The Correct Age of Hazrat Ayesha When She Was Married To Prophet Mohammad: Two Contradictory Scholarly Opinions Both Based On Evidence from Classical Historical Reports
By Mufti Abdul Qayyum &
Zakiur Rehman Ghazi
Translated into English by
Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
...
Main Points
1. Mufti
Abdul Qayyum Hazarwi cites some classical books to prove that Syeda Asmaa, the
daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakr was 10 years older than Syeda Ayesha Siddiqah. He
says that According to reports, Hazrat Ayesha's marriage was consummated in the
year 2 AH, Therefore, rather than being nine, Hazrat Ayesha must have been 19
years old at the time of her rukhsati. He argues that the actual wording
of the Hadith [which indicates the age of Hazrat Ayesha at the time of her marriage]
was likely intended to state “tis'a ashara,” (19), but it may have omitted
“ashara (10)” and was later transmitted incorrectly as just “tis'aa” (9).
2. Zakiur
Rehman Ghazi Madani, in contrast to Mufti Abdul Qayyum, makes several grounds
to support the claim that Hazrat Ayesha was six years old when the Prophet
married her and that she first met him when she was nine years old. He
maintains that the Hadiths used to support this claim and found in Sahih
Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are authentic and cannot be disproved on the basis of
flimsy evidence. According to him, Hazrat Ayesha, her family, and all of her
close relatives—including her father Hazrat Abu Bakr and mother Umme Ruman—were
content and happy with her marriage at the age of nine and did not object to
the marriage as being improper. He asserts that the account of Ummul Muminin
Hazrat Ayesha's age in the Hadith found in Sahihain is supported by all
historical sources and Hadith narrators.
....
The Age of Hazrat Ayesha at the Time of Her
Marriage and Marital
By Mufti Abdul Qayyum Hazarwi
Translated into English by Ghulam
Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
Questioner Rashid Ali: Assalam
Alaikum! How old was Ummul Muminin Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqah at the time of her
wedding to the Prophet and at the time of her Rukhsati?
Answered by Mufti Abdul
Qayyum Hazarwi
The Hadith states that Ayesha
Siddiqah was nine years old when she got married, but this is untrue from the
perspectives of reason and narration, according to the rejecters (Munkirin)
of the Hadith corpus. This has made it straightforward for some educated
Muslims and non-Muslims alike to reject the Hadith corpus. Our research
indicates that Syeda Ayesha Siddiqah was married at the age of at least 17 or
19. The following details serve as evidence in this regard:
Syeda Asmaa, the daughter of
Abu Bakr, the elder sister of Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqah, was a devout believer in
Allah Almighty and a courageous lady. She was the mother of Abdullah bin Zubair
and one of the long-lived lady companions (Sahabiyyaat). She was said to
have lived for one hundred years by every historian. She was ten years older
than Syeda Ayesha Siddiqah. Five to ten days after Hazrat Abdullah bin Zubair's
martyrdom, Syeda Asma passed away. 73 AH is the year of her death. This
computation shows that Syeda Ayesha Siddiqah was 17 years old at the time of Hijrah
because she was ten years younger than Syeda Asmaa, who was 27 at the time.
According to reports, Hazrat Ayesha's marriage was consummated in the year 2
AH. If this is true, Hazrat Ayesha's age at the time of her Rukhsati
must have been 19 as opposed to 9. Check the references given below:
اسلمت اسماء قديما وهم بمکة فی اول الاسلام... وهی آخر المهاجرين
والمهاجرات موتا. وکانت هی اکبر من اختها عائشة بعشر سنين.. بلغت من العمر ماته
سنة.
Hazrat Asmaa [the daughter of
Hazrat Abu Bakr] was among the first Muslims to embrace Islam in Makkah. She was the last to pass away among the muhaajirin
and muhaajiraat, or migrants, both male and female. She was ten years
older than her sister Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqah. She had a hundred years of life.
(Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa
al-Nihayah, 8/346, printed in Beirut)
اسلمت قديما بعد اسلام سبعة عشر انسانا... ماتت بمکة بعد قتله
بعشره ايام وقيل بعشرين يوماً وذلک فی جمادی الاولیٰ سنة ثلاث وسبعين.
She (Asmaa bint Abu Bakr)
converted to Islam after seventeen other people did. It was the month of Jumada
al-Awwal (the fifth Islamic month) in 73 AH that she passed away, 10 or 20
days after her son (Abdullah bin Zubair) was murdered.
(Allama Ibn Hajar Asqalaani, Tahdhib
al-Tahdhib 12/426 printed at Lahore/ Imam Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Jarir
Tabari, Taarikh ul Umam wa al-Muluk 5/31, printed in Beirut/ Haafiz Abu
Nu’aim Ahmad bin Abdullah al-Asbahaani, Hilyatul Awliyaa wa Tabaqatul
Asfiyaa 2/56, printed in Beirut)
اسلمت قديما بمکة وبايعت رسول الله صلی الله عليه وآله وسلم..
