Evidence Muhammad was a pedophile

[Hector]

I decided to create this thread to contain the evidence Muhammad was a pedophile because Muhammadans keep on repeating the same old lies again and again.

Various Muslim apologists regurgitate the same material that Aisha was not aged nine when Muhammad married and had sex with her. To refute them please refer to the debunking of Moiz Amjad.

An example is:
http://www.answering-christianity.com/aishahage.htm

Hazrat Aishah Siddiqah's Age at Her Marriage:
[Proves that: The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Married Hazrat Aishah When She was 19 Years of Age and not When She Was 9.] by Ghulam Nabi Muslim Sahib, M.A.
Translated by: Masud Akhtar, B.A., LL.B.
The Light (Sep 24, 1981, pp. 13-17).

Another is:
http://www.muslim.org/islam/aisha-age.php
Age of Aisha (ra) at time of marriage
compiled by Zahid Aziz

[Hector]

THE LONG EVIDENCE MUHAMMAD WAS A PEDOPHILE


Section 1: Proof that Aisha was pre-pubescent when Muhammad married and had sex with her

Islamists like to claim that Aisha had reached puberty by the time Muhammad married and had sex with her. However, they never provide verifiable proof that Aisha actually was pubescent when Muhammad married and had sex with her, but commonly claim traditions or cultural practices as proof. This is, of course, false as demonstrated by the hadiths and the commentary of one of Islam’s most famous hadith scholars, Imam Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-'Asqalani, Commander of the Faithful in Hadith, Qadi of Egypt, and author of the celebrated commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Fateh al-Bari.

To prove Aisha was pre-pubescent when Muhammad married and had sex with her, one has to understand Ibn Hajar’s explanation of the permissibility of doll-playing for pre-pubescent girls. Then applying this doll-playing exegesis to hadiths of Aisha getting married or when she first had sex with Muhammad, one can then demonstrate that she was pre-pubescent on these occasions.

In this article, the term 'pre-pubescence' used is a short-hand for 'before a girl menstruates' or the Western medical term 'pre-menarchial'. {It is not the same or intended to be the same as the Western medical term "pre-pubescence" which is a specific Jargon for the stage before the sexual developmental stages of puberty.} This is to be consistent with the Islamic definition of 'puberty' which is when a girl begins to menstruates.


Part 1: Proof that doll-playing girls are pre-pubescent

This is what the great hadith scholar, Shaykh al-Islam Imam Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-'Asqalani, Commander of the Faithful in Hadith, Qadi of Egypt, said regarding doll-playing and little girls:

Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 151
Narrated 'Aisha: I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Apostle used to enter they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me. (The playing with the dolls and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for 'Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty.) (Fateh-al-Bari page 143, Vol.13)

How do we know that Ibn Hajar made the doll-playing exegesis: “The playing with the dolls and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for 'Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty”?

Because of the reference to Fateh-al-Bari and because when we look at other translations of Bukhari 8:151, the same message is conveyed.

Alternative translation 1:
http://www.themuslimwoman.com/beware/GirlsPlayingDolls.htm

On the authority of Aisha (RA), who said: I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (SAW). And I had girl-friends (playmates) who played along with me. They would hide (feeling shy) from him (SAW) whenever he entered. But, he (SAW) would send for them to join me and they would play with me. (Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)

[The translator then provides some discussion about translations of various versions of this hadith before he follows up with Ibn Hajar and Fath-al-Bari]

Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baaree (Fath al-Baaree, no. 6130, Kitaab: al-Adab, Baab: al-Inbisaat ilaa an-Naas): This Hadith has been used as a proof for the permissibility of possessing (suwar - of) dolls and toys for the purpose of the little girls playing with them. This has been especially exempted from the general prohibition of possession of images (suwar).


Alternative translation 2:
http://63.175.194.25/index.php?ln=eng&ds=qa&lv=browse&QR=49844&dgn=4

But if these images and dolls are toys for children, the Sunnah indicates that they are permissible. In al-Saheehayn it is narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and I had female friends who would play with me…” al-Bukhaari, 6130; Muslim, 2440.

Ibn Hajar said: This hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to have images of girls (i.e., dolls) and toys for girls to play with. This is an exception from the general meaning of the prohibition on having images. This was stated by ‘Iyaad and was narrated from the majority. They permitted the sale of dolls to girls so as to teach them from a young age how to take care of their homes and children. Ibn Hibbaan stated that it is permissible for young girls to play with toys…


Alternative translation 3:
http://www.bilalphilips.com/books/eemaan/eemaan05.htm

Aaishah said, “I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (pbuh), and my girlfriends used to play along with me. Whenever, Allaah's Messenger (pbuh) would enter, they would hide from him. So he called them to play with me.”

In the classical commentary on Saheeh al-Bukhaare entitled Fat-h al-Baaree, Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalaanee wrote the following: “This hadeeth is used as evidence for the permissibility of making dolls and toys with human and animal forms for the purpose of girls playing with them. This category has been specifically excluded from the general prohibition against making images. ‘Iyaad stated this to be categorically so and related that it was the position of the majority of scholars. He further related that they permitted the selling of toys for girls in order to train them from their youth in their household affairs and in dealing with their children…”

Note the great similarity in the commentaries of Ibn Hajar in Fateh al-Bari all four versions of the hadith. The words are different because of the different translators but the essential message is unchanged – only little girls (i.e. before puberty) are permitted to play with dolls.


How do we know that little girls are pre-pubescent? Because Islamic customs and laws specifically state so.

For example:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/pillars/fasting/tajuddin/fast_21.html

Girls reach puberty and adulthood when they experience the above three signs. However, they have a fourth sign, that is, menstruation (hayd). Whenever a girl experiences it, she is a woman even if she is 12 years old.

http://www.alinaam.org.za/social/myaaisha.htm
http://www.lightuponlight.com/islam/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=151

Islam And the Age of Puberty
Islam clearly teaches that adulthood starts when a person have attained puberty.

These Islamic websites provide the evidence that in Islam, when a girl reaches puberty, she ceases to be a girl and becomes a woman. Therefore, little girls must be pre-pubescent according to Islamic customs and laws.


We also have commentaries by hadith scholars that reinforce this point.

http://www.themuslimwoman.com/beware/GirlsPlayingDolls.htm

Al-Qaadee 'Iyaad has stated this position with definiteness, and transmitted it as the position of the Majority (Jumhoor) of the Scholars; and that they declared permissible the selling of toys/dolls (al-lu'ab) for little girls, to train them from childhood for the household responsibilities and child-rearing.

Al-Khattaabee said: … it is understood that playing with dolls (al-banaat) is not like the amusement from other images (suwar) concerning which the threat (wa'eed) of punishment is mentioned. The only reason why permission in this was given to Aisha (RA) is because she had not, at that time, reached the age of puberty.


http://www.themuslimwoman.com/beware/PossessionofDolls.htm

… Abu 'Ubaid, who said: We don't see there being any reason for that (permission to play with her dolls), except due to the fact that these toys are a source of amusement (lahw) for the children. So, if they were owned by adults, it would definitely have been detestable (makhrooh).



Part 2: Proof that Aisha was pre-pubescent when Muhammad first had sex with her on her wedding day


Tabari IX:131 “My mother came to me while I was being swung on a swing between two branches and got me down. My nurse took over and wiped my face with some water and started leading me. When I was at the door she stopped so I could catch my breath. I was brought in while Muhammad was sitting on a bed in our house. My mother made me sit on his lap. The other men and women got up and left. The Prophet consummated his marriage with me in my house when I was nine years old. Neither a camel nor a sheep was slaughtered on behalf of me.”

This hadith suggests that Muhammad had sex with Aisha in her house on her wedding day. However, was this event really on her wedding day? This is proven by the Sahih Bukhari hadith below. Note the similarity in accounts, although the Bukhari 5:234 hadith is more expansive on the fact that the events took place on Aisha’s wedding day.

Narrated Aisha: "The Prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six (years). We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Bani-al-Harith bin Khazraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell down. Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Um Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girl friends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me. She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when my breathing became Alright, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said, "Best wishes and Allah's Blessing and a good luck." Then she entrusted me to them and they prepared me (for the marriage). Unexpectedly Allah's Apostle came to me in the forenoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age. (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Merits of the Helpers in Madinah (Ansaar), Volume 5, Book 58, Number 234)"


Sahih Muslim Book 8, Number 3311
'A'isha reported that Allah's Apostle married her when she was seven years old, and (s)he was taken to his house as a bride when she was nine, and her dolls were with her; and when he died she was eighteen years old.

Note that Sahih Muslim says that Aisha still had her dolls with her when she was taken to Muhammad’s house as a bride. Applying Ibn Hajar’s doll-playing exegesis from Part 1, it becomes clear that Aisha was pre-pubescent when she became a bride.


Therefore, it is abundantly clear from the hadiths that Aisha was pre-pubescent when Muhammad first had sex with her on her wedding day.



Part 3: Proof from Sunan Abu Dawud

This proof is slightly controversial because not every Muslim accepts the hadiths of Sunan Abu Dawud to be sahih (authentic). However, Sunan Abu Dawud is still the third most respected collection of hadiths, and the relevant Abu Dawud hadith used here is considered sahih by some of the most authoritative hadith scholars, including Shaykh Abdul Azeez al-Qaari' (Imaam of Masjid Qubaa and professor of tafseer and Quranic recitation at the Islamic University of Madeenah).


From Abu Dawud, Vol. 2, #2116: "Aisha said, "The Apostle of Allah married me when I was seven years old." (The narrator Sulaiman said: "Or six years."). "He had intercourse with me when I was 9 years old."

Here we see that Muhammad has sex with Aisha when she was 9 years old. Is this age confirmed by other hadiths? Yes.

Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Number 236.
Narrated Hisham's father:
Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Medina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he married 'Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consumed (sic – consummated) that marriage when she was nine years old.

Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 64
Narrated 'Aisha:
that the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old, and then she remained with him for nine years (i.e., till his death).

Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 65
Narrated 'Aisha:
that the Prophet married 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 'Aisha remained with the Prophet for nine years (i.e. till his death)." what you know of the Quran (by heart)'

Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 88
Narrated 'Ursa:
The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with 'Aisha 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).

Sunan Abu-Dawud Book 41, Number 4915
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter.

Does consummate mean sex? Here is proof that it does.

http://www.exmuslim.com/com/evidence.htm

There has been some confusion about the definition of the word "consummate". In Sahih Bukhari, vol. 7, #64, the root word used is "dakhala". From the Hans-Wehr Arabic-English Dictionary p273, it means "to enter, to pierce, to penetrate, to consummate the marriage, cohabit, sleep with a woman".


