Determining the correct age of Aisha at the time of her marriage to the Prophet of God is a question of epistemology, before attempting to answer questions that have serious consequences for the understanding of our religion we must rely on the verified message of God and determine that it is the message of God (an infinitely intelligent being) included in the Quran. Once done we are effectively armed with a treasure trove of knowledge to decipher issues for which otherwise reliable sources are hard to come by. A relatively simple test is posted on my blog to point us in the right direction. Please go herehttp://lifecheat.blogspot.com/2010/04/so-why-wont-you-do-it.html
The age of Aisha is reported to be anywhere between 5 and 42 depending on the source. The real question to raise would be why to go for the 9-year version when all the versions can be found in the same impossible to verify literature. In spite of the wishful thinking of Mullahs and the obviously fabricated reports wrongly ascribed to Aisha, the 9-year version never happened. It never happened because the Prophet of God could never go against the official message of God by definition. And since we have irrefutable evidence that Mohammad Pbuh was indeed a Prophet of God, the argument stands settled. A good rule of thumb if you want to go the route of the Muslim clerics and/or Islam haters, just add ten years to the ''ruling" from any given ''standing committee'' or the self-proclaimed experts on Islam and you should be fine :)
To the Islam haters a simple question: Do you believe that Mohammad split the Moon with his finger? If not then why not because it says so right next to where it says he married a 6 and 9 and 12 and 14 and 15 and 17 x, x, x, x, x,x ....................and all the way to 42-year-old Aisha?
God in the Quran is clear on the issue of marriageable age; mental maturity, being able to manage their finances and physical maturity, in that order. No exceptions. The operative word is ashuddahu (أَشُدَّهُۥ) a noun in 6:152 and 17:34, which means an age of full physical strength as described in Quran 28:14.
The matter becomes even clearer when first in verse Quran 4:6 marriage has been tied to the word balaghoo meaning puberty, adulthood, and then further qualified as to what stage or level of physical development must be reached. This is done by establishing a link between the terms balaghoo (بَلَغُوا۟) and Nikah with the use of the word ashuddahu (أَشُدَّهُۥ) a noun, as I mentioned above.
Hence, puberty is just one indication of physical maturity and given the vigor and stresses of giving birth it is but obvious that God would want the women to have gained full physical strength before tying the knot. Anything below 20 would be a stretch.
Previously I thought 18 would be good enough but on reflection even 18 is too young in most cases. One can make exceptions for a min 18-year-old but the general rule should be minimum 20. Science agrees.
The disturbing attempts to justify subjecting children to unspeakable crimes has been the hallmark of the perverted mindset of the clergy, not surprisingly restricted to our beautiful religion but unashamedly promoted by the clergy of all religions. The reasons behind it are varied and a lot has already been written on it. The latest round in the forums is sickening, we are subjected to the crude sophistry of how at the time of the Prophet Pbuh there were little 8-year-olds managing the family stores and the reference to weasel word heavy studies pushing the age limit to even seven. All pathetic attempts to overcome the financial and physical maturity condition of the Quran ? What next?
For the cultural argument brigade, I have this to ask, do you really think that an 8 or 9-year-old child from 1400 years back would be a match for today's hyper tuned kids of the same age in any field :) Or why don't the promoters of this sham hand over their ill-earned wealth to 9 year old stockbrokers to invest or why don't they climb into a jet with a physically and mentally ''matured'' all of 8-year-old pilot in the cockpit?
To attempt this madness in the information age would be funny if it was not downright tragic. here is a thought for those who use the short lifespan angle. Aysha died in 678. Do the Math.
Just because it is practiced doesn't make it right, Why do you think God sent the clear worded instructions in the Quran, it was for then and now. The message, don't do it.
I will leave you with one last thought, God mentions marriage 23 times in eighteen different verses. Is He telling us something :)
Edit: Please note the actual count is not 23, this count was taken from Mohsin's heavily bracketed translation and intended as a joke with no other significance.
Edit: For those who are looking for refutation through Hadith literature please go to T.O Shanavas MD post on the subject;
http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_151_200/ayesha_age_the_myth_of__a_prover.htm
Those who are more visually inclined please have a look at the excellent depiction in light of the Ahdith by the folks at islamdemystified.
The age of Aisha is reported to be anywhere between 5 and 42 depending on the source. The real question to raise would be why to go for the 9-year version when all the versions can be found in the same impossible to verify literature. In spite of the wishful thinking of Mullahs and the obviously fabricated reports wrongly ascribed to Aisha, the 9-year version never happened. It never happened because the Prophet of God could never go against the official message of God by definition. And since we have irrefutable evidence that Mohammad Pbuh was indeed a Prophet of God, the argument stands settled. A good rule of thumb if you want to go the route of the Muslim clerics and/or Islam haters, just add ten years to the ''ruling" from any given ''standing committee'' or the self-proclaimed experts on Islam and you should be fine :)
To the Islam haters a simple question: Do you believe that Mohammad split the Moon with his finger? If not then why not because it says so right next to where it says he married a 6 and 9 and 12 and 14 and 15 and 17 x, x, x, x, x,x ....................and all the way to 42-year-old Aisha?
God in the Quran is clear on the issue of marriageable age; mental maturity, being able to manage their finances and physical maturity, in that order. No exceptions. The operative word is ashuddahu (أَشُدَّهُۥ) a noun in 6:152 and 17:34, which means an age of full physical strength as described in Quran 28:14.