ماتت اسماء بنت ابی بکرالصديق بعد قتل ابنها عبدالله بن الزبير وکان قتله يوم
الثلثاء لسبع عشرة ليلة خلت من جمادی الاولیٰ سنة ثلاث وسبعين.
She (Asmaa bint Abu Bakr
Siddiq) was one of the first individuals who converted to Islam. She swore
allegiance to the Messenger of Allah. A few days had gone after her son
Abdullah bin Zubair was killed in battle when she passed away. Abdullah ibn
Zubair was killed on Tuesday, 12 Jumada al-Awwal (the fifth Islamic
month) in the year 73 AH.
(Muhammad ibn Sa’d al-Kaatib
al-Waqidi, al-Tabaqaat al-Kubraa, 8/255, printed in Beirut)
کانت
اسن من عائشة وهی اختها من ابيها.. ولدت قبل التاريخ لسبع وعشرين سنة.
She (Syeda Asmaa bint Abu Bakr)
was older than Syeda Ayesha. She was her real sister. Their father was Hazrat
Abu Bakr. Syeda Asmaa was born 27 years before the year of migration (of the
Prophet to Medina).
(Ali ibn Muhammad ibn al-Athir
al Jazri, Usd al-ghabah fi marifat al-Saḥabah 5/392, printed at
Riyad)
اسلمت قديما بمکة قال ابن اسحق بعد سبعة عشر نفسا.. بلغت اسماء
مائة سنة ولدت قبل الهجرة لسبع وعشرين سنة.
She (Syeda Asmaa bint Abu Bakr,
may Allah be pleased with them) was one of the very first people in Makkah to
convert to Islam. Ibn Ishaq said, “Following the conversion of seventeen
persons, (she) converted to Islam.” She had a hundred years of life. She was
born 27 years before the migration.
(Ibn Hajar Asqalaani, Al-Iṣābah fī Tamyīz al-Ṣahābah, 4/230 Beirut /
Sirat Ibn Hisham 1/271 Beirut / Ibn Athir, al-Kāmil fit-Tārīkh 4/358
Beirut /Muhammad bin Abd al-Qurtubi, al-Isti'ab p Mari fat al-Ashab bi
Hamish al-Isabah 4/232 Beirut/ Hafiz Shamsuddin Muhammad bin Ahmad
al-Dhahabi, Tārīkh al-Islām wa-wafayāt al-mashāhīr wa-al-aʻlām 5/30 Beirut/ Al-Rawd
Al-Anf fi Sharh Sirat Ibn Hisham 1/166 printed in Multan)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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It should also be borne in mind
that the Hijri calendar was not introduced in the lifetime of the Prophet.
Other calendars such as AD or others were not used in among the Arabs. The Arabs used to calculate the years by
remembering any well-known events, such as the event of Owners of the Elephant
(Ashaab al-Fil). The regular year of Hijrah was started by Hazrat Umar Farooq
during his caliphate and it started from the year of Hijrah.
Even though print media has
made enormous strides in recent years, typos and printing errors still happen
in books, newspapers, and even the Holy Qur'an. In the past, the handwriting
was the only method available. The actual wording of the Hadith [which
indicates the age of Hazrat Ayesha at the time of her marriage] was likely
intended to state "tis'a ashara," (19), but it may have omitted
"ashara (10)" and was later transmitted incorrectly as just "tis'a"
(9). The subsequent narrators must have narrated this Hadith in which the word "ashara"
was missed because they were extremely honest, pious, scientists and artists
with a firm sense of right and wrong. The absence of the term "ashara"
in the Hadith could be caused by anything. However, facts are facts and cannot
be changed permanently, even if they have a little dust on them. All Hadith
publications ought to be free of such renunciations (tasaamuh), so that
those with malign intent won't dare to make derogatory remarks.
Allah and His Beloved Prophet
know the best!
Source: https://www.thefatwa.com/urdu/questionID/1167/
…
The Issue Of Ummul Muminin
Hazrat Ayesha's Age
By Zakiur Rehman Ghazi Madani
Translated into English by
Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
Anyone with a thorough
understanding of the history of Prophethood (Nubuwwat) and messengership
(Risaalat) is well aware that the perversion and deviation of the
previous nations were not simply a result of their propensity to deny the words
of revelation, but rather came about as a result of meaningless interpretations
of the meanings of divine revelation, which eventually dragged on for so long
that the words revealed by God Almighty were diverted from their intended
meaning.
The period of the righteous
predecessors (Aslaaf) has been very different from our own in terms of
the formation and spread of incorrect interpretations (Ta’weelaat) and
wrong meanings among the Muslim Ummah. During the time of the predecessors, the
heretics were strongly devoted to distorting the fundamentals and principles of
belief. They misinterpreted, among other beliefs, Divine Attributes (Sifat-E-Ilahi),
the Throne (‘arsh), the Chair (kursi), Destiny (Taqdeer),
After-death Resurrection, the Second Coming, Miracles (mu’jazat), and
the accuracy of Prophecy. The misguided sects had misconstrued these doctrinal
issues, but the forefathers of our Ummah rose to the challenge and heroically
struggled to protect the purity and perfection of the faith.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Also
Read: Was Hazrat
Aisha Married to the Prophet in Her Childhood?