But how do we know that at the age of nine Aisha was still pre-pubescent? Here is the evidence from Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #4914 (This hadith is also repeated in Sunan Nasa’i):

http://www.themuslimwoman.com/beware/PossessionofDolls.htm

Possession of Dolls By Little Girls
On the authority of Aisha (RA), that she said:
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) returned from the battle of Tabook or Khaibar (the narrator of the hadith was in doubt about whether he was told "Tabook or Khaibar."). There was a curtain covering her 'sahwah' (chamber or small room in front of the house). The wind blew a side of the curtain and uncovered Aisha's dolls. He (SAW) said: What is this, O Aisha? She said: My dolls. The he (SAW) saw amongst them a horse with two wings from scraps of cloth. He (SAW) said: What is this which I see amongst them (amongst the dolls)? She said: A horse. He asked: What is upon it? She said: Two wings. He (SAW) asked (in astonishment): A horse with two wings? She said: Didn't you hear that Sulaiman (Solomon - AS) had horses with wings? She said: Then he (SAW) laughed until I saw his molar teeth. [Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa'iee as-Sunan al-Kubraa, Albani (ra) says the chain of narrators of an-Nasaa'ee is authentic (Saheeh). As for the chain of narrators of Abu Daawood, Albani (ra) has also declared it to be authentic (saheeh)]

Shaykh Muhammad Shams al-Haqq al-'Adheem Aabaadee, in his Sharh (explanation) of Sunan Abu Daawood, says: This hadith and the one before it (Hadith #20) is used as an evidence of permissibility of possession of dolls and toys for the purpose of little girls playing with them. This (permission) is a special exception from the general prohibition of possession of images (suwar). This position has been stated with certainty by al-Qaadee 'Iyaad, and he has quoted it as the opinion of the Jumhoor (Majority of Scholars). He also said that the Jumhoor has allowed the sale of toys (dolls) for little girls, in order to train and prepare them from childhood for their household affairs and the raising of their children.

According to the generally accepted tradition, Aisha was born about eight years before Hijrah. The battle of Khaibar took place in Muharram-Safar 7 AH. The siege of Tabuk took place in Rajab 9 AH. Therefore, to be generous, I accept the Khaibar explanation and not the later, Tabuk explanation.

It is generally accepted that Aisha was betrothed to Muhammad at the age of 6 in the year 3 BH. This is confirmed by reports that the marriage was consummated in Shawwal, which came seven months after the Prophet's hijra from Makkah to al-Medinah.

So the Abu Dawood hadith says that Aisha was still playing with dolls at least as late as 7 AH. That is 6-7 years after her marriage. Using the doll-playing exegesis of Ibn Hajar, Abu Ubaid, al-Qaadee 'Iyaad, and Shaykh Muhammad Shams al-Haqq, Aisha did not reach puberty until at least 6-7 years after her marriage when she would have been about 15-16 years old, but lets say 14 years old to be generous.


Note that some Islamists will try to say that this hadith is not sahih. They will use this translation of the same hadith and point out the phrase (the narrator is doubtful):

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: When the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) arrived after the expedition to Tabuk or Khaybar (the narrator is doubtful), the draught raised an end of a curtain which was hung in front of her store-room, revealing some dolls which belonged to her.

He asked: What is this? She replied: My dolls. Among them he saw a horse with wings made of rags, and asked: What is this I see among them? She replied: A horse. He asked: What is this that it has on it? She replied: Two wings. He asked: A horse with two wings? She replied: Have you not heard that Solomon had horses with wings? She said: Thereupon the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) laughed so heartily that I could see his molar teeth. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #4914]


The evidence that this hadith is sahih, and that the phrase (the narrator is doubtful) does not mean that the hadith is doubtful but that the narrator was doubtful about being told it was Khaybar or Tabuk, are as follows:


1. The version from the themuslimwoman.com site says that, “the narrator of the hadith was in doubt about whether he was told "Tabook or Khaibar”. That is, not in doubt about the hadith.

Further, at the end of the hadith, famous hadith scholars explicitly pronounced that the hadith is indeed authentic: “Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa'iee as-Sunan al-Kubraa, Albani (ra) says the chain of narrators of an-Nasaa'ee is authentic (Saheeh). As for the chain of narrators of Abu Daawood, Albani (ra) has also declared it to be authentic (saheeh)”.


2. alternative translations do not carry the word ‘doubt’

http://www.islamicdawah.mobilixnet.dk/islam/Women/obligation_of_man.htm

Also on the authority of Aisha who said: “The Prophet (saw) returned from the battle of Tabuk, or it was Khaybar. There was a curtain over her room. The wind blew, lifting the curtain and exposing part of the room in which the Prophet (saw) saw some dolls with which Aisha used to play. He said, “What is this, O Aisha?” She said: “My daughters.” (Arabs used to call dolls for “daughters”) He saw among them a horse with two wings made of pieces of cloth. He said “And what is this in the middle?” She said, “A horse.” He said, “and what are those on the horse?” She said: “Two wings.” He said, ”A horse with two wings?!” Aisha said: “The Prophet (saw) laughed until I could see his molar teeth” (Abu Daawood, an-Nasaa’ee).


http://members.tripod.com/ahya/eng/home.html

On the authority of Aa'ishah (radiyallahu anha), who said: 'The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) returned from the battle of Tabook or it was Khaybar. There was a curtain over my room. The wind blew, lifting the curtain and exposing a part of my room in which, Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) saw some dolls with which Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anhu) used to play. He said: “What is this O Aa'ishah?” She replied 'my daughters (Arabs used to call dolls, daughters). He saw among them a horse with two wings made out of a piece of cloth. He said: “What is this?” She replied: 'A horse' He said: “and what are those on the horses?” She replied: 'Two wings' He said: “A horse with two wings?!” Aa'ishah said: 'The Prophet laughed until I could see his molar teeth.' [Authentic - Abo Dawood An Nisa'ee in Al-Ishrah]



3. Authoritative Islamic scholars still use this hadith in their judgment of Islamic laws and customs

http://www.bilalphilips.com/books/eemaan/eemaan05a.htm

Shaykh Abdul Azeez al-Qaari' (Imaam of Masjid Qubaa and professor of tafseer and Quranic recitation at the Islamic University of Madeenah) had this to say about image-making in al-Usrah:

“Regarding the hadeeth of Aaishah that she played with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (pbuh), and, in some versions of the hadeeth, that one of the dolls was in the shape of a winged horse, and that when the Prophet (pbuh) asked her about it, she replied, ‘Didn't you hear that [Prophet] Sulayman had a horse with wings?’ to which the Prophet (pbuh) responded by laughing; this hadeeth indicates the permissibility of children’s figurative toys, owning them and using them, whether they are clearly representative or not, and whether skillfully or crudely fashioned. There is no basis in the hadeeth for making a distinction. Those who say that Aaishah's dolls were not distinctly representative have made an arbitrary judgement not based on any evidence. What do they say about a winged horse?”

How can Islamists claim that the Imam of Masjid Qubaa and professor of tafseer and Quranic recitation at the Islamic University of Madeenah uses a hadith that is not sahih to pronounce on the permissibility of doll-playing among Saudi Arabian children? For by doing so, even Shaykh Abdul Azeez al-Qaari' of Saudi Arabia seems to accept that this hadith is sahih.



CONCLUSION

In Part 1, I prove that in Islam, doll-playing girls are pre-pubescent according to the doll-playing exegesis of Ibn Hajar and Islamic laws and customs.

In Part 2, I prove that using Ibn Hajar’s doll-playing exegesis, Aisha can be proven to be still pre-pubescent when she married and had sex with Muhammad.

In Part 3, I prove that Aisha was still pre-pubescent as late as 6-7 years after her marriage to Muhammad.


Section 2: Proof that Muhammad was a pedophile according to DSM-IV-TR

Even according to the most stringent clinical definition of pedophilia, DSM-IV-TR, Muhammad would be defined as a pedophile. Note that there are other generally accepted definitions of pedophilia that do not confine the definition to pre-pubertal children or require fantasies, sexual urges or behaviors over a certain period of time. However, for the sake of this discussion I will confine my argument to DSM-IV-TR.


Diagnostic criteria for 302.2 Pedophilia
1.Over a period of at least six months, recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (generally age 13 years or younger).

2.The person has acted on these sexual urges, or the sexual urges or fantasies caused marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.

3.The person is at least age 16 years and at least 5 years older than the child or children in Criterion A.

Note: Do not include an individual in late adolescence involved in an ongoing sexual relationship with a 12- or 13-year-old.



Does Muhammad meet all these criteria?

1. Yes - Muhammad had sexual relations with a pre-pubescent girl for a prolonged period – likely to be at least 6-7 years.

2. Yes - Muhammad had acted on his sexual urges – as demonstrated by Tabari IX:131 and various Bukhari hadiths (stating consummation at age nine when it has been established that Aisha didn’t reach puberty until she was at least 14 years old).

3. Yes - Muhammad was 57 years old when Aisha was only 9 years old when they first had sex.


Therefore, even according to the strict clinical definition of DSM-IV-TR it can be proven that Muhammad was a pedophile.

[Hector]

THE SHORT VERSION
Here is the short version of the evidence that Aisha was pre-pubescent when Muhammad married and had sex with her.

1. Islamic law in Aisha's time said that only pre-pubescent girls were allowed to play with or own dolls.

Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 151
Narrated 'Aisha: I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Apostle used to enter they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me. (The playing with the dolls and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for 'Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty.) (Fateh-al-Bari page 143, Vol.13)

2. Aisha had her dolls with her when she married Muhammad.

Sahih Muslim Book 8, Number 3311
'A'isha reported that Allah's Apostle married her when she was seven years old, and (s)he was taken to his house as a bride when she was nine, and her dolls were with her; and when he died she was eighteen years old.


3. Aisha had sex with Muhammad when she was 9 years old.

Abu Dawud, Vol. 2, #2116: "Aisha said, "The Apostle of Allah married me when I was seven years old." (The narrator Sulaiman said: "Or six years."). "He had intercourse with me when I was 9 years old."

Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Number 236.
Narrated Hisham's father:
Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Medina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he married 'Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consumed (sic – consummated) that marriage when she was nine years old.

Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 64
Narrated 'Aisha:
that the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old, and then she remained with him for nine years (i.e., till his death).

Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 65
Narrated 'Aisha:
that the Prophet married 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 'Aisha remained with the Prophet for nine years (i.e. till his death)." what you know of the Quran (by heart)'

Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 88
Narrated 'Ursa:
The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with 'Aisha 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).

Sunan Abu-Dawud Book 41, Number 4915, also Number 4915 and Number 4915
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter.

`A´isha Bint Abu Bakr: Muhammad married her in the month of Shawwal, three years before the Migration, ten years after he claimed prophethood, according to the tradition of `A´isha herself. He had intercourse with her in the month of Shawwal, eight months after the Migration. She was the only virgin among Muhammad's wives. Tabaqat Ibn Sa`d, 8:58; Ansab al-ashraf, 1:410.
http://www.light-of-life.com/eng/reveal/r5405et7.htm[/i]

Islamists will insist that the term 'consummate the marriage' means 'nikah', not sex. This is despite the Abu Dawud hadith Vol. 2, #2116 translation that explicits states 'intercourse'. Be that as it may, does 'consummate the marriage' mean sex? Here is proof that it does.

http://www.exmuslim.com/com/evidence.htm

There has been some confusion about the definition of the word "consummate". In Sahih Bukhari, vol. 7, #64, the root word used is "dakhala". From the Hans-Wehr Arabic-English Dictionary p273, it means "to enter, to pierce, to penetrate, to consummate the marriage, cohabit, sleep with a woman".


