, and we should dismiss the unfounded claims of Ibn al-Qattan and the remarks of ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Kharash, who stated that Malik disapproved of Hisham due to his anger over Hisham narrating hadith in Iraq” (Mizan al-I‘tidal, 4/301-302).

3. Even if you are still worried about Hisham Ibn Urwa, you should know that there are reports from individuals other than ‘Aishah that mention the Prophet’s marriage to her when she was nine years old. Among those contemporaries who knew her well are the following:

Imam Ahmad narrated in al-Musnad (6/112) from Muhammad ibn Bishr, who said: Muhammad ibn ‘Amr told us: Abu Salamah and Yahya told us: When Khadijah died, Khawlah bint Hakim, the wife of ‘Uthman ibn Maz‘un, came and said: “O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you get married?” He asked: “To whom?” She replied: “If you wish, a virgin, and if you wish, a previously married woman.” He asked: “Who is the virgin?” She answered: “The daughter of the dearest of Allah’s creation to you: ‘Aishah bint Abi Bakr.” The detailed story includes that ‘Aishah was six years old when the marriage contract was made, and nine years old when the marriage was consummated.

The Marital-Age Hadith is Historically Inaccurate, Claimed by Joshua Little

Revisionists, agreeing with the point of orientalists’ research, claim that the hadith of 9 years at the time of her marriage is fabricated and has defects logically. Especially, this argument arose after the research of Joshua Little who completed his doctoral thesis named “The Hadith of Aisha’s Marital Age: A Study in the Evolution of Early Islamic Historical Memory” at Oxford University, focusing on the hadith about Aisha’s age. He concluded that:

“The hadith of ʿĀʾišah’s marital age was first put into circulation by her great-nephew Hišām b.ʿUrwah b. al-Zubayr in Kufah between 754 and 765 CE—probably as a response to proto-Šīʿī polemics and hostility directed towards ʿĀʾišah.” [Little, JJ, The Hadith of ʿĀʾišah’s Marital Age: A Study in the Evolution of Early Islamic Historical Memory, Diss. Pembroke College, University of Oxford, 2022. IslamicOrigins.com. Web, 22]

He also mentioned about Shahavas Claims regarding Aisha’s age. he asserts –

In a 1999 article in The Minaret magazine, the Muslim author T. O. Shanavas argues that “the age of Ayesha has been erroneously reported in the hadith literature”, on the basis of a conflicting chronology inferable from certain other hadiths. In addition to these external considerations, Shanavas attacks the hadith on its own merits, in the following way: (1) the ʾisnāds of most versions of the hadith converge upon a single tradent named Hišām; (2) despite Hišām’s having lived in Madinah for most of his life, no other Madinans (including Mālik) transmitted this hadith; (3) according to Yaʿqūb b. Šaybah (as cited by Ibn Ḥajar), Hišām’s reporting became unreliable after he moved to Iraq; (4) Mālik (as cited by Ibn Ḥajar) refused to accept reports from Hišām after he moved to Iraq; and (5) according to al-Ḏahabī, Hišām’s memory declined in old age. From these points, Shanavas concludes that Hišām mistakenly invented this hadith in his old age after his transition from Madinah to Iraq, and hence, that “his narrative of Ayesha’s marriage and age are unreliable.

Let’s delve into this thesis and refute it.

Refutation:

Little begins his thesis by asserting –

“That Hadith are unreliable—that any given matn cannot be taken at face value as an accurate datum from the 1st Islamic Century, and that any given ʾisnād cannot be taken at face value as an accurate record of a matn’s provenance—cannot be seriously contested, for multiple reasons.“

He gave 5 reasons where he talked about fabrication, pseudepigraphy, contradiction, mutation and interpolation, the possibility of matn/ isnad distortion, and common Link factors. He raised his concerns about the reported and infamous massive growth of Hadith during the 8th and 9th Centuries which includes both the prophetic and non-prophetic versions of the same hadith. He was strongly influenced by the idea of skepticism. Note that he used the arguments of Ignáz Goldziher, Joseph Schacht, Gautier Juynboll, Michael Cook, and Patricia Crone to prove his skepticism. He asserts –

“These general conclusions are primarily the result of the work of Ignáz Goldziher, Joseph Schacht, Gautier Juynboll, Michael Cook, and Patricia Crone, although many others have contributed relevant evidence therefor. For all of these reasons (and indeed, for any one of them), skepticism obtains: any given matn was likely created long after the relevant events and/or distorted in the course of transmission, and any given ʾisnād was likely created long after anyone could remember the actual transmission-history of the matn in question.

Dr Little along with other researchers tried to prove his claims because of the long chain of transmitters and its possibility of being distorted. He also questioned about the process of the creation of isnad. Dr Little’s claims based on other factors seem right to the Orientalists. However, it requires more research to understand the difference between authentic and unauthentic hadith and the process related to how they were defined.

American Journal of Islam has shed light on this regard in its article titled “The authentication of Hadith: Redefining Criteria“. it asserts –

“Hadith narrators were placed into four categories: those whose authenticity was unanimous; those whose weakness was non-controversial; those causing controversy among scholars; and those unanimously declared as liars.
Traditions fabricated in the name of the Prophet would likely have been discarded centuries ago. Despite labeling them as fabricated,
Hadith scholars memorized and transferred them to the next generation with a clear message they were fabricated traditions. Later
generations of scholars preserved them to remind future scholars what had been fabricated. Each work contains detailed and solid evidence to prove the fabrication, paying special attention to the chain of narrators cited in each recorded tradition, and how fabricators used the names of reliable sources in their chains.” [The authentication of Hadith: Redefining Criteria, Chapter 1, Pg. 7]

Probably, Dr Little attributes his claims to the influence of his Christian/Western religio-historical tradition, which assumes widespread fabrication and pseudepigraphy. This psychological baggage often taints Orientalist research on Islam, and Little’s reference to it reveals his own biases.

Little Mentioned Shanava’s Claims regarding Aisha’s marital age. T. Shahnavas raised concerns about the Hisham ibn Urwa. He claimed Hisham is the only narrator of this hadith which is relevant to the Common Link theory.

The theory proposes that a figure sitting as a common link in the chain of transmitters (isnād) is the one responsible for forging the names from him to the Prophet. In addition, the common link is responsible for bringing the particular hadith text (matn) and its isnād into existence. [Definition of Common Links]

If you research the narration regarding Aisha’s age in times of her marriage, you will find other reliable narrators asserted hadith about Aisha’s age of Marriage. We have refuted this claim in the following sections.

More importantly, Dr. Little fails to provide a convincing reason for Hisham b. ‘Urwa to have fabricated this tradition. He couldn’t represent a valid reason to prove his claim. His claim that “it is conceivable that Hisham himself saw the same potential” of the hadith’s legal use that jurists recognized after Hisham is speculative. This is because it’s a part of his skepticism.

Little’s assertion that –

In short, a historical-critical analysis of the emergence of the marital-age hadith— an appraisal of the historical and polemical context and early use thereof—reveals that the most plausible reason for its creation is the following: Hišām created the hadith in Kufah in response to proto-Shia polemics against his great-aunt.

The above assertion lacks merit. Hisham’s reports do not contain elements of what Little calls the “fada’il tradition.” Aware of this issue, Little tries to sidestep it by highlighting that his Common Link for the fada’il tradition was a contemporary of Hisham. However, Hisham’s contemporary was not Hisham himself, so it makes no sense to hold Hisham responsible for a theme in the reports of a less prolific contemporary.

Little supports the Common Link (CL) theory and the analysis by Joseph Schacht (d. 1969) and G.H.A. Juynboll (d. 2010), but he overlooks a crucial flaw: they failed to consider that the isnad corpus available today is only a fraction of what early hadith masters knew. For instance, Bukhari selected his reports from nearly 600,000 narrations, Muslim selected ahadith from around 300,000 reports, and Abu Dawud had records of over 500,000 narrations. This suggests that the Common Link analysis promoted by some Orientalists is limited in its application. It does not imply that unrecorded links were unreliable; early hadith masters simply chose not to record them.

There is a lot of criticism about Common Link Theory developed by Juynboll in the cases of Hadith. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and social sciences published a research titled “A Criticism On G.H.A. Juynboll Perspectives about Mutawatir Hadith“ criticizing Common Link Theory. The research paper asserts –

The common link theory was born in the west that highlights the authenticity of hadith viewed from historical perspective. The analytical method of this theory is based on the basic assumptions that have been long flourished in the tradition of Orientalist scholarship. The Orientalists studied hadith based on the historical approach with conclusions and theories that are relatively different from the theories developed and applied by the scholars of hadith. The Orientalists involved in this study such as Ignaz Goldziher (1850-1921), Joseph Schacht (1902-1969), G.H.A. Juynboll (1935-2010), Harald Motzki, Michael Cook, and so on. [page: 942]

In conclusion section, the research asserts –

Through his common link theory, Juynbool has given many ideas, opinions, and assumptions about the hadith of the Prophet, including the mutawâtir ones, which is the addition of the treasures of Islamic sciences, although his ideas, opinions and assumptions sometimes opposite of the opinions of the hadith scholars. This theory can not be used as a basis and paradigm to examine the hadiths
of the Prophet by Muslims, because at the end it will come to the conclusion that every hadiths is false and this is very contrary to the teachings of Islam. For Muslims, at least, by knowing the common link theory, they know that there is a new approach in examining the authenticity of the Prophet’s hadith which has been developed in the West and it is different from that of hadith scholars since the classical era until now as seen in their works. [page: 950]

Dr. Little is aware of this, as seen in his engagement with Dr. Jonathan Brown’s critique of Juynboll: “it is implausible that tens or hundreds of thousands of ʾisnāds could have been fabricated.” However, Dr. Little sidesteps this point and instead estimates the number of “distinct prophetic hadith reports.” He boldly claims that early Muslims could fabricate 10,000 reports and falsely attribute them.

Dr Little’s perspective lacks the fact that hadith verification was always traceable to the time of the Caliph Abu Bakr. Even for three decades there was no problem related to the chain of narrators.

During the Prophet’s time and three decades after, the chain of narrators was not questioned. During this period the entire focus was placed on the Hadith text.
Hadith verification can be traced to the time of the first Muslim Caliph, Abu Bakr. As a way to safeguard against errors, he refused to accept any hadith narrated by one single Companion unless another Companion confirmed it. Scholars from the generation of the Companions hesitated in accepting a hadith without further verification. [3 Fallatah, Umar ibn Hasan Uthman, Al-Wad fi al-hadith (Damascus: Maktabah al-Ghazly, 1981), vol.1, p.180.]
Scholars from later generations categorized a hadith as authentic only Authentication when they had established that all its narrators were highly authentic. From the second half of the first century of Islam the chain of narrators and their associated biographic dictionaries assumed a significant place in Hadith authentication. This knowledge of Hadith narrators was then extensively used to check the authenticity of a chain. If a chain was found reliable then the text reported through that chain was identified as authentic. Any problem in the chain would lead to the classification of the report as weak or unreliable. [The authentication of Hadith: Redefining Criteria, Chapter 2, Pg. 8]

Regarding the hadith on Aisha’s age, Little’s approach is ad hoc and marred by confirmation bias. He suggests that the use of alternate words like “rasul Allah” and “al-nabiyy” and “bint” and “ibnah” indicates a significant pattern, which is absurd given that these are common usages and narration by meaning is a standard practice.

Even he used references from historians like Al-tabari, Ibn Ishaq and more, who were questionable for fabricated stories. Their writings include many fake stories, weak hadith and unacceptable arguments. Those things were exposed a long ago before Dr Littles research. So, the credibility of his research is also questionable.