-----------------------------------------------------------
However, throughout the time of
the predecessors, the door to interpreting the practical laws (Amali Ahkaam)
of the Religion was not open. Notwithstanding their incorrect beliefs, the
misguided sects respected and adhered to the practical rules of the Sharia.
Many of the Muslim-named philosophers went way beyond the Straight Path in
their beliefs but nonetheless held the practical rules of Sharia in high
respect, maintaining that no honour comparable to that bestowed upon the
Prophet Muhammad has ever come in this world. And by honour, they meant
adhering to the pragmatic rulings of the Sharia that the Prophet
Muhammad brought about. The expert philosophers, according to Ibn Taymiyyah,
affirm the statement of Avicenna (Ibn Sina) that "No honour has
been revealed in this world greater than the honour of Muhammad (peace be upon
him)”. (Ibn Taymiyyah, Minhaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyya, 1/317, Research by
Muhammad Rashad Salem)
This is clear from the
philosopher's assertion that they appreciated the practical rules and laws of
Islamic Sharia. But instead of submitting to the doctrinal matters, they
allowed for erroneous interpretation and false justification. The cause is
fairly obvious. In fact, they were alive during a period when Islamic conquests
were expanding daily, the Sharia was being applied to the society on a
political and legal level, and they could see the benefits of the divine order first-hand.
From the metaphysical point of view, their defeat and subordination to Greek
philosophy were purely of a rational and cerebral nature. They were free of any
traces of political or constitutional servitude. This is the reason why these
people persevered with the Sharia from a constitutional and practical
standpoint; any uneasiness and confusion that may have arisen in them was due
to religious beliefs.
In contrast to that time, all
of the innovations and misinterpretations made by the heretics now have to do
with the practical application of Sharia and are plainly influenced by
the dominant Western civilization and culture. The interpretation of Islamic
doctrines and unseen beliefs (Magheebaat) is no longer the primary
emphasis of the new thinkers and so-called Mujtahids. Instead, they have
mostly concentrated on erroneous interpretations and cutting-edge viewpoints
concerning the practical application of Sharia. Among the practical
rules of Islamic Sharia that are targeted by these thinkers mostly
include the matters pertaining to the unrestricted public interest (Maslaha
Mursala), the goals of Sharia, the punishments for penal crimes (Taaziraat)
and Hudud crimes, usury, the veil (purdah), the husband's
guardianship over his wife and family, Jihad, loyalty to non-Muslims, the way dhimmis
are treated, the denial of evil, how the Muslim Ummah feels about those
who disagree with their faith, the religious validity of purely secular
knowledge, early marriage, etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Also Read: Hazrat Aisha’s Controversial Age at Marriage: Nine or
Nineteen?
-----------------------------------------------------------
The pro-Western Muslim class
has made a concerted effort to divert the relevant Sharia books from
their original interpretations in reference to these practical guidelines and
impose interpretations that are consistent with the predominately Western
society. A slew of fresh ideas and theories have been developed specifically
for this reason, and every Western idea has been demonstrated to have the
excessive bravery to claim Sharia as its source. The door to inaccurate
interpretations is wide open. What else
could this be if it isn't an imposing falsehood against Allah?
The sects in the times of the
predecessors, who insisted on interpreting Islamic doctrines and beliefs to
make Islam compatible with Greek philosophy, are comparable to the innovative
thinkers in that they both value innovation and seek to infuse novel ideas into
the religion of Allah. People today mistake the Sharia to mean things
that it does not actually say. What else could be an innovation if this isn't
it? However, the difference between these two groups is that those who were
heretics in the era of their ancestors favoured Greek modernism and strove to
combine Greek mythology and philosophy with Islamic beliefs. The case of the
modern-day heretics, however, is that they have surrendered to the dominant
Western civilization and culture led by the United States, and the main goal of
their efforts is to distort the practical rules of Islamic Sharia. They
appear to be trying to graft in the Sharia while negotiating the variety
of interpretations, much like the earlier innovators did. Of course, between
the periods of the ancestors and the successors, the methods of attack against
Islam have evolved.
In this context, a complaint is
made over the underage marriage of Hazrat Ayesha, despite the fact that Ummul
Muminin stated, “The Messenger of Allah married me when I was six years
old, and he consummated the marriage with me when I was nine.” (Sahih
Bukhari: 5133. Sahih Muslim: 1422). According to another Hadith
recorded by Sahih Muslim, the age of Hazrat Ayesha at the time of her
marriage was seven years. Applying the two Hadiths, it could be said that she
was entering her seventh year and had just finished her sixth. (See al-Isabah
8/232)
For 1400 years, the Ummah
did not object to the marriage age of Hazrat Ayesha, nor did they find anything
strange or out of the ordinary about it. However, in the modern era, when
Western imperialist powers wanted to divide the Islamic world and impose their
political supremacy, along with cultural and social dominance, over the Muslims,
they put forth those Muslims who totally backed this atrocious behaviour. As a
result, these new intellectuals started to explain every Islamic edict that was
at odds with Western culture and civilization while also altering them to suit
Western ideas and attitudes.
