Salamu alaikum sir olabowale, your contribution on NL is highly commendable and deserve to be praise. May it be a hujjah for you to enter jannatul fir'daus and not use against you for hujjah to hell: amin.






I see you like a father to me because you are old enough to father a son like me, am a young man which i don't want to reveal on Nl. Father convince son, that Aisha was above 6 when married to the Holy Prophet and above 9 when consummated, i read in one of your post argueing about her true age.




Waiting to hear from you. Masalam

Aisha's age has been one of the most controversial issue, while some non muslims use it to mock islam.There are several hadiths reported her age differently, that is why the propagandists only clinch to the lowest age to to smear the Prophet with the inflammatory charge of pedophilia.

In some quotations, marraige has to do with maturity, secondly, in such society like Arab and jewish community. The girls are married off at the earlier age of thier maturity. There is a western scholars who stated that individuals in such societies matured at an earlier age than in the modern West. if a girl is considerred mature at the age of nine, then she is due for marriage. It is in our modern age we try to give definitions and terms to every occurences and in turn make it a judgement against history of many centuries back which is not applicable.

With regard to maturity, in both Arab and Jewish history, maturity of girl is reached when she started mensturation. So, on Aisha's age, I have no blame on whoever his choice to protray her as nine years old at the time her wedding was consummated supported by several hadiths references. However, going through by logical estimation, her age have ranged from early teens to early twenties at the time her marraige was consummated with prophet MUahammad(PBH). What is evident is that Aisha was a young woman at the time of the wedding, but that her marriage was not in any way controversial and was never used by the enemies of the Prophet as a critique in his lifetime. I make no apology to say it is very foolish to project modern values and defintions as a case to judge old centuries people where life expectancy was very low and they never consider marraige age to be an issue.

Follow my response :
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-152378.64.html#msg3750675

littleb:

Aisha's age has been one of the most controversial issue, while some non muslims use it to mock islam.There are several hadiths reported her age differently, that is why the propagandists only clinch to the lowest age to to smear the Prophet with the inflammatory charge of pedophilia.

This is it.
If only people can do discussions without inflammatory remarks and try to keep it clean, it would be better, but all its being turned into is a freak show.

@ OP


are other submissions and opinions welcome?

mukina2:

This is it.
If only people can do discussions without inflammatory remarks and try to keep it clean, it would be better, but all its being turned into is a freak show.

I hope people will take this into cognizance.

@OP,
Regarding this very issue, I'll, inshaAllah, provide us with solid proofs of her actual age soon.
May Allah guide us, amin.

muhsin:

I hope people will take this into cognizance.

@OP,
Regarding this very issue, I'll, inshaAllah, provide us with solid proofs of her actual age soon.
May Allah guide us, amin.

where will this proof come from? wikipedia? haddith or koran? where exactly?

Question and Answer Details

Name of Questioner Dino - United States

Title The Age of Aishah

Date 19/Feb/2004

Question: Dear Scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum.

I was wondering what was the true age of `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Do we know what her true age was? I have read in places that the hadiths that say what her age was at marriage are weak hadiths. Is this true?

Thank you for any response.

Topic Prophetic Ethics, Marriage, Human Rights

Name of Counselor Hwaa Irfan

Answer

Salam, Dino.

Thank you for your question.

The issue of `A'ishah bint Abi Bakr has arisen purely around the fact that she married Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) when she was young and as you said, “Do we know what her true age was?” The problem is that we are dependent on reports of information. Even with accurate reporting, it is difficult to sustain that level of accuracy 100% of the time, all the time.

The true records that are referred to by Muslims for guidance are the Qur’an and the Hadiths (traditions) of Prophet Muhammad, the essence of both of which is the religion of Islam. They are not sociology textbooks although Islam covers all aspects of life. One of the foremost records depended upon is the collection of hadiths of Prophet Muhammad in the Sahih of Al-Bukhari. From the translation of Dr. Amin Al-Masri of Cambridge University, England and Head of Shari`ah at the College of Shari`ah and Islamic Studies in Makkah, we are informed:

`A'ishah reported that the Prophet wrote the marriage contract with her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old. Hisham said: “I have been informed that `A'ishah remained with the Prophet for nine years (i.e., till his death).” (Al-Bukhari 7: 65)

The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with `A'ishah while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old and she remained with him for nine years (i.e., till his death). (Al-Bukhari 7: 88)
Islamic scholar Maulana Muhammad Ali was one of the first to challenge `A’ishah’s age. In his books Muhammad, the Prophet and Living Thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad, he states:
A great misconception prevails as to the age at which `A'ishah was taken in marriage by the Prophet. Ibn Sa`d has stated in the Tabaqat that when Abu Bakr (father of `A’ishah) was approached on behalf of the Prophet, he replied that the girl had already been betrothed to Jubair and that he would have to settle the matter first with him. This shows that `A'ishah must have been approaching maturity at the time.