Why the Age of Nine is Relevant: A Critical Examination of Little’s Conspiracy Theory

Why would the age of nine be relevant in this context? This question is crucial for evaluating the validity of Little’s conspiracy theory. Little himself admits that “to a certain extent it was arbitrary,” which undermines his theory about the origins of the report. His four subsequent hypothetical source claims are equally unconvincing by his own admission. He concedes that one is “highly questionable” and another is “heavily contested.” Regarding the suggested cultural influence, he acknowledges that the means of transmission were “not ideal for this hypothesis.”

Moreover, the idea that Hisham might have adopted concepts known to Kufan Shi‘as is invalidated by the fact that none of Hisham’s numerous narrations indicate that he intended to portray his report as a virtue of ‘Aisha. Additionally, the marriage-age is documented in reports from sources other than Hisham. It is peculiar to see a scholar meticulously analyzing and splitting hairs over a well-attested hadith, only to pursue the flimsiest and most far-fetched suggestions to justify his extensive efforts. Dr. Little should have solidified his theory on the origins more effectively rather than engaging in a laborious and ultimately futile isnad-cum-analysis.

Dr. Little does not present a substantial argument for an alternative view on the age of ‘Aisha. He merely states:

If indeed ʿĀʾišah was married to Muḥammad as a virgin, it is more likely that she was twelve-to-fourteen years old at the time of her marital consummation, at least on the basis of general historical prior probability. [Little, The Hadith of ʿĀʾišah’s Marital Age, 512]

As admitted, no substantial argument is presented for this likelihood, and the pervasive tone of skepticism suggests that the author believes Islamic sources are unreliable for determining the historical facts of early Islam. Consequently, Dr. Little’s doctoral thesis contributes little to the meaningful discourse on this subject.

‘Aisha’s Recollection of Her Parents Practicing Islam

A rather ingenious argument is based on a statement by ‘Aisha, where she recalls:

“I have no recollection of my parents doing anything but following the din of Islam. No day would pass without the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) visiting us at either end of it, both morning and evening. When the Muslims were being persecuted, Abu Bakr set out for Abyssinia as an emigrant until he reached Bark al-Ghimad…“

From this statement, two arguments for an older ‘Aisha are constructed:

Aisha’s Understanding of Religious Differences:
- First, consider the cognitive development of a child: a child cannot comprehend her parents having a religion different from the people around them before the age of four. If ‘Aisha had been born four years after the Revelation and her first comprehension of her religious environment was at the age of eight, then her statement, “I never knew my parents except as Muslims,” becomes meaningless. It is well-known that Abu Bakr converted early, and Umm Ruman (‘Aisha’s mother) also converted early in Mecca, as mentioned by Ibn Sa`d.
  
  However, if ‘Aisha had been born four years before the Revelation and only started to be aware of her religious environment in the first year of the Revelation, her statement becomes significant: Once she became aware of her surroundings, both her parents were Muslim, rather than just Abu Bakr.
  
  This detail suggests she was born around four years before the Revelation, which aligns with other clues.
Aisha’s Awareness of Abu Bakr’s Departure for Abyssinia:
- The second clue lies in her statement, “Once the Muslims started to face trials, Abu Bakr left toward Abyssinia.” This passage indicates that this happened after she became aware of her parents being Muslim, suggesting she was able to comprehend her surroundings when this event occurred. The migration of the Companions to Abyssinia took place near the middle of the fifth year of the Revelation, with the second migration occurring at the end of the fifth year and the beginning of the sixth year.
  
  Had ‘Aisha been born in the fourth year of the Revelation, she would not have been able to understand what was happening at the beginning of the sixth year. But if she had been born four years before the Revelation, she would have clearly comprehended these events.

Refutation:

Weaknesses in the Arguments:

Both arguments have notable weaknesses:

Understanding of Religious Differences:
- ‘Aisha’s testimony that she always saw her parents practicing Islam simply means she had no memory of them before their conversion. Interpreting this as an understanding of religious differences is speculative and goes beyond the text and context.
Linking to Abyssinia Migration:
- The linkage of the event to the well-known emigrations to Abyssinia is unwarranted. Fuller narrations of the report indicate that this event happened just before the migration to Madina. Abu Bakr’s bid to join the Muslims in Abyssinia occurred over four months before the migration to Madina, following a series of events involving the Quraysh and a tribal leader’s protection arrangement. This context places Abu Bakr’s departure closer to the migration to Madina rather than the earlier migrations to Abyssinia.

Counterpoints from Historical Narratives

Statement About Khadija:
- ‘Aisha also mentioned, “I had never seen her,” referring to Khadija. Commentator Muhammad Asad suggested that although ‘Aisha was six years old at Khadija’s death and her father was a constant companion of the Prophet, she was likely too young to have a conscious appreciation of Khadija’s role and presence. This supports the notion that memories of early childhood can be unclear or misunderstood.

These details indicate that the arguments for an alternate opinion on the age of ‘Aisha are weak, as even according to the standard narrative, she was eight years old by the time of Abu Bakr’s emigration attempt. This further underscores the reliability of the traditional accounts of ‘Aisha’s age.

Birth of Fatima (ra): Contradictions in narrations

The argument relies on two main premises: Fatima was born five years before the first revelation, and she was five years older than ‘Aisha. Based on these premises, it is claimed that ‘Aisha must have been fourteen at the time of the consummation of her marriage.

To evaluate this claim, we need to examine the basis of these premises. First, regarding Fatima’s birth year, there are three significant reports. One states that the Prophet’s (ﷺ) uncle, al-‘Abbas, found Fatima and ‘Ali arguing about their ages and informed them that Fatima was born the year the Quraish were rebuilding the Ka‘ba. At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) was thirty-five years old, and ‘Ali was born a few years earlier than that. [Al-Baladhuri, Ansab al-ashraf, Vol.1, 413; al-Dawlabi, Abu Tahir, Al-Dhurriya al-tahira, (Kuwait: Dar al-Salafiyya 1407 AH) 110 no. 210; al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk,Vol.11, 597; translated in Tasseron-Landau, Ella, The History of al-Tabari: Volume XXXIX – Biographies of the Prophet’s Companions and Their Successors, 167]

Another report mentions that upon inquiry by the Umayyad Caliph Hisham b. ‘Abdul Malik, Fatima’s great-grandson ‘Abdullah b. Hasan b. Hasan (d. 145/762) said she was thirty at the time of her death. [Ibn Abi Khaithama, Abu Bakr, al-Tarikh al-Kabir, (Cairo: Dar al-Faruq al-Hadithiya, 2006) Vol.2, 40; Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifa al-Sahab, 928;]

This also implies that she was born in the year mentioned by al-‘Abbas, i.e., five years before the first revelation. Similarly, Ibn Ishaq noted that all of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) children from Khadija, including Fatima, were born before the revelation. [Ibn Ishaq, al-Siyar wa al-Maghazi, 82; al-Dawlabi, Al-Dhurriya al-tahira, 42 no. 43]

Contrarily, Suleman b. Ja‘far [b. Suleman] al-Hashimi (d. after 248/862) is reported to have remarked that Fatima was born when the Prophet (ﷺ) was forty-one, i.e., a year after the first revelation. [Al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, Vol.5, 391 Hadith 4823 cf. Al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, Vol.7, 86 Hadith 7040; Al-Zirikli, Al-A‘lam, Vol.3, 122-123]

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, citing a narration by al-Waqidi, reports a tradition attributed to Abbas (ra), stating that

“Fatima was born at the time of the reconstruction of the Ka‘bah when the Holy Prophet (sa) was 35 years old.“

This tradition further asserts that “Fatima was born five years before the birth of Aisha,” implying that Aisha (ra) was born when the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was 40 years old. Consequently, if the consummation of marriage is dated to the year 2 AH, this would suggest that Aisha (ra) was 15 years old at the time of her marriage.

There are other opinions regarding Fatima’s age. Al-Kalbi remarked that she died at thirty-five, implying she was born ten years before the revelation. [Ibn Abi Khaithama, al-Tarikh al-Kabir, Vol.2, 40; Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifa al-Sahab, 928;]

Some sources suggest she was only eighteen when she died soon after the Prophet (ﷺ) in the year 11 AH/632 CE, but these views are too unusual to be given serious consideration. [Al-Tabari, Muhib al-Din, Dhakha’ir al-‘Uqba fi Manaqib Dhawi al-Qurba, (Cairo: Maktaba al-Qudsi, 1356 AH) 52; al-Diyarbakri, Tarikh al-Khamis, (Beirut: Dar al-Sader, n.d.) Vol. 1, 278; both cite Kitab Tarikh Mawalid Ahl al-Bayt of Abu Bakr Ahmad b. Nasr b. ‘Abdullah al-Dhari‘ (d. 365/975-6) for this. The same appears to be mentioned in Ibn al-Khashshab al-Baghdadi’s (d. 567/1171-2) Tarikh Mawalid al-A’imma wa Wafiyatihim as well. See https://library.tebyan.net/fa/Viewer/Text/107903/8]

Refutation:

If we examine the evidence for the age difference between ‘Aisha and Fatima, we find no solid evidence except a lone remark from Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani. While several scholars like al-Bayhaqi, (Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, Vol.2, 71;) Ibn ‘Asakir, (Tarikh Damishq, Vol.3, 157;) Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, ((al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifa al-Sahab, 925;) Ibn Sayyid al-Nas, (‘Uyun al-Athar, Vol.2, 358;) al-Mizzi, (Tahdhib al-Kamal, Vol.35, 248;) al-Maqrizi, (Imta‘ al-Asma‘, Beirut: DKI, 1999) Vol. 5, 351;) record al-Hashimi’s opinion, only Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani follows it with the observation that Fatima was about five years older than ‘Aisha.

As a result, the assertion faces challenges due to conflicting narrations found in Ibn Ḥajar’s al-Iṣāba fī Tamyīz al-Ṣaḥāba. One narration, attributed to Abū Jaʿfar al-Bāqir, suggests that Fāṭima was born when the Prophet was 35 years old. The second narration, from ʿUbayd Allah ibn Muḥammad ibn Sulaymān ibn Jaʿfar al-Hāshimī, claims that Fāṭima was born when the Prophet was 41 years old, and she was born a year or so before his prophethood. This second narration also asserts that Fāṭima is older than ʿĀʾisha by five years.

The real confusion arises when attempting to reconcile these two narrations. The second narration, where Fāṭima is listed as being five years older, is contingent upon the Prophet being 41 years old at the time of her birth. However, when this assertion of Fāṭima’s seniority is detached from the second narration and inserted into the first, it changes the age of the Prophet from 41 to 35, leading to discrepancies with ʿĀʾisha’s age and birth. Consequently, this argument lacks credibility due to the confusion between the two narrations.

Historical sources consistently agree that ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was born into Islam, four or five years after the Prophet’s mission began.

Imam al-Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) commented on the hadith, “I only ever remember my parents as following Islam,” as follows:

‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was born into Islam, as her father embraced Islam at the beginning of the Prophet’s mission. It is confirmed through al-Aswad, from ‘Aishah, that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) married her when she was six years old, consummated the marriage when she was nine, and he passed away when she was eighteen. However, Asma bint Abi Bakr was born during the Jahiliyyah and became Muslim when her father did.

Adh-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated:

‘Aishah was one of those born into Islam; she was eight years younger than Fatimah. She used to say, “I only ever remember my parents as following Islam” (Siyar A‘lam an-Nubala, 2/139).

Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“‘Aishah was born four or five years after the Prophet’s mission began” (Al-Isabah, 8/16).

Based on this, her age at the time of the Hijrah was eight or nine years, aligning with the hadith narrated by ‘Aishah herself.

Wives of Abu Bakr (ra)

Al-Tabari, in his Tarikh, while discussing the wives of Abu Bakr (ra), mentions that he married two wives during the era of jahiliyyah (pre-Islam). The first wife bore him Abdullah (ra) and Asma (ra), while the second wife bore him Aisha (ra) and Abdur Rahman (ra).

