Are you troubled by Aisha's (R) marriage?

What happened when a non-Muslim learned about 'Aisha (R), beyond just the age when she married the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ? Sh. Omar Suleiman shares this heartening story.

Created in collaboration with OnePath Network.

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[al]

My dad used to tell us stories about the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Aisha (Ra.) And their love for each other. And wallahi I want a marriage as beautiful as theirs. It really hearts my soul when people portrait this beautiful relationship of the prophet (pbuh)and Aisha (Ra.) as something wrong.
May Allah guide us all.

I have proof that Aisha was 19 when she married Muhammad(Sallallahu’ Alaihi Wasallam).

Aisha’s sister, Asma has a well recorded biography, and from her biography we know that she is 10 years older than Aisha. We also know that she was 27 when she migrated from Mecca to Medina along with the other Muslims, and we also know that Aisha was married to Muhammad 2 years after the migration. With that said Asma would have been 29 years old at the time, and if Aisha was 10 years younger then that would make Aisha 19 when she married the prophet.

Source- Tahdheeb al-asma of Nawawi Vol.2 page.329

[Existence_Predicate]

How does the attributes of her take away from the fact that she was 9 years old? Does it make it moral?

[AbdullahZaman-tjhp]

May Allah bless all the wifes of the Prophet (saw), especially Khadija(ra) and Aisha(ra).

[shahdtarik]

The comments are so hard to read. It’s depressing to see all these ignorant people attacking Islam and our beloved prophet without freakin educating themselves more. Stand strong brothers and sisters, one day this will be over. Stand strong. Hasbeya allahu wa ne’ma al wakeel.

[Random.Adventures.]

Jazakallah Omar, this was a hard thing for me to grasp and you have made it easy for me to understand. May Allah make this life and the here after easy for you :) Jazakallah for Yaqeen Insitute your information helps for reverts like myself and born muslims/ non muslims

[Ahmed-nsfr]

"Hazrat Aisha(RA) said: The Messenger of Allah gave us CHOICE and we CHOSE him, so there was no divorce." [Sunan Nisai 3203]

[skies]

Hello, I am looking to do more research on the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and his life. Can anyone direct me to books about that?

[afifashaukat]

A COMMENT TO CONSIDER~~~

SubhanAllah. The disbelievers at the time of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would try to find everything they could to make him look bad. They called him crazy, a magician. But something to think about is, NOBODY, not even the disbelievers who hated him, said anything about his marriage to Aisha. Why? Because it was the norm, as girls often matured faster than those of today, and often became married and mothers at “young”, ages, though they were well mature::: whereas today, girls are becoming pregnant with their boyfriends at ages as young as 12. I’m not saying all girls. But, is not giving birth at such a young age a norm in our western, modern societies too?

Also, no man can force a woman into marriage... an act committed before Islam, and also prevails today. Aisha was, under the Islamic law, protected under this right (that no man can force marry her without her consent) in fact, she was engaged previously to a man of Mecca, but she broke it because he was a bad and a disbeliever. So when the proposal arrived to her, she was thrilled and accepted.

And, if you’re sincere while reading this, you’ll consider that pedophiles are disgusting human beings nobody likes to be around, let alone follow. A pedophile can never gain so many followers world wide, for centuries... nobody, man and woman, would want to follow him. The word pedophile was first originated in the west, in the 1940’s. So it is unfair to judge people of the past, with different societies, culture, context: it is unfair to judge them by our standards. We have to be considerate to every detail, in order to fully understand.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)... the blessed prophet, not pedophile. And if you disagree, then please go do your research instead of replying hate comments to this. That would just show you’re not reading to understand, but rather to fuel the hatred in your heart. Is it not time for those with excessive hate and misunderstanding in their hearts to consider and learn, so that they may not be among those who refrain from all goodness?

If still linger doubts in your heart, then learn about Aisha. If you hate the prophet Muhammad, then I challenge you. I challenge you to read about him. Because when if you have hate or grudges in your heart against someone, you will, mark my word, never go far.

Salam.