Again, the Isaba, speaking of the Prophet’s daughter Fatimah, says that she was born five years before the Call and was about five years older than `A’ishah. This shows that `A'ishah must have been about ten years at the time of her betrothal to the Prophet, and not six years as she is generally supposed to be.

This is further borne out by the fact that `A'ishah herself is reported to have stated that when the fifty-fourth chapter [i.e., surah] of the Qur’an entitled “The Moon” [Al-Qamar] was revealed, she was a girl playing about and remembered certain verses then revealed. Now the fifty-fourth chapter was undoubtedly revealed before the sixth year of the Call. All these considerations point to but one conclusion, viz., that `A'ishah could not have been less than ten years of age at the time of her nikah, which was virtually only a betrothal.

And there is one report in the Tabaqat that `A'ishah was nine years of age at the time of nikah. Again it is a fact admitted on all hands that the nikah of `A'ishah took place in the tenth year of the Call in the month of Shawwal. This is while there is also preponderance of evidence as to the consummation of her marriage taking place in the second year of Hijrah in the same month, which shows that full five years had elapsed between the nikah and the consummation. Hence, there is not the least doubt that `A’isha was at least nine or ten years of age at the time of betrothal, and fourteen or fifteen years at the time of marriage.
If we dig deeper, we find that the great Islamic historian Ibn Jarir At-Tabari in his History iterated:
In the time before Islam, Abu Bakr married two women. The first was Fatila daughter of `Abdul `Uzza, from whom `Abdullah and `Asmaa’ were born. Then he married Umm Ruman, from whom `Abdur-Rahman and `A'ishah were born. These four were born before Islam.

Looking at `A'ishah's impressions of her early life, we can indeed see that she was born before the Call:
Since I reached the age when I could remember things, I have seen my parents worshiping according to the right faith of Islam. Not a single day passed but Allah’s Messenger visited us both in the morning and in the evening. When the Muslims were persecuted, Abu Bakr set out for Ethiopia as an emigrant. When he reached a place called Bark Al-Ghimad, he met Ibn Ad-Daghna, the chief of the Qara tribe, who asked Abu Bakr, “Where are you going?” Abu Bakr said, “My people have turned me out of the country and I would like to tour the world and worship my Lord.” Ibn Ad-Daghna said, “A man like you will not go out, nor will he be turned out, as you help the poor earn their living, keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the disabled (or the dependents), provide guests with food and shelter, and help people during their troubles. I am your protector. So, go back and worship your Lord at your home.”

Ibn Ad-Daghna went along with Abu Bakr and took him to the chiefs of Quraysh saying to them, “A man like Abu Bakr will not go out, nor will he be turned out. Do you turn out a man who helps the poor earn their living, keeps good relations with kith and kin, helps the disabled, provides guests with food and shelter and helps the people during their troubles?” (Al-Bukhari 3: 37 #494)
570 CE: Prophet Muhammad born
595 CE: Married Khadijah, his first wife
610 CE: Received the revelation that led to his Call to Islam
613 CE: Started preaching publicly
615 CE: His daughter Fatimah born
622 CE: Left Makkah for Madinah
623 CE: `A'ishah entered the household of Prophet Muhammad
625 CE: Battle of Uhud

The famous classical commentator on the Qur’an, Ibn Kathir, wrote in Al-Bidayya wan-Nihaya: “Asmaa’ died in 73 AH at the age of one hundred years. She was ten years older than her sister `A'ishah.”

It might be worth noting that pubescence is characterized by the proliferation of sex cells which begins with the menarche, or first menstruation, in girls. Research has noted that the average age at which the menarche begins has been decreasing among Western European girls and apparently among girls of the United States and Canada, as well, since as far back as 1976. What this means is that we should try to avoid generalizations about when menstruation begins; this differs from culture to culture as well as epoch to epoch. If you want to take this further: puberty comes from the Latin word pubertas, which means “adult”. The Qur’an states what means:

*{And when the children among you have attained to puberty, let them seek permission as those before them sought permission; thus does Allah make clear to you His communications, and Allah is Knowing, Wise}* (An-Nur 24: 59)

It all depends on what one wishes to recognize, the laws of nature or the social laws constructed by man. `A'ishah married willingly under circumstances that supported that marriage, whichever argument one chooses to follow.