He further clarifies:
“In the Age of Ignorance [pre-Islamic period], Abu Bakr married Qutaila daughter of `Abd al-`Uzza…and she bore for him `Abdullah and Asmaa…he also married, in the Age of Ignorance, Umm Ruman daughter of `Amir…she bore for him `Abd al-Rahman and `Aisha. All four of these children were born in the pre-Islamic period.”” (Tarikh al-Tabari, by Abu Jafar Tabari, Vol. 3)

This account suggests that Aisha’s birth occurred a few years before the year of prophethood, making her age around 16 or 17 at the time of interest. While diverging from “al-Waqidi (a historian)” is not always necessary, let’s explore additional sources.

Al-Tabari’s mention of his other two wives and their children, emphasizing that he married them “under Islam” (fi al-islam), supports this. Additionally, al-Tabari’s account of ‘Aisha’s age in the same work [Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk, Vol.3, 161-164, translated in Poonawala, Ismail K., The History of al-Tabari: Volume IX – The Last Years of the Prophet, 128, 130-131], which aligns closely with the standard narrative, advises us against interpreting the sentence structure ambiguously.

Refutation:

Imam Tabari on the Reliability of His Narrations

Imam Tabari clarifies in the introduction to his book that it is a compilation of various narrations and stories, with their authenticity depending solely on the narrators. He states:

“In this book of mine, I shall mention whatever information has reached us about kings throughout the ages from when our Lord began the creation of His creation to its annihilation. There were messengers sent by God, kings placed in authority, or caliphs established in the caliphal succession… This must be done briefly and concisely, for in this book of ours we do not intend to present the arguments concerning time but rather the dates of past kings mentioned by us and summaries of their history, the times of the messengers and prophets and how long they lived, the days of the early caliphs and some of their biographical data, and the extent of the territories under their control, as well as the events that took place in their age. Therefore, if God wills and gives me strength through help and power from Him, I shall continue and mention the companions of our Prophet, their names, their patronymics, the extent of their pedigrees, and how long they lived and when and where they died. I shall then mention those who followed them doing good, in accordance with the conditions we have set down for mentioning them. Then, in addition to them, I shall likewise mention those who came after them, giving additional data about them. I do this for the purpose of clarifying whose transmission (of traditions) is praised and whose information is accepted, whose transmission is rejected and whose transmission is disregarded, and whose tradition is considered feeble and whose information is considered weak. In addition, I give the reason why someone’s information is disregarded and the cause for someone’s tradition being considered feeble… The reader should know that with respect to all I have mentioned and made it a condition to set down in this book of mine, I rely upon traditions and reports which have been transmitted and which I attribute to their transmitters. I rely only very rarely upon (my own) rationality and internal thought processes. For no knowledge of the history of men of the past and of recent men and events is attainable by those who were not able to observe them and did not live in their time, except through information and transmission produced by informants and transmitters. This knowledge cannot be brought out by reason or produced by internal thought processes. This book of mine may contain some information mentioned by me on the authority of certain men of the past, which the reader may disapprove of and the listener may find detestable, because he can find nothing sound and no real meaning in it. In such cases, he should know that it is not my fault that such information comes to him, but the fault of someone who transmitted it to me. I have merely reported it as it was reported to me.” [End of quote: Tarikh at-Tabari, Vol.1, Introduction]

Analysis of Narrators in Tareekh al-Tabari

Dr. Khalid Kabir Allal provides a summary of the narrations by reliable and unreliable narrators in Tareekh al-Tabari. He identifies twelve major narrators, five of whom are trustworthy, and seven of whom are either liars or accused of lying.

Narrations by Allegedly False Narrators or Liars:

Muhammad bin Saib Kalbi: 12 narrations
Hisham b. Muhammad Kalbi: 55 narrations
Muhammad b. Umar: 440 narrations
Saif b. Umar Tamimi: 700 traditions
Abu Mikhnaf Lut bin Yahya: 612 traditions
Al-Haytham ibn ‘Adi: 16 traditions
Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar: 164 traditions

In total, there are 1999 narrations by unreliable narrators cited by Tabari in his Tarikh.

Narrations by Reliable Narrators:

Al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar: 8 narrations
Muhammad bin Saad: 164 narrations
Musa ibn ʿUqba: 7 narrations
Khalifah ibn Khayyat: 1 narration
Wahb ibn Munabbih: 46 narrations

In total, there are 226 traditions from these five trustworthy narrators in Tarikh al-Tabari.

Given the stark contrast between the 1999 unreliable traditions and the 226 reliable ones, it becomes evident that the authenticity of narrations in ancient texts like Tarikh al-Tabari requires careful scrutiny. The high proportion of unreliable narrations raises concerns about the credibility of other historical works as well.

[Khalid Kabir Allal, Madrasatul Kazzabeen Fi Riwayat al-Tarikh al-Islami wa Tadwinuhu (The School of Liars in the Narration and Codification of Islamic History)]

Dr. Khalid Kabir Allal critiques the historian Tabari’s approach, highlighting significant concerns:

“In my view, Tabari’s method of quoting narrations with mere chains of transmission, devoid of research and analysis, is inadequate. He bears full responsibility for all the traditions recorded in his Tarikh. Tabari has included numerous traditions from unreliable narrators without comment, a risky practice that has misled many generations. Tabari should not have continually referenced these fabricated narrators. If he chose to include them, he should have scrutinized and critiqued these narrations instead of simply presenting their chains of transmission. The majority of Tarikh al-Tabari readers lack the expertise to assess these traditions based on their chains and content, necessitating confirmation or rejection by knowledgeable historians and scholars versed in history and related sciences.

Many subsequent historians, including Ibn Jawzi in Al-Muntazim, Ibn al-Athir in Al-Kamil, and Ibn Kathir in Al-Bidayah, have relayed countless tales from Tabari spanning three centuries without providing chains of transmission, thus blending reliable and dubious narrations.” [Khalid Kabir Allal, Madrasatul Kazzabeen Fi Riwayat al-Tarikh al-Islami wa Tadwinuhu [The School of Liars in the Narration and Codification of Islamic History, pp. 67-68, Dar al-Balag, Algeria]

This critique offers only a preliminary examination of Tarikh al-Tabari; a comprehensive textual analysis office is warranted for each narration.

“Any narrative contradicting the foundational principles of Islamic Sharia and sound reason is rejected. Muslim scholars strictly adhere to the principle that no narration is acceptable if it contradicts Quranic laws, authentic Hadith, clear consensus, or commonly accepted Islamic Sharia principles. Narrations that cast aspersions on the Prophets and their companions are particularly dismissed due to historical evidence indicating certain narrators fabricated traditions to malign the esteemed Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions or advance personal agendas. These narrators were morally corrupt and biased, rendering their narrations unreliable unless validated by trustworthy chains of transmission.

embracing of Islam of Aisha (Ra)

Some suggest that Ibn Ishaq’s inclusion of ‘Aisha in the list of early Muslims implies she was older than typically believed. The argument posits that her being listed as a convert necessitates that she was of discerning age, which would not be the case if she had been born in the late third or early fourth year after the beginning of revelation.

Al-Nawawi, in his work Tahzib al-Asma wa al-Lughaat, attributes the following statement to Ibn Ishaq, the renowned biographer of the Holy Prophet (pbuh):
Ibn Ishaq reported that Aisha embraced Islam while still a young girl, after eighteen others had already done so.

Ibn Ishaq reported, –

Some individuals from the Bedouin tribes converted to Islam, including Said bin Zayd bin Amr bin Nufayl, his wife Fatima bint al-Khattab, Asmaa’ bint Abu Bakr, and Aisha bint Abu Bakr while she was still a little girl. Then, God Almighty commanded His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, to proclaim his message publicly and to invite people to God Almighty. Initially, he had been secretive until he received the order to make his message public. He spent several years after the Revelation before the command came: “Then declare what you are commanded and turn away from the polytheists.

In this list, Aisha is mentioned alongside figures such as Abu Ubaydah, al-Arqam, Ubaydah ibn al-Haritha, Abdullah ibn al-Jarrah, and Asma (the elder sister of Aisha). Aisha is described as follows:
“Aisha bint Abi Bakr, who was young at that time.“

The phrase “yauma’idhin saghirah” indicates her being a child. If we consider the tradition of her age being six and nine as accurate, then Aisha would not have been born at the time when, according to Ibn Ishaq, she embraced Islam. Ibn Hisham depicted the same thing in his Seerah too.

Ibn Ishaq specifically notes that ‘Aisha was only a minor at that time, countering the argument that she was older. Ibn Hisham [‘Abd al-Malik, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyya, Ed. Mustafa Saqa, (Cairo: Mustafa Babi, 1955) Vol.1, 254;] , al-Bayhaqi [Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, Vol.2, 174], Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr [al-Durar fi Ikhtisar al-Maghazi wa al-Siyar, Ed. Shawqi Daif (Cairo: Dar al-Ma‘arif, 1403 AH) 39], and Ibn Kathir [Abu al-Fida’ Isma‘il, al-Sira al-Nabawiyya, (Beirut: Dar al-Ma‘rifa, 1996) Vol.1, 453] all consistently reproduced this observation.

Refutation:

Absence of Fatima and Other Children:

Al-Zurqani observes that Ibn Ishaq reported ‘Aisha stating that Khadija and her daughters embraced Islam when Allah granted the Prophet (ﷺ) prophethood. [al-Zurqani, ‘Abdul Baqi, Sharh ‘ala al-Mawahib al-Ladunya, (Beirut: DKI, 1996) Vol.1, 460.] Notably, Ibn Ishaq does not mention Fatima, who was older than ‘Aisha and already a Muslim. The same applies to the Prophet’s other daughters, who were also older than Fatima. According to bn Sa‘d, both Ruqayya and Umm Kalthum embraced Islam along with their mother Khadija. [Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 8, 29-30. For further details, see also ‘Urjun, Sadiq Ibrahim, Muhammad Rasul Allah – Manhaj wa Risala: Bahth wa Tahqiq (Damascus: Dar al-Qalam, 1995) Vol. 1, 512-514.]

This indicates that Ibn Ishaq did not include all children, and his mention of ‘Aisha alongside her elder sister, Asma’, required the clarification that she was only a minor then.

Comparison with Other Early Converts:

Comparing the age of ‘Aisha with those named alongside her provides further insight. Sa‘id b. Zayd b. ‘Amr, who died at seventy-four in the year 51 AH [al-Dhahabi, Siyar al-A‘lam al-Nubala, Vol.2, 140; al-Mizzi, Tahdhib al-Kamal, Vol.10, 453-454;] , implies he was around ten when the revelation began and converted in his early teens. ‘Umair b. Abi Waqqas, who died at sixteen in the Battle of Badr, was born shortly before the revelation began [Al-Waqidi, Muhammad b. ‘Umar, al-Maghazi, (Beirut: Dar al-A‘lami, 1989) Vol.1, 21; Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol.3, 111.]. Ibn Ishaq’s need to add that ‘Aisha was a minor underscores that her inclusion in this list does not support the argument for her being older.

Later Scholarly Views:

Many later classical scholars view Ibn Ishaq’s mention of ‘Aisha as an inadvertent inclusion. [Mughaltai b. Qalij, Abu ‘Abdullah, al-Ishara ila Sirah al-Mustafa wa Tarikh man ba‘dahu min al-Khulafa, (Damascus: Dar al-Qalam, 1996) 109; al-Qastalani, Ahmad b. Muhammad, al-Mawahib al-Ladunya bi al-Minahi al-Muhammadiyya, (Damascus: al-Maktab al-Islami, 2004) Vol.1, 220-221; al-Zurqani, Sharh ‘ala al-Mawahib al-Ladunya, Vol.1, 459-460; The same was noted by an unnamed scholar in his annotation to Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr’s work. See, Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Durar fi Ikhtisar al-Maghazi wa al-Siyar, 21, 39;].