4. Aisha was still playing with/owning dolls when she was 14 years old at the time of the Battle of Khaibar.

On the authority of Aisha (RA), that she said:
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) returned from the battle of Tabook or Khaibar (the narrator of the hadith was in doubt about whether he was told "Tabook or Khaibar."). There was a curtain covering her 'sahwah' (chamber or small room in front of the house). The wind blew a side of the curtain and uncovered Aisha's dolls. He (SAW) said: What is this, O Aisha? She said: My dolls. The he (SAW) saw amongst them a horse with two wings from scraps of cloth. He (SAW) said: What is this which I see amongst them (amongst the dolls)? She said: A horse. He asked: What is upon it? She said: Two wings. He (SAW) asked (in astonishment): A horse with two wings? She said: Didn't you hear that Sulaiman (Solomon - AS) had horses with wings? She said: Then he (SAW) laughed until I saw his molar teeth. [Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa'iee as-Sunan al-Kubraa, Albani (ra) says the chain of narrators of an-Nasaa'ee is authentic (Saheeh). As for the chain of narrators of Abu Daawood, Albani (ra) has also declared it to be authentic (saheeh)]

Shaykh al-Islam, Imam Ibn Hajar, Hafiz, Commander of the Faithful in Hadith, Qadi of Egypt, concluded that Aisha was PRE-PUBESCENT when she was 14 years old.

Now, if she was pre-pubescent when she was 14 years old, she must have been also pre-pubescent when she was 9 years old when she married and had sex with Muhammad.

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SHAYKH GIBRIL HADDAD'S ORIGINAL DEBUNKING OF MOIZ AMJAD (AND T.O. SHANAVAS)


http://www.ummah.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=48327&page=7&pp=20

*Our Mother A'isha's Age At The Time Of Her Marriage to The Prophet*

Answered By Shaykh Gibril Haddad


*/To begin with, I think it is the responsibility of all those who believe that marrying a girl as young as nine years old was an accepted norm of the Arab culture, to provide at least a few examples to substantiate their point of view. I have not yet been able to find a single dependable instance in the books of Arab history where a girl as young as nine years old was given away in marriage. Unless such examples are given, we do not have any reasonable grounds to believe that it really was an accepted norm./*


Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

- Abu Tughlub ibn Hamdan married the daughter of `Izz al-Dawla Bakhtyar when she was three and paid a dowry of 100,000 dinars. This took place in Safar 360 H. (Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil).

- Al-Shafi`i in al-Umm reported that he saw countless examples of nine-year old pubescent girls in Yemen. Al-Bayhaqi also narrates it from him in the Sunan al-Kubra as does al-Dhahabi in the Siyar.

- Al-Bayhaqi narrated with his chains in his Sunan al-Kubra no less than three examples of Muslim wives that gave birth at age nine or ten.

- Hisham ibn `Urwa himself (whom the objector claims to know enough to forward the most barefaced judgments on his reliability) married Fatima bint al-Mundhir when she was nine years old (al-Muntazam and Tarikh Baghdad).

- Our liege-lord `Umar married Umm Kulthum the daughter of `Ali and Fatima at a similar age per `Abd al-Razzaq, Ibn `Abd al-Barr and others.

- And our Mother `Aisha herself was first almost betrothed to Jubayr ibn Mut`im before her father dropped that option when he received word from the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless and greet him and be well-pleased with them.



*/In my opinion, the age of Ayesha (ra) has been grossly mis-reported in the ahadith. Not only that, I think that the narratives reporting this event are not only highly unreliable, but also that on the basis of other historical data, the event reported, is quite an unlikely happening. Let us look at the issue from an objective stand point. My reservations in accepting the narratives, on the basis of which, Ayesha's (ra) age at the time of her marriage with the Prophet (pbuh) is held to be nine years are: Most of these narratives are reported only by Hisham ibn `Urwah, reporting on the authority of his father. An event as well known as the one being reported, should logically have been reported by more people than just one, two or three./*

Try more than eleven authorities among the Tabi`in that reported it directly from `A'isha, not counting the other major Companions that reported the same, nor other major Successors that reported it from other than `A'isha.



*/ It is quite strange that no one from Medinah, where Hisham ibn `Urwah lived the first seventy one years of his life has narrated the>event, even though in Medinah his pupils included people as well known as Malik ibn Anas. /*

Not so. Al-Zuhri also reports it from `Urwa, from `A'isha; so does `Abd Allah ibn Dhakwan, both major Madanis. So is the Tabi`i Yahya al-Lakhmi who reports it from her in the Musnad and in Ibn Sa`d's Tabaqat. So is Abu Ishaq Sa`d ibn Ibrahim who reports it from Imam al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, one of the Seven Imams of Madina, from `A'isha. All the narratives of this event have been reported



*/Nor by narrators from Iraq, where Hisham is reported to have had shifted after living in Medinah for seventy one years./*

Not so. In addition to the above four Madinese Tabi`in narrators, Sufyan ibn `Uyayna from Khurasan and `Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya from Tabarayya in Palestine both report it.

Nor was this hadith reported only by `Urwa but also by `Abd al-Malik ibn `Umayr, al-Aswad, Ibn Abi Mulayka, Abu Salama ibn `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf, Yahya ibn `Abd al-Rahman ibn Hatib, Abu `Ubayda (`Amir ibn `Abd Allah ibn Mas`ud) and others of the Tabi`i Imams directly from `A'isha.

This makes the report mass-transmitted (mutawatir) from `A'isha by over eleven authorities among the Tabi`in, not counting the other major Companions that reported the same, such as Ibn Mas`ud nor other major Successors that reported it from other than `A'isha, such as Qatada!



*/ Tehzibu'l-tehzib, one of the most well known books on the life and reliability of the narrators of the traditions of the Prophet (pbuh), reports that according to Yaqub ibn Shaibah: "narratives reported by Hisham are reliable except those that are reported through the people of Iraq". It further states that Malik ibn Anas objected on those narratives of Hisham which were reported through people of Iraq. (vol11, pg 48 - 51)/*

Rather, Ya`qub said: "Trustworthy, thoroughly reliable (thiqa thabt), above reproach except after he went to Iraq, at which time he narrated overly from his father and was criticized for it." Notice that Ya`qub does not exactly endorse that criticism.

As for Malik, he reports over 100 hadiths from Hisham as is evident in the two Sahihs and Sunan! to the point that al-Dhahabi questions the authenticity of his alleged criticism of Hisham.

Indeed, none among the hadith Masters endorsed these reservations since they were based solely on the fact that Hisham in his last period (he was 71 at the time of his last trip to Iraq), for the sake of brevity, would say, "My father, from `A'isha? (abi `an `A'isha)" and no longer pronounced, "narrated to me (haddathani)".

Al-Mizzi in Tahdhib al-Kamal (30:238) explained that it became a foregone conclusion for the Iraqis that Hisham did not narrate anything from his father except what he had heard directly from him.

Ibn Hajar also dismisses the objections against Hisham ibn `Urwa as negligible in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (11:45), saying: "It was clear enough to the Iraqis that he did not narrate from his father other than what he had heard directly from him".

In fact, to say that "narratives reported by Hisham ibn `Urwa are reliable except those that are reported through the people of Iraq" is major nonsense as that would eliminate all narrations of Ayyub al-Sakhtyani from him since Ayyub was a Basran Iraqi, and those of Abu `Umar al-Nakha`i who was from Kufa, and those of Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman from Kufa (the Shaykh of Abu Hanifa), and those of Hammad ibn Salama and Hammad ibn Zayd both from Basra, and those of Sufyan al-Thawri from Basra, and those of Shu`ba in Basra, all of whom narrated from Hisham!



*/ Mizanu'l-ai`tidal, another book on the narrators of the traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) reports that when he was old, Hisham's memory suffered quite badly. (vol 4, pg 301 - 302)/*

An outright lie, on the contrary, al-Dhahabi in Mizan al-I`tidal (4:301 #9233) states: "Hisham ibn `Urwa, one of the eminent personalities. A Proof in himself, and an Imam. However, in his old age his memory diminished, but he certainly never became confused. Nor should any attention be paid to what Abu al-Hasan ibn al-Qattan said about him and Suhayl ibn Abi Salih becoming confused or changing! Yes, the man changed a little bit and his memory was not the same as it had been in his younger days, so that he forgot some of what he had memorized or lapsed, so what? Is he immune to forgetfulness? [p. 302] And when he came to Iraq in the last part of his life he narrated a great amount of knowledge, in the course of which are a few narrations in which he did not excel, and such as occurs also to Malik, and Shu`ba, and Waki`, and the major trustworthy masters. So spare yourself confusion and floundering, do not make mix the firmly-established Imams with the weak and muddled narrators. Hisham is a Shaykh al-Islam. But may Allah console us well of you, O Ibn al-Qattan, and the same with regard to `Abd al-Rahman ibn Khirash's statement from Malik!"



*/ According to the generally accepted tradition, Ayesha (ra) was born about eight years before Hijra. But according to another>narrative in Bukhari (kitabu'l-tafseer) Ayesha (ra) is reported to have said that at the time Surah Al-Qamar, the 54th chapter of the >Qur'an, was revealed, "I was a young girl". The 54th surah of the Qur'an was revealed nine years before Hijra. /*

Not true. The hadith Masters, Sira historians, and Qur'anic commentators agree that the splitting of the moon took place about five years before the Holy Prophet's (upon him blessings and peace) Hijra to Madina.

Thus it is confirmed that our Mother `Aisha was born between seven and eight years before the Hijra and the words that she was a jariya or little girl five years before the Hijra match the fact that her age at the time Surat al-Qamar was revealed was around 2 or 3.



*/According to this tradition, Ayesha (ra) had not only been born before the revelation of the referred surah, but was actually a young girl (jariyah), not an infant (sibyah) at that time. Obviously, if this narrative is held to be true, it is in clear contradiction with the narratives reported by Hisham ibn `Urwah. I see absolutely no reason that after the comments of the experts on the narratives of Hisham ibn `Urwah, why we should not accept this narrative to be more accurate./*

A two year old is not an infant. A two year old is able to run around, which is what jariya means. As for "the comments of the experts" they concur on 6 or 7 as the age of marriage and 9 as the age of cohabitation.



*/ According to a number of narratives, Ayesha (ra) accompanied the Muslims in the battle of Badr and Uhud. Furthermore, it is also reported in books of hadith and history that no one under the age of 15 years was allowed to take part in the battle of Uhud. All the boys below 15 years of age were sent back. Ayesha's (ra) participation in the battle of Badr and Uhud clearly indicate that she was not nine or ten years old at that time. After all, women used to accompany men to the battle fields to help them, not to be a burden on them./*

First, the prohibition applied to combatants. It applied neither to non-combatant boys nor to non-combatant girls and women. Second, `A'isha did not participate in Badr at all but bade farewell to the combatants as they were leaving Madina, as narrated by Muslim in his Sahih. On the day of Uhud (year 3), Anas, at the time only twelve or thirteen years old, reports seeing an eleven-year old `A'isha and his mother Umm Sulaym having tied up their dresses and carrying water skins back and forth to the combatants, as narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.



