ISLAM NEWSROOM - "Ayesha's Age at Marriage to Muhammad, peace be upon him"
QUICK STORY ~ All hadiths agree, Ayesha was married to Muhammad in Mecca but the marriage was consummated until the month of Shawwal after moving to Medina, 2 years later (April 623).
[We found an article taken from an Egyptian magazine, "Yawm Al-Sabai", dated October 16, 2008. It was loaded with serious mistakes. We learned the author doesn't follow real Islam. He rejects authentic hadith from well-known companions.
He relies only on "reasoning" (his own). He rejects any teachings from Islam, disagreeing with his ideas. So, we published reliable information to help both Muslims and non-Muslims to learn what Islam really teaches, based on authentic information.
[signed: Yusuf Estes, editor for Islam Newsroom]
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FACTS ~ NOT FICTION!
Aisha's Age At Marriage?
~ By Islam Newsroom ~
Insulting and erroneous accusations thrown at Muhammad, peace be upon him, in recently for politics and profits caused a lot of grief, confrontations and even deaths among Muslims and non-Muslims all around the world.
The age of Ayesha, daughter of Muhammad's (peace be upon him) best friend, when she was offered by her fahter to marry the prophet, peace be upon him, was being used to mix-up, divide and exploit everybody.
There's no excuse for it and it must not continue. We can set the record straight, once and for all.
At Islam Newsroom, under the guidance of Estes Heritage Foundation, we are commited to research and study the efforts by trusted scholars in Arabic and Islamic studies to determine and publish the results of their findings.
We can safely say, the age of Aisha when she married Prophet Muhammad, was not, the serious issue of the people of the time. This subject only came up in recent times.
Girls and boys have married, had children and even divorced all throughout Europe, America and around the entire world - as young as 4 and 5 years old! — YES. You can see examples on this website.
Careful research proves her own claims as to her age at the time of her marriage to the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. But there is more evidence offering proof and much more to learn about the treatment of women in Islam.
#1. We begin by mentioning the Quran and hadith have been gathered, collected and preserved in the original language (Arabic) for all to see, examine and study throughout the last 14 centuries. This is unlike any other religion or theology on earth.
#2. Narrations testifying to the age of Ayesha bint Abi Bakr are coming to us by way of Ayesha herself. She is the one telling us the stories of how, why and when it all took place.
#3. [Take note] She never mentioned a single complaint or negative emotion about her marriage, her married life nor her life as a Muslimah.
#4. The biography and specified dates in reference books provide an important response to the hadith of Bukhari and confirms the daughter of Abu Bakr married at an acceptable age to the people of her time.
#5. It has only been in the last few decades anyone has brought up the subject of age or even considered it to be a topic of discussion.
#6. Ayesha was engaged for marriage to a non-believer (before the offer to Muhammad, peace be upon him).
We should ask ourselves, "Why now?" The fact is, many young people got married at even younger ages all around the world, throughout the ages, ever since Adam and Eve?
The real focus of our research should include discovery of effects and results of events taking place and the positive or negative reactions of people on these occasions. That is most logical and makes the most sense.
We have clear statements coming from Ayesha clearly stating her condition, attitude and her age at the time of her marriage to prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. All of this is recorded in the Arabic language, testified to by known witnesses, confirmed and authenticated by experts in hadith and commented by thousands, if not literally millions of Muslim scholars, muftis and imams for over one thousand four hundred years.
Here are their comments and findings explained in simple English for all to know and share. According to all historical evidences the following is accepted and established about the life of Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, peace be upon him:
- Muhammad, peace be upon him, remained celibate until marriage at the age of 25 to his first wife, Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid who was then 40. They remained married until her death at 65
- Later, in his fifties and still missing his beloved Khadijah, Muhammad, peace be upon him, was encouraged to take another wife. He finally eventually married Sawda Bint Zam’a, remaining married to her until his death 13 years later.
- According to tribal condition in most of the world until very recently, leaders were expected and encouraged to marry from other tribes and nations, even having several wives, in order to establish good relations and mutual protection.
- Abu Bakr, the father of Ayesha, had offered his daughter in marriage to Muhammad, peace be upon him, on more than one occasion.
- She was engaged for marriage to a non-believer, before her father offered her to Muhammad, peace be upon him.
It has been confirmed by numerous reliable witnesses for more than a decade of marriage to Muhammad, peace be upon him, we know the following:
- Ayesha’s father, Abu Bakr was very happy to offer his daughter in marriage to his life-long best friend. However, he had already agreed to Ayesha’s engagement to Jubayr ibn Mut’im. Tribal customs and social traditions would not allow her father to break off the engagement for any reason. Jubayr’s own family broke it off themselves, due to their hatred of Islam, this allowed the engagement to the Prophet, peace be upon him.
- Arab women at that time were known to reach maturity much earlier than women from other areas and circumstances. This included psychological, emotional and physical development
- Although Muslims through the ages refer to Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, as “Mother of the Believers”, she actually never conceived.
- References to her age or any other personal matters had been openly discussed by both Muhammad, peace be upon him, and Ayesha to family and those closest to them. This info was passed down through the ages in the form of narratives (hadith).
- Ayesha was still a young lady at the time of being widowed, yet she never remarried and never showed any inclination or desire to do so.
- She narrated over 2,200 hadith of the prophet, peace be upon him.
- Muslims from everywhere came to her for knowledge and understanding of family counseling in Islam and in particular any topics related to women’s matters.
- Ayesha’s age at marriage was never disputed, debated in her lifetime, nor even referred to as a topic of discussion by any of the companions nor those who followed after them (until very recently).
Commentary from companions, followers and others also support the beautiful relationship between both Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his wife, Ayesha.
Read for yourself:
Conclusion:
- Ayesha's previous engagement to Jubayr ibn Mut'im, proves beyond doubt, the customs of the time and totally exonerates both her and Muhammad, peace be upon him, from any wrong doing according to the customs and traditions of the time.
- As she had no children, there is no evidence to even support the consummation of her marriage to Muhammad, peace be upon him, except what was recorded from the two of them.
- Finally, not during her life, nor by any proper authority, Muslim or non-Muslim, until recent times - when we find people ready to abandon clear and authentic ahadith, providing excuses for what they don't know how to explain.
Islam is preserved and kept in balance by the early, dedicated scholars and narrators of hadith. It is our obligation to carefully study, examine and learn from their lifelong efforts to safeguard our faith and practices for benefits to ourselves and future generations and to remember these righteous men and women in our prayers.
May Allah accept us, and forgive any mistakes, Ameen.
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