It seems more likely that Ibn Ishaq listed early converts who were significant before the migration to Madina or whose prominence was related to it. Asma’, known for her role during the Prophet’s migration, is mentioned, followed by ‘Aisha, with the added note that she was a minor.

Refuting the Variant Argument:

A variant of this argument suggests that since ‘Umar’s conversion is mentioned after ‘Aisha, she must have been a Muslim before ‘Umar. However, ‘Umar is known to have converted towards the end of the sixth year of Prophethood, around August 616, while ‘Aisha was between six and seven at the time of her marriage in May 620. Therefore, she would have been about two and a half years old when ‘Umar converted, making it clear that the mention of ‘Aisha as a convert does not imply she was older. [[Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol.3, 204; al-Suyuti, Jalal al-Din, Tarikh al-Khulafa, (Makkah: Maktaba Nazar Mustafa al-Baz, 2004) 94].]

In conclusion, Ibn Ishaq’s clarification that ‘Aisha was only a little girl when she was mentioned among the early converts effectively counters the argument that she was older than traditionally believed.

Reliability of Ib Ishaq:

Even If you observe the mentioned point, you will notice that Ibn Ishaq, is depicted. He is undeniably a remarkable writer of Islamic history. However, can we consider his accounts completely reliable and free from errors? The reliability Ibn Ishaq, much like Al-Tabari, is subject to scrutiny.

Adh-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Al-Qaadi Abu Ayyoob was right when he said: Whoever seeks out strange hadiths, his hadiths will be rejected. This is one of the gravest faults of Ibn Ishaaq. He recorded hadiths from everyone without any restraint.

Therefore, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah be pleased with him) did not approve of the hadiths of Ibn Ishaaq.

There are several stories in Ibn Ishaq’s works that are not found in the hadith collections. This is because several hadith collectors, such as Bukhari, did not trust Ibn Ishaq.

Check the following articles to know more about Ibn Ishaq’s reliability.

Is Ibn Ishaq a Reliable Narrator?

Asmaʾ, ʿĀʾisha's older sister, was Not ten years her senior!

Al-Nawawi, in his work, mentions under the entry of Asma (ra) that she was ten years older than Aisha (ra) and 27 years old at the time of Hijrah. This information suggests that Aisha (ra) was approximately 17 years old at the time of Hijra, and 19 when the marriage was consummated.

Additionally, Ibn Kathir corroborates this account in his work Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya. In discussing the death of Asma (ra), Ibn Kathir notes that she was ten years older than Aisha (ra). This further supports the estimation derived from Ibn Hisham’s statement.

Even Abd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī al-Zinād asserts the same thing.

According to Abu ‘Abdullah ibn Mandah, narrating from Ibn Abi’z-Zinnad, Asma was ten years older than ‘Aishah, and Asma’s mother became Muslim later. Asma (may Allah be pleased with her) mentioned that her mother, Qatilah from Banu Malik ibn Hasal, visited her while she was still a mushrik. Qatilah was not ‘Aishah’s mother. Asma converted to Islam alongside her father, not her mother. Regarding ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr, he seemed to be an adult when his parents converted to Islam, but he did not convert until much later. He was the oldest of Abu Bakr’s children” (As-Sunan al-Kubra, 6/203).

Moreover, it’s confirmed that she passed away in 73 AH/692 CE at the age of one hundred. If accurate, this would make her twenty-seven years old at the time of the Hijra, implying that ʿĀʾisha was seventeen at that time. Considering that ʿĀʾisha married two or three years before the Hijra, she would have been fourteen or fifteen at the time of marriage and seventeen or eighteen at the time of consummation.

Refutation:

The above aligns with what scholars have narrated about the age difference between Asma bint Abi Bakr and ‘Aishah (ra).

Adh-Dhahabi (may Allah be pleased with him) stated:

“She – i.e., Asma – was ten or more years older than ‘Aishah” (Siyar A‘lam an-Nubala, 2/188).‘

Aishah was born four or five years after the Prophet’s mission began. Abu Na‘im noted in Mu‘jam as-Sahabah that Asma was born ten years before the Prophet’s mission began.

Thus, the age difference between ‘Aishah and Asma was fourteen or fifteen years. This supports adh-Dhahabi’s view that Asma was ten or more years older than ‘Aishah. [Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Dhahabi. Siyar a’lam al-nubalaa (The Lives of Noble Figures) vol. 2 #143.]

The claim that Asma’ was ten years older than ‘Aisha is based on a report from ‘Abdul Rahman b. Abi al-Zinad (100/718-719 – 174/790-791), who said regarding Asma’:

She was ten years or so older than ‘Aisha. [Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifa al-Sahab, (Amman: Dar al-A‘alam, 2002) 269-270; Ibn ‘Asakir, Tarikh Damishq, Vol.69, 10; Raba‘i, Abu Muhammad / al-Maqdasi, Diya’, Muntaqa min Akhbar al-Asma‘i, (Damascus: Dar al-Tilas, 1987) 139 no. 65

Here, the phrase “or so” (aw nahwaha) indicates that the exact age difference was not precisely determined, undermining the suggestion of a fixed age difference.

Although these figures are derived from biographical and historical texts, our primary reliance is on narrations with sahih isnads, rather than those found in books without isnads. All these reports are consistent with the hadiths that have undoubtedly sahih isnads, which we mentioned at the beginning. Therefore, we cited historical reports that support the aforementioned hadiths.

Verification and Analysis of Isnads:

The reliability of the isnad (chain of narrators) for certain reports is crucial for their acceptance. The claim that Asma bint Abi Bakr was ten years older than ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with them both) lacks a proven isnad. If an isnad can be established, it should be interpreted in a manner consistent with the definitive evidence previously mentioned.

Narrations from ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi’z-Zinnad:

It was narrated from ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi’z-Zinnad that Asma bint Abi Bakr was ten years older than ‘Aishah. This report comes through two isnads from al-Asma‘i:

1. Ibn ‘Asakir’s Narration (Tarikh Dimashq, 69/10):
– Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Maliki
– Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahid as-Sulami
– My grandfather Abu Bakr
– Abu Muhammad ibn Zabr
– Ahmad ibn Sa‘d ibn Ibrahim az-Zuhri
– Muhammad ibn Abi Safwan
– al-Asma‘i
– Ibn Abi’z-Zinnad

2. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr’s Narration (al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab, 2/616):
– Ahmad ibn Qasim
– Muhammad ibn Mu‘awiyah
– Ibrahim ibn Musa ibn Jamil
– Isma’il ibn Ishaq al-Qadi
– Nasr ibn ‘Ali
– al-Asma‘i
– Ibn Abi’z-Zinnad

Critical Analysis:

Considering the isnads, there are several points to address:

Sole Testimony: ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi’z-Zinnad is the only one who claimed the ten-year age difference. In contrast, there is abundant evidence from multiple Tabi‘in that contradicts this, and in cases of conflicting reports, the majority view is preferred.
Reliability of ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi’z-Zinnad: Many scholars have regarded him as da‘if (weak). Imam Ahmad, Ibn Ma‘in, ‘Ali ibn al-Madini, Abu Hatim, and an-Nasai have all criticized his reliability, particularly for hadiths narrated in Baghdad. This criticism undermines the trustworthiness of his report.
Conflicting Evaluations: While at-Tirmidhi described him as thiqah (trustworthy) in his Sunan, this contradicts the predominant view among scholars, where criticism typically takes precedence over praise.
Certainty in Reports: In the report by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, the words “or so” indicate uncertainty about the ten-year difference. This further weakens the reliability of the report.

Reconciling the Reports:

It is possible to reconcile these reports with other historical data:

– If Asma was born five or six years before the Prophet’s mission and ‘Aishah was born four or five years after, the age difference could be fourteen or fifteen years. When Asma died in 73 AH, she would have been ninety-one or ninety-two, aligning with the statement of adh-Dhahabi.

– Another interpretation is that Asma was born approximately fourteen years before the Prophet’s mission, making her twenty-seven at the time of the Hijrah and one hundred years old at her death in 73 AH. This fits with the historical consensus that she died at one hundred years of age, the same year her son ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr was killed.

Supporting Historical Sources:

The following sources support this reconciliation:

Hilyat al-Awliya, 2/56
Mu‘jam as-Sahabah by Abu Na‘im al-Asbahaniর্
l-Isti‘ab by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, 4/1783
Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn ‘Asakir, 69/8
Usd al-Ghabah by Ibn al-Athir, 7/12
Al-Isabah by Ibn Hajar, 7/487
Tahdhib al-Kamal, 35/125

Regarding the idea that Asma bint Abi Bakr was born ten years before the Prophet’s mission began, this was only stated by Abu Na‘im al-Asbahani. He said:

“Asma was the sister of ‘Aishah through their father. She was older than ‘Aishah and was born twenty-seven years before the Hijrah, ten years before the Prophet’s mission began. At her birth, her father, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, was twenty-one years old. Asma died in 73 AH in Makkah, shortly after her son ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr was killed, at the age of one hundred years, having lost her sight.”

It appears Abu Na‘im meant that the Makkan period of the Prophet’s mission lasted seventeen years, which is a view held by some scholars of sirah. Although this view is considered da‘if (weak), it is important to note it when trying to understand Abu Na‘im’s opinion.

VERDICT:

Upon analyzing the evidence, it becomes clear that the claim regarding Asma’s seniority by ten years is debatable. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari frequently referenced this narration.

Many historians have presented substantial evidence against this claim. Additionally, the reliability of the narrator, Ibn Abi’z Zinnad, is questionable as he is considered ‘Daef’ (unreliable) according to famous scholars.

It is important to note that neither Ibn Kathir nor At-Tabari are regarded as fully authenticated historical sources. They did not critically evaluate the narrations they included in their works. Their goal was compilation, not verification. As a result, their texts contain irreconcilable contradictions because they did not differentiate between accurate and inaccurate accounts.

In contrast, Bukhari meticulously selected only authentic narrations for inclusion in his Sahih. Bukhari’s approach was critical and analytical, unlike the methods of Ibn Kathir in his “Bidaya wan Nihaya” and At-Tabari in his “Tarikh.”

Comparing Bukhari with Ibn Kathir and At-Tabari indicates a misunderstanding of their respective methodologies. The age difference between Aisha and Asma as stated by Ibn Kathir and At-Tabari cannot be used to challenge an authenticated report by Bukhari. Historical evidence suggests an age difference closer to 15-17 years, which aligns with the fact that they did not share the same mother.

Even if we hypothetically accept a 10-year age difference to reconcile the three sources, it is more reasonable to question Asma’s age rather than Aisha’s. Suggesting that Asma was younger is historically plausible. Living to 100 years old, though not impossible, is quite unlikely. Historians are skeptical of such round numbers, which seem too convenient. Therefore, it makes more sense to question Asma’s age rather than Aisha’s.

Lastly, the narrations are all third-party accounts of Aisha’s age. It was uncommon for people to ask a woman her age and that recording birth years was not a widespread practice, it is questionable to rely heavily on third-party claims. Aisha herself stated, “The Prophet married me when I was six years old” (Bukhari). This first-person account is explicit and clear. Preferring third-party accounts that require interpretation and adjustment to support a specific conclusion seems less credible.