Thank you again for your question and please keep in touch.

Salam.

www.readingislam.com

Nice one @muhsin.




Well, so far there isn't credible proof that Aisha marriage was above 6. The likeness of the Qiyas of saying she is above 6 when married and above 9 when consummated is like the interpretation of 'Alif Lam min' by some scholars, using the Quran numeric data to solve the equation and geting an answer to its meaning.






Aisha's age of 6 when married or 9 when consummated is not a problem to me and many others, the genes of 1,430 years ago the era of the Prophet is far far to be compared with modern age. Scientific research on fossils shows that man's genetical feature is dwinding from generation to generation. Sahih Bukhari is the best hadith with no weak hadith, follow by muslim, other hadiths contain Do'if (weak) hadith, sahih Bukhari related Aisha to be 6 when married and 9 when consummated. Many muslim will like to defend the age by exaggerating or congesture because of the mocking of the christians, what you do not realize is Quran 21:41 'Indeed many messengers were mocked before you (O Muhammad) but the scoffers were surrounded by that, whereat they used to mock'
so be patient and no need to do some kind of mathematics to convince them, the truth is 1,430 years ago gene is not compactable with the contemporary age,


Quran 47:35 'Therefore be patient as did the messengers of strong will, and be in no haste about them (disbelievers). On the day they will see the torment with which they are promised as if they had not stayed more than an hour in a single day on earth.'



Allahu a'lam

My brother Abuzola, As Salaamualeykum wa Rahmatullah. I am touched by your prayer for me. I thank Allah for allowing your tongue to wish those words. May Allah accepts the same for you and indeed the ummah in general. Amin.

Yuou have said it all, in your last post; the age of Aisha bint AbuBakr, Zaujati Rasulullah, Ummu Muminii is not a problem or controversy in your life. Whether the was 6 or 60 or inbetween when she got married or consumated the marriage, it will not bring you closer to hell fire or drive you away from paradise.

Allah Willed what He willed for the prophet (AS). Those who malign him for this or that, will have something else to malign him on, even if she was 90 years old at the time she as freshly married to him. None of them however, in this age of HIV/AIDS catch and die russian roulette do it at your own sex, can claim that they were virgin(s) at 25. No man will marry 25 virgin will marry 40 years woman who has been married two different times, regardless of her circumstances; wealth or fame or other wise!

It is a general understanding that Makka prior to Islam of Muhammad (AS) never fell into the hand of any oppressing group, at any time. The reasois that the land was very harsh and at first glance has no real economic of startegic value toattract a conquering and or adventuros people, warring all over the lands. While other nearby land and people, eg Palestine of Israelites were falling under this or another coonquering kingdom, Makka was essentially ignored and isolated. The people were so backward that all they had was commerce and eloquence in speech. Even now, Makka is still an inhospitable land.

Considering all this it is no surprise that the people did not keep any real calender or data, which was the the reason that Muhammad's year of birth is te only thing agreed upon as the "year of the Elephant" warrior of Abraha of Yemen/Absenia nvation attempt to capture or seize the Kaaba in a sign of humiliation to change the focal significance from Makka to his territory as the place of the new Kaaba and Hajj. No one except the day iof the week, Monday knows the date and month of the birth of the noble prophet Muhammad (AS).

Since Aisha's age is what is being discussed, we must have to go to the source of those who will actually know when she was born. Her parents have to at least know something about how old their daughter is, far more than anyone else. But we do not have any specific information coming from them to help us better understand the time of her birth, except that her parents became Muslims of which Muhammad was the leader prophet of this religion. This single event should therefore be our baisi to know at least how accurate is the statement that she was 6 years old is!


We realise from the descriptions of the life of her father Abu Bakr siddiq, that he was a very successful man in his own right, in business and was well respected in the community as a good human beings with kind and noble heart. We also know that he Abu Bakr came from father who was in business, and had had a connection with Muhammad, once in his youth, in the same trade caravan to Syria, where on the way the met Mughira, the Christian Monk, who warned that they should not let Muhammad proceed to Syria because of the attempt that will be made on his life!