After passing through the
practical Islamic rules, these people arrived at the historical dates and
events. They used the persuasive justification that since Allah's Messenger
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a mercy to the world and stoning to death is a
sign of heartlessness, he could not have executed this penalty. For these
people, the hundreds of historical accounts, Hadith traditions, and the
practices of the jurists dating back to the first century and continuing for
many centuries were all rendered irrelevant.
-----------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------
These scholars also objected to
the marriage age of Hazrat Ayesha. It
was claimed that Ummul Muminin was eighteen years old (which is also the
customary age for marriage in Western countries) when she married and
twenty-eight years old when the Prophet passed away. The information that these
men supplied in this regard was intriguing, and it was all based on the fact
that Hazrat Ayesha and her older sister Hazrat Asmaa were so many years apart
in age.
In this regard, it is important
to first realise that those who object to early marriage should first object to
God Almighty's divine word, as it is He Almighty Who has justified it.
“And those who no longer expect
menstruation among your women - if you doubt, then their period is three
months, and [also for] those who have not menstruated. And for those who are
pregnant, their term is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah - He
will make for him of his matter ease.” (65:4)
In addition to the statement
attributed to Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas, the Tabiyeen including Suddi,
Qatadah, Dhahhak, Muqatil b. Salman translated the Quranic phrase “Lam
yahidna” to refer to the young girls who have not reached the age of
menstruation. Imam Ibn Jarir Tabari, Imam Qurtubi, Imam Baydawi, Imam
Baghawi, Imam Ibn Kathir, Imam Suyuti, Imam Razi, Imam Nasafi, Imam Abu Hayyan
Andalusi, Imam Ibn Atiyyah, Imam Shawkani, Imam Baqa’i, Imam Abu Saud, Allama
Ibn al-Jawzi, Allama Zamakhshari, Allama Maraaghi, Allama Mazhari, Allama
Siddique Hasan Khan, Allama Tantawi Jauhari, Allama Al-Jazairi and Syed Qutub
Shaheed and countless other commentators have taken this verse to refer to
young girls who have not yet started their menstruation.
Sayyid Maududi writes, “...They
may not have menstruated as yet either because of young age or delayed
menstrual discharge as it happens in the case of some women, or because of no
discharge at all throughout life which, though rare, may also be the case. In
any case, the waiting period of such a woman is the same as of a woman, who has
stopped menstruation. That is three months from the time divorce was
pronounced. Here, one should bear in mind the fact that according to the
explanations given in the Quran the question of the waiting period arises in
respect of the women with whom marriage may have been consummated, for there is
no waiting period in case divorce is pronounced before the consummation of
marriage (Surah Al-Ahzab, Aayat 49). Therefore, making mention of the
waiting period for the girls who have not yet menstruated, clearly proves that
it is not only permissible to give away the girl in marriage at this age but it
is also permissible for the husband to consummate marriage with her. Now,
obviously, no Muslim has the right to forbid a thing which the Quran has held as
permissible.” (Maududi, Tafhim al-Quran, 65:4)
But this does not mean that
Islam advocates early marriage or considers it a good deed. This is just a
matter of permissibility. Some girls start having hysteria attacks from a young
age, for the treatment of which it becomes necessary to get married. But in
normal circumstances, Islam has declared the closeness and compatibility of age
between the married couple as recommended (mustahabb). However, it is an
act of disbelief to declare its justification as illegitimate in the simulation
of material civilization. It is sad to say that the so-called modern thinkers
are doing this impure act today. This issue is about early marriage. Now let us
come to the age of Ummul Muminin Hazrat Ayesha.
However, this does not imply
that Islam supports or views early marriage as a good deed. It just comes down
to permissibility here. Some girls experience hysterical attacks from a young
age, and marriage is often required as a kind of treatment. However, Islam has
ruled that in normal circumstances, a married couple's age and proximity should
be compatible, declaring it a recommended act (mustahabb). Declaring its
permissibility to be invalid in the simulation of material society, however, is
an act of unbelief. It is regrettable to report that this immoral crime is
still being committed by so-called modern thinkers. The topic at hand is early
marriage. Let's move on to Ummul Muminin Hazrat Ayesha's age.
The problem to be thought about
is whether determining Hazrat Ayesha's age at the time of her marriage is a Sharia
issue or a historical occurrence. And can ijtihad be used to alter
historical events and occurrences or does it solely apply to Sharia-related
matters? Of course, since this is a historical occurrence, the facts should be
presented exactly as they stand, in accordance with both reason and Sharia.