*/ According to almost all the historians, Asma, the elder sister of Ayesha was ten years older than Ayesha. /*

Well, Ibn Kathir based himself on Ibn Abi al-Zinad's assertion that she was ten years older than `A'isha, however, al-Dhahabi in Siyar A`lam al-Nubala' said there was a greater difference than 10 years between the two, up to 19, and he is more reliable here.



*/It is reported in Taqri'bu'l-tehzi'b as well as Al-bidayah wa'l-nihayah that Asma died in 73 hijrah when she was 100 years old. Now, obviously if Asma was 100 years old in 73 hijrah she should have been 27 or 28 years old at the time of hijrah. If Asma was 27 or 28 years old at the time of hijrah, Ayesha should have been 17 or 18 years old at that time. Thus, Ayesha, if she got married in 1 AH (after hijrah) or 2 AH, was between 18 to 20 years old at the time of her marriage./*

Ibn Hajar reports in al-Isaba from Hisham ibn `Urwa, from his father, that Asma' did live 100 years, and from Abu Nu`aym al-Asbahani that "Asma' bint Abi Bakr was born 27 years before the Hijra, and she lived until the beginning of the year 74." None of this amounts to any proof for `A'isha's age whatsoever.



*/Tabari in his treatise on Islamic history, while mentioning Abu Bakr, reports that Abu Bakr had four children and all four were born during the Jahiliyyah -- the pre Islamic period. Obviously, if Ayesha was born in the period of Jahiliyyah, she could not have been less than 14 years in 1 AH -- the time she most likely got married./*

Al-Tabari nowhere reports that "Abu Bakr's four children were all born in Jahiliyya" but only that Abu Bakr married both their mothers in Jahiliyya, Qutayla bint Sa`d and Umm Ruman, who bore him four children in all, two each, `A'isha being the daughter of Umm Ruman.



*/ According to Ibn Hisham, the historian, Ayesha accepted Islam quite some time before Umar ibn Khattab./*

Nowhere does Ibn Hisham say this.



*/This shows that Ayesha accepted Islam during the first year of Islam. While, if the narrative of Ayesha's marriage at seven years of age is held to be true, Ayesha should not have been born during the first year of Islam./*

Rather, Ibn Hisham lists `A'isha among "those that accepted Islam because of Abu Bakr." This does not mean that she embraced Islam during the first year of Islam. Nor does it mean that she necessarily embraced Islam before `Umar (year 6) although she was born the previous year (year 7 before the Hijra) although it is understood she will automatically follow her father's choice even before the age of reason.



*/ Tabari has also reported that at the time Abu Bakr planned on migrating to Habshah (8 years before Hijrah), he went to Mut`am -- with whose son Ayesha was engaged -- and asked him to take Ayesha in his house as his son's wife. Mut`am refused, because Abu Bakr had embraced Islam, and subsequently his son divorced Ayesha (ra). /*

Not at all, there is no mention of emigration in Tabari's account of Abu Bakr's discussion with Mut`im. Nor did he ever ask him to take `A'isha because there had been only some preliminary talk, not a formal arrangement. Umm Ruman, Abu Bakr's wife, reportedly said: "By Allah, no promise had been given on our part at all!" Rather, al-Tabari said that when news of the Prophet's interest in `A'isha came, he went to see Mut`im. Then Mut`im's wife manifested her fear that her son would become Muslim if he married into Abu Bakr's family. Abu Bakr then left them and gave his assent to the Prophet, upon him blessings and peace.



*/Now, if Ayesha was only seven years old at the time of her marriage, she could not have been born at the time Abu Bakr decided on migrating to Habshah. On the basis of this report it seems only reasonable to assume that Ayesha had not only been born 8 years before hijrah, but was also a young lady, quite prepared for marriage./*

Your assumption fizzles at the root when you read al-Tabari's positive assertion: "On the day he consummated the marriage with her, she was nine years old."



*/According to a narrative reported by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, after the death of Khadijah, when Khaulah came to the Prophet advising him to marry again, the Prophet asked her regarding the choices she had in her mind. Khaulah said: "You can marry a virgin (bikr) or a woman who has already been married (thayyib)". When the Prophet asked about who the virgin was, Khaulah proposed Ayesha's name. All those who know the Arabic language, are aware that the word "bikr" in the Arabic language is not used for an immature nine year old girl. The correct word for a young playful girl, as stated earlier is "Jariyah". "Bikr" on the other hand, is used for an unmarried lady, and obviously a nine year old is not a "lady"./*

This is ignorant nonsense, bikr means a virgin girl, a girl who has never been married even if her age is 0 and there is no unclarity here whatsoever.



*/According to Ibn Hajar, Fatimah was five years older than Ayesha. Fatimah is reported to have been born when the Prophet was 35 years old. Thus, even if this information is taken to be correct, Ayesha could by no means be less than 14 years old at the time of hijrah, and 15 or 16 years old at the time of her marriage./*

Rather, Ibn Hajar mentions two versions: (1) al-Waqidi's narration that Fatima was born when the Prophet was 35; and (2) Ibn `Abd al-Barr's narration that she was born when he was 41, approximately one year more or less before Prophethood, and about five years before `A'isha was born. The latter version matches the established dates.

So our Mother `A'isha was nineteen to twenty years younger than her sister Asma' (b. 27 before Hijra-d. 74) and about five years to eight years Fatima's junior.



*/These are some of the major points that go against accepting the commonly known narrative regarding Ayesha's (ra) age at the time of her marriage. In my opinion, neither was it an Arab tradition to give away girls in marriage at an age as young as nine or ten years, nor did the Prophet marry Ayesha at such a young age. The people of Arabia did not object to this marriage, because it never happened in the manner it has been narrated./*

Those that itch to follow misguidance always resort to solipsisms because they are invariably thin on sources. In this particular case "the Learner" proves to be ignorant and dishonest. It is no surprise he moves on every single point, without exception, from incorrect premises to false conclusions.



Hajj Gibril

http://www.sunnipath.com/about/shaykhgibrilhaddad.aspx

livingislam.org



Shaykh Gibril Fouad Haddad Dr Gibril Haddad was born in Beirut in 1380/1960. He embraced Islam while a graduate student in French Literature at Columbia University in New York. He lives in Damascus, Syria. Since 1997 he has translated and published the following texts:

Ibn Khafif. Al-'Aqida al-Sahiha ("Correct Islamic Doctrine").
Al-Bayhaqi. Al-Asma' wal-Safat ("The Divine Names and Attributes").
Excerpts. Ibn 'Abd al-Salam. Ai-Mulha fi I'tiqad Ahl al-Haqq ("Belief of the Poeple of the Truth").
Ibn 'Arabi. Aqidat al-'Awamm min Ahl al-Islam ("Common Doctrine of the Muslim").
Sayyid Muhammad 'Alawi al-Maliki. Al-Anbiya' fi-Barzakh ("The Prophets in the Isthmus-Life").
Revised bilingual edition. - Al-Anwar al-Bahiyya fi Isra' waMi'raj Khayr al-Bariyya ("The Prophet's (peace be upon him) Night Journey and Ascention").
Revised English edition. Sayyid Yusuf Hashim al-Rifa'i. Nasiha li-Ikhwaninia Ulama' Najd ("Advice to our Brethren the Scholars of Najd").
Introduction by M.S.R. al-Buti. With Sayyid 'Alawi Ahmad al-Haddad's Misbah al-Anam ("The Light of Mankind").
English. Al-Habib 'Ali al-Jafri. Jesus Christ the Son of Mary and His Most Blessed Mother. G.F. Haddad. Afdalu al-Khalqi Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace be upon him) On the Prophetic Attribute "Best of Creation"). Bilingual. - Al-Arba'un fi Fadli al-Shami wa-Ahlih wal-Hijrati ila Allahi wa-Rasulih (peace be upon him) ("The Excellence of Syro-Palestine and Its People in Emigrating to Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him) 40 Hadith") Bilingual. Forewords by Shaykh Abid Kallas, Shaykh Mustafa al-Turkmani, and Shaykh Salah Fakhri. - Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Saddiq (may Allah be well pleased with him). Bilingual. - Qubrus al-Tarab fi Suhbat Rajab ("The Joy of Cyprus in the Association of Rajab [1422]"). Discourses of Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani. Bilingual. - Mawlid: Celebrating the Birth of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) - Collective Supplication: Sunna or Bid'a? Bilingual. - Albani and His Friends: A Concise Guide to the "Salafi" Movement. - The Four Imams and Their Schools. Bilingual. - Ahmad ibn Taymiyya.

Forthcoming in sha' Allah:

- 'Ayn al-Hayb fi Usul Kashf al-Ghayb ("Proof-Texts of the Prophetic knowledge of the Unseen"). Bilingual. - Siyar al-Khulafa' al-Rashidin ("The Rightly-Guided Caliphs"). Bilingual. - Usul al-Bid'at al Hasana fil-Qur'an wal Hadith ("Proof-Texts of the Good Innovation from the Qur'an and Hadith"). Bilingual. - Al-Ziyarat al-Iraqiyya ila al-Hadarat al-Barzakhiyya bil-Imdadat al-Haqqaniyya wal-Suhbat al-Jiliyya ("Haqqani Visitation to the Sanctuaries of Iraq with Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jili al-Madani"). Bilingual. - Min al-Haramayn al-Sharifayn ("From the Two Holy Sanctuaries: A Hajj Journal"). 2nd edition. Bilingual. - Min al-Maghrib al-Mubarak ("From Blessed Morrocco"). English and Arabic. - Our Mother 'A'isha al-Siddiqa al-Nabawiyya. Bilingual - The Ash'ari School and the Literalists: Texts and Biographies. Abd al-Khaliq. Hujjiyat al-Sunna ("The Binding Proof of the Sunna"). Bilingual. Ibn Jahbal al-Kilabi. Refutation of Ibn Taymiyya.