At least we know that Abu Bakr is in the same age range as Muhammad (AS), which is just two years. When Islam began, we learnt that Abu Bakr on his return from a business journey to Yemen, immediately became Muslim, under Muhammad who was his neighbor in the prestigious residential quarter of Makka. Therefore we must ask if Aisha was already born and alive before her father became a muslim, or she was not born at the time.

In all indication, there was no account that says she was not born. Infact it was indicated that Abu bakr divorced a wife who did not become muslim with him and separated himself or deny the heritage of the son who refused to enter Islam. It is interesting to know that the the wife and son combo, were the only one who did not accept islam, as his household, Aisha's mother and her two children and the step child from the disbelieving co-wife all entered Islam with Abu bakr. Please note that the son who refused to enter islam was already a grown man, at this time, while Aisha who was just a baby naturally became muslim as her father, the head of the household entered islam.


The other significant event that one can use as a bench mark for determining the probable age of Aisha is the presence of any known children in her neighborhood at the time of her birth. What we know, is that the Muhammads, The prophet and his wife Khadijah had a child named Fatimah, closest to the time Aisha was born, if we had to look outside Abu bakr for clue. Fatimah was just few years older than her and was born many years before Islam was revealed to her father. Many accounts which I will choose the least of the years before revelation says it is 5. It could be argued to be many years more, but for our purpose, 5 will be accepted. Aisha was reported to beat most 4 years younger than Fatima. All of these tell us that Abu Bakr already had Aisha, prior to the first encounter of Muhammad (AS) with Malaika Jibril (AS), which marked the beginning of prophethood and the birth of the stage of completion of islam, that started on mankind with Adam (AS).


At least Aisha would have been 1 full year at the time of the beginning of islam, and her father, mother and her automatic entry to Islam.

After this is established, any further controversy will have to be precipitated on this time of birth.

Brother littleb, May Allah accept yur efors and your clear insight to articulate on this issue. May Allah guide us all and forgive us our sins and provide us with the best means of substance for our lives. Forgive us and in he day of judgement raise us up among the nobles of spiritual nobilities, prophets, Messengers and suddiqun, suadah, etc Amin.

You have said it all and there is no doubt that Allah is capable of proving the position of honor He has placed Muhammad (AS). Allah says in Surah "Lam na shrraq" that "wa ra fa na laka dhikrak" about Muhammad; "And you are placed in the highest place of rememebrance of honor". The Malaika of Mountains when he was sent with Jibril to carry out the command of Muhammad if it was his wish on the people of Taif, Muhammad told the angel that they should not be destroyed by the mountain that sorrounded them.maybe their descendants will accept islam if they do not. The Angel said to Muhammad (AS) that Allah alway talked about the humane qualities of te prophet. About 10 years ago, I was at the library of Northeastern University in Boston and I decided to make my afternoon there. I met a young man just about to enter salah with me, so we asked each other where each was from. He said Taif, and I immediately remembered the coming to pass of the prophet's statement to the angel in charge of mountains.

The truth therefore about age is not based on look or height or any of those things. It is based on when a person is born. And finally the singular authority of Islam is Quran. The singular authority among mankind was Muhammad (AS). Ahadith was his saying. And sunnah was his tradition or what he allowed others to do. The saying of Aisha about herself, if it is true can not be ahadith. It has to be a thing that Muhammad told her that she can pass on as a statement, which will be ahadith. But then the ahadith will ahve to be authenticated for it to be acepted, and it must not oppose the Quran. Allah did not permit marriage of any woman who is not of the age of puberty. And a marriage that has not been consumated can simply be dissolved, under a specific condition faster than a consumated marriage that has a period of iddah with it.

As much as Bukhari may be a great authority, where ever any ahadith init opposes the Quran and the obvious actions and qualities known of the prophet, we must have to take what the Quran says over that. Muhammad dod not go against Quran, in all and every condition. Bukhari did not colect all ahadith that are available in Islam.

Finally, Allah raised Isa bin mariam (AS) out of the womb of a very young woman in her very first period, tops this great miracle by making a dead palm date tree stomp came alive and dfull of ripened fruits all in just a moment. All Maty was commanded to do was to make an effort to just shake the tree, down came the fruits. It was this that allow quick and from tere on, painless delivery. The same Allah allowed water to gush out for hetr to drink and wash her baby. The same God aided her against the authority by making Jesus (AS) defend her by haviing a full speech. And after this speech phenomina, he grew up as normal a boy without any special condition that stands out about her.

If Allah willed Aisha to be just two or 6 or 9 or 15, it is alright with me. Afterall, He turned a pece of flesh from Adam, to a fully grown woman, hawa who was the was of Adam (AS).