The matter becomes even clearer when first in verse Quran 4:6 marriage has been tied to the word balaghoo meaning puberty, adulthood, and then further qualified as to what stage or level of physical development must be reached. This is done by establishing a link between the terms balaghoo (بَلَغُوا۟) and Nikah with the use of the word ashuddahu (أَشُدَّهُۥ) a noun, as I mentioned above.
Hence, puberty is just one indication of physical maturity and given the vigor and stresses of giving birth it is but obvious that God would want the women to have gained full physical strength before tying the knot. Anything below 20 would be a stretch.
Previously I thought 18 would be good enough but on reflection even 18 is too young in most cases. One can make exceptions for a min 18-year-old but the general rule should be minimum 20. Science agrees.
The disturbing attempts to justify subjecting children to unspeakable crimes has been the hallmark of the perverted mindset of the clergy, not surprisingly restricted to our beautiful religion but unashamedly promoted by the clergy of all religions. The reasons behind it are varied and a lot has already been written on it. The latest round in the forums is sickening, we are subjected to the crude sophistry of how at the time of the Prophet Pbuh there were little 8-year-olds managing the family stores and the reference to weasel word heavy studies pushing the age limit to even seven. All pathetic attempts to overcome the financial and physical maturity condition of the Quran ? What next?
For the cultural argument brigade, I have this to ask, do you really think that an 8 or 9-year-old child from 1400 years back would be a match for today's hyper tuned kids of the same age in any field :) Or why don't the promoters of this sham hand over their ill-earned wealth to 9 year old stockbrokers to invest or why don't they climb into a jet with a physically and mentally ''matured'' all of 8-year-old pilot in the cockpit?
To attempt this madness in the information age would be funny if it was not downright tragic. here is a thought for those who use the short lifespan angle. Aysha died in 678. Do the Math.
Just because it is practiced doesn't make it right, Why do you think God sent the clear worded instructions in the Quran, it was for then and now. The message, don't do it.
I will leave you with one last thought, God mentions marriage 23 times in eighteen different verses. Is He telling us something :)
Edit: Please note the actual count is not 23, this count was taken from Mohsin's heavily bracketed translation and intended as a joke with no other significance.
Edit: For those who are looking for refutation through Hadith literature please go to T.O Shanavas MD post on the subject;
http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_151_200/ayesha_age_the_myth_of__a_prover.htm
Those who are more visually inclined please have a look at the excellent depiction in light of the Ahdith by the folks at islamdemystified.
I am still trying to read more about this issue, but that last sentence is very intriguing, esp. considering the fact that biologically speaking, 20 is the best reproductive age for women (according to a biology professor). And this biological characteristic has not changed much throughout history. Statistics of word repetitions in the Quran always fascinate me. Thanks for sharing...
ReplyDeleteThanks for noticing it, needs research :)
ReplyDeleteI have a question though:
ReplyDelete"True Islam as per the primary document Quran is clear on the matter, mental maturity, being able to manage their finances and physical maturity, in that order. No exceptions."
I know verse 4:6 explains the mental maturity part, but where is the verse about "physical maturity"? Thanks.
Quran is more than clear on the subject in verse Quran 4:6 marriage has been tied with the word balaghoo meaning puberty, adulthood, but the matter is further clarified as to what stage or level of physical development must be reached by establishment a link between the terms balaghū (بَلَغُوا۟) and Nikah with the use of the word ashuddahu (أَشُدَّهُۥ)a noun in 6:152 and 17:34, which means an age of full physical strength as descried in Quran 28:14. Hence puberty is just one indication of maturity and given the vigor and stresses of giving birth it is but obvious that God would want the women to have gained full strength before tying the knot. Anything below 18 to 20 would be a stretch.
ReplyDeleteMy knowledge of Arabic is very limited so it took me a while to look those words up. So is it that all three verses (4:6, 6:152, 17:34) talk about when is the best time to go near an orphan's property, while 4:6 uses balaghu al-nikaah, and 6:152 & 17:34 use yablugha ashuddahu, so al-nikaah = ashuddahu? It is enlightening when you put these verses side by side, but what about the one verse that seems to shed more [direct] light on this issue:
ReplyDelete(The Quran 65:4 [Sahih International])
"And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women - if you doubt, then their period is three months, and [also for] those who have not menstruated. And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him of his matter ease."
This is talking about a woman's waiting period after the divorce, so obviously the woman in question here had been married. My question is who are the women that "have not menstruated" ? I hope that doesn't mean children but it seems unclear!
Jazakallah khair.
In fact Quran 65:4 strengthen the case for the criteria of marriage to be gaining full strength and not just menstruating. Some traditional tafsir have indeed steered the verse towards including under age girls in the "explanation" but here is the thing, these are the very people you insist that the only criteria for marriage is menstruation, so the question is if Quran 65:4 include girls who have not yet menstruated then what were they doing being married in the first place :) The absence of logic is the hallmark of these tafsirs hence the insistence on taqleed. How else will they sell them.
ReplyDeleteThis clearly is a provision for medical reasons, forgetfulness or post menstrual conditions. Very Much in line with Quran being perfect and complete.
Google confessions of Al-Tabari or Ibn Kathir and you will get a sense of what went down :)
I agree with your interpretation. From my understanding of God & the Quran so far, I simply cannot believe that God would permit child marriage. I don't know enough to say with certainty that there is completely no wisdom at all in taqleed, but I am sure that the "gates" of ijtihad never existed and never closed. It is only by constantly seeking Knowledge through logically interpreting God's Miraculous Signs that we can truly adhere to and defend God. Thanks for the reply!
ReplyDeleteStartling Confessions of Imams [that laid down the foundation for modern Islam]: http://ourbeacon.com/index.php?p=11738