[Hector]

ALI SINA REFUTES MUSLIM APOLOGETICS ABOUT AISHA'S AGE

http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/sina/ayesha_age.htm

Controversies about the age of Ayesha

-------------------------------------------------------------
The majority of Muslims agree that Ayesha was only 9 years old when the Prophet married her. The following site makes no apology for her young age and accuses the modernists for humbugging the Westerns morality and denying the truth.

http://admin.muslimsonline.com/~islamawe/Polemics/aishah.html



This site also defends Muhammad for marrying Ayesha at 9 claiming that girls reach puberty at that age and therefore are considered adult and having sex with them at such tender age is acceptable.

http://bismikaallahuma.faithweb.com/aishah.html

However there are some “modernist” Muslims who dispute this fact. They argue:

(taken from http://www.understanding-islam.com/ri/mi-004.htm)

According to the generally accepted tradition, Ayesha (ra) was born about eight years before Hijrah. But according to another narrative in Bukhari (kitabu'l-tafseer) Ayesha (ra) is reported to have said that at the time Surah Al-Qamar, the 54th chapter of the Qur'an, was revealed, "I was a young girl". The 54th surah of the Qur'an was revealed nine years before Hijrah. According to this tradition, Ayesha (ra) had not only been born before the revelation of the referred surah, but was actually a young girl (jariyah), not an infant (sibyah) at that time. Obviously, if this narrative is held to be true, it is in clear contradiction with the narratives reported by Hisham ibn `urwah. I see absolutely no reason that after the comments of the experts on the narratives of Hisham ibn `urwah, why we should not accept this narrative to be more accurate.
Answer:
Even if we assume this narrative to be accurate, we have no reason to give it more weight than those that are so detailed about Ayesha’s age, describing her playing with her dolls, talking about her girlfriends coming to play with her and hiding when Muhammad entered the room, her memories of playing on the swing when her mother called her and washed her face and took her to Muhammad, her ignorance of what was going on and her “surprise” when Muhammad got into action taking his role as the husband, etc. These events are more likely to be remembered by someone of her childhood than when a particular Surah was revealed. It is more probable that a person confuse one Surah with the other than confuse all those details of her own life.

According to a number of narratives, Ayesha (ra) accompanied the Muslims in the battle of Badr and Uhud. Furthermore, it is also reported in books of hadith and history that no one under the age of 15 years was allowed to take part in the battle of Uhud. All the boys below 15 years of age were sent back. Ayesha's (ra) participation in the battle of Badr and Uhud clearly indicate that she was not nine or ten years old at that time. After all, women used to accompany men to the battle fields to help them, not to be a burden on them.
Answer:
This is a weak excuse. When the Battle of Badr and Ohud occurred Ayesha was 10 to 11 years old. She did not go to be a warier, like the boys. She went to keep Muhammad warm during the nights. Boys who were less than 15 were sent back, but this did not apply to her.



According to almost all the historians Asma (ra), the elder sister of Ayesha (ra) was ten years older than Ayesha (ra). It is reported in Taqri'bu'l-tehzi'b as well as Al-bidayah wa'l-nihayah that Asma (ra) died in 73 hijrah when she was 100 years old. Now, obviously if Asma (ra) was 100 years old in 73 hijrah she should have been 27 or 28 years old at the time of hijrah. If Asma (ra) was 27 or 28 years old at the time of hijrah, Ayesha (ra) should have been 17 or 18 years old at that time. Thus, Ayesha (ra), if she got married in 1 AH (after hijrah) or 2 AH, was between 18 to 20 years old at the time of her marriage.
Answer:
When someone gets that old, people don’t care too much about her exact age. It is very easy to say she was 100 years old when in fact she was only 90. The difference is not noticeable to the younger folks and 100 is a round figure. Assuming the Hadith is authentic, it could be an honest mistake. Since in those days people did not carry birth certificates, it is very much likely that the person who reported her age to be 100 did not know that she was 10 years older than Ayesha and did not sit to make the calculations and deductions. She was not an important person and it did not occur to anyone that 1300 years later it would become the subject of a controversy. This could be a genuine mistake by the narrator of the Hadith.



Tabari in his treatise on Islamic history, while mentioning Abu Bakr (ra) reports that Abu Bakr had four children and all four were born during the Jahiliyyah -- the pre Islamic period. Obviously, if Ayesha (ra) was born in the period of jahiliyyah, she could not have been less than 14 years in 1 AH -- the time she most likely got married.
Answer:
Tabari’s narratives do not have the distinction to be known Sahih. Even if we assumed that this narratives is not forged, there is no reason to discard all those strong, detailed and explicit hadithes that concord with each other and confirm the age of Ayesha was 9 when she married the Prophet, to accept this narrative that, could very well be also an innocent slip on the part of the narrator. People remember important events better than those that are relatively insignificant. The date of the birth of the children of Abu Bakr was not an important subject for Muslims to record. But the details of the Prophet's marriages were more important. As you can read in the story of Safiyah's wedding even the kind of food served is recorded.



According to Ibn Hisham, the historian, Ayesha (ra) accepted Islam quite some time before Umar ibn Khattab (ra). This shows that Ayesha (ra) accepted Islam during the first year of Islam. While, if the narrative of Ayesha's (ra) marriage at seven years of age is held to be true, Ayesha (ra) should not have been born during the first year of Islam.
Answer:
The apologist fails to provide the references to the hadithes that he quotes. But obviously this is an error. To understand and accept a religion, one must he at least intelligent enough to make such decision. That is about 15 years old. But let us be generous and say that age is about 12. If Ayesha accepted Islam during the first year of Islam, she must have been 26 years old when Muhammad married her. (12 + 14) First of all, in those days girls married at much younger age. No one stayed that long to get married. And it is very unlikely that a 26-year-old woman plays with her dolls. It shows that some of the Muslim apologists are embarrassed of what the Prophet did and are desperately looking for excuses to exonerate him of his improprieties.



Tabari has also reported that at the time Abu Bakr planned on migrating to Habshah (8 years before Hijrah), he went to Mut`am -- with whose son Ayesha (ra) was engaged -- and asked him to take Ayesha (ra) in his house as his son's wife. Mut`am refused, because Abu Bakr had embraced Islam, and subsequently his son divorced Ayesha (ra). Now, if Ayesha (ra) was only seven years old at the time of her marriage, she could not have been born at the time Abu Bakr decided on migrating to Habshah. On the basis of this report it seems only reasonable to assume that Ayesha (ra) had not only been born 8 years before hijrah, but was also a young lady, quite prepared for marriage.
Answer:
It was an Arab tradition to betroth a girl to a boy even when the girl was a newborn. This tradition is still carried on in many Islamic countries. This is no proof that Ayesha was a grown up.

According to a narrative reported by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, after the death of Khadijah (ra), when Khaulah (ra) came to the Prophet (pbuh) advising him to marry again, the Prophet (pbuh) asked her regarding the choices she had in her mind. Khaulah said: "You can marry a virgin (bikr) or a woman who has already been married (thayyib)". When the Prophet (pbuh) asked about who the virgin was, Khaulah proposed Ayesha's (ra) name. All those who know the Arabic language, are aware that the word "bikr" in the Arabic language is not used for an immature nine year old girl. The correct word for a young playful girl, as stated earlier is "Jariyah". "Bikr" on the other hand, is used for an unmarried lady, and obviously a nine year old is not a "lady".


Answer:
This explanation is absolutely incorrect. Bikr means virgin and, just as in English is not age specific. In fact Ayesha was the second wife of Muhammad (after Khadijah) but Muhammad did not consummate his marriage with her for three years because she was too young. Instead he had to content himself with Umma Salamah, until Ayesha matured a little bit more. It would not have made sense to marry a beautiful woman like Ayesha and wait for three years to take her home.



According to Ibn Hajar, Fatimah (ra) was five years older than Ayesha (ra). Fatimah (ra) is reported to have been born when the Prophet (pbuh) was 35 years old. Thus, even if this information is taken to be correct, Ayesha (ra) could by no means be less than 14 years old at the time of hijrah, and 15 or 16 years old at the time of her marriage.
Answer:
Of course this information cannot be taken as correct. If Ayesha was five years older than Fatimah, and Fatimah was born when the Prophet was 35 years old, then Ayesha was only 30 years younger than the Prophet. So at the time of her marriage when the Prophet was 54, Ayesha must have been 24 yeas old. This is not certainly correct, for the reasons explained above and also it contradicts the Hadith that the apologist quoted about the age of Asma, Ayesha’s sister, who according to that Hadith was 10 years older that Ayesha and died in 73 Hijra. So at the time of Hijra Asma must have been 100 –73 = 27 years old, but according to this Hadith she was 34 years old.

The discrepancy between these two hadithes quoted by the same apologist, demonstrate their inaccuracy. It all goes to show that in those days numbers did not mean much. It is more likely that people forget the dates. But events are better remembered. The reports of the tender age of Ayesha is consistent with the stories of her childhood, playing with her toys, her girlfriends hiding when Muhammad entered the room, the Prophet playing with her, her ignorance and “surprise” in the night of the nuptials, etc. All those hadithes confirm that she was a little girl. Those who deny the facts and try to prove otherwise, demonstrate their embarrassment of the acts of the Prophet. Perhaps they should be credited for having some scruples and realizing that what the Prophet did was wrong but we cannot praise them for their intellectual honesty or lack of it.

Finally the apologist concludes:

“In my opinion, neither was it an Arab tradition to give away girls in marriage at an age as young as nine or ten years, nor did the Prophet (pbuh) marry Ayesha (ra) at such a young age. The people of Arabia did not object to this marriage, because it never happened in the manner it has been narrated.”
Answer:
I respect his opinion, but disagree with him completely. Not only this WAS the tradition of the Arabs, it is still their tradition and it has become the tradition of other counties that converted to Islam. Even up to this day it is very common to find girls as young as 9-years given for matrimony. Of course the reason that no one objected to the marriage of Muhammad and a 9-year-old girl, is because it was a costume. The reason when it was reported in so many hadithes that neither the author nor the scholars objected is because it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Just a few weeks ago I read in the news that in Iran a 9-year-old girl filed for divorce from her 15-year-old husband just after 20 days of marriage because he would constantly beat her. When the young man was questioned he said: “She neglects her housework and plays with her dolls all the time”.

[Hector]

MUSLIMHOPE DEBUNKS MOIZ AMJAD'S APOLOGETICS

http://www.muslimhope.com/aishanine.htm

A’isha: Mohammed’s Nine-Year Old Wife

April 2004 version
Numerous people have said that Mohammed had sex with his youngest wife, ‘Aisha, daughter of Abu Bakr, when he was 53 and she was only nine years old. Some Muslims deny that. If somebody were to claim Mohammed and ‘Aisha had sex when she was nine, and they were wrong, that would be a serious slander against Mohammed. On the other hand, if it were true, that would show a very different side of Mohammed that would shock many. So is this accusation against Mohammed true or false?

This paper will first give the evidence for A’isha being nine when her marriage was consummated, then raise 11 objections to this, and finally, ask what if each view were correct.

This is important to a widely practiced but overlooked practice today: child brides in Muslim lands due to Mohammed’s example.

In Iran as of June 2002 it is legal for a 9 year old girl to marry with her parents’ permission. Voices Behind the Veil p.136-137

In the Ivory Coast this book also tells of a 12 year old girl who would leave the house for hours before returning home. After her father tied her up, burned her back with a piece of iron, locked her up for three days with no food, he eventually married her of to a 40-year old man. He never sent her to school because he said that it would drive them from their tradition, they would start asking questions, and not want to marry until they are 19 or 20.

The Taliban encouraged families to marry off their daughters as young as eight year old. (Voices Behind the Veil p.110)

The Dallas Morning News 9/28/03 p.1,10S had a story about the sad plight of Muslim Nigerian girls who were married very young, got pregnant and had
labor before their small bodies were ready. It was actually somewhat of a gross story, basically of many girls who needed C-sections but did not get them.
Many survived, but could not have any children due to their perforated uteruses.

