AICHA A BRIDE WAS SIX YEARS OF AGE?
The Old Myth Revealed
(article published in The Minaret in March 1999.)
By: Dr. TO Shanavas (Indo-American pediatrician, vice president Islamic Research Foundation, a member of Islamic Center of Greater Toledo , author of several articles on Islam and modern science .)
English translation by: Néstor Pedraza .
Original text in English: http://www.ilaam.net/Articles/Ayesha.html
A Christian friend once asked me: marry your daughter 7 years with a 50 years old? I kept quiet. He continued: "If not, how can you approve the marriage of an innocent child of seven years, Aicha, your Prophet?" My friend smiled and left me with a thorn in the heart of my faith. Many Muslims answer that such marriages were common at that time. Otherwise, people would have opposed the marriage between the Prophet and Aisha.
However, this explanation may seem plausible only to those willing to believe it naive. Unfortunately, I was not satisfied with that response.
The Prophet was an exemplary man. All his actions were so righteous that we, Muslims, can emulate. However, most people in our Islamic Center of Toledo, including me, would not think of marrying her 7 year old daughter with a man of 52 years. If a parent consent to such a wedding, many, if not all, would look down upon old father and husband.
In 1923, the Civil Registry officials in Egypt were instructed not to register or issue official certificates of marriage for brides and grooms under 16 under 18 years of age. Eight years later, the Law on the Organization and Procedure of the Shariah courts of 1931 consolidated the available not attending pre contoversias that involved brides and grooms under 16 under 18 (Women in Muslim Family Law, John Esposito, 1982). This shows that even in a predominantly Muslim country like Egypt, the marriage of children is unacceptable.
Therefore, I believed, without solid proof that my reverence to my Prophet, that the stories of marriage Aicha 7 years and the Prophet 52, they were just myths. My long search for the truth of the matter, has shown that my intuition was correct. My Prophet was a gentleman. And did not marry an innocent girl of 7 or 9 years old. Aicha's age has been reported wrongly Jadiz literature. On the other hand, I think the stories that recorded this event are highly unreliable. Some of the Jadiz (traditions of the Prophet) regarding the age of Aisha at the time of her wedding with prophet are problematic. Presented the following evidence against the acceptance of the fictitious story by Hisham ibn 'Urwah to clear the name of my Prophet of the charge of being an irresponsible old took advantage of an innocent child.
EVIDENCE # 1: The Reliability of the Source.
Most of the stories on this topic published in the books were Jadiz transmitted only by Hisham ibn `Urwah, who supported the authority informed of his father. First, not one but two or three people, should logically have reported. It is strange that no one from Medina, where Hisham ibn `Urwah lived the first 71 years of his life, has narrated the event, despite the fact that among his disciples in Medina was the well-respected Malik ibn Anas. The people who originated the stories of this event were people of Iraq, where Hisham is known that moved after living in Medina for most of his life.
Tehzibu'l-Tehzib , one of the most famous books about life and reliability of the narrators of the traditions of the Prophet, reports that Yaqub ibn Shaibah as: "He [Hisham ] is highly reliable, his narratives are acceptable, except what he narrated after moving to Iraq" (Tehzi 'bu'l-tehzi'b, Ibn Hajar Al-`asqala'ni, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Islami, XV century, Vol 11, p. 50).
The book also states that Malik ibn Anas objected on those narratives of Hisham through people of Iraq. "I was told that Malik objected on those narratives of Hisham through people of Iraq" (Tehzi'bu'l-tehzi'b, Ibn Hajar Al-`asqala'ni, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Islami, Vol.11, p. 50).
Mizanu'l -ai `tidal, another book on the biographies of the narrators of traditions of the Prophet, reports:" When I was old, Hisham's memory suffered quite badly "(Mizanu'l-ai` tidal , Al-Zahbi, Al-Maktabatu'l-athriyyah, Sheikhupura, Pakistan, Vol 4, p. 301).
CONCLUSION: Based on these references, Hisham's memory was failing and his narratives while in Iraq were unreliable. So the story about the marriage of Aisha and her age is not reliable.
CHRONOLOGY: It is also vital to take into account some of the relevant dates in the history of Islam:
· Before of 610 AD: Yajiliya (pre-Islamic period) before the revelation.