[nezoelwash]

Hitting puberty means your not a child any more, and its better to get married than watching pornography, and the guy talks about what was normal at that time and by that definition she was not forced and it wasn't creepy, the whole idea is that the action itself wasn't wrong because she hit puberty but it's weird by today's standards

[aspiritfromallaahtheomnisc]

Chapter: In defense of Imam Al-Bukhaari (رحمه الله), and Abu Bakr As-Saddeeq (رضي الله عنه)

Laws of England by Sir William Blackstone, says that the law of England allowed, at the age of 7, a girl can be betrothed and married with the consent of her parents. This was a book that was written about the jurisprudence of English people in the 19th century.

The cultural aspects of marriages between cultures have similar aspects in maintaining modesty and chastity before the 19th century.

Aisha (رضي الله عنها) was betrothed (engaged) to the Messenger of Allaah (اللهم صل على محمد وأزواجه) at the age of 6. The Messenger consummated the marriage WITHOUT having sexual intercourse at the age of 9, by bring her to his living quarters. She didn't see his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) private parts UNTIL a day after Ghazwa At-Tabuk, which means she was about 14 years of age or older. I believe this is a hadith in the Sahih Sitta which I read more than twenty years ago (possibly this hadith is in the Sunan of Abi Daud or Jami' At-Tirmidhee).

[banndell]

As Muslim i'am not trouble by Aisyah RA marriage. It's a common thing in that era.

[goodman]

👉Read the truth, defend the Messenger👈
🔸️ This's [Part 2 of 3]

👉 Was Aisha the mother of the believers 6 years old when The Messenger of Allah Almighty sermoned her (Engagement)! and was she 9 years old when got Married to the Prophet? (peace and blessings be upon him)

🔵 And Sadly we still find many muslims try to proof this Lie against the Messenger and the Mother of believers, snd give the Islamophobes and haters a reason to Attack the Messenger with falsehood.
Let Stop this wrongdoing, and these are the truth.

🔴 4) Aisha's Islam before Omar Ibn al-Khattab: (This's a clear strong evidence)
According to Ibn Hisham's summary of the Prophet's biography of Ibn Ishaq, Aisha (Abu bakr Al Sidiq Family) embrace Islam before Umar Ibn al-Khattab embraced it, which means that she was at least 14 years old at the time of her wedding to the Prophet, peace be upon him, thus dropping the age of 9 years completely.

🔴 5) And This's an ultimate proof:
Knowing the Age of Aisha (MOB) by calculations, based on het older Sister Asma (may Allah be pleased with her):
According to Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi al-Zinad: Asmaa was ten years older than Aisha (biography of the flags of the nobles, al-Dhahabi: Maj. 2, p. 289, Foundation for the Message, Beirut, 1992). Ibn Katheer also agrees with Ibn Abi al-Zinad’s narration and says that she is - Asma: Ten years older than her sister Aisha (The Beginning and the End, Ibn Katheer Maj. 8, p. 371, Dar Al-Fikr Al-Arabi - Giza 1933).

Ibn Katheer agrees with what all historians affirm without disagreement that Asma "witnessed the killing of her son during that year (73 AH), as previously mentioned, and five days later she died. And like other accounts, she did not die after 5 days, but rather after 10 or 20 days, or a few days later, or even a hundred days after the accident, so that the most likely story remains that she died a hundred days later, when she is 100 years old. (Beginning and End Ibn Katheer, Mug 8, p. 372, Dar Al-Fikr Al-Arabi, Giza 1933).

And bin Hajar Al-Asqalani narrates that “Asma bint Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq [That Al-Nitaqain], the wife of Al-Zubayr bin Al-Awam, one of the great companions, lived a hundred years and died in the year of seventy-three (Al-Tahdheeb, Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani, p. 654, chapter on Women, Harf) a thousand).

According to the opinion of most historians, Asma, Aisha's older sister were ten years older than the last, and if Asma 'reached the 100 years of Hijra, then her age at the time of the migration would necessarily be 27 years old, and therefore Aisha’s age at that time would be 17 years old, and she also began living Along with the Prophet and she was 19 or 20 years old. Based on the narrations of Ibn Hajar, Ibn Katheer and Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Al-Zinad, the age of Aisha at the time of her marriage to the Prophet was between 19 and 20 years at least.