To understand the authoritative nature of the example of Mohammed, we have to understand something of the Muslim hadiths. They hold a higher place in Sunni Islam than church tradition does in the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Sunni Muslims hold to six collections of hadiths as the most authoritative writings in Islam after the Qur’an. The rest of this paper shows that the accusation is completely true, according to numerous corroborating early Muslims sources. In addition to these quotes from the six authoritative hadiths is a reference from the highly respected early Muslim historians ibn Ishaq and al-Tabari.

1. Sahih al-Bukhari 810-870 A.D. 256 A.H.

1a. "Narrated Hisham’s father: Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Medina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he married ‘Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consummated that marriage when she was nine years old." Bukhari 5:236 p.153.

1b. The same points are in Bukhari 5:234 p.152.

1c. "Narrated ‘Urwa: The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with ‘Aisha while she was six year 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). Bukhari 7:88 p.65

1d. Narrated 'Aisha: The Prophet was screening me with his Rida' (garment covering the upper part of the body) while I was looking at the Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. (I continued watching) till I was satisfied. So you may deduce from this event how a little girl (who has not reached the age of puberty) who is eager to enjoy amusement should be treated in this respect. Bukhari 7:163



1e. "Narrated 'Aisha: (the wife of the Prophet) I never remembered my parents believing in any religion other than the true religion (i.e. Islam), and (I don't remember) a single day passing without our being visited by Allah’s Apostle in the morning and in the evening." Bukhari 5:245 p.158. Thus ‘Aisha was either not very old or not born yet when her parents became Muslims. This is consistent with her being a child when her marriage with Mohammed was consummated.

2. Sahih Muslim 817-875 A.D. 261 A.H.

This is generally considered the second most reliable collection of hadiths.

2a. "(3309) ‘A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house at the age of nine. She further said: We went to Medina and I had an attack of fever for a month, and my hair had come down to the earlobes. Umm Ruman (my mother) came to me and I was at that time on a swing along with my playmates. She called me loudly and I went to her and I did not know what she had wanted of me. She too hold of my hand and took me to the door, and I was saying: Ha, ha (as if I was gasping), until the agitation of my heart was over. She took me to a house, where had gathered the women of the Ansar. They all blessed me and wished me good luck and said: May you have shared in good. She (my mother) entrusted me to them. They washed my head and embellished me and nothing frightened me. Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) came there in the morning, and I was entrusted to him." Sahih Muslim 2:3309 p.715-716

2b. "(3310) ‘A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when I was nine years old."

(3311) ‘A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) married here when she was seven years old, and she was taken to his house as a bride when she was nine, and here dolls were with her: and when he (the Holy Prophet) died she was eighteen years old." Sahih Muslim 2:3310,3311 p.716.

2c. "(5981) ’A’isha reported that she used to play with dolls in the presence of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and when her playmates came to her they left (the house) because they felt shy of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him), whereas Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) sent them to her.

2d. (5982) This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of transmitters with a slight variation of wording." Sahih Muslim 4:5981-5982 p.1299

3. Sunan Abu Dawud 817-888/9 A.D. 275 A.H.

3a. "(2116) ‘A’ishah said : The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) married me when I was seven years old. The narrator Sulaiman said : Or six years. He had intercourse with me when I was nine years old." Abu Dawud 2:2116 p.569

3b. "(4913) ‘A’ishah said : I used to play with dolls. Sometimes the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) entered upon me when the girls were with me. When he came in, they went out, and when he went out, they came in." Sunan Abu Dawud 3:4913 p.1373

Note carefully this is NOT saying Mohammed had intercourse with A’isha while her playmates were watching. Rather it says the playmates played with her, and they went out when Mohammed came by, and could come back after he left.

3c. "(4915) ‘A’ishah said : The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. According to Bishr’s version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter.

Abu Dawud said : That is to say : I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari (Helpers) in it. They said : With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.

3d. (5916) [typo, really 4916] The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Abu Usamah in a similar manner through a different chain of narrators. This version has: ‘With good fortune.’ She (Umm Ruman) entrusted me to them. They washed my head and redressed me. No one came to me suddenly except the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) in the forenoon. So they entrusted me to him

3e. (4917) ‘A’ishah said: When we came to Medina, the women came to me when I was playing on the swing, and my hair were [sp] up to my ears. They brought me, prepared me, and decorated me. Then they brought me to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) and he took up cohabitation with me, when I was nine.

3f. (4918) The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Hisham b. ‘Urwah through a different chain of narrators. This version adds: I was swinging and I had my friends. They brought me to a house ; there were some women of the Ansar (Helpers). They said : With good luck and blessing.

3g. (4919) ‘A’ishah said : We came to Medina and stayed with Banu al-Harith b. al-Khazraj. She said : I swear by Allah, I was swinging between two date-palms. Then my mother came, and made me come down; and I had my hair up to the ears. The transmitter then mentioned the rest of the tradition." Sunan Abu Dawud 3:4915-4919 p.1374.

Conclusion on Abu Dawud: 7 references and no counter-references affirm that A’isha was nine.

4. Tirmidhi 825-892 A.D. 209-279 A.H.

I cannot comment on the age of A’isha in Tirmidhi as I do not have access to Tirmidhi.

5. Sunan Nas’ai 830-915 A.D. 215-303 A.H.

5a. When Hadrat ‘A’isha passed nine years of married life, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) fell in mortal sickness. On the 9th or the 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal 11 A.H., he left this mortal world…Hadrat ‘A’isha was eighteen years of age at the time when the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed away and she remained a widow for forty-eight years till she died at the age of sixty-seven." Sunan Nasa’i 1 #18 p.108

Note that she had nine years of married life with Mohammed, and since he died when she was eighteen, she was nine years old when she started her married life with Mohammed.

Conclusion on Sunan Nas’ai: One reference and no counter-references say A’isha was nine.

6. Ibn-i-Majah 824-886/887 A.D. 273 A.H.

6a. A’isha was married when she was six years old, and nine when she went to Mohammed’s house. Ibn-i-Majah 3:1876 p.133

6b. A’isha was married at seven, went to Mohammed’s house at nine, and was 18 when Mohammed died. According to al-Zawa’id, its isnad is sahih according to the condition of Bukhari. However Abu ‘Ubaida did not hear from his father, so it is munqata (has a gap) Ibn-i-Majah 3:1877 p.134

7. The Historian ibn Ishaq - died 767/773 A.D. 145/151 A.H.

7a. "Yahya b. Abbad b. Abdullah b. al-Zubayr from his father told me that he heard Aisha say: "The apostle died in my bosom during my turn: I had wronged none in regard to him. It was due to my ignorance and extreme youth that the apostle died in my arms.""
(Guillaume, A., The Life of Muhammad, a translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah, Oxford University Press, Karachi, Pakistan, page 682). A’isha said she was an extreme youth when Mohammed died.

8. The Historian al-Tabari - died 923 A.D.

8a. ‘Aisha was 6 (or 7) years old when she was married, and the marriage was consummated when she was nine years old. al-Tabari vol.9 p.129-131. Muhammad b. ‘Amr is one of the transmitters.

8b. ‘Aisha was 6-7 when married, and came the marriage was consummated when she was 9-10, three months after coming to Mecca al-Tabari vol.7 p.7. The chain of transmission includes an unnamed man from the Quraysh.

8c. Aisha died in June-July 678 A.D. (A.H. 5 at the age of 66. That would make her born in 610 A.D.. It says she consummated her marriage with the prophet when she was nine years old. al-Tabari vol.39 p.171,173. (al-Tabari wrote 38 volumes of history, plus a 39th volume called Biographies of the Prophet’s Companions and Their Successors.)

X 8c. On the other hand, al-Tabari also wrote that i.e. "All four of his [Abu Bakr’s] children were born of his two wives -- the names of whom we have already mentioned -- during the pre-Islamic period." (Tarikhu'l-umam wa'l-mamlu'k, Al-Tabari, vol.4, p.50, Arabic, Dara'l-fikr, Beirut, 1979. al-Tabari vol.11 p.141 also mentions this, with footnote 766 saying al-Tabari has a conflict here. The footnote also says that al-Baladhuri’s Ansab I, p.409-411; Ibn Hajar’s Isabah IV, p.359-360 supports her being married by 9 years old.

Majority Muslim Explanations

There are two basic categories of answers Muslims have for this: the majority agree that these hadiths are reliable here, and a minority disagree.

The majority view affirms the reliability of these hadiths. As one Muslim told me "… and I bet A’isha was the happiest nine-year old girl in the world".

This following site also says that, and also accuses liberal Muslims of catering to western morality and denying the truth. http://admin.muslimsonline.com/~islamawe/Polemics/aishah.html

Footnote 1958 on p.715 says in part: "According to Imam Shafi’i, marriage in childhood is not something appreciable. It was under some exceptional circumstances that Hadrat ‘A’isha was married to the Prophet (may peace be upon him). The second point to be noted is that Islam has laid down no age limit for puberty for it varies with countries and races due to climate, hereditary, physical and social conditions. Those who live in cold regions attain puberty at a much later age as compared with those living in hot regions where both male and female attain it at a quite early age. "The average temperature of the country or province,’ says the well-known authors of the book Woman, "is considered the chief factor here, not only with regard to menstruation but as regards the whole of sexual development at puberty. … Similarly, the author of Kinsey Report states: ‘The incidence of pre-adolescent sex play at particular ages (active incidence) seems to have been highest in the younger age groups. Some eight per cent of the females in the sample recalled pre-adolescent hetero-sexual play at ages five and seven" (Alfred C. Kinsey and Others, Sexual Behaviour in the Human Female, p.110)" -- All of this was quoted from Sahih Muslim vol.2 footnote 1958 p.715.

The translator of Sahih Muslim vol.2 gives an explanation in footnote 1960 on p.716. "The Holy Prophet’s (may peace be upon him) marriage with ‘A’isha has been criticized by the Western critics. It is, however, strange that contemporary critics of Muhammad (may peace be upon him) who leveled all kinds of charges against him did not make any mention, not in the least, of this marriage. It should be borne in mind that, like all acts of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him), even this marriage had a Divine purpose behind it. Hadrat ‘A’isha was a precocious girl and was developing both in mind and body with rapidity peculiar to such rare personalities. She was admitted to the house of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) just at the threshold of her puberty, the most impressionable and formative period of her life. … Even from the psycho-sexual standpoint it was a happy union as it is evident from the records of the Hadith. ‘When the difference (in ages),’ says Von De Velde, Director of the Gynaeological [sp] Clinic at Harlem [New York?], ‘is great, e.g. exceeds fifteen or twenty years, the results may be happier. The marriage of an elderly (senescent) - not, of course an old (senile) - man to a quite young girl, is often very successful and harmonious The bride is immediately introduced and accustomed to moderate sexual intercourse" (Ideal Marriage, Its Psychology and Technique, London, 1962 p.243)." Sahih Muslim vol.2 p.716.