· 610: First revelation.
· 610: Abu Bakr accepted Islam.
· 613: The Prophet Muhammad begins preaching publicly.
· 615: Migration to Abyssinia.
· 616: Umar bin al Khattab accepts Islam.
· 620: generally accepted date of the engagement of the hand of Aicha by the Prophet (betrothal).
· 622: Hijrah (migration to Yathrib, later called Medina).
· 623/624: Date generally accepted Aicha year began to cohabit with the Prophet.
EVIDENCE # 2: The Betrothal.
According to Al-Tabari (also known under the names Hisham ibn 'Urwah, Ibn Hunbal, and Ibn Sad), Aisha was betrothed at 7 years old and began to cohabit with the Prophet at the age 9.
However, in another work, Al-Tabari says: "All four children of [Abu Bakr] were born of his two wives during the pre-Islamic era (Tarikhu'l-umam wa'l-mamlu'k, Al-Tabari (d. in 922), Vol 4, p. 50, Arab, Dara'l-Fikr, Beirut, 1979).
If Aicha was promised in 620 AD (age 7) and began living with the Prophet in 624 (at age 9), this would indicate that she was born in 613 and was 9 years old when he cohabit with the Prophet. Therefore, based on the accounts of Al-Tabari, the numbers show that Aisha was born in 613, three years after the beginning of revelation (610 AD) Al-Tabari also states that Aisha was born in pre-Islamic era (the Yajiliya). If she was born before 610, would have been at least 14 years old when she began living with the Prophet. In Essentially, Tabari contradicts himself.
CONCLUSION: Al-Tabari is unreliable in determining the age of Aisha.
EVIDENCE # 3: The Age of Aicha in Relation to the Age of Fatima.
According to Ibn Hajar, "Fatima was born in the time it was rebuilt the Kaaba, when the Prophet was 35 years old ... she was 5 years older than Aicha "(Al-isabah tamyizi'l-Sahabah fi, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Vol 4, p. 377, Maktabatu'l-Riyadh al-Haditha, al-Riyadh, 1978).
If the information Ibn Hajar is correct, Aicha was born when Prophet was 40. If Aisha was married when the Prophet was 52 years old, the age of Aisha at marriage would be 12.
CONCLUSION: Ibn Hajar and Ibn Al Tabari Hunbal contradict each other. Therefore, the marriage of Aisha at 7 years of age is a myth.
EVIDENCE # 4: The Age of Aicha in Relation to the Age of Asma.
According Abda'l-Rahman ibn abi zanna'd: "Asma was 10 years older than Aisha (Siyar A` la'ma'l-Nubala ', Al-Zahabi, Vol 2, p. 289, Arab-RISALAH Mu'assasatu'l, Beirut, 1992).
According to Ibn Kathir: "She [Asma] was older than her sister [Aisha] for 10 years (Al-Bidayah wa'l-Nihaayah, Ibn Kathir, Vol 8, p. 371, Dar al-Fikr al-`arabi, Al-Jizah, 1933).
According to Ibn Kathir: "She [Asma] witnessed the murder of her son during that year [73 dH] as already mentioned, and five days later died. According to other narratives, she died 5 days later but 10 or 20, or a few days over 20, or 100 days later. The best known story is the 100-day later. At the time of his death was 100 years old "(Al-Bidayah wa'l-Nihaayah, Ibn Kathir, Vol 8, p. 372, Dar al-Fikr al-` arabi, Al-Jizah, 1933).
According to Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani: "She [Asma] lived 100 years and died in 73 or 74 AH (after Hijrah). (Taqribu'l-tehzib, Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani, p. 654, Arabic, Bab fi'l-nisa ', al-harfu'l-alif, Lucknow).
According to almost all the historians, Asma, the elder sister of Aisha, was 10 years older than Aisha. If Asma was 100 years old in 73 AH, must be between 27 and 28 years of age at the time of the Hijrah.
If Asma was 27 or 28 years at the time of the Hegira, Aicha should have at that moment between 17 and 18. So if Aisha was 17 or 18 at the time of the Hegira, began to cohabit with Prophet between 19 to 20 years of age.