🔴 6) The date of Aisha's death determines the date of her marriage:
It is also mentioned in Al Maarif by Ibn Qutaybah that Aisha, the mother of the believers, died in 58 AH at the age of 77. Thus, the age of Aisha, the mother of the believers, immediately before the emigration, was 19 years (77-58), and since she married to the noble Messenger in the second year of the Hijra..so she was 21 years old at that time.

Even if we take the minimum approach, the presence of other accounts in other historical sources that determine Aisha’s age at 66 years of age, assuming that her age was only 5 years + 12 years (from the fourth year before the mission until the second year of migration) = 17 years at least.

🔴 7) Sahih al-Bukhari prooves Aisha's age:
This's another narration confirms for us Aisha's participation in the Battle of Uhud. “Anas narates that on Uhud: I saw Aisha bint Abi Bakr and Umm Salim, rolled their hands ready (Sleeves) - I witness the work of their arms - transport water containers on their bodies, empty them into the mouths of the people, then return and fill it, then come and empty it into the mouths of the people (Bukhari, Al-Fath. No. (2880).
This is a clear evidence of their grown age. Her age and her ability to serve the army during the Battle of Uhud. (As it's well known fact the Messenger never allow young children to participate in battles).
Thus, it is confirmed once again that Aisha witnessed the battles of Uhud and Badr.

🔴 8) Al-Bukhari narrates to us in another hadith:
On the authority of Yahya bin Saeed, said that Nafeh said, on the authority of Ibn Omar, May Allah be pleased with them, that the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, he offered himself to the messenger on the day of Uhud when he was fourteen years old, and Messenger didn't allow him, and offered himself at the Ahzab, and he was allowed at the age of 15.
(Kitab Al-Maghazi, Chapter of the Battle of Al-Khandaq, which is the Ahzab or Trench).
This is a very strong evidence that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was not permitting to let someone under the age of fifteen in the Battles.
🌟This is evidence that the age of 9 years has no validity at all.

🔴 9) Participation in the battle of Badr:
In Sahih Muslim, a narration confirms Aisha's participation in the battle of Badr and is attributed to Aisha in the course of her discussion of her trip to Badr and about an important accident that occurred while traveling: “... even if we were in the tree ....” Which is clear evidence that she was among the delegation Traveling towards Badr, and the Prophet does not take children with him. (The Book of fighting and travel).

▪︎Continue to part 3

[shiney]

I love you brother, but even if Aisha had a good personality and was not destroyed by such a marriage (which I agree with you, except in one case which is she never had children. As a doctor, I know that if you sexually abuse a young child or someone who just enters puberty then that can damage their reproductive tract).
As I was saying even if she was not destroyed by such a marriage, the implication it has is very worrisome.
It gives the green light for others to marry children
Because that is what Aisha was
You read the hadiths she played with dolls and was short like a child in stature (the ethiopian hadith) whilst married to Muhammad.
So you are a nice person and you see the beauty in islam (which there is a lot of).
But any objective person can see that a marriage to a child is wrong
I get it, i too was raised in a muslim household
It's difficult to let go of beliefs especially when ur whole basis is made up by it.
But that's the same argument one can make against quraish. They may have believed in islam, but acceptance of it would destroy their whole way of life (which was difficult for them).
I like truth, and we should all be sincere in our knowledge, and not just have biased faith

[cobbsta]

An anecdote of converting someone doesn't really address the concern. Many exploitative relationships with minors and captives develop genuine bonds, it's a survival mechanism that today we recognise as stockholm syndrome. While I agree it was normal at the time, no psychologists today would sanction this relationship as healthy. Depraved actions don't need depraved intentions, and while I don't believe this marriage came from evil intentions perse, it must be looked at objectively.

[snowflake]

How beautiful that this woman named her daughter after our mother Aisha (RA)

[JJw-yt]

"bUt iT wAs So was slavery, rape, war at certain points of history. Legality does not equal to morality

[gracewaryas]

I would love to learn more! What were the readings that you gave this sister to look into?