They shouldn't be changed, and the narrator's preferences shouldn't be taken
into account either, as doing so would be an act of distortion. It is not
permissible to bring up Ummul Muminin Hazrat Ayesha's age in ijtihad
because it is a well-known historical fact. Then, a variety of elements are
used to show its authenticity and reliability.
1. The first argument is that Hazrat Ayesha
narrated her marriage in her own words. Why would someone in this circumstance
take another person's words at face value? According to the Hadiths recorded in
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, she was six years old when the
Prophet married her, and she met him in private when she was nine years old.
Those who have spoken about it claim that she has been severely wronged. The
sideshow, though, is that no one is contacting Ummul Muminin Hazrat
Ayesha, the purported victim. In other words, Hazrat Ayesha, her family, and
all of her close relatives—including her father Hazrat Abu Bakr and mother Umme
Ruman—were happy and satisfied with her marital consummation at the age of
nine. They didn’t oppose this relationship as being wronged. The final prophet
of Allah, Muhammad, peace be upon him, is happy and satisfied with it. However,
modern so-called thinkers perceive oppression in this early marriage.
2. This statement by Ummul
Muminin Hazrat Ayesha is included in the two books of Hadith, which are
recognised by the whole Muslim Ummah as being the most authentic books
in the world after the Book of Allah. If Imams of Bukhari and Muslim
concur that a Hadith is authentic, there is no room for doubt. The Sahih
books are the most reliable and authentic Hadith books. This Ummah will
always be grateful to Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim
for their contribution to the Religion and for doing a great favour for the
nation by compiling high-level genuine Hadiths in these books. May Allah
Almighty grant us the opportunity to be grateful to our benefactors and may He
reward the sheikhs more and more for the benefit these books have brought to
the Ummah. (Fi Rihaab al-Kutub al-Sitta, p. 97/ al-Hadith wal
Muhaddithun: p. 399-403, Kutbu al-Sunnah Dirasat Tauthiqiyyah, Rif’at
Fawzi)
Despite the fact that this Hadith
is mentioned in both of the Sahih Books, those who reject this Hadith
and characterise Hazrat Ayesha's marriage as harsh do so in keeping with the
inspiration of the modern age. But, is it based on a scholarly work? We'll be
up forward and admit that these people are overflowing with strong emotions.
They are unable to completely comprehend the effects and meanings of their
comments because of their pessimistic outlook. They are rejecting a Sahih
Hadith in the name of Dirayah and Fiqh, although it is tantamount
to rejecting an issue of jurisprudence with the rules of astronomy. The field
of the Hadith-specialist Imams differs from that of jurists and mujtahids.
Only according to the rules of Narration can a Hadith be accepted or rejected.
Even the best jurists, Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Shafi'i do not have the right
to judge a Hadith to be authentic or unauthentic based solely on its content.
Instead, they had to follow the rules of the Narration, and Diraayat is
acceptable only up to the extent set forth by the rules of the Narration.
The explanation of this summary
is that the so-called scholars of the era hold the opinion that on the basis of
the content of the Hadith, a narrator can be termed a liar despite the fact
that his reliability and uprightness have been agreed upon by all the Imams of
the subject and his memorization and accuracy have been proved by careful
investigations.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Also Read: Aisha bint
Abu Bakr: A Fascinating Woman
-----------------------------------------------------------
Let us get into further detail
on this subject. The so-called scholars of the time hold the opinion that a
narrator could be charged with lying based solely on the content of the Hadith,
despite the fact that the notable Imams and experts have established his
reliability and uprightness, and that careful investigations have established
both his memorization and accuracy to be acceptable. If their claim is
recognized as fact, all Hadiths, including those transmitted by Sahih
Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, will no longer be trustworthy.
Rejecting a narrator entails
assuming that the standard used to judge the narrators is flawed and
unreliable, which the imams of narration have done so with such care,
discretion, understanding, effort, and sincerity that it is impossible for
humans to conduct any additional research. Then what will be the credibility of
those narrations that were included in the chapter on rules (ahkaam) and
beliefs (aqaaid). If you assert that these narrations are compatible
with the overall structure of the religion in accordance with reason and are
compatible with one another, we will say that you have created the overall structure,
mood, and structure of the religion from the raw materials and components of
the right traditions. If a first-generation narrator is shown to be
untrustworthy, the overall structure of the narration will become an unreliable
and invalid basis for deduction of rules. The possibility that the narrations
and Ahadith that we took as authentic and derived the laws and beliefs
from might be flawed and unsettling would then become very real.
Simply asserting that a
particular narration is in line with logic and speculation does not establish
its reliability. We require credible proof, not a likely one, for reliability.
It is also conceivable, based on logic and speculation that Zaid travelled from
Delhi to Bombay on Friday. But is it absolutely necessary that he has left?
Similar to this, all of the fundamental rules supported by Hadiths can be
accepted not on the grounds of reason and logic, but rather on the basis of
narration and report. If it is acceptable to proclaim the highest level of
narrators to be liars by rendering the content of the Hadith inappropriate
based on personal knowledge, there will be no sanctuary left for the religion,
and books like Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, among others, will
all turn into a collection of fables.
