Was it right for Holy Prophet to marry Hazrat Aisha so young? Hazrat Muhammad PEACE BE UPON HIM is most popular and loved the personality in the human history. It is quite natural that when popularity brings an endless criticism and false propaganda from adversaries.
So, the enemies of Islam had been and still intentionally propagating few aspects of the Holy Prophet’s life PEACE BE UPON HIM with maximum force to slow down this fastest growing religion. Out of these aspects, perhaps the most glaring point is the marriage of mother of believers Hazrat Aisha MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HER.
Before I further unfold this article we need to understand one very basic thing about moral social values and that is their types are two. The first type is universally recognized and doesn’t change with the passage of time like killing, robbery, rape etc. Second change with region to region and time to time. For example, current social system of Europe and America in which having girl friend or boyfriend, roaming half naked in the streets and full naked on the beaches is considered modest can not be accepted in Asian countries like India, Pakistan, and the middle east.
Even this system was never appreciated in Europe itself two hundred years ago. Apart from being Prophet of Allah SWT, Muhammad PEACE BE UPON HIM was the member of a society which had few profound traditions. In that society, it was common custom to marry the girls as soon as they reach puberty. That’s why Hazrat Aisha MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HIM was engaged with Jubair Bin Mu’atam Bin A’di before the Holy Prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM ask for her hand. Age of Jubair Bin Mua’itam was also more than forty years at that as he was the member of Darun Nadwa. It was a sort of parliament of Quraish and nobody less than forty years can be its member. Hazrat Abu Bakar went to a house of his father, Mu’atam Bin A’di, to ask after receiving the proposal From Holy Prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM. Here we have two narrations.
First, when Hazrat Abu Bakar MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HIM went to Mu’tam’s house, he was drunk and abusing the Holy Prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM. Hazrat Abu Bakar came back and broke the relation. Second, when he went to meet Mu’atam, he himself broke the relation as he was afraid that Abu Bakr MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HIM will turn his son into Muslim. Age of Hazrat Aisha MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HER was then six years. After three years she was married to Holy Prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM at age of nine.
Although different scholars have debated and proved the age of Hazrat Aisha MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HER was more than 12 years basing upon her total age and participation in Battle Badar as nobody was allowed to participate in Battle less than fifteen years old. But for the sake of argument, we take it nine years. Even the worse enemies of Holy Prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM did not raise a question as they knew it is quite normal. Medical science proves that a girl can reach the puberty at age of nine and can have babies.
Today in America there are a number of cases where a girl gets pregnant at the age of 11. The temperature of hot desert causes girls to reach puberty earlier. So, this marriage was in accordance with traditions, customs and culture of that time and can never be considered as inappropriate. If someone wonders today why Holy Prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM married a nine years old girl, they are looking at the situation from the modern perspective which may change tomorrow again. Hazrat Aisha MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HER was not a normal lady.
She was best and most authentic lady scholar. More than two thousand Hadiths are being reported from her. She really enjoyed the company of Holy Prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM for whole life. Holy prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM use to play and race with her. It is the most romantic love story. So for so Holy prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM died in her lap. At the time of the death of Holy prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM, she was young. But she never thought of any other man for the rest of life. She was the only lady who was not married before.
Rest all of the wives Holy Prophet were either widows or divorcees. Even Hazrat Abu Bakr MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HIM himself says, I like three things most one of them is that my daughter is married to Holy Prophet PEACE BE UPON HIM. Girl and her father both were extremely happy and remained until end. Marriage was in accordance with prevailing traditions and culture of that time. Nobody was forced or oppressed. It was never made as a rule for all. Then where is the problem? The problem lies only in the evil minds who can not see the truth spreading around the world. Richard and Isabel were engaged when she was 7, and they were married when she was ELEVEN, so according to UK TODAY, the King of England would have been a pedophile. But we don’t hear anything about it, and also this was more recently than the Holy Prophet’s marriage. There were other cases when English, French and German “nobility” were married pre-teen. So before you go criticizing Islam, make sure you got your set of rules straight.
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Author:
Muhammad Anas, He is from Pakistan and currently serving as an Army officer for Pakistan Army.