| Age of ‘Ā’ishah (rta) at her Marriage |
| Social Issues Javed Ahmad Ghamidi (Tr. by:Dr. Shehzad Saleem) |
It is generally believed that
‘Ā’ishah (rta), mother of the faithful, was six years old when she got married
to the Prophet Muhammad (sws). The nikāh took place in Makkah after the death of
Khadījah (rta). The marriage was consummated three years later in Madīnah. This
is what books of hadīth and sīrah report about her. The narratives which
describe these details are found in Bukhārī and Muslim and some other books of
hadīth as well. There is no doubt that such marriages have taken place in the
past keeping in view certain needs of tribal and rural societies. Examples can
even be presented from our society. It is also true that the social attitudes
that spring from basic morality can be different in different societies keeping
in view their circumstances and experiences, and the moral status of one society
cannot be determined by using another society as a standard. All these things
can be accepted; however, the matter of ‘Ā’ishah’s (rta) marriage is different.
The question which arises in every discerning mind relates to the need of this
marriage: Why did it take place when the need which was present at that time
could not have been fulfilled even after many subsequent years. Such marriages
do take place and one can accept them taking place without any hesitation;
however, it is not easy to accept marriages which take place without any reason
and to fulfill a current need many years later.
Had the suggestion to marry her
come from the Prophet (sws), we could have said that this was done on divine
bidding. The role she would play in the Prophet’s life and the treasure of
wisdom which would be transmitted to the ummah through her noble person was in
the foreknowledge of God; thus it was decided that she be singled out for the
Prophet (sws) since this early age. We can also say that the Prophet (sws)
undertook this marriage for the betterment of his preaching mission. ‘Ā’ishah’s
(rta) father was a very close companion of the Prophet (sws). In tribal life,
relationships play a great role in cementing close ties. The Prophet (sws)
deemed it appropriate that he engage in this association with his special
companion so that ties of friendship and love were strengthened.
Had this suggestion to marry her
come from Abū Bakr (rta), it could have been said that he was desirous of
respect and honour for his daughter, for his own self and for his own family. He
wanted to establish familial ties with the person whom he regarded to be a
messenger of God; perhaps he did not get this idea at the time of the marriage
of his other daughter Asmā’ (rta). After her, it was only through ‘Ā’ishah (rta)
that he could attain this honour. Thus he suggested for this marriage to take
place. The Prophet (sws) accepted this suggestion to honour the wish of his dear
friend.
However, we know that none of
these suppositions are true. If because of a divinely inspired vision such a
thought for ‘Ā’ishah’s (rta) existed in the heart of the Prophet (sws), he never
expressed it. The whole corpus of hadith and sīrah literature is totally devoid
of a mention of any such suggestion, indication or insinuation from him. The
same is the case of Abū Bakr (rta). If he wanted the marriage of his daughter to
take place with the Prophet (sws), why did he resolve to solemnize her marriage
with the son of Mut‘im ibn ‘Adī? Narratives mention that he had already done
this before this suggestion came to him. Not only this, it is also reported that
when he heard this suggestion, he expressed his wonder since he thought that the
Prophet (sws) was like a paternal uncle for his children; so how could the
suggestion of such a marriage be presented. His words reported are:
هل تصلح له إنما هي ابنة أخيه (Is she allowed to him?
She is the daughter of his brother!)1
The narratives clearly state that
it was Khawlah bint hakīm who suggested that the name of ‘Ā’ishah (rta) for this
marriage. It was she who directed the attention of the Prophet (sws) to the fact
that after the death of Khadījah (rta), it was his need to marry again. She is
reported to have said: يا رسول الله كأني أراك قد دخلتك خلة
لفقد خديجة أفلا أخطب عليك (I see that you have secluded yourself after
the loss of Khadījah; shall I find a match for you?).2
On inquiry by the Prophet (sws), she told him that both an unmarried and a
divorced lady were available. When the Prophet (sws) asked who was the unmarried
lady she had in mind, her reply was ‘Ā’ishah bint Abī Bakr (rta).3
A wife can be needed to satisfy
one’s sexual needs, for companionship and friendship and for looking after
children and household affairs. If this suggestion was given with sanity
prevailing, the question which arises is: which of these needs can be fulfilled
by a six year old girl? Could sexual relations be established with her? Could
the companionship of a wife be available through her? Could she have been able
to look after kids? Could she have looked after household affairs? The issue
just raised that a marriage is taking place to fulfill needs which cannot even
be fulfilled after many years of marriage is not merely a possible option that
should considered in interpreting these narratives. It is the most fundamental
question in this regard. Can it be logically accepted that to fulfill a need of
today a suggestion be given as a result of which it is not even fulfilled after
several years? Ibn Khaldūn has rightly pointed out that in the matter of
historical incidents, the real thing is their possibility of taking place. They
cannot merely be accepted on the basis that their chain of narration contains
such and such a person and that it has been narrated through several chains.4
In current times, men of learning
who are presenting their researches on this issue should first of all answer
this question. They should explain how this internal contradiction of the
narrative can be resolved. If this contradiction cannot be resolved, then why
don’t the requisites of knowledge and intellect entail that the narrative which
depicts ‘Ā’shah’s age to be six years at the time of marriage should be
reconsidered and the opinion of those scholars 5
should also be reflected upon who say that the words to the effect
بعد العشر were understood to be present after the
words بنت ستين uttered by ‘Ā’ishah (rta) and the
narrators never made an effort to understand them? Whatever research is
presented without answering this question will never be worthy of any attention
for any person of learning.
(Translated by Dr Shehzad Saleem)
_________________________
1. Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abū ‘Abdullāh al-Shaybānī, Musnad, vol, 6 (Cairo: Mu’assasah al-Qurtubah, n.d.), 210, (no. 25810).
1. Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abū ‘Abdullāh al-Shaybānī, Musnad, vol, 6 (Cairo: Mu’assasah al-Qurtubah, n.d.), 210, (no. 25810).
2. See: Abū ‘Abdullāh Muhammad ibn Sa‘d al-Zuhrī, Al-Tabaqāt al-kubrā, vol. 8 (Beirut: Dār sādir, n.d.), 57.
3. Ibid.
4. ‘Abd al-Rah@mān ibn Muhammad ibn Khaldūn, Muqaddimah, 5th ed. (Beirut: Dār al-qalam, 1984), 37.
5. See, for example: Shabbīr Ahmad Azhar Mayrathī, Sahīh Bukhārī kā mutāla‘ah, 1st ed. (Lahore: Dār al-tazkīr, 2005), 252-255.
5. See, for example: Shabbīr Ahmad Azhar Mayrathī, Sahīh Bukhārī kā mutāla‘ah, 1st ed. (Lahore: Dār al-tazkīr, 2005), 252-255.
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