The position that these people
have adopted will affect many narrators, not just one. Imam Bukhari recorded
the text utilising a variety of narration chains (sanad), while Imam
Muslim mentioned several chains of a Hadith. If it is unable to identify
clearly and specifically which narrator is accused of misrepresenting the
facts, all of the narrators in these chains of narration, including Hazrat
Ayesha and Hazrat Urwa bin Zubair, will be suspects. Furthermore, if a narrator
is described in a precise and unambiguous fashion, then one would assume that
the traditions recorded by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim in their Sahih
Books are unreliable. It would be pointless to mention here the Bukhari
and Muslim narrators who have been subjected to cross-examination by
scholars based on the adopted guidelines for examining the Hadiths. We are
referring to the standard and criteria whose authenticity has also been
acknowledged by the Hadith-examiners. The outcome of disbelieving the Hadith
under discussion is the failure of the established standard and criteria, which
will have the sole effect of ending trust in the Hadith.
In the domain of meanings, Mujtahids
and jurists are the knights. They have proven the essence in their particular
fields. Imam Abu Hanifa is credited with saying, "If the Hadith is found
to be authentic, then the content of that Hadith is my position." Is it
not true that the rejection of conjecture should be taken as an established
principle in the presence of the authentic tradition? The idea that Hazrat
Ayesha's statement of her age at the time of marriage is false is nothing more
than conjecture. Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) actually comprehend right and wrong more than we do.
We are only permitted to check
and see whether or not the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) has said or
done certain things. If there is cause to think that this has happened, then
rather than questioning the principle and criterion [of checking the Hadith],
one should use conjecture, reasoning, wisdom, and knowledge to come to a sound
conclusion regarding what has happened. The reason is that if we lose trust in
this standard, there will be no hope for our world because we won't be able to
know for sure what our Prophet did and did not do.
3. Furthermore, this tradition
has come to us through a variety of channels rather than a single narrator or
chain of transmission. But Hadith ignorers claim that all of these traditions
come to a stop with Hazrat Urwah bin Zubair or Hazrat Hisham bin Urwah, who
suffered from a mental illness in his final years. However, they are all
unfounded claims that cannot even be backed up by flimsy tradition or
narration, let alone when referring to any authentic Hadith. Then, how
ridiculous is it that these people act in such a way that, on the one hand,
they reject the chains of traditions and declare their intellects to be the
ultimate authorities, and, on the other hand, they start to accept any flimsy
evidence as though it were a strong argument. Do you consider yourself to be a
messenger or a god? Do you believe we must follow or reject the tradition you
have commanded? Only Allah Almighty and His Messenger have the power to issue
commands about religion based on personal preferences. Nobody has the right to
consciously choose a position that is only motivated by personal preferences.
The Hadith of Ummul Muminin
Hazrat Ayesha has really been passed down through a number of chains of
narration, the specifics of which can be found in the research volumes that
have been produced on the subject. For instance, to fully comprehend this
subject, one should read "Tahqeeq Sinn-e-Ayesha" by Dr. Ahmad
Shakir, "Al-Radd Ala Man Ta'ana fi Sinn-e-Ziwaj-e-Ayesha" by
Dr. Muhammad Amara, "al-Sihaam al-Raaisha li al-dhab An Sinne
Ziwaaj-e-Sayeda Ayesha" by Ayman bin Khalid and “al-Sinna al-Wahhaj
fi Sinn-e-Ayesha Inda al-Ziwaj” by Fahad al-Ghufaili.
4. The age of Ummul Muminin
Hazrat Ayesha at the time of her marriage has been confirmed by eyewitnesses
and individuals who were present at the time and lived long after. These people
would have refuted Hazrat Ayesha's statement if it had been untrue, but
instead, they remained silent as evidence that Hazrat Ayesha's narration about
her age is true.
According to a tradition
related by Imam Ahmad through the lineage of "Muhammad bin Basr from
Muhammad bin Amr from Abu Salama and Yahya" in his Musnad, When
Khadijah passed away, Khawlah bint Hakim, Uthman ibn Maz'un's wife, arrived and
asked the Muslim prophet, "O Messenger of Allah, why don't you get
married?" He asked, Whom? You might have a virgin or a woman who has been
married before, she remarked. “Who is the virgin”, he asked? “Ayesha, the
daughter of Abu Bakr, the most beloved of Allah's creation”, she said.
Imam Ahmad went into great
detail about the story, noting that she was six years old when the marriage
contract was formed and nine when the marriage was consummated.