According to Ibn Hajar, Ibn Katire and Abda'l-Rahman ibn abi zanna'd, the age of Aisha at the time to start living with the Prophet was 19 or 20. In test # 3, Ibn Hajar suggests that Aisha was 12 and test # 4 he contradicts himself saying that he had between 17 and 18. What is the correct age, 12 or 18?
CONCLUSION: Ibn Hajar is an unreliable source to establish the age of Aisha.
EVIDENCE # 5: The Battles of Badr and Ujud.
In Jadiz of Muslim is a story about Aisha's participation in the battle of Badr (Kitabu'l-Jihad wa'l-Siyar, Bab-isti `Anah karahiyati'l fi'l-ghazwi bikafir). Aicha, while narrating the journey to Badr and one of the important events that took place in that journey, says: "When we Chajarah." Obviously, Aicha was traveling with the group to Bader. In Bukhari we get a story Aicha's participation in the battle of Ujud (Kitabu'l-Jihad wa'l-Siyar, Bab Ghazwi'l-nisa 'wa ma `qitalihinna a'lrijal):" Anas narrated that the Ujud day people could not keep the ground around the Prophet. [On that day] I saw Aisha and Umm-i-Sulaiman, who lifted their skirts above their ankles [to avoid hampering movement]. " Again, this shows that Aisha was present at the battles of Bades and Ujud.
is narrated in Bukhari (Kitabu'l-Maghazi Ghazwati'l-Khandaq Bab wa-ahza'b hiya'l): "Ibn` Umar states that the Prophet did not allow him to participate in Ujud battle since then had 14 years of age. But the day of Khandaq, when he was 15 years, the Prophet allowed their participation. "
According to previous accounts: a) children of 15 were rejected and not allowed to participate in the battle of Ujud b) Aicha participated in the battles of Badr and Ujud.
CONCLUSION: Aicha participation in the battles of Badr and Ujud clearly indicates that she was 9 years old but at least 15. After all, women used to accompany men to the battlefields to help them, not to be a burden them. This is another contradiction regarding the age of Aisha.
EVIDENCE # 6: Surat al-Qamar (The Moon)
According to generally accepted tradition, Aisha was born about 8 years before Hijra. But according to another narration transmitted by Bukhari, reported that Aisha said: "I was a girl (Khaarijah in Arabic) when he revealed the surah La Luna (Sahih Bukhari, kitabu'l-tafsir, Bab Qaulihi Bal al-sa` atu Maw iduhum 'wa'l-sa `atu adha' wa mooring).
Chapter 54 of the Quran was revealed eight years before the Hijra (The Koran Bountiful, MM Khatib, 1985), which means it was revealed in 614 AD If Aicha began living with the Prophet at the age of 9 years in 623 or 624 AD, she was a newborn baby (sibyah in Arabic) when he was sura revealed the Moon. According to the earlier tradition, Aisha was a child and not a baby in the year that showed the moon. Khaarijah means little girl in Arabic (Arabic-English Dictionary Lane). Aicha So being a girl and not a sibyah (baby), it should be between 6 and 13 years old at the time of the revelation of the Moon, and therefore should be between 14 and 21 when she married the Prophet.
CONCLUSION: This tradition also contradicts the marriage of Aisha at age 9.
EVIDENCE # 7: Arabic Terminology.
According to a story reported by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, after the death of Khadija, first wife of the Prophet, when Khawla came to the Prophet asking him to marry again, the Prophet asked about the options he had in mind. Khawla said: "You can marry a virgin (biker) or with a woman who was married (zayib)." When the Prophet asked the identity of the biker (blank) said Khawla the name of Aicha.
All who know Arabic know biker word is not used for an immature girl 9 years old. As stated before, the Arabic word for little girl is Khaarijah . On the other hand, biker is used for a single woman with no sexual experience before marriage, as we understand the word "girl" in English. Therefore, it is obvious that a girl of 9 years is not a "maiden" (biker) (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol 6, p. .210, Arabic, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-`arabi, Beirut) .
CONCLUSION: The significance literal word biker (maid) in the previous jadiz is "adult woman without premarital sexual experience." Therefore, Aicha was an adult at the time of their marriage.
EVIDENCE # 8: The Koranic Text
All Muslims agree that the Quran is the guiding text. So we must seek guidance in the Qur'an to divert the smoke and confusion created by the eminent men of the classical period of Islam on the issue of Aisha's age at the time of their marriage. Does not the Koran or the marriage of an immature child 7 years old?