Aisha's involvement in the Battle of Uhud

The Battle of Uhud took place in 3 AH. Describing the battlefield, Anas (ra) is reported to have said:

وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ عَائِشَةَ بِنْتَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَأُمَّ سُلَيْمٍ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَمُشَمِّرَتَانِ، أَرَى خَدَمَ سُوقِهِمَا تَنْقُزَانِ القِرَبَ، وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ تَنْقُلاَنِ القِرَبَ عَلَى مُتُونِهِمَا، ثُمَّ تُفْرِغَانِهِ فِي أَفْوَاهِ القَوْمِ، ثُمَّ تَرْجِعَانِ فَتَمْلَآَنِهَا، ثُمَّ تَجِيئَانِ فَتُفْرِغَانِهَا فِي أَفْوَاهِ القَوْمِ
“I saw Aisha, daughter of Abu Bakr, and Umm Sulaim with their robes tucked up so that their anklets were visible. They hurriedly walked, carrying water skins on their backs, pouring water in the mouths of the wounded, would go back to fill the skins again and return to pour water in the mouths of people.”( Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ, Jihād wa Siyar, v. 83 no. 2880, 3811, 4064)

If we follow the narration stating her age as nine at the time of marriage, she would have been only 10 at the time of Uhud. In the case of other estimates suggesting her to be 12 at marriage, she would have not been older than 13 at Uhud. Considering that it’s a known fact that the Holy Prophet strictly forbade even male children from accompanying to the battleground, it seems highly implausible that he would allow a small girl to face combat. However, Allah knows best.

Ibn ʿUmar stated:

“The Messenger of God inspected me on the battlefield on the Day of Uhud, and I was fourteen years old. He did not allow me to participate in the fight. He inspected me on the Day of the Trench, and I was fifteen years old, and he permitted me to fight.”[Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, Bayan Sinn al-Bulūgh, iii. 1490 no. 1868.]

Ibn ʿUmar was not granted permission to join the Battle of Uhud because he was only fourteen years old at the time. However, during the Battle of the Trench, the Prophet Muhammad reevaluated him and allowed him to fight because he had reached the minimum age of fifteen.

Refutation:

The argument suggests that if Ibn Umar, at the age of fourteen, was deemed too young to participate in the Battle of Uhud, then Aisha’s participation in the battle implies she was at least fifteen years old. Consequently, if the Battle of Uhud occurred one to two years after the consummation of Aisha’s marriage, she must have been consummated at the age of thirteen or fourteen.

This type of analogy (qiyās) is considered deficient (qiyās maʿa al-fāriq). In Islamic jurisprudence, the purpose of analogy is to extend a ruling from one scenario to another where there is no direct clear ruling within the text (naṣṣ). For this to be valid, both scenarios must share the same underlying reasoning (ʿilla). In the case of Ibn ʿUmar, the Prophet ﷺ prohibited him from participating in battle initially because he was considered too young to engage as a combatant. However, the following year, when Ibn ʿUmar had reached the minimum age for combatants, he was permitted to fight.

In contrast, the hadith regarding ʿĀʾisha’s participation in the Battle of Uhud clearly indicates that she was serving as a nurse, not engaging as a combatant. Therefore, the age restriction placed on Ibn ʿUmar does not apply to ʿĀʾisha because the two situations have different underlying reasons (ʿilla). As a result, it is not valid to conclude that ʿĀʾisha must have been at least fifteen years old based on this analogy. But still it’s a valid assumption to think about.

Besides, Mubarakpuri clarifies that women came to the battlefield after the encounter was over. [See, al-Mubarakpuri, Safi al-Rahman, al-Rahiq al-Makhtum, (Mansoura: Dar al-Wafa’, 2010]. It proves that she was working as a nurse in post-war situations.

Āʾisha and Sūra al-Qamar

Sahih al-Bukhari records that Aisha (ra) had vivid recollections of the revelation of Surah al-Qamar to the Holy Prophet Muhammad. The tradition reads:

لَقَدْ‭ ‬أُنْزِلَ‭ ‬عَلَى‭ ‬مُحَمَّدٍ‭ ‬صلى‭ ‬اللّٰه‭ ‬عليه‭ ‬وسلم‭ ‬بِمَكَّةَ،‭ ‬وَإِنِّيْ‭ ‬لَجَارِيَةٌ‭ ‬أَلْعَبُ‭ ‬‏بَلِ‭ ‬السَّاعَةُ‭ ‬مَوْعِدُهُمْ‭ ‬وَالسَّاعَةُ‭ ‬أَدْهَى‭ ‬وَأَمَرُّ
“I was a girl of playing age” when this surah was revealed. (Ibid, Kitab al-Tafsir)

Based on the historical context of the revelation of Surah al-Qamar, which is believed to have occurred around the eighth year of prophethood, Aisha would have been approximately 11 or 12 years old at that time. At this age, children typically begin to take an interest in significant events and are capable of retaining memories.

Using this estimate, it can be inferred that Aisha (ra) was around 13 or 14 years old at the time of her marriage, assuming it took place a year or two before the Hijrah. Consequently, she would have been 18 or 19 years old at the time the marriage was consummated in 2 AH.

It’s crucial to emphasize that these estimations are based on the accounts provided by renowned historians of early Islamic scholarship and are not intended to conform to modern Western standards of acceptability.

Even Considering the various viewpoints regarding the revelation of Surah al-Qamar, there are several factors to consider, including whether the entire surah is of Makkan origin, the specific date of its revelation, and the implications of Aisha referring to herself as a “jariya” (girl or young woman).

Refutation:

Some scholars argue that the verse mentioned in the hadith of Surah al-Qamar is Medinan and was revealed in different years ranging from 4 AH to 10 AH, which would potentially make Aisha older. However, scholars like Ibn Hajar and Ibn Ashur reject these claims. Ibn Hajar specifically states that Aisha was born eight years before the Hijrah and was three years old when this verse was revealed, placing its date of revelation around 617 CE.

As the beginning of Surah al-Qamar indicates, Chapter Al-Qamar [Quran, 54] was revealed soon after the splitting of the moon, which occurred around five years before the Hijra (qabl al-hijra bi nahwi khamsa sinin) and seven years before the Battle of Badr, as stated by Ibn ‘Abbas (ra). [Al-‘Asqalani, Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, Vol.6, 632; al-Qastalani, al-Mawahib al-Ladunya, Vol.2, 254; Al-Alusi, Shahab al-Din Mahmud, Ruh al-Ma‘ani fi Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim wa Sab‘a al-Mathani, (Beirut: DKI, 1415 AH) Vol.14, 74; Hawwa, Sa‘id, al-Asas fi al-Sunna wa Fiqhiha, (Cairo: Dar al-Salam, 1995) Vol.1, 267]

This is also mentioned in the Quranic interpretation by Al-Qurtubi (ra). The Battle of Badr took place in the year 2 A.H. The Prophet (pbuh), married Aisha in 1 A.H., in the month of Shawwal. Therefore, six years elapsed between this marriage and the revelation of the chapter. According to various narrations, she consummated her marriage at the age of nine or ten, meaning she would have been three or four years old when the chapter was revealed. At this age, a young girl is aware of her surroundings, so it is not surprising that Aisha remembered the revelation of this verse at such a young age. Even today, we see children of her age, who are less aware and less intelligent, memorizing many chapters of the Quran. Indeed, scholars of Prophetic narrations, may Allah have mercy on them, consider what a young child hears and memorizes as reliable.

Imam Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, titled a chapter, “At what age may a youth be listened to (i.e., a quotation of a narration be acceptable from a boy).” In this chapter, he mentioned a narration by Mahmood ibn Ar-Rabee’, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, “When I was a boy of five, I remember the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, took a sip of water from a bucket (used for drawing water from a well) and splashed it on my face.” Furthermore, it is well-established that it is possible for a girl to reach puberty at the age of nine years, especially in warm climates like the Arabian Peninsula.

The interpretation of what Aisha meant by “jariya (playful girl)” is crucial in determining her age at the time of marriage. A jariya is generally understood as a young girl, but the exact age range is not defined. Aisha’s statement that a girl reaching puberty at nine is considered a woman suggests that girls could reach puberty as early as nine years old. Additionally, it’s noted that Aisha herself, at three years old, could be called a jariya.

Based on ‘Aisha’s reports about her age, she must have been about 4 to 5 years old at that time, which aligns with her self-description as jariyyatun al‘ab, even if one emphasizes the “activity and running” connotation of jariyya for etymological reasons. The term is also used for infant girls, as in the authentic hadith about washing the urine of baby girls. [Al-Tirmidhi, al-Jami’ al-Kabir – Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 616; classified as hasan by al-Tirmidhi, and sahih by Shu‘aib al-Arna’ut and al-Albani; al-Sijistani, Abu Dawud, al-Sunan, Hadith 375-379; Al-Nasa’i, al-Sunan, Hadith 304; Ibn Majah, al-Sunan, Hadith 525-527;]

Considering these points, the age of a jariya could range from three to eight years old. If we take the latest possible date for the revelation of Surah al-Qamar as 10 AH and the minimum age of a jariya as three, Aisha would have been 8 years old at the time of her marriage. On the other hand, if we consider the earliest possible date for the revelation of Surah al-Qamar as 4 AH and the maximum age of a jariya as eight, Aisha would have been fourteen years old at the time of her marriage.

However, due to the uncertainty surrounding these dates and ages, Muhammad al-Ghufayli argues against dismissing established narrations based on historical speculation, especially when there’s disagreement about the revelation date of Surah al-Qamar. Therefore, the ages of six and nine mentioned in the established narrations of Bukhari and Muslim remain valid and should not be discounted based on ambiguous interpretations.

The Claim that “After Ten” Was Implied in the Original Statement

Claiming that Aisha was 9 years old when she married the Prophet (pbuh) is mere gossip. It is more likely that she was 19 years old when she joined the Prophet at his home in the month of Shawal, after the first Ramadan in Medina (see Mokhtasar Sirat Ar-Rasul, p. 80, by Mohammed Ibn Abdulwahâb).

This gossip overlooks the relative numbering commonly used in Arabic. This method numbers events in relation to another contextually defined event. “6 or 9 years old” could mean 6 or 9 years “after ten,” “after the start of revelation,” or “after twenty,” depending on the conversation’s context. This remains a customary practice in Arabic even today. The hadith from Bukhari, which quotes a sentence from a conversation, indicates her age during these events but does not specify her age “after birth.”

Other hadiths reveal that some asked Aisha if she remembered her parents’ conversion to Islam, which occurred 13 years before her marriage. It would be absurd to ask her about memories 4 years before her birth. Furthermore, Aisha responded that “as long as she could remember, her parents always practiced Islam.” Assuming such memories can only form at the age of 6, and adding the 13 years between her parents’ conversion and her marriage, places her age at 19 years.

Refutation:

The above argument lacks merit. Not only is there no indication of such an implication, but several narrations from Aisha also specify that she was eighteen at the time of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) death.

Aisha said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married her when she was six years old, consummated the marriage with her when she was nine, and when he died, she was eighteen.”

These accounts are found in the narrations from mursal reports of

‘Urwa through al-Zuhri [Muslim, al-Sahih, Hadith 1422 -71 et al.],
, Urwa through Hisham [Ibn Ishaq, al-Siyar wa al-Maghazi, 255; ‘Abdul Razzaq, al-Musannaf, Hadith 10350; Ibn Manda, Ma‘rifa al-Sahaba, (Al-Ain: UAE University Press, 2006) 940-941],
, Urwa through Abi al-Zinad [Al-Tabarani, al-Mu‘jam al-Awst, Hadith 6957.],
Aswad [Muslim, al-Sahih, Hadith 1422 -72 et al.],
Abu ‘Ubaida [Ibn Majah, al-Sunan, Hadith 1876; Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol.8, 48],
Yazid b. Jabir [Al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, Hadith 6714.],
Qatada [Al-Tabarani, Mujam al-Kabir, Vol.23, 19 Hadith 40].

Such narrations clearly indicate that the ages six and nine cannot be interpreted as sixteen and nineteen, respectively. This fact was acknowledged by the late Khalid Mas‘ud in his otherwise favorable review of Hakim Niaz Ahmad’s work, which takes a revisionist perspective on Aisha’s age.[ See: Hakim Niaz Ahmad, Kashf al-Ghumma ‘an ‘Umar Umm al-Umma – Tahqiq ‘Umar-i-‘Aisha, p. 33.]