[abzmouse]

all you Christians & muslims brothers & sisters, please do your research before you just blindly read of a screen or hear something, and believe it without knowing the truth about it.The hadiths about the marriage of Aisha(ra) to the holy prophet(saw) we accept them and don't deny or feel ashamed at all in anyway at all.Every sahih hadith we accept, now Aisha(ra) said I was married to the holy prophet(saw) when I was 9yrs old, but then in the other hadith she said 10yrs old then other 6-9yrs old.She said marriage was consummated at age 9yrs old, another 10yrs old, another 6yrs old and so on.Npw this shows Aisha(ra) didn't know her own age, also before Aisha(ra) was married to the holy prophet(saw), she was engaged to AZ-Zubair to get married.Then the revelation came from Allah(swt) that the holy prophet(saw) is to marry Aisha(ra).So the engagement was ended and Abu Bakr (ra) accepted the proposal from the holy prophet(saw).Hadith 3682 in bukhari tells of this and hadith 3607 in bukhari tells of this.Ibn kathir reports in Al bidaya wa nihaya reports Asma(ra) older sister was 10yrs older than Aisa(ra).Asma(ra) was 100yrs old when she died in year 73 hijra, she never lost her memory, not a tooth neither senile.Asma(ra) was 27yrs old when she did hijra.This proves Aisha(ra) was 16-17 when married to holy prophet(saw).Consummated at age 18-19yrs old.Ibn hajar askalani confirms ibn kathir in his book (al isaba tabir sahaba).Then theres multiple other scholars who confirmed these facts, check the sources I've provided plus hadiths, so you can stop comin with these pathetic arguments.Fellow muslims, if this question is out to you, if your not educated to answer, then don't engage in trying to answer that which you dont know, as you'll only make things look worse.

[jasmin]

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is admirable.
She was exceptionally intelligent and the daughter of two loving and noble parents. Her father, Abu Bakr (ra), was a loyal companion and the closest friend of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Aisha was respected and beloved—then and now—and she rightfully holds the title of one of the Mothers of the Believers.

She loved the Prophet (pbuh), just as he loved her. Allah (swt) created her with a pure heart and sharp intellect, knowing the role she would fulfill in the ummah. After the Prophet’s passing, she devoted her life to transmitting his words, actions, and character—not because anyone forced her, but out of love and dedication. She taught, narrated hadith, and spoke with affection about their marriage and his behavior in private.

That their marriage worked for Aisha and the Prophet (pbuh) does not mean it serves as a standard for others. They were two extraordinary people, with unique roles in Islamic history. Their marriage was loving and deeply significant for the spread of knowledge and faith.

O believers, why do you doubt what Allah has willed, just because some attempt to deny it with "logic"? Did Musa (pbuh) not part the sea? Did Maryam (as) not give birth at an old age? Then why doubt the marriage of Aisha and the Prophet (pbuh), if Allah Himself had destined it?
Aisha was created for this purpose. Her age—young by modern standards—did not diminish her strength, intelligence, or the role she played. With Allah’s will, she narrated so much that continues to guide and comfort us to this day. Their marriage brought about blessings that are still felt. A union with such a lasting and positive impact could only have been guided by Allah (swt).

So do not let those who deny the Prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh), yet suddenly believe the narrations about his marriage just to discredit him, plant doubt in your heart. Especially not in the hearts of young women who themselves have suffered injustice or inappropriate behavior from older men at a young age.

I speak from experience—I have faced this. And that’s why the controversy around their marriage touched me deeply. But the Qur’an brought me light, helped me forgive, and allowed me to heal. Alhamdulillah.

Again: we cannot compare our situation to that of Aisha (ra). Only Allah knows the emotional and physical maturity she was given. People laugh at her age now, but would they not also have laughed when Sarah (as) was told she would bear a child in her nineties?

When Allah gives, He gives with wisdom. And is the man we call a pedophile even remotely comparable to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)—the most just, humble, and sincere of all people?

The Prophet only did what Allah commanded, regardless of what people thought. Even if it went against social norms, he acted according to revelation. And even if the marriage to Aisha had been considered strange in his time—which it wasn’t—he would still have entered into it, not by personal desire, but in obedience to Allah. For He knows what we do not.