This Hadith is deemed to be Mursal
by Imam Dhahabi in Siyar Aalaam al-Nubala (2/113). This Hadith appears
to be Mursal, but according to Imam Ibn Kathir's ‘Al-Bidaya wa
al-Nihaya’, it is actually a Muttasil Hadith. In his book "Majmauz
Zawaid" (9/228), Imam Haythami stated that Muhammad bin Amr bin
Alqama, who has been deemed trustworthy by a number of Muhaddithin, is
included in the chain of transmission of this Hadith and that the
majority of the narrators are trustworthy and reliable personalities. After
studying ‘Musnad Ahmad’, Allama Shuaib Arnaaut determined
that this chain of narration is Hasan (6/210).
5. All historical sources and Hadith
narrators agree with what Ummul Muminin Hazrat Ayesha said about her age in the
Hadith recorded in Sahihain. In any historical work, including Siyar,
Tazkirah, and Tarajim, there is not a single tradition or even a
single proverb that speaks against it. Moreover, this matter is not of Ijtihad
nature to decrease or increase someone's age by one's will. Why should others
assume or speculate when Hazrat Ayesha has already made one thing plain about
herself?
6. Hazrat Ayesha was born four
to five years after the Prophet announced his Prophethood, according to all
historical sources and references. According to Allama Ibn Hajar, there
has been a difference in this issue. From this perspective, her age at the time
of migration should have been eight or at most nine years old, and this is the
situation that is consistent with her assertion in the Sahih.
7. Similar to this, Hazrat
Ayesha was just 18 years old when the Prophet passed away, according to every
single historical source. According to this interpretation, she should have
been nine years old at the time of her migration, which is consistent with the
data found in the Sahih and other historical sources.
8. According to biographies,
history, and Tarajim books, Ummul Muminin Hazrat Ayesha passed
away in the year 57 AH, during Hazrat Muawiya's caliphate, at the age of 63.
She would have been six or seven years old at the time of migration if this
calculation is made as well. The Arabs had a practice of counting additional
days as years and adding them to their age. She was granted the privilege of
consummation after eight months of migration. In this case, her age
automatically shifts to six at the time of marriage and to nine at the time of
consummation.
9. The age difference between
Hazrat Ayesha and Hazrat Asmaa bint Abu Bakr is further evidence of this
reality. The elder sister of Hazrat Ayesha, Hazrat Asmaa, was thirteen to
nineteen years older than her, according to Imam Dhahabi. He described this
distinction using the word "Bidha' Ashar" (Siyar Aalaam
al-Nubala, 2/188). Hazrat Ayesha was born four or five years after the
Prophet announced his prophethood. Imam Abu Nuaim cited Hazrat Asmaa's
statement that she was born ten years prior to the announcement of the
Prophethood in "Maarifat al-Sahaba" (6/3253). The age gap
between the two respectable sisters remains fourteen or fifteen years in this
regard. All historical sources concur that this is what the phrase "Biz'at
Ashar" used by Imam Dhahabi meant.
In his book "Sirat-e-Ayesha,"
Allama Sayed Sulaiman Nadvi wrote an article on the subject of Hazrat Ayesha's
life, which is included as an appendix. He has paid close attention to the
supposed reasons of the Hadith sceptics and modernists among his
contemporaries, which are used to support the assertion that Hazrat Ayesha was
seventeen or sixteen years old when she was married. Modernists and Hadith
sceptics have cited a passage from the book "Al-Ikmal fi Asma
al-Rijal" written by the author of Mishkat al-Masabhi Waliuddin Khatib, in
which it is stated that Hazrat Ayesha was 10 years younger than her sister
Hazrat Asmaa. (Sirat-e-Ayesha, page 316)
Allama Nadvi says that the
author of the Mishkat presented this position as "Qeel,"
which points to it being weak, while the critics and contemporary academics
assert that this opinion is firm and convincing reasoning. It should be noted
that Ummul Muminin Hazrat Ayesha was married at the age of six and
consummated at the age of nine, according to the author of Waliuddin Khatib's
own opinion in this chapter and the widespread opinion of religious scholars. (Page
317 of Sirat-e-Ayesha)
10. There are more issues that
can be debated besides Hazrat Ayesha's age. If the age specified in the Hadith
is supposed to be wrong on the basis of a flimsy statement, then several Sharia
rules may be proved to be unauthentic. The marriage age of Hazrat Ayesha
herself serves as the foundation for issues like girls playing with dolls,
dolls that are formed like people and animals, marrying a young girl, etc. If
it is acknowledged that Hazrat Ayesha was 18 when she got married, it will also
be acknowledged that an 18-year-old girl used to play with dolls, had toys like
horses with wings, and had a husband who would let her play with other kids.
What could possibly be a funnier joke with regard to Ummul Muminin?
According to Allama Sayyid
Sulaiman Nadvi, Hazrat Ayesha also provided details of her marriage in addition
to the number nine, which can be claimed to be nineteenth and narrated as nine
by the narrators or compilers of the Hadiths. She reportedly used to play with
dolls, swing on a carousel, and in one version, there are also the words "Jariyyah
Hadith al-Sinn," which implies that she was young when she got
married. (Page 341 of Seerat-e-Ayesha)
The Ummah has all held
the aforementioned arguments to be valid. The first of them is the strongest
and most convincing, while the others are all resoundingly positive. This fact
is supported by a strong case and the consensus of Ummah experts.