Abu Said Khudri and Anas Bin Malik were Junior to Aisha (ra)

Al-Tahawi narrates in “Ahkam al-Qur’an” from Ali bin Abd al-Rahman, from al-Munjab bin al-Harith al-Taymi, and from Fahd bin Sulayman, from Muhammad bin Saeed al-Asbahani, both from Ali bin Mus-hir, from Hisham bin Urwa, from his father, from Aisha (ra) that she said:

“What knowledge do Abu Said al-Khudri and Anas bin Malik have of the hadith of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him)? They were two little boys.”

Al-Tabarani narrates this in his “al-Mu`jam al-Kabir” from Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Hadrami, from Munjab bin al-Harith, from Ali bin Mus-hir, from Hisham bin Urwa, that Aisha had said so. [Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Hadrami was a Kufan, considered reliable and a hadith master, who died in 297 AH at the age of 95.] This chain is broken between Hisham bin Urwa and Aisha.

Ibn Asakir narrates it from Abu al-Hasan Ali bin al-Hasan al-Mawazini, from Abu al-Husayn bin Abi al-Nasr, from Abu Bakr Yusuf bin al-Qasim, from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Saakin, from Ali bin al-Haytham, from al-Mu`alli bin Mansur, from Ali bin Mus-hir, from Hisham bin Urwa, from his father, from Aisha.

Refutation:

Determining whether ‘Aisha was older than Anas bin Malik and Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri involves examining historical records and accounts from early Islamic sources. Here’s a summary based on available data:

‘Aisha’s Age: According to the most commonly cited sources, ‘Aisha was born approximately in 613 or 614 CE. This would make her around six years old at the time of her marriage contract with the Prophet Muhammad (around 619 CE) and about nine years old when the marriage was consummated (around 622 CE, shortly after the hijra).
Anas bin Malik’s Age: Anas bin Malik is generally believed to have been born around 612 CE. This would make him around ten years old at the time of the hijra in 622 CE.
Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri’s Age: Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri is also reported to have been born around 612 CE, making him about ten years old at the time of the hijra.

The statement’s analysis is based on two primary perspectives regarding ‘Aisha’s age:

Common Narrative: If ‘Aisha was born around 613-614 CE, she would be about one to two years younger than Anas and Abu Sa‘id, who were born around 612 CE. Now, if ‘Aisha was a year younger than Anas and Abu Sa‘id, referring to them as “two little boys” would appear contradictory and diminish the credibility of her statement. This perspective implies that ‘Aisha’s remark might have been more about their maturity and experience rather than their literal age.
Alternative Opinion: If ‘Aisha was born four years before the Revelation, making her seven years older than the two companions, it would make sense for her to refer to them as “two little boys.” This significant age gap would mean that by her wedding day, she had a more mature understanding of the events and the teachings of the Prophet (ﷺ), justifying her description of Anas and Abu Sa‘id as young boys due to their relative inexperience.

In conclusion, the validity of ‘Aisha’s statement calling Anas and Abu Sa‘id “two little boys” depends heavily on the accepted chronology of their respective birth years.

Based on the commonly accepted dates, ‘Aisha was younger than Anas bin Malik and Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri by approximately one to two years. However, if we consider the alternative opinion that places her birth four years before the Revelation, she would be significantly older than both companions.

Thus, according to the prevalent historical accounts, ‘Aisha was not older than Anas and Abu Sa‘id. The statement referring to them as “young boys” likely pertains more to their relative maturity and experience rather than strictly their chronological age.

‘Aisha referred to Fatima as "O daughter."

Al-Idlibi references a narration about a dialogue between ‘Aisha and Fatima during the Prophet’s (ﷺ) final days, in which ‘Aisha referred to Fatima as “O daughter.”

Ibn Abi Aasim mentions in al-Aahaad wa-l-Mathani, al-Dawlabi in al-Dhurriyya al-Taahira, al-Tahawi in Mushkil al-Aathar, al-Tabarani in al-Mu`jam al-Kabir, and al-Bayhaqi in Dalaa’il al-Nubuwwa through the narration of Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Amr bin Uthman from his mother Fatima bint al-Husayn that ‘Aisha, wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him), recounted a conversation she had with Fatima:

“The Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) in his illness in which he passed away said to Fatima, “Daughter come bend forward.” So she did, so he spoke to her in whispers for an hour. Then she rose up, crying. Then he said to her: “Daughter come bend forward.” So she did. So she did and they spoke in whispers for another hour. Then when she rose up she was smiling.” Aisha said: “O daughter, tell me what your dad whispered to you about.” Then when God had taken his soul, Fatima said: “As for now, very well. He whispered to me the first time, telling me that Gabriel used to review the Quran with him once a year and that he had reviewed the Quran with me twice this year. That made me cry. Then he whispered to the last time saying that I would be the first of his family to be reunited with him and he said: “You are the first lady of the women of Paradise except for (?) the Virgin Mary daughter of Imran.” So I smiled at that.”

Al-Idlibi explains –

The clue is that ‘Aisha called Fatima “O daughter.” According to the most common views, Fatima was born five years before the Revelation, or close to it, or soon after. If ‘Aisha had been born four years after the Revelation, Fatima would be between four and eight years older than her. It is very strange and unlikely for a younger person to refer to an older one as “O daughter,” even if the younger was the older one’s father’s wife.
However, if ‘Aisha had been born four years before the Revelation, this would mean Fatima was either one year older than her or up to three years younger. If one prefers the opinion that Fatima was younger by three years, it would not be far-fetched for the older to call the younger “O daughter.” If one prefers the more common view that Fatima was about one year older than ‘Aisha, this small age difference would not make it very unlikely for the younger to call the slightly older one “O daughter,” especially if the younger was the older one’s stepmother.
This narration provides a clear clue that ‘Aisha was born four years before the Revelation, not four years after. Although this particular narration has an unsound chain, it is supported by many corroborating narrations (shawahid).

Refutation:

Reliability of the narrators:

Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Amr bin Uthman bin Affan: He is a Medinan and died in 145 AH. He is unreliable. This suggests that there are issues with his trustworthiness or accuracy as a narrator, which affects the overall reliability of hadiths narrated through him.
Fatima bint al-Husayn: Fatima, the daughter of the Martyred al-Husayn, is reliable, undoubtedly.

Overall Chain Evaluation:

The analysis points out that while Fatima bint al-Husayn is a reliable narrator according to established scholars, the unreliability of Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Amr bin Uthman bin Affan affects the chain’s overall authenticity. In hadith studies, the reliability of each narrator is crucial, and a single unreliable narrator can render the entire chain unsound. Therefore, despite the credibility of other narrators, the presence of an unreliable narrator in this chain leads to its classification as unsound.

Response to the Al-Idlibi’s void Arguments:

Al-Idlibi argues that it is far-fetched for a young woman to address someone older than her as “O daughter,” even if she were her stepmother.

However, this argument is weak because there is no evidence to suggest ‘Aisha was older than Fatima. Al-Idlibi implies that Fatima was only a few months or a year older than ‘Aisha and that such a small age difference would not prevent a younger stepmother from calling someone older than her “O daughter.” This contradiction is too obvious to need further explanation.

Additionally, the report about this dialogue is well-known, and most narrations [such as Al-Bukhari, al-Sahih, Hadith 6285; Muslim, al-Sahih, Hadith 2450-98,99; Ahmad, al-Musnad, Hadith 26413] do not include ‘Aisha addressing Fatima as “O daughter.” Therefore, the only narration with these words lacks strong narrative authority.[See al-Tahawi, Abu Ja‘far, Sharh Mushkil al-Athar, Ed. Shu‘aib al-Arna’ut (Beirut: al-Resalah Publishers, 1994) Vol.1, 139-140 Hadith 146 – classified as da‘if. Ibn Abi ‘Asim, al-Ahad wa al-Mathani, Hadith 2970; Al-Tabarani, al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, Vol.22, Hadith 1031; al-Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, Vol.7, 165-166; al-Dawlabi, Al-Dhurriya al-tahira, 105 Hadith 194]

In any case, it is natural and reasonable for a stepmother to refer to her stepdaughter as “O daughter,” regardless of the age difference, and this does not warrant revising an established report.

Intellectual Maturity For Marriage based On Quran

Examining the Quran shows that marriage in Islam is regarded as a civil contract, referred to as “meesaaq” (Quran 4:21). Hence, it is only permissible between individuals who possess the intellectual and physical maturity to comprehend and fulfill the obligations of this contract.

This concept is further elucidated in the verse: “And test the orphans until they reach the age of nikah (marriage), and if you find in them rushdh (maturity of intellect), release their property to them.” (Quran: 4:6).

It is noteworthy that the Quran considers intellectual maturity, which typically occurs after puberty, as the criterion for determining the age of marriage. This aligns with the Quranic portrayal of marriage as an emotional connection between two compatible individuals, seeking “to dwell in tranquility” (see Quran 7:189 and Quran 30:21) in each other’s companionship, which is hindered if either spouse is not mentally developed.

If you examine the above verses of the Quran, a question arises about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Do you truly believe he could do something that contradicts the Quran? So, it can’t happen that he married to Aisha such at young age.

Refutation:

Prophet Muhammad (sa) didn’t ever go against Quran. Note that the completion of the marriage between the Prophet Muhammad and Aisha took place when she was nine years old, not at the time of the initial marriage contract when she was six. This timing aligns with the understanding in Islam that a female who has reached puberty is considered mature and eligible for marriage.

While some may question how a girl could reach puberty at such a young age, it’s essential to recognize that historical and cultural contexts vary, and factors like diet, lifestyle, and genetics could have influenced the age at which puberty occurred in different regions and time periods.

There are several historical and scientific evidences we have in the following paragraph: –

When Does Puberty Starts based on scientific Evidence?

According to scientific evidence, we see that girls puberty start from 6-8 years. It develops over time.

According to Jasmine Marie Reese, MD, MPH at John Hopkin School of Medicine Faculty,

For girls, the stages of puberty start around the age of 8. This may sound young, but we are seeing physical puberty changes start younger and younger and depending on genetics, you may even start to see puberty changes at the age of 7. The first sign of puberty for girls is breast development or breast budding. You may hear your doctor use a fancy term for this called thelarche. If you don’t notice breast budding by the age of 13 you should be sure to have a check-up with your pediatrician or adolescent medicine doctor.

Even you can also get the scientific proof of puberty age of 21st century from a recent study published by Eckert-Lind C, Busch AS, Petersen JH, et al that on journal pediatrics the median age at which healthy girls attained Tanner breast stage 2 was different based on race and geographical location.

In Europe: 9.8 to 10.8 years
In the US: 8.8 to 10.3 years
In Africa: 10.1 to 13.2 years
In Asia: 8.9 to 11.5 years
In the Middle East: 9.7 to 10.3 years

A study of NCBI also depicts in its study that

An analysis of a large population-based cohort of 135,000 girls demonstrated that pre-pubertal BMI (at age 7) was associated with earlier age of puberty (determined by age of onset of growth spurt and age at peak height velocity) in a cohort born 1930–1969,4 although there was a general earlier trend across BMI categories during the time periods studied, suggesting other causes in addition to BMI…….

There are numerous clinical studies regarding girls’ age of puberty which prove that girls’ puberty stage differs based on geographical location, genetics, and lifestyle. Even, according to the study of Springer Link, the puberty age ranges from 6-12 years old.

According to Weil’s report — “Puberty before age 10: A new ‘normal’?” — Ainsley is part of a growing tide of young girls forced to confront the mounting pressures of puberty at an increasingly young age.

Jasmine Marie Reese, MD, MPH published in the journal Pediatrics found that 10 percent of white girls, 23 percent of black girls, 15 percent of Hispanic girls, and 2 percent of Asian girls start growing breasts by the age of 7. But that earlier breast development hasn’t generally been accompanied by an early first period.