There
verses that explicitly allow such marriages. There is a verse, however, that guides Muslims in their duty to raise an orphaned child. Qur'anic guidance on the issue of education of orphans also applies in the case of the children themselves. The verse states: "And the orphan of view the good things God has entrusted to you for support, nourish it and clothe them, and speak with kindness. And to look after orphans [in your charge] until they reach marriageable age, so if they consideráis wise, Give him his property, and will not devour lavish and hastily adelantándoos to come of age ... (Qur'an 4:5-6).
regards children who have lost a father, a Muslim is ordered to) feed them, b) dressing, c) educate and d) test them for maturity "until the age of marriage" before entrusting financial management.
Here the Quranic verse demands meticulous verification intellectual and physical maturity with objective test results before the age of marriage in order to restore their property.
In light of the above statement, no responsible Muslim would hand over economic immature girl of 7 to 9 years old. If we can not trust a girl 7 years old to manage financial affairs, it is not physically or intellectually unfit for marriage. Ibn Hanbal (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol.6, p. 33 and 99) states that Aisha at 9 years old was more interested in playing with toy horses to take over the responsibilities of a wife. Hard to believe, therefore, that Abu Baker, a great believer among Muslims, would betroth his immature daughter 7 years old at Prophet 50. It is also difficult to imagine the Prophet married a girl of 7 years.
Another important duty demanded from the guardian of a child is educated. Let us make the following question: How many of us feel that we can educate a child satisfactorily before it is 7 or 9 years old? The answer is none. Logically, it is an impossible task to educate a child satisfactorily before they reach the age of 7 years. So how can we believe that Aisha was already fully educated to marry if she did at age 7?
Abu Baker was a wiser man than all of us. So he definitely would have judged that Aisha was a child and was not satisfactorily educated as demanded by the Koran. He did not I would have married anybody. If a proposal of marrying the immature and not yet educated Aicha 7 years would have been made to the Prophet, he would have rejected outright, because neither the Prophet and Abu Baker have violated any provision of the Koran.
CONCLUSION: The marriage of Aisha at the age of 7 years maturity would violate the clause or the requirement of the Koran. Therefore, the history of the marriage of immature Aicha 7 years of age is a myth.
EVIDENCE # 9: Consent of Marriage
A woman should be consulted and must agree to that make a valid marriage (Mishakat to Masabiah, translated by James Robson, Vol I, p. 665). Islamically, credible authorization by women is a prerequisite for marriage to be valid.
Even for the most daring imagination, the permission given by a little girl of 7 years of age can not be considered a valid authorization for marriage.
is inconceivable that Abu Baker, an intelligent man, were serious about the permission given by a 7-year-old marry a 50.
Similarly, the Prophet would not have accepted the permission given by a girl who, according to the jadiz of Muslim, took her toys with her when she went to live with the Prophet.
CONCLUSION: The Prophet did not marry a girl of 7 years old because that would violate the requirement of a valid authorization, which is a clause in the Islamic Marriage Decree. Therefore, the Prophet married a Miss Aicha that was a physically and intellectually mature.
SUMMARY
was not an Arab tradition to give girls in marriage as early as 7 or 9, or the Prophet married Aisha being so small. The people of Arabia did not object to this marriage because it did not happen in the way he has been told.
Obviously, the narrative of Hisham ibn `Urwah the marriage of Aisha at age 9, can not be considered true when it is in contradiction with many other reported narratives. Moreover, there is absolutely no real reason to believe the narrative of Hisham ibn `Urwah when other scholars, including Malik ibn Anas, consider that the stories he reported being in Iraq are not reliable. The quotations from Tabari, Bukhari and Muslim show they contradict each other regarding the age of Aisha. Moreover, many of these scholars contradict themselves in their own records. Thus, the narrative of the age of Aisha at the time of their marriage is not reliable due to the clear contradictions seen in the works of classical scholars of Islam.
Therefore, there is no reason to believe that information about the age of Aisha to be accepted as true, when there are sufficient grounds to reject it as myth. Moreover, the Quran rejects the marriage of immature children, and entrusting responsibilities. ----------
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