In fact, some people feel the
need to manipulate Islamic history because these so-called thinkers, under the
influence of Western propaganda, believe that the Prophet's marriage to an
underage girl is a great shame or defect. And now the work of washing and
erasing this stain has been entrusted by Allah to these claimants of knowledge
and research. However, there is nothing shameful or bad about it. Arab Island
has been a region of hot climate and in hot countries generally, children reach
the age of puberty early and as a result, they have to get married early. Until
recently, the practice of early marriage was common in the Arabian Peninsula.
Allama Sayyid Sulaiman Nadvi
says that Arabs didn't just marry off young girls; their custom also permitted
them to do so with their infant children. It was permissible in their custom to
marry even those who were not yet born. "Marrying Someone That Is Not Yet
Born" is a separate chapter in Sunan Abu Dawud. According to Imam
Razi, as cited by Maulana Nadvi, the Messenger of Allah managed the marriage of
the young son of Hazrat Umme Salma with the young girl of Hazrat Hamza. In
addition, he cited Allama 'Ayni as saying that Hazrat Qudama bin Mazu'n
arranged the marriage of Hazrat Zubair bin Awwam's infant daughter. (Seerat-e-Ayesha,
p.339)
The current status of the world
must also be considered. Different ages have been set as the Age of Consent in
a number of nations. In North America, the Philippines, and Angola, the legal
age is 12. In Japan, Iran, Nigeria and Argentina, the legal age is 13. In
Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Portugal, Macedonia, Estonia, Albania,
Bosnia, Israel, China, Bangladesh, etc., this age is 14. The legal age of 15
and 16 is common in almost half of the world. (Minimum age of sexual consent:
http:www.unicef.org/lac/2-20160308.) These are the circumstances and realities
of the developed world of today. If the histories of many countries are
examined, it becomes clear that the establishment of this legal age was also
the consequence of intense pressure from the western powers.
If the traditions that have
been referred to in the Hadith literature about slavery are compared to our
contemporary conception of freedom, everyone will have the opportunity to
disagree with and criticise Islam. If the notion of slavery described in the Hadiths
is juxtaposed with the system of slavery existing in the nations of the same
period, Islam's attitude toward slaves will be seen as the greatest blessing
and general benevolence.
On one side of the debate is
what marriage meant in terms of culture and customs during that time, and on
the other is what marriage means in terms of culture and customs today. It goes
without saying that there is and ought to be a distinction between the two. The
purpose is to highlight the fact that the same subject may be seen from many perspectives.
It is improper to impose a rigid order on something by only considering it from
one perspective. Making a good or negative statement about the circumstances of
the time period being examined is one point of view.
According to some individuals
and intellectuals, the story of Hazrat Ayesha's underage marriage represents a
denigration of the faith. It is extremely astounding to see that they believe
this despite the fact that in many ways they are not following the religious
path and that religious symbols and rituals are absent from their daily lives.
What is happening in Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe at ages twelve,
thirteen, and fourteen in accordance with the law and the constitution? Can
these people ever get the courage to object, query, or inquire as to how it is
possible to marry at such a young age? Can they inquire as to why a girl of
thirteen or fourteen is eligible for marriage? Who would want to marry his
daughter at this age? People who disagree with the Hadith frequently speak and
write in this manner. However, by Allah,
millions of members of the Ummah would have seen it as their privilege to offer
their young daughter in marriage to him if the beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) had lived today.
You need to recognise the
distinction between a common person and Prophet Muhammad. The faith
relationship of an Ummah with the Holy Prophet cannot be predicated on an
emotional relationship with a mentor or peer. Hazrat Ayesha, who herself
mentions her early marriage, never regretted why she married the Messenger of
Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, at the age of nine. Any adherent
of Islam today should examine himself in the mirror and consider how he would
have responded if the Prophet of Allah had asked for his daughter.
Additionally, remember that your religion is not on par with that of Hazrat Abu
Bakr and Hazrat Ayesha. What will a person whose faith is similar to Abu Bakr's
do? The reality is that there are some questions that can only have answers
provided by faith and understood in the context of faith. ((See dialogue, Dr
Hafiz Muhammad Zubair: pp. 763-766)
Another thing is that some
women are different in their physical structure and height and biological
development. Some girls have fat and healthy bodies and despite their young
age, they look old. Consider the condition of all the other pure wives of the
Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). You'll discover that the Prophet of
Allah only married Hazrat Ayesha, a virgin. Except for Hazrat Ayesha, all of
his spouses had previous marriages. This serves as evidence that the Prophet of
Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not wed in order to
indulge in sex or appreciate the beauty of women. Those who have these low
goals in mind prefer physical beauty and would like to make contact with
virgins full of sexual appeals. These are all the material and perishable
dimensions that such people can dream of. But the entire life of the Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and all his marriages
clearly contradict these assumptions.
Source:
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