Is there any Historical Evidence that Aisha (ra) was in her puberty?

It’s important to note that according to recent studies, the onset of puberty for girls typically occurs between the ages of 8 to 14, although individual variations exist. Aisha’s puberty likely began around the age of 8 and continued until she was 9. Once she began menstruating and experiencing the physical and hormonal changes associated with puberty, she would have been considered a woman according to Islamic tradition, rather than a child.

Early symptoms of puberty in girls can include experiencing premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which encompasses various physical and emotional changes that occur before menstruation. These symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, nausea, mood swings, breast tenderness, bloating, and emotional sensitivity. These signs indicate that a girl’s body is undergoing significant hormonal changes, marking the transition from childhood to adolescence.

According to some Hadiths, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was indeed unwell before her marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is mentioned in various narrations, indicating that she was experiencing some form of illness or discomfort at that time.

Narrated Aisha:

The Prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six (years). We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Bani-al-Harith bin Khazraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell down. Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Um Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girl friends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me. She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when my breathing became Allright, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said, “Best wishes and Allah’s Blessing and a good luck.” Then she entrusted me to them and they prepared me (for the marriage). Unexpectedly Allah’s Apostle came to me in the forenoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age.

It’s a reasonable interpretation based on the hadith that Aisha’s illness and the changes her body experienced could indeed be indicative of her going through puberty, which aligns with the historical context and the age at which puberty commonly occurs in girls.

Historical records indicate that Aisha adapted well to her new life with the Prophet and did not exhibit distress from being away from her parents. Additionally, her happiness suggests a level of emotional maturity consistent with someone who had reached puberty.

It’s also noteworthy that different cultures and religions have varying perspectives on the age of consent and marriage, with many recognizing puberty as a significant milestone for adulthood and marriage eligibility. This perspective is shared not only in Islam but also in some Christian and Jewish traditions.

Some Historical evidences about early marriage

Some historical facts that may shed more lights on this matter. Note that our goal is not to promote child marriage in this century. Our purpose is to show the readers that early marriage was common on pre-Islamic era and the definition of a ‘child’ was very different considering the time, culture, geographical locations and norms.

1. Child brides as young as 8 were indeed common among the Byzantine emperors and nobility. One example of this is the marriage between Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus and Helena Lekapene. Constantine VII was the Byzantine Emperor from 913 to 959 AD. He married Helena Lekapene when she was only about eight years old. This marriage was typical of the time, where political alliances and dynastic considerations often led to marriages between young girls and older men in positions of power.

2. Joseph, the husband of Mary, was 90 years old when he married Mary, who was between 12 to 14 years old. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the marriage of Mary to Joseph is described as follows:

“When forty years of age, Joseph married a woman called Melcha or Escha by some, Salome by others; they lived forty-nine years together and had six children, two daughters and four sons, the youngest of whom was James (the Less, “the Lord’s brother”). A year after his wife’s death, as the priests announced through Judea that they wished to find in the tribe of Juda a respectable man to espouse Mary, then twelve to fourteen years of age, Joseph, who was at the time ninety years old, went up to Jerusalem among the candidates; a miracle manifested the choice God had made of Joseph, and two years later the Annunciation took place.”

3. Underage marriage was normal around the world in pre-Islamic eras. According to several historians the life expectancy of people in pre-Islamic time could be a reason for this practice. According to a study published on Research Gate Journal –

People living in Muslim countries in 2013 had an average life expectancy at birth of just 67 years – four years lower than the global average of 71 years! Life expectancy is a statistical measure of the number of years an individual is expected to live. Global average life expectancy today is much greater than what is was in 1900 – then only 31 years. During the period of the medieval Islamic Caliphate, however, life expectancy at birth of the general population was relatively high, above 35 years, according to Conrad Lawrence (1995) in the book, The Western Medical Tradition: 800 BC to AD 1800. This is greater than longevity figures estimated for late medieval English aristocracy (30 years), and for populations in classical Greece (28 years) and classical Rome (20-30 years).

4. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), it was common for young girls to marry at an early age, and age difference was not considered significant in marriage. It is important to remember that there was social pressure for young girls to marry early, they matured earlier due to climatic and geographical conditions, and they were often seen as assets meant to mature in their husband’s house. This practice was not limited to girls; boys were also married at ages 8, 9, and 10, and they assumed the responsibilities of a family head at an age that seems very young by today’s standards. Perhaps it is this cultural context that explains why this issue was not questioned until recent times.

Amr ibn As, for example, was 12 years older than his son Abdullah, indicating that he was around 10 years old when he got married. For more information, refer to Ibn al-Athir, Usud al-Gaba, 3/240.

5. In Hinduism, Sri Rama married Sita when Sita was 6 years old. (Skanda Purana, 3:2:30:8-9); Lord Krishna married Rukmini when Rukmini was 8 years old. (Skanda Purana 5:3:142:8-79); And Shiva married Parvati, when Parvati was 8 years old. (Shiva Purana, Rudrasamhita, Parvati Khanda 3:11:1-2). You will find numerous such examples in Hinduism.

The Vedas, particularly the Rigveda and Atharvaveda, contain verses suggesting that during the Vedic period, girls were married either before or during puberty, as they were considered mature. (Source: Nagi, B. S. (1 January 1993). Child Marriage in India: A Study of Its Differential Patterns in Rajasthan. Mittal Publications. p. 6.)

According to Singh, Upinder (2008). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. Pearson Education India. p. 420., Some early Dharmaśāstra texts also recommend that girls should be married after reaching puberty., while others extend the marriageable age to before puberty.

According to the Manusmriti, a father is considered to have wronged his daughter if he fails to marry her before puberty. If a girl remains unmarried for more than three years after reaching puberty, she has the right to search for a husband herself. (Source: Allan Dahlaquist (31 December 1996). Megasthenes and Indian Religion: A Study in Motives and Types. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 113–114.)

we see similar things, described in sacred-texts.com.

The righteous condemn the practice of having children with Sudra women. A Brahmana who begets children with a Sudra woman incurs the obligation of performing an expiation. A man of thirty years should marry a girl of ten years, called a Nagnika. Alternatively, a man of twenty-one should marry a girl of seven years. A girl without a brother or father should not be married, O chief of Bharata’s race, as she may be intended as her father’s Putrika. After reaching puberty, a girl should wait for three years to marry. In the fourth year, if she is still unmarried, she should seek a husband herself rather than waiting for her kinsmen to choose one for her. The children of such a girl maintain their respectability, and marrying such a girl is not disgraceful. If she does not select a husband herself, she incurs the reproach of Prajapati. A man should marry a girl who is not a Sapinda of his mother or of the same Gotra as his father. This is the practice consistent with the sacred law, as declared by Manu.

Life in the desert 1400 years ago was exceedingly harsh. The average lifespan during that period was between 40 – 45 years. Diseases were rampant, claiming lives indiscriminately. Notably, both parents of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) passed away from natural causes before he could even remember them.

His father, Abdallah bin Hashem, passed away while his mother, Amina bint Wahb, was still pregnant with Muhammad (pbuh). Amina then passed away when Muhammad was approximately 2 years old. Raised by his mother’s female servant, Saadiyyah, and his uncle Abu Talib, Muhammad found protection and support from Abu Talib, who stood by him when Muhammad announced his prophethood at the age of 40.

Age of consent around the world based on historical evidence

According to Wikipedia,

In Delaware, the age of consent was 10 years old uৃntil 1871 when it was lowered to 7 years old. Under the 1871 law, a man was given the death penalty for sex with a girl below the age of consent. [in 19th and 20th centuries]

Even according to the “Children and Youth in History” the minimum age for marriage in the US-State of Delaware in year 1880 was 7 where it showed a table of Age Limit in Age of Consent Laws in Selected Countries. [Source: -“Age of Consent Laws,” in Children and Youth in History, Item #24, (accessed March 2, 2013). Annotated by Stephen Robertson.]

Why did prophet Muhammad (pbuh) marry Ayesha when she was 6?

The Prophet’s marriage to Aisha, has often been targeted for criticism by detractors of Islam. Firstly, it’s crucial to clarify to those who perceive this union as an act of brutality or child abuse that they should endeavor to grasp the primary purpose behind the marriage and the circumstances surrounding the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prior to the marriage.

Before delving into the Prophet’s condition preceding this marriage, it’s essential to underscore that his decision to marry Aisha was driven by noble intentions and a lofty purpose. Consequently, the consummation of the marriage was deferred until sometime after the migration to Madinah, coinciding with her attaining maturity. The underlying motives behind this union cannot be attributed to mere passion or physical attraction. Moreover, it’s noteworthy that during a period spanning five to six years, when the Prophet was 56 years old, he exclusively lived with Aisha and Sawdah without taking any additional wives.

According to several scholars, some important factors to consider regarding prophet marriages with Aisha (Ra) are –

Firstly, the proposal of the Prophet to Aisha was facilitated by a suggestion from Khawalh bint Hakim, aimed at fortifying the bond with his companion Abu Bakr and reaffirming his affection for him.
Next, the fact that Aisha had attracted the attention of Jubair ibn Mut`am before the Prophet’s proposal indicates her suitability for marriage, as per the prevailing norms of that era. If not, the Quraish people, known for seizing any opportunity to denigrate the Prophet, would have exploited this marriage as grounds for slander. However, they expressed no objection to this engagement; instead, they regarded the news of the Prophet’s proposal to Aisha as routine and anticipated.
Then, Aisha’s situation was not unique, as many girls of her age were wed to men significantly older than themselves. For instance, Hala, the cousin of Amina bint Wahb, married Abdul-Muttalib on the same day that his son Abdullah wed Aminah bint Wahb, who was of the same age as Hala. Similarly, the companion Umar ibn Al-Khattab married the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra) when he was of her grandfather’s age.
In addition, The purpose of marriage to Aisha was primarily sociopolitical. The Prophet’s foremost concern was the advancement and fortification of Islam. He sought to strengthen the Muslim community through various means, including marital alliances. For instance, his marriage to Juwayriyyah facilitated the support for Islam from the entire clan of Bani Al-Mustaliq and their affiliated tribes. Similarly, his union with Safiyyah helped neutralize a significant portion of the antagonistic Jewish factions in Arabia. Additionally, his acceptance of Mariya, the Copt from Egypt, as his wife forged a political alliance with a powerful king. Therefore, his marriage to Aisha served to solidify his relationship with Abu Bakr, Aisha’s father, and further the interests of Islam.
Aditionally, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not marry Aisha with the intention of fulfilling a personal desire or indulging in lust. In his early years, he married Khadija (ra) who was fifteen years his senior. He remained faithful to her until her passing, and even then, his subsequent marriage to Sawdah bint Zam`ah was to an elderly widow with no particularly striking attributes. This underscores the noble intentions behind the Prophet’s marriages. Moreover, when Khawlah bint Hakim proposed the idea of marrying Aisha to him, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, deliberated carefully before making a decision, considering his relationship with Abu Bakr.
Above all, In the verses of the Qur’an (Nisa 4:6) revealed during that time, the age for marriage was mentioned, emphasizing that children should be married when they reach maturity. Thus, opposing a divine directive is inconceivable. Considering Umar’s mentality, if intervention had been necessary, the Prophet would surely have been warned through a subsequent revelation, and steps would have been taken to address the issue. Ultimately, the Prophet’s marriage to Aisha occurred in accordance with divine will (Bukhari, Ta’bir, 21, Manakib al-Ansar, 44, Niqah, 9; Muslim, Fadail al-Sahaba, 79; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 6/41, 128).

Upon arriving at the Prophet’s house, Sawdah graciously welcomed Aisha and cared for her until her passing. Subsequently, Aisha remained devoted to the Prophet (pbuh) throughout their ten years of marriage. She immersed herself in learning and became a dedicated disciple, absorbing knowledge within the noble Prophetic school. Her insights became invaluable to the Companions, as she became a primary source of information about the Prophet’s private life. Aisha also emerged as a prominent figure in politics and exemplified unparalleled generosity.