Timeline of Mohammed and A’isha

Event (+/- 2 years)
A.D.
A.H.

Mohammed born
570
-53

Migration to Ethiopia
617
-5

A’isha married at 6-7
622
0

Migration to Medina
623
1

Marriage consummated at 8-9
623
1

Battles of Badr & Uhud
625
3

At 63 Mohammed died. A’isha 19
633
11

A’isha revolts against ‘Ali
656
35


Note that the interpretations and explanations of official hadith scholars, in trying to explain the rationale for her young age when the marriage was consummated, confirm the young age.

Footnote 2728 on the same page says in part: "Thus the marriage of the Prophet (may peace be upon him) with ‘A’isha at an age when she was at the threshold of puberty was a great necessity, as it was through her that instructions could successfully be imparted to the young ladies who had newly entered the fold of Islam. Moreover, this marriage struck at the root of a wrong notion which had firmly taken hold of the minds of the people that it was contrary to religious ethics to marry the daughter of a man whom one declared to be one’s brother." [Abu Bakr and Mohammed were brothers in religion, but not biological brothers.]



Eleven Possible Objections

A minority view denies that Mohammed had sex with a nine-year old, usually claiming that A’isha 17 to 19 years old. Here are reasons given, and some responses.



Objection 1: Doubts on Three of the Transmitters

1.1 An unnamed man from Quraysh is a transmitter in al-Tabari vol.7 p.7, which is a weak reference.

1.2 Hisham ibn ‘Urwah is a transmitter in many quotes. If he was mistaken, then all the people who accurately quoted him would have wrong information too. Mizanu'l-ai`tidal, a book on the [life sketches of the] narrators of the traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) reports that when he was old, Hisham's memory suffered quite badly. (v.4, p.301-302)

Tehzibu'l-tehzib, one of the most well known books on the life and reliability of the narrators of the traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) reports that according to Yaqub ibn Shaibah: "narratives reported by Hisham are reliable except those that are reported through the people of Iraq". It further states that Malik ibn Anas objected on those narratives of Hisham which were reported through people of Iraq. (vol.11, p. 48 - 51)

1.3 Muhammad ibn Amr is called weak by Ibn Abu Hatim in Al-Jarah wa al-Ta’deel: Yahya said, "he is not among those whom you would desire [to report from]." Abu Hatim asked Malik who said similar, and Yahya bin Mu’een said "People refrain from accepting his narratives"

Al-Dhahabiy in "Siyar Aa`laam al-Nubalaa", says that Juzyanniy said that Muhammad ibn Amr is not strong [in reliability]. Al-Dhabahiy also says Yahya ibn Qataan said Muhammad ibn Amr was not very careful in reporting narratives.

‘Uqailiy also said Muhammad ibn Amr was a weak [less reliable] narrator in al-Du`afaa al-`uqailiy, vol. 4, p.109.

Response to 1: Even assuming Hisham, ibn Amr, and an unnamed man are all weak transmitters, weak does not necessary mean they are wrong. Also, what about the more who are not weak? Here is a scorecard

A Scorecard on References

Narrator
Strong ref’s
Weaker ref’s
Counter ref’s

Al-Bukhari
4
1
-

Sahih Muslim
3
1
-

Abu Dawud
6
1
-

Tirmidhi
-
-
-

Nasa’i
-
1
-

Ibn-i-Majah
1
1
-

Ibn Ishaq
1
-
-

al-Tabari
0
3
1

TOTAL
15
8
1


7 weaker references do not cancel out strong references; rather they add to their credibility.



Objection 2: No other Medina narrators

Hisham ibn ‘Urwah lived in Medina for 70 years and then moved to Iraq. Why did no one else from Medina narrate that A’isha was eight or nine? Also the other narrators are all from Iraq.

Response to 2: This is an argument from silence: many people did not report anything about A’isha’s age of her consummated marriage. Also, Iraq would be a good source, because both A’isha and many companions moved to Iraq by ‘Uthman’s time. Of course, we can assume A’isha remembered when she got married, and told others.



Objection 3: Did Arabs have child marriages?

There is [allegedly] no reference to child marriage in the history of the Arabs, so if Mohammed did this, one would expect this out of the ordinary incident to be reported by large numbers of people. No one would object to this young marriage if in fact it never happened.

Response 3: While this was reported by a number of people, there is in fact at least one reference to child marriage (and consummation) in Mohammed’s time. A lady [presumably married] became a grandmother at 21 years old according to Bukhari 3:831 p.514. Finally, since no one objected to the reporting of this young marriage, even the majority of Muslim scholars who hold that it did happen.



Objection 4: Young girl when Sura 54:46 written

A’isha said she was a young girl when Sura 54:46 [al-Qamar on the splitting of the moon] was written, which [allegedly] was about 9 years before Hejira. She did not say infant [sibyah], but young girl [jariya]. (taken from http://www.understanding-islam.com/ri/mi-004.htm)

This is according to Bukhari, kitabu'l-tafsir, Arabic, Bab Qaulihi Bal al-sa`atu Maw`iduhum wa'l-sa`atu adha' wa amarr.

Response to 4: There are three parts to answer.

1a (word use): This argument hinges on allegedly not being able to use jariya as a generic word for any girl who is pre-teen. Yet many narratives said the A’isha still played with dolls when she was married to Mohammed.

1b (wrong Sura): It is easier for a few narrators to forget the correct sura than for a great many narrators to forget she was a child wife.

1c (wrong time for Sura): It might be the correct sura, but we do not really know when Sura 54:46 was written. Both Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baariy and Maudid say it was about 5 years before Hejira, not 9 years before.



Objection 5: Aisha at Badr and Uhud

Some narratives said that A’isha accompanied the army at the battles of Badr and ‘Uhud (both in 3 A.H.). The hadiths also show that boys under 15 years old were allowed to take part in the Battle of ‘Uhud. al-Tabari vol.12 p.75 says a boy participated in the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah only after attaining puberty. The narratives mentioning A’isha at ‘Uhud are: Bukhari, Kitabu'l-jihad wa'l-siyar, Arabic, Bab Ghazwi'l-nisa' wa qitalihinna ma`a'lrijal. References that boys below 15 could not participate are: Bukhari 3:832, Kitabu'l-maghazi, Bab ghazwati'l-khandaq wa hiya'l-ahza'b.

Response to 5: A’isha, being a girl, never fought in any battles. The age of 15 "is the limit between childhood and manhood". So what would a girl be there for?

An 10/11-year old, besides keeping Mohammed company at night, had many things to do. The women and young children went on the battlefield after the battle and gave water to the wounded Muslims and finished off the enemy wounded. al-Tabari vol.12 p.127,146. During the days of the battle, the women and children were there to dig graves for the dead. al-Tabari vol.12 p.107

Finally, young A’isha was considered an adult, for Muslims called a girl an adult when she first started her period according to Bukhari vol.3 ch.18 p.513.



Objection 6: A’isha’s ten-year older sister ‘Asma died in 73 A.D. when she was 100 years old.

Taqri’bu’l-tehzi’b and Al-bidayah wa’l-nihayah say that ‘Asma died in 73 A.H. when she was 100 years old. Since Asm’a would have been about 26/27 in 1 A.H., that would make A’isha 16/17 in 1 A.H., not 8-9 years old. (References to Asm’a age at death are: ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Taqri'bu'l-tehzi'b p.654 and ibn Kathir in Al-bidayah wa'l-nihayah vol.8 p.372 Arabic. References to ‘Asma being ten years older are: Abda'l-Rahman ibn abi zanna'd, Siyar A`la'ma'l-nubala', Al-Zahabi, vol.2, p.289, Arabic, Mu'assasatu'l-risalah, Beirut, 1992, ibn Kathir in Al-Bidayah wa'l-nihayah, Ibn Kathir, Vol 8, Pg 371, Arabic, Dar al-fikr al-`arabi, Al-jizah, 1933)

Response to 6: Assuming these books are reliable on this point, people can report the age of someone incorrectly after they died.

For example, if you trust ibn Hajar on the previous slide on when ‘Asma died, you should trust him ibn Hajar’s Isabah IV, p.359-360 when he shows A’isha was married by the time she was 9 years old. (footnote in al-Tabari vol.11 p.141 footnote 766)

What about the dolls? Contrary to Objection 6, a writer reported that many Muslim sources refer to A’isha still playing with her dolls when she was married. Bukhari (no.5665), Sahih Muslim (no.4470), Abu Dawud (no.4283), Ibn-i-Majah (no.1972) and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (no.23163, 24169, 24770 and 24777).



Objection 7: al-Tabari said Abu Bakr had four children in the pre-Islamic period.

Since A’isha was one of the children, she would have to be at least 13 or 14 years old when the marriage was consummated.

Response to 7: al-Tabari vol.11 p.141 footnote 766 says that al-Tabari is contradictory here. He also said A’isha was 8-9 when the marriage was consummated. Tabari reported a great number of things, and he or his sources were mistaken on something. However, a person would remember something important better than something unimportant. Al-Tabari had three places where A’isha would be 8-10 when the marriage was consummated, and only one place that would make her somewhat older.



Objection 8: A’isha accepted Islam before ‘Umar bin Khattab according to Ibn Hisham in Sirah al-Nabawiyyah vol.1 p.227-24 (Arabic). She was the 20/21st person while ‘Umar was the 41st (ibid vol.1 p.295). Thus one Muslim claims this proves A’isha had to have accepted Islam during the first year (c.610 A.D.)

Response to 8: Three parts to the answer.

1. Nobody today really knows the order. In general there is lengthy disagreement on the order of who accepted Islam, as al-Tabari vol.5 p.80-87; vol.12 p.38 discuss. If they cannot even agree on the first five men, how can they know the 21st?

2. A’isha never converted to Islam, because she never remembered a time when Mohammed did not come by twice a day and her parents were not Muslims. This is prior to the first migration to Ethiopia (617 A.D.) (Bukhari 5:245 p.158).

3. ‘Umar became a Muslim just after the first migration to Ethiopia (617 A.D.) according to Ibn Ishaq p.155,156. So what Ibn Hisham counts as A’isha’s "conversion" could be between birth and three years old.

Objection 9: According to al-Tabari, Eight years before Hejira, when Abu Bakr planned on migrating Habshah, A’isha was engaged to marry Mut’am. Abu Bakr asked Mut’am to take Aisha into his house, but Mut’am refused because Abu Bakr had become a Muslim. Thus A’isha had to be old enough to be a wife eight years before Hejira. Another reference is Tehqiq e umar e Siddiqah e Ka'inat, Habib ur Rahman Kandhalwi, Urdu, p.38, Anjuman Uswa e hasanah, Karachi, Pakistan

Response to 9: Even if this account is accurate, Arabs both then and today often betrothed girls soon after they were born. Abu Bakr had other daughters and it might have been one of them.



Objection 10: According to the Islamic jurist Ahmad ibn Hanbal, before A’isha was married, she was called in Arabic a Bikr, which means virgin or unmarried lady. (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, v.6, p. 210, Arabic, Dar Ihya al-turath al-`arabi, Beirut.