@ olabowale

If Allah willed Aisha to be just two or 6 or 9 or 15, it is alright with me. Afterall, He turned a pece of flesh from Adam, to a fully grown woman, hawa who was the was of Adam (AS).

dont u consider this ages as too young and unfair of allah?

olabowale:

Allah Willed what He willed for the prophet (AS).  Those who malign him for this or that, will have something else to malign him on, even if she was 90 years old at the time she as freshly married to him. None of them however, in this age of HIV/AIDS catch and die russian roulette do it at your own sex, can claim that they were virgin(s) at 25. No man will marry  25 virgin will marry 40 years woman who has been married two different times, regardless of her circumstances; wealth or fame or other wise!

@olabowale
May almighty Allah reward you for your detail insight on this issue and all your valuable contribution on NL. I belief it is not right in our own sense to even judge the past considering our present condition. Maturity age then was quite faster than present.
Aisha was willingly married to prophet prophet Muhammad by her parent supported by non muslim and muslim. No one ever think to mock prophet or criticize her age then, why will be after many centuries?

Moreso, there are several hadiths that have been reported wrongly even with correct isnad due to transformation and collections. Some were mixed with the idea of hypocrites. Allah Allam

littleb:

@olabowale
May almighty Allah reward you for your detail insight on this issue and all your valuable contribution on NL. I belief it is not right in our own sense to even judge the past considering our present condition. Maturity age then was quite faster than present. Moreso, there are several hadiths that have been reported wrongly even with correct isnad due to transformation and collections. Some were mixed with the idea of hypocrites. Allah Allam

uhmn. . .any evidence for this claim? was this at the ordinance of allah or a miracle of mohammed?

noetic2:

uhmn. . .any evidence for this claim? was this at the ordinance of allah or a miracle of mohammed?

Mind you. I dont have much evidence, I read several articles on maturity age and history. what I have gleaned is that maturity age varies and early in various places. There are several reports on nine,ten year old girl gave birth and in some places a ten year old girl never grow breast

The thread says:" Sir Olabowale Lets Discuss Aisha's Age" and not miracle of muhammad, pls note!

noetic2:

uhmn. . .any evidence for this claim? was this at the ordinance of allah or a miracle of mohammed?

noetic2:

@ olabowale

dont u consider this ages as too young and unfair of allah?

why are you asking tough questions.  allah took one of its own to impregnate you are here asking questions.  age does not matter

Maturity age then was quite faster than present

.

i cant believe a human being actually said "Maturity age then was quite faster than present[i][/i]" this to justify pregnanting kids.

i am not surprised you people are just letting me know why i saw azumi and hauwa that could have been nurses and doctors became housewife at barely 12.  civilzation religion at work.

littleb:

Mind you. I dont have much evidence, I read several articles on maturity age and history. what I have gleaned is that maturity age varies and early in various places. There are several reports on nine,ten year old girl gave birth and in some places a ten year old girl never grow breast

The thread says:" Sir Olabowale Lets Discuss Aisha's Age" and not miracle of muhammad, pls note!

okay let narrow this thing down. what is the youngest age you have slept with? DR abi na alhaji olabs can answer the kwuesrion too cos he is the leader of get them young sect.

littleb:

Mind you. I dont have much evidence, I read several articles on maturity age and history. what I have gleaned is that maturity age varies and early in various places. There are several reports on nine,ten year old girl gave birth and in some places a ten year old girl never grow breast

The thread says:" Sir Olabowale Lets Discuss Aisha's Age" and not miracle of muhammad, pls note!

so whats the source of the IGNORANCE u are ejaculating.

Ma'sha Allah elder olabowale,





from your quote above, her age above 6 and 9 is probable i.e not certain as is only analytical that was done.




Aisha has the second highest collection of hadiths, no doubt she stated it with her mouth that she was 6 when married as Bukhari is not entitled to weak hadith. Our elders say 'One falsehood destroy thousand truths', if she didn't recall the actual event then how do we trust her hadiths are reliable as well ?





True, Islam is against the marriage of a non mature girl and thats why i elaborated that Genes feature of then can't be compared with our modern perspective.





When Prophet Muhammad died, hadiths were collected from people to keep record, Abu huraira had the highest of hadith and hailed himself 'Am not showing proud but the truth of the matter is, i have the higest hadith'. Good ! What about Aisha ? She is the second in rank, if Aisha had lied or mistaken about her age Abubakar her father will be the first to refute the claim. Hadiths have shown that even the sahabas use to go to the wives of the Prophet for guideline or enlightenment, including umar to his daughter the wife of the Prophet.