The Prophet’s deep affection for Aisha symbolized his love for her father. When asked about the most beloved person to his heart, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, named Aisha. Similarly, when asked about the dearest man to him, he, peace and blessings be upon him, honored her father, Abu Bakr.

The Modern Society

The debate surrounding Aisha’s age in modern scholarship reflects a broader shift in societal attitudes towards child marriages. While earlier scholars primarily focused on the authenticity of hadiths without delving deeply into their historiography, contemporary scholars often analyze these narratives through the lens of modern ethical standards, particularly regarding child marriages.

This shift has led to two main conclusions: some scholars argue that the Prophet’s historiography reflects a flawed character, while others suggest that the hadith recordings may be erroneous due to their incongruity with contemporary values. Both perspectives have significant implications. The former equates hadith narrations with the Quran, while the latter seeks to discredit authentic hadiths using alternative historical data.

However, a balanced approach, as advocated by Ignaz Goldziher, recognizes the hadiths as compelling indicators of religious practice based on the community’s consensus on their authenticity. This approach does not claim infallibility but acknowledges the importance of hadiths in guiding religious praxis.

It’s essential to distinguish between explicit and implicit narrations in this discourse. While implicit hadiths, such as those used to calculate Aisha’s age through other evidence, are valuable, they should not override explicit hadiths that specifically detail her age.

Ultimately, questioning the authenticity of hadiths should prompt a reevaluation of our worldview. Were child marriages common during the Prophet’s time, and how were they perceived by society? These questions require a nuanced understanding of historical context and social norms to interpret the significance of Aisha’s age at the time of her marriage.

Historical Context regarding Early Marriage

The debate over Aisha’s age at the time of her marriage prompts reflection on societal norms and historical contexts surrounding child marriages. Some struggle to accept the notion that girls in the Arabian Peninsula reached puberty as young as nine, considering such marriages as criminal by modern standards. However, historical accounts and testimonies indicate that puberty at nine was not uncommon in that region.

Imām Shāfiʿī noted, “I observed numerous women in Yemen reaching puberty at the age of nine.” He further recounted witnessing in Ṣanʿā a grandmother who, at twenty-one years old, had a daughter who reached puberty at nine and gave birth at ten. Remarkably, the granddaughter of this woman also reached puberty at nine and gave birth at ten.

Al-Ḥasan ibn Ṣaliḥ similarly shared an account of encountering a slave girl within their household who became a grandmother at twenty-one. These anecdotes illustrate that instances of girls reaching puberty at nine, and even giving birth at ten, were not uncommon in the Arabian Peninsula.

Regarding the definition of childhood, Neil Postman’s analysis in “The Disappearance of Childhood” sheds light on how societal constructs of childhood evolved over time.

In oral societies, childhood typically ended around age seven, coinciding with the mastery of speech. However, the Islamic tradition, with its emphasis on oral transmission and memorization, may have extended the period of childhood development. Additionally, the responsibilities assigned to women in households exposed them to adult life early on, blurring the distinction between childhood and adulthood.

In examining the marriage proposal involving Aisha, it’s noteworthy that the Prophet’s response was uniform for both her and Sawda, despite their age difference. This suggests that societal perceptions of age and maturity differed from modern standards. Classical Islamic scholars, reflecting the norms of their time, did not emphasize Aisha’s age in marriage.

Furthermore, historical precedents, such as child marriages in early 20th-century America, challenge the notion that such practices were unique to medieval societies. Thousands of underage marriages occurred in the US, illustrating the variability of social norms over time.

While contemporary society may reject child marriages, it’s crucial to approach religious texts with an understanding of historical context rather than imposing modern values retroactively. This perspective encourages a nuanced examination of societal norms and religious traditions, acknowledging their complexity and evolution over time.

Conclusion

Aisha’s statements about her age at the time of her marriage are well-documented and supported by numerous reports from her students. Additionally, her multiple accounts of her young age following the marriage further substantiate this position. In contrast, the arguments supporting the alternate view are largely speculative and do not constitute standalone evidence, even according to their most fervent supporters. Socio-cultural context, specific details of the marriage, and ‘Aisha’s own clear self-perception provide a strong defense against modern criticisms. Embracing revisionism in this context could reinforce scandalous impressions and represent an epistemic contradiction by prioritizing speculative and indirect reports over widely transmitted and direct evidence.

Even, the assumption that the ḥadīth of ʿĀʾisha’s age can be disputed based on the indecency of child marriage is invalid because the concept of childhood did not exist during their time, the age of puberty for some girls was the age of nine, and their culture was simply different. The claims that she was in her teens when she got married do not provide enough strong evidence to discard two explicit ḥadīth in Bukhārī and Muslim, but rather represent attempts to legitimize our own insecurities.

References

1. ʿĀʾisha Bint Abī Bakr, the Prophet’s third and most beloved wife, was born in Mecca around 614 CE. Her mother, Umm Rūmān, hailed from the tribe of Qināna. Muḥammad bestowed upon ʿĀʾisha the kunya Umm ʿAbd Allāh, in honor of her nephew ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Zubayr. (Reference: W. Montgomery Watt, “ʿĀʾisha Bint Abī Bakr,” Encyclopedia of Islam, 2nd edition: 12 vols., ed. by P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs et al., Leiden: Brill, 1960-2005)

2. Sahih Muslim 1422 : Book 16, Hadith 83

3. Sahih al-Bukhari 3894. Book 63, Hadith 119; Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ, Nikāḥ, viii. 52 no. 5133.; (similar narration on Sahih al-Bukhari 5134, Book 67, Hadith 70 and Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Hadith Number 234)

4. Sunan an-Nasa’i 3379 Book 26, Hadith 184; Abū Dawūd, Sunan, Adab, iv. 284 no. 4933; Ibn Mājah, Sunan, Nikāḥ, iii. 75 no. 1876; Nasāʾī, Sunan, Nikāḥ, vi. 82 no. 3255.

5. Abū Muḥammad ʿAlī b. Aḥmad b. Saʿīd, born in Cordova in 384/994 and passing away in Manta Līs̲h̲am in 456/1064, was a versatile Andalusian figure. He excelled as a poet, historian, jurist, philosopher, and theologian, earning a place among the most prominent thinkers of Arabo-Muslim civilization. Ibn Ḥazm is renowned for codifying the Ẓāhirī doctrine and applying its method rigorously across various Qurʾānic sciences. (Reference: R. Arnaldez, “Ibn Ḥazm,” Encyclopedia of Islam, 2nd edition)

6 Ibn Ḥazm, Ḥujjat-l-Widāʿ, 435.

7 ʿImād al-Dīn Ismāʿīl b. ʿUmar b. Kat̲h̲īr, born around 700/1300 in Boṣrā and passing away in Damascus in S̲h̲aʿbān 774/February 1373, distinguished himself as one of the most renowned historians and traditionalists of Syria during the Baḥrī Mamlūk dynasty. Initially educated in Damascus, where he relocated with his elder brother after their father’s demise in 706/1306, Ibn Kathīr’s scholarly journey saw him studying fiqh under the guidance of the S̲h̲āfiʿī scholar Burhān al-Dīn al-Fazārī in 729. However, he soon gravitated towards the teachings of Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728/1328) and his school. (Reference: H. Laoust, “Ibn Kat̲h̲īr,” Encyclopedia of Islam, 2nd edition)

8 Ibn Kathīr, al-Sīrat al-Nabawiyya, ii. 141.

9 The al-Namarī (al-Numayrī) family, renowned among Cordovan scholars, particularly highlighted by Abū ʿUmar Yūsuf b. ʿAbd Allāh, born in 368/978. Yūsuf studied under esteemed mentors in Cordova, corresponded with Eastern scholars, and extensively traveled within Spain in pursuit of knowledge, although he never journeyed to the East. Initially displaying Ẓāhirī inclinations akin to his contemporary Ibn Ḥazm, Yūsuf later aligned with the Malikī doctrine, excelling in both fiqh and genealogy. (Reference: Ch. Pellat, “Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr,” Encyclopedia of Islam, 2nd edition)

10 Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istīʿāb, iv. 1881.

11 Khawlah bint Hakim (Arabic: خولة بنت حكيم) stands among the esteemed female companions of Muhammad. She was wedded to Uthman bin Maz’oon, who, like her, embraced Islam in its early days, marking them as among the first converts to the faith.

12 Sawdah bint Zamʿah (Arabic: سودة بنت زمعة) held the esteemed position of being the second wife of Muhammad and was honored with the title “Umm-ul-Mu’mineen” (Arabic: أمّ المؤمنين), which translates to “Mother of the Believers”.

13 Muṭʽim ibn ʽAdi (Arabic: مطعم بن عدي) was a prominent figure during the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was a non-Muslim and served as the chief of the Banu Nawfal clan within the Banu Quraish tribe.

14 Ibn Ḥanbal, Musnad.

15Ibn Ḥajar, al-Iṣāba.; Bacharach, Middle East Handbook, 54; Mohiuddin, Revelation; Ghufaylī, al-Sanā al-Wahhāj; Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāya; Ibn Ḥajar, Fatḥ al-Bārī, viii., 304; Al-Dhahabī, Siyar; Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Taḥrīr wa-l-Tanwīr, xvii., 168; Nawawī, Tahdhīb al-Asmaʾ wa-l-Lughāt; Encyclopedia of Islam, 2nd edition.

16 Surah al-Qamar, 54:46.

17 Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ, Tafsīr al-Qur‘ān, vii. 367 no. 4876.

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The Age of Aisha: Marriage to Muhammad (pbuh) Explained with Proof

A historical, scientific and logical analysis on Aisha's age when married to Muhammad

Why is Aisha's Age getting so much weight?

What Was the common age for marriage 1000 years ago?

Authentic Sources That Reported Aisha's Age in Number

The Marriage Incident

Was AIsha really nine years old when she married Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)?

Arguments OF THE RIVISIONISTS About The Age of Aisha (ra)

Aisha's Previous Betrothal to Jubair Bin Mut‘im

Refutation:

Records keeping problem in Pre-Islamic and early Islamic Era

Record Events In Arabia

Refutation:

Hishām ibn ʿUrwa IS NOT THE ONLY NARRATOR

Refutation:

The Marital-Age Hadith is Historically Inaccurate, Claimed by Joshua Little

Refutation:

‘Aisha’s Recollection of Her Parents Practicing Islam

Refutation:

Weaknesses in the Arguments:

Counterpoints from Historical Narratives

Birth of Fatima (ra): Contradictions in narrations

Refutation:

Wives of Abu Bakr (ra)

Refutation:

Narrations by Allegedly False Narrators or Liars:

Narrations by Reliable Narrators:

embracing of Islam of Aisha (Ra)

Refutation:

Comparison with Other Early Converts:

Later Scholarly Views:

Refuting the Variant Argument:

Asmaʾ, ʿĀʾisha's older sister, was Not ten years her senior!

Refutation:

Aisha's involvement in the Battle of Uhud

Refutation:

Āʾisha and Sūra al-Qamar

Refutation:

The Claim that “After Ten” Was Implied in the Original Statement

Refutation:

Abu Said Khudri and Anas Bin Malik were Junior to Aisha (ra)

Refutation:

‘Aisha referred to Fatima as "O daughter."

Refutation:

Intellectual Maturity For Marriage based On Quran

Refutation:

When Does Puberty Starts based on scientific Evidence?

Is there any Historical Evidence that Aisha (ra) was in her puberty?

Some Historical evidences about early marriage

Age of consent around the world based on historical evidence

Why did prophet Muhammad (pbuh) marry Ayesha when she was 6?

The Modern Society

Historical Context regarding Early Marriage

Conclusion

References

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