Response to 10: The word bikr means virgin and is not age-specific. If she was already a young lady, when did Mohammed wait for three years after marrying her before consummating the marriage? Also, Bukhari vol.3 ch.18 p.513 says they called a girl an adult when she first started her period.



Objection 11: Ibn Hajar reported that Fatima, Mohammed’s daughter, was born when Mohammed was 35 years old, which would make her five years older the A’isha. That would make A’isha 15/16 years old when they consummated their marriage. (Al-isabah fi tamyizi'l-sahabah, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Vol 4, Pg 377, Arabic, Maktabatu'l-Riyadh al-haditha, al-Riyadh, 1978)

Response to 11: Sunan Nasa’i vol.1 #29 p.115-116 actually says that Fatima was 29 years old when she died (six months after Mohammed), which makes her ten years older than A’isha. So somebody forgot a date somewhere. The authoritative hadiths of Sunan Nasa’i would generally be trusted more than Ibn Hajar, Regardless, though A’isha was younger.

What If the Sunni Hadiths and early Muslim Historian are Reliable Here?

If the hadiths and historians are to be trusted, then Mohammed, at around 53 years old, did have sex with a nine year old girl.

What If Mohammed Did Not After All?

Let's assume for a second, that some neo-Muslims are correct on this; all the hadith sources and most al-Tabari references on this are wrong, and A'isha was not 8 or 9 but a teenager when Mohammed consummated his marriage to her. If these many hadiths are all wrong then there are four questions to ask Muslims.


1. What does "Sunni" mean if not the Muslims traditions of the hadiths?


What distinguishes a Sunni Muslim? It is one who:
a) politically who thinks Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman were rightful caliphs
b) religiously who believes the Sunnah, or traditions in the hadith are usually reliable, and at the very least, Allah did not give the hadiths to lead people to do wrong things Allah would not approve of.

2. Why Would Allah Let the Hadiths Warp Islamic Society for over 1,200 years?

Consider the already mentioned prevalence of child brides today in Nigeria and other Muslim places, and the medical horrors of girls who just started menstruating but are too young to give birth. Regardless of whether some modernist Muslims are right or the substantial body of Islamic scholarship is right, everyone agrees that the authoritative hadiths of Sunni Islam give the example of Mohammed consummating his marriage to A'isha when she was only 8/9 years old and playing with dolls.


If all these hadiths were wrong, do you agree that these hadiths are giving a bad example, and lending support to this cruel practice?

"Allah is the best of schemers/deceivers". Sura 3:54. Was this deception one of Allah’s schemes, Satan’s schemes, or was this sex with a nine-year old not a scheme?

3. According to Islam, What Happens If You Follow the Wrong Sect?


According to the same hadiths, Muslims will be split into 72 or 73 sects, and they clearly says that all will go to Hell except one. (Abu Dawud 3:4579-4580 p.1290-1291; Ibn-i-Majah 5:3992 p.312). The Qur'an also speaks against those who split up and become sects in Sura 30:32. If the hadiths are wrong on this point, and they are evil in supporting this horrible practice, if you are a Sunni Muslim, you are in the wrong sect. The very "Sunni-ness" of Sunni Islam
has

a) misled people horribly
b) condemns Muslims who are in a misleading sect. If people found themselves in the "wrong sect", then if they want to please God, shouldn't that change and leave that sect?

4. Might the Correct Path be Called Something You Did Not Expect?


If Sunni Islam were the wrong sect and the consequences of following its bad examples are severe, is it possible the right path might not be called Islam?

Four Questions for Traditional Muslims Only

Everyone has to agree that the hadiths and the vast bulk of Islamic scholarship both in the past and present teach that Mohammed had sex with a young eight or nine year old girl.

Here are four questions, but these questions are only for Muslims who teach that the hadiths are reliable.

1. Why do many Muslim teachers say that Sharia Muslim law is good, yet coverup this part?

2. When you say that Mohammed is sinless, does merely mean that anything he did and condoned you will not call wrong? If not, is there any rape or other sexual practice that you would condemn, even if Mohammed permitted or practiced it?

3. Why do so many westernized Muslims fail to follow the teachings of the hadiths? What do they see that perhaps you do not?

4. If you tell people to follow the hadiths, and you have still or moving pictures of people in your home (including TV), or wear yellow and are a man, have you read the numerous things the Qur’an and hadiths say about hypocrites?

For reference hadiths banning all pictures of people or animals (including photographs and TV) are:

Bukhari 3:318 p.180; 4:447-450 p.297-299; 8:130 p.82-83; 9:646 p.487

Sahih Muslim 3:5245-5252 p.1157-1158; vol.3 footnotes 2519-2520 p.1160-1161

Abu Dawud 1:227 p.55-56; 3:4913-1914 footnote 4288 p.1373.

Sunan Nasa’i vol.1 no.264 p.240; vol.1 no.764 p.471

Ibn-i-Majah 4:3359 p.489; 5:3649-3652 p.108-109

In the late 1960’s there were violent actions in Saudi Arabia when pictures of people were shown on TV.

Conclusion: Do not pay attention to a traditionalist, unless you find a consistent traditionalist. If you cannot find a consistent traditionalist, then…

Conclusion for Sunni but not Sunni Muslims

For modern neo-Muslims who reject the hadiths, here are the four questions again.

1. What does the word "Sunni" mean?

2. Did Allah deceive his followers for centuries?

3. What does Islam say about those in the wrong sect?

4. Could the correct way be one you overlooked?

Conclusion: Many times even knowledgeable historians make little mistakes, but this is no little mistake. If all these Muslim historians said this terrible thing about Mohammed, what can you trust about the Mohammed of Muslim history? Yet if even the Qur’an allows sex with whom your right hands possess…

The Alternative : Follow the True God

Leave bad tradition. In fact, do not place your love and loyalty with any tradition. Seek only God. Even Muslims have respect for the Torah and Bible, though few have read them. Why not read the gospels and see how different was the teaching of Jesus?

References

www.AnsweringIslam.org is a very extensive web site presenting and debating many aspects of Islam.

Arbery, A.J. The Koran Interpreted Macmillian Publishing Co. 1955.

Ali, Maulawi Shr. The Holy Qur’an : Arabic Text and English Translation. Islam International Publications Limited. 1997 (This is published under the auspices of the Ahmadiyya Muslims)

Awde, Nicholas translator and editor. Women in Islam : An Anthology from the Qur’an and Hadiths. St. Martin’s Press 2000 (207 pages). He only quotes from Bukhari, and naively assumes Bukhari contains everything in the others.

Badawi, Jamal, Ph.D. Gender Equity in Islam : Basic Principles. American Trust Publications. 1995.

Caner, Ergun Mehmet. Voices Behind the Veil. Kregel Publications. 2003 (218 pages)

Hasan, Prof. Ahmad. Sunan Abu Dawud : English Translation with Explanatory Notes. Sh. Muhammad Ashraf Publishers, Booksellers & Exporters 1984 (three volumes)

The History of al-Tabari. Ihsan Abbas et al. editorial board. Volumes 1-11. SUNY Press.

The Holy Qur-an : English translation of the meanings and Commentary. Translated by ‘Abdullah Yusuf ‘Ali. Revised and edited by The Presidency of Islamic Researches, IFTA, Call and Guidance. King Fahd Holy Qur-an Printing Complex. (no date)

Khan, Dr. Muhammad Muhsin (translator) The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih Al-Bukhari Arabic-English. Islamic University, Al-Medina Al-Munawwara AL MAKTABAT AL SALAFIAT AL MADINATO AL MONAWART. No date, No copyright.

Malik, Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam. English Translation of the Meaning of AL-QUR’AN : The Guidance for Mankind. Institute of Islamic Knowledge. 1997.

Sahih Muslim by Imam Muslim. Rendered into English by ‘Abdul Hamid Siddiqi. International Islamic Publishing House. (no date)

Sunan Ibn-i-Majah by Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad b. Yazid ibn-i-Majah al-Qazwini. Translated by Muhammad Tufail Ansari. Kazi Publications 121-Zutgarnain Chambers, Ganpat Road, Lahore, Pakistan. Worldwide Copyright 1993 Zaki Publications Lahore Pakistan.

Sunan Nasa’i translated by Muhammad Iqbal Siddiqi. 1994 Kazi Publications.

The NIV Study Bible : New International Version Zondervan Bible Publishers. 1985.

[Hector]

Great article by Abdul Walid. Many thanks.

http://www.faithfreedom.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13401

AHADITHS PROVE MUHAMMAD HAD SEX WITH 9 YEAR OLD AYESHA

By Abdul Walid bin Muhammad Talib


Some Muslims cannot bring themselves to believe the Bukhari sahih ahadith by which Ayesha narrated that Muhammad had sexual intercourse with her when she was nine years old. These Muslims typically resort to questioning the English translations of Dr Mohsin Khan without themselves reading the ahadith in the original Arabic. An examination of the Arabic text shows that, according to the sahih ahadith, Muhammad did have sexual intercourse with Ayesha when she was nine years old.

There are many ahadith relating the same fact in question. The one most in contention is the following hadith:

Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 64
Narrated 'Aisha: that the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old.

An Ayeshath Radhiyallahu Anha: AnnaNnabiyya Sallallahu Alaihi Vasallama Thazawwajaha vahiya binthu sitha sineen, va udkhilath alaihi vahiya binthu this’in.

{In this hadith, the word “udkhilath” was translated by Dr Mohsin Khan to mean “consummated his marriage”.}

Some Muslims claim that Muhammad “zawaj”ed Ayesha when she was six and “nikah”ed her when she was nine years old (for example, AbdurRahman Squires in http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Polemics/aishah.html). They thus posit zawaj to mean betrothal and nikah to mean marriage. In this way, some Muslims claim that Dr Mohsin Khan’s “poor” translation of nikah as “consummation of marriage” instead of just “marriage” had inadvertently raised a sexual connotation when none was intended.

The Arabic text shows this reasoning to be false: Bukhari used zawaj and nikah interchangeably as synonyms to mean marriage (as does the Quran in verses 33 : 37, 44 : 54 & 52 : 20). Secondly, according to the hadith the relevant word was not “nikah” (which does not appear in Bukhari 7 : 62 : 64) but udkhilath.

The root of the verb “udkhilath” is “dakhala” which means to “enter”. This is the common Arabic meaning though there are other definitions, none of which can be made to fit with the context of the hadith above.

Some Muslims try to cast doubt on the meaning of dakhala as sexual intercourse by pointing to these other definitions. One Muslim even gives the definitions below, albeit conveniently without the sexual definition despite claiming a fullness of definition:

[thunderbalt]

Fantastic thread

Very instructive

Covered every thing

[Hector]

http://www.icssa.org/debatefeedback.html

[Mr_Vlad_III]

Gee. I wonder why no one has attempted thus far to refute this.
_________________
The "Allah Letters" revealed at last...

[sum]

Hello Mr_Vlad_III

Are you a descendant of Vlad the Impaler?

If you are, I hope that you are a more mellow version!

sum