I again repeat: one falsehood destroy thousand truths , if Aisha was mistaken or lie of her age then what happens to her thousands hadith



Wallahu a'lam

noetic2:

so whats the source of the IGNORANCE u are ejaculating.

I think I have responded to you well. As part of close ref, I got this from wiki:

[color=#006600]Child marriages such as this were relatively common in Arab communities at the time, and remain common in some societies in the modern era.[21] American scholar Colin Turner suggests that such marriages were not seen as improper in historical context, and that individuals in such societies matured at an earlier age than in the modern West.[21] In modern times, however, the issue of Muhammad marrying and having sexual relations with a girl so young has been used to criticize him, particularly in the West, where there is heightened concern about child sexual abuse and related issues.[21] In response some modern Muslim apologists have argued that adding up other dates given in the traditional sources may indicate that Aisha was older. Such a tactic was employed by the Indian Ahmadiyya figure Maulana Muhammad Ali.[22] However, scholars such as Watt accept the traditional account.[1][/color]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisha

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_youngest_birth_mothers

Abuzola:

Ma'sha Allah elder olabowale,

from your quote above, [size=18pt]her age above 6 and 9 is probable [/size]i.e not certain as is only analytical that was done.

I again repeat: one falsehood destroy thousand truths ,[size=14pt] if Aisha was mistaken or lie of her age then what happens to her thousands hadith [/size]
Wallahu a'lam

  you are asking a very question not that you will get any reasonable answer.

what i noticed is that people who tell lies will tell  one after another.  so dont be surprised to see pack of lies.  a liar is a liar and a liar. the same demons that make people lie is the one that them hate and kill someone so you se why they are present in certain quarters.

We shouldn't buy from the idea that Aisha lies on the hadith reported her age. However, hadith even with most reliable collection, I mean sahii Bukhari, Muslim and the rest could have been misreported due to transformation chain. Whether Muslims like it or not, people who hate Islam are using this account in the hadith to insult Prophet Muhammad and they will continue to. However, why Aisha's age was never an issue in her contemporary then, even by enemies of Islam.

littleb:

We shouldn't buy from the idea that Aisha lies on the hadith reported her age. However, hadith even with most reliable collection, I mean sahii Bukhari, Muslim and the rest could have been misreported due to transformation chain. Whether Muslims like it or not, people who hate Islam are using this account in the hadith to insult Prophet Muhammad and they will continue to. However, why Aisha's age was never an issue in her contemporary then, even by enemies of Islam.

why is the credibility of the haddith in doubt? is this an attempt to exonerate mohammed of paedophlia?

noetic2:

why is the credibility of the haddith in doubt? is this an attempt to exonerate mohammed of paedophlia?

Just read the complete thread, if you cant find an answer to your question here, then it is well and okay to stick to whatever you think you belief and considered right.

littleb:

Just read the complete thread, if you cant find an answer to your question here, then it is well and okay to stick to whatever you think you belief and considered right.

all that u have done is simply to discredit what aisha said in the haddith. why is that the case?

@littleb, for sure i can bet my brother with sahih bukhari that it has no do'if in it, i have read his history how he gathered the hadiths and that, other hadiths contains do'if with the exception of Muslim though it has some slight weak ones, due to what you stated above, either contrary to the Quran or misinformation or mixed up somewhere.


Am not ashame and will never inshaAllah deny her age reported by bukhari due to christians mocking, what i consider is the years back genetic. Kalas

Abuzola:

@littleb, for sure i can bet my brother with sahih bukhari that it has no do'if in it, i have read his history how he gathered the hadiths and that, other hadiths contains  do'if with the exception of Muslim though it has some slight weak ones, due to what you stated above, either contrary to the Quran or misinformation or mixed up somewhere.


Am not ashame and will never inshaAllah deny her age reported by bukhari due to christians mocking, what i consider is the years back genetic. Kalas

Thanks.  May almighty Allah rewards all for our effort and continue to endow us with wisdom and makes us stand firm in the light of Islam.
Allah Alaam.

Amin summa amin.




Sir, olabowale, i need more facts to reject bukhari's claim

dont reject anything see it is possible http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lina_Medina

Abuzola:

Sir, olabowale, i need more facts to reject bukhari's claim

@Abuzola: None of us is a scholar, par se in the Islamic general terminology of it. However each is a scholar when he understands something in a special and more detail way that there is more light shone on the subject matter. This is Mercy of Allah in Islam on everyone who is a muslim. For example, somebody just accepted Islam, and he joins the Jama'a in his first salah. It happens to be Magrib where recitation is loud. Immediately he hears suratul Fatihah, which affected his heart, He hears other short surahs in the salah. By the end of the salah he had memorize these salah that he can now use to make his own prayer. Knowledge was impacted on him by his Lord because of his heart.

It is true that Imam Bukhari made great effort, unique I would say in his collection of ahadiths. But he did not collect all ahadith from A to Z. Some of his reasons for not even collecting from a man was because the man conned his horse to come to him, by cupping his hand as if there was food, when there wasnt any.

Ahadith, and sunnah is the saying and or action of the holy prophet (AS). And what he (AS) allowed others to do or say, in his presence without correcting them or forbidden them. It is not possible that the explanation or indication of our mother Aisha's age (RA), to show how old or young se was can qualify for ahadith. It does not fall into any of the two processes that I know that can be called ahadith or sunnah. At best, it will appear as part of the SIRAH of the prophet, not as his ahadith. A sunnah about marriage is his marrying a young woman Aisha and waiting for as long as it takes for her to be in the right frame of mind, and body before consumation of the marriage. For example, she Aisha was reported to be a sickly woman, based on many factors: It could be genetic or the stress that every muslim went through in Makka, prior to Hijr to Madina.

Whatever the reason, the noble soul, Muhammad (AS) was not all about sex, since he held his ground for 3 years after the marriage. In that period she lived with him and there was no sex even at that! Can anyone attempt to do that, today or at anytime? If I am married to a woman, if she has fever or those common maladies, or even a serious one, as long as her energy is not completely sapped, I will sleep with her. Most and I dare say that all men will sleep with their wives in the condition I have simply stated what I will do. Her sickness will not take away from her desirability or her beauty in my eyes and her being my wife, still. She may even get better because of the fact that she was not rejected by her husband because of her temporary condition or a permanent one which she was married under!

Sunnah and ahadith of Muhammad, that points to marrying a younger woman, young girl, for the most part is what he said to the man who married for his first marriage, an old woman, instead of a young one. Reasons he gave; to play with her, making your mental state younger almost equals hers. To have babies with her so that Islam can increase. I believe that I become younger when I do dialogue my young wife, Zainab. She discusses things of the 1990s which I am familiar with, even though I am not of that generation. I can run and wrestle with her rather than a broken down woman in my age group (I think Toyin is going to have a field day when ever she reads this part).

Prophet Muhammad said that when a woman is asked by her parents about a marriage proposal; when her eyes tear up, taste it. If the tear is sweet, know that she is interested in the man. It is an acceptance, even though she may not say a word in response. If her tears is bitter, not sweet, then know that she has no interested in the man. And no one should force anyone to marry a spouse that he or she is not interested in. You can get involved in arranged marriage, which the spouses agree with, but force one on anybody.


Now, according to the above, Aisha was born prior to the year of revelation. Otherwise, there was no report that her mother was pregnant at anytime after she entered islam with her husband. If it had been, we would have had the first recorded Islamic naming ceremony recorded by it. At least in the household of Abu Bakr, the neighbor of Muhammad (AS), who would probably for certain be the one that will perform it. It would have been just like the first Funeral prayer. Or the prayer of the dead person you did not see, like the one he performed on Al Nagashi, the King of Ethiopia.

It was also established that Fatima (RA), the child of Muhammad and Khadijah (RA) was just few years older than Aisha (RA)! We know that Fatima would have been many years old since her parents married 15 years before Islam of Muhammad. Considering the age of her mother, 40 years before her marriage to the prophet, it is not impossible to assume that she was born before she was 50 years old, even though other children were born into the household too. We can not say that they had no capability to have children. afterall. Muhammad (AS) was 25 at the time of marriage and we read in many sources that they had Kassim and at least two oter daughters along with Fatima, making at least 4. The only child of Muhammad that was not born by Khadijah was Ibrahim who was born by the Coptic tribe Egyptian, Mariam (RA), our mother.

The inquiries to the true age of Aisha will have to include all of these, above a variety of material sources to trace her year of birth or at least the circumstances that can help determine her age relative to the beginning of the first revelation. W must never forget that Islam of Muhammad, from that first encounter with Jibril (AS) was never kept under wrap so that we cant use it as a frame of reference, a landmark, to determine many happenings in the life of islam. Afterall, it was used to know how long they tarried in Makka, with how long it took for revelation to complete. It also was used to determine the age of Muhammad, 63 years old before he died.

The final condition we should put forward to help us know what the true age of Aisha was is the fact that she was engaged to somebody else, a different makkan family long before Muhammad (AS) asked her father through emissary about her. THe only reason she was still not married at that time was that the future husband's family was paganicwhile Abu Bakr's household was islamic. We know that it is not permissible for muslim women to marry non muslim husband. If the ayah that expresses this was not revealed at that time, for sure the action fits perfectly with the later revealed verse. Therefore we must start our analysis not from when Aisha became a wife, but from what happened from her birth all the way to her marriage. All of these, as the first leg of our analysis of her life to getting to the truth. I ask; would she have been left alone for three years without consumation of te said marriage if she had been married to the first man? The answer is probably no.

AS for me, a six year old or 60 year olf makes no difference with the prophet, espectially when it was an ordained thing with Allah. However, nothing that Allah provides for mankind to make use on this earth should be hard to swallow. If Aisha is six years old, she was made a special woman so that "Legacy" of Muhammad was prolonged through her! Afterall, she died long time after him, and even after Fatima. My proof of this special woman in her is that she was the only "young" woman and the only virgin married by the Prophet. There is a reason for this. And only Allah knows all the reasons. If she was older, say 60, people will still have their individual rasons to criticise him. Afterall, many are criticizing him or marrying Khadijah, the woman who propposed to him, regardless of her age difference!All our discussion is not to white wash what has happened, because it has no impact on his prophethood. Infact it makes him human. A naturally easy to follow human being without the frails of impossibilities.


Finally, Bukhari's collection was in greatest of intentions; to preserve the saying and doings of Muhammad (AS). But all of his doings and sayings, none disagrees with the Quran. When he worshipped too much, all night long, a condition that Aisha saw as a hardship on him, going against that islam is easy and not a burden, Allah revealed Surah Taha to tell him that a maximum of half of the night is enough! There is no disagreement therefore between his life and Quran. Bukhari can not be looked at as completely perfect, otherwise we will be having a another human prophet, and another Quran as his book. We know that both of those are not possible. Finally, Bukhari did not meet Aisha (RA). Imam Bukhari (ra) met those people who narated the story. We need to know those people and the veracity of their naration, their ability to have collected such an information from her. When did they collect it? Is it possible that a young person at 6 could remember everything that happened and relate it without missing a beat at say 3 years old? I do not remember everything that happened in 1960 to 62, considering all the technological advancement in this period versus the 1400 years and mounting so long ago. When my father died in 1966, I cant remember precisely where I was when we were woken up that dad (ra) had passed.


To look like a 6 year old is far different than to be 6 on the money. I look quite young for my age, but my age is my age! Thanks to islam, wudu makes the body good. My thought is this, some body might have just ran with a statement that was incorrect. The best proof for or against it is the actual time she was born relative to when Islam began on one hand. On the other hand her age relative to when she got married to Muhammad (AS). If she remembered tis event vividly, she dd not claim that she was unhappy, abused, etc even when Ali AbiTalib and her were on opposite end. If the distractors were able to tell us that she complained (not true) about revelation of convenience, she should have in his lifetime and easy after he died to have complained bitterly about her unwillingness to marry him at such a young age. Was it not the Islam of Muhammadthat have liberated women, regardless of the oppressions and regressions and deviations that the muslim leadership have brought upon females today? Aisha was reported to have attended the prosecution of the battle of Badr. She rode the horse all by herself. Would a young underage could have done either?

Again, I am not disputing what our Imam Bukhari (ra) did. He collected what he collected. THose which are correct, you will know it by its agreement with the Quran and fitting the known personality of th messenger. The statment of Aisha (AS) regarding her age, could never pass for ahadith. At best a sunnah, if it was expressed in the lifetime of the prophet, and he heard it without adding any comment to it.

And Allah knows everything. he is the Best of knowers.

olabowale:

And Allah knows everything. he is the Best of knowers.

has he not revealed his knowledge in the koran and haddith?

can we not deduce aisha's age from her statements in the haddith? must we deny this things, just in an attempt to make mohammed look good?

noetic2:

has he not revealed his knowledge in the koran and haddith?

can we not deduce aisha's age from her statements in the haddith? must we deny this things, just in an attempt to make mohammed look good?

He is the best of Knower.