www.islam-qa.com
Q:Reference: 44990
Q:Did Mahomet marry ‘Aa’ishah when she was nine, was he intimate with her?

Answer: Prophet married ‘Aa’ishah who was the only virgin he maried. And he consummated the marriage with her when she was nine years old.

Among her virtues was the fact that the Revelation did not descend when he under one cover with any of his wives other than her. She was one of the dearest of all people to the Prophet, and news of her innocence was revealed from above the seven heavens. She was one of the most knowledgeable of his wives, and one of the most knowledgeable women of the ummah as a whole. The senior companions of the Prophet used to refer to her opinion and consult her.

With regard to the story of her marriage, the Prophet had grieved over the death of the Mother of the Believers Khadeejah, who had supported him and stood by his side, and he called the year in which she died The Year of Sorrow. Then he married Sawdah, who was an older woman and was not very beautiful; rather he married her to console her after her husband had died and she stayed among mushrik people. Four years later the Prophet married ‘Aa’ishah, and he was over fifty. Perhaps the reasons for the marriage were as follows:

1 – He saw a dream about marrying her. It is proven in al-Bukhaari from the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet said to her: “You were shown to me twice in a dream. I saw that you were wrapped in a piece of silk, and it was said, ‘This is your wife.’ I uncovered her and saw that it was you. I said, ‘If this is from Allaah then it will come to pass.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 3682). As to whether this is a prophetic vision as it appears to be, or a regular dream that may be subject to interpretation, there was a difference of opinion among the scholars, as mentioned by al-Haafiz in Fath al-Baari, 9/181.
cont:

2 – ‘Aa’ishah intelligence impressed the Prophet as a small child, so wanted to marry her so she would more than others transmit reports of what he did and said. In fact, as stated above, she was a reference point for the Sahaabah with regard to their affairs and rulings.

3 – The love of the Prophet for her father Abu Bakr, and the persecution that Abu Bakr had suffered for the sake of the call of truth, which he bore with patience. He was the strongest of people in faith and the most sincere in certain faith, after the Prophets.

It may be noted that among his wives were those who were young and old, the daughter of his sworn enemy, the daughter of his closest friend. One of them occupied herself with raising orphans, another distinguished herself from others by fasting and praying qiyaam a great deal… They represented all kinds of people, through whom the Messenger of Allaah was able to set out a way for the Muslims showing how to deal properly with all kinds of people. [See al-Seerah al-Nabawiyyah fi Daw’ al-Masaadir al-Asliyyah, p. 711].

With regard to the issue of her being young and your being confused about that, you should note that the Prophet grew up in a hot country, the Arabian Peninsula. Usually in hot countries adolescence comes early and people marry early. This is how the people of Arabia were until recently. Moreover, women vary greatly in their development and their physical readiness for marriage.

The Prophet did not marry any virgin other than ‘Aa’ishah, and all his other wives had been previously married, because if his intention was (lust)he would have chosen only those who were virgins and beautiful.

Such slanders against the Prophet of Mercy by kaafirs and others of their ilk, are indicative of their inability to find fault with the law and religion that he brought from Allaah, so they try to find ways to criticize Islam with regard to issues that are not related to sharee’ah.

For more information see Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1/106
Editored

Wow, Arabia's a "hot country" so it's OK to consummate marriages with children! It's slander to question the mores of Arabians. When will the world wake up to this cult?

No answer to the "right hand possessions" question?

Fascinating that Bosnia should be brought up. A tu quoque argument if there ever was one. The Serbs were widely condemned for their actions against Muslims (and others) and are being prosecuted for War Crimes. Campare and contrast with Muslim attacks in many countries and on almost all continents. While I doubt anyone would support Serb actions except Serbs, it should be remembered that they suffered for centuries under Ottoman rule and the people of the Balkans have long memories. Bosnian Muslims are the descendants of barbarous oppressors, to the Serbs.

Philo/ Viking,

The age of Aisha has contradicting sources; in the history of Abu Bakr (ie the 1st caliph after the prophet and the father of Aisha) Aisha was born ‘four years before the message (ie she was four when prophet Mohamed was fourty). If he married her was he was 53, then she wasn’t 9. Two other proofs support:
1. Her age when she died (she died at 66 in the year 58 Hijra).
2. Her age when the prophet died at 63 as documented in Caliphate Ali ‘s biography was 28.
The fact in most sources is that she was born in the time of his message (ie she was 3-4 years old when he was 40) which disqualifies the 9 y.o. story.

Anyhow, Qu’ran is the only of the holy books that a) regulates polygamy and even refers to one wife and b) have a full surah on women rights (keep the maiden name, inheritance, treatment, etc..).

Anyway let’s take an exciting turn here and ask some questions on biblical prophecies then:

a) Deuteronomy XXXIII-2, VVIII-18
“He shined forth from Paran and he came with ten thousands of saints; from his right hand went a fiery law for them”

b) John XVI 12-13
“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot hear them now. Howebeit when he, the Spirit of Truth, come he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself: but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak”

Now:

• Isn’t Mohamed the descendant of Ishmael? (Inhabitants of Paran)
• Wasn’t he the only the one with a ‘fiery law’? (Similar to Moses).
• Isn’t “he shall not speak of himself but only what he hears” is exactly what the Koran’s is?
• Don’t you find it strange that the reference to that prophet is always associated with the word “the praised one” and ‘the earth will be full of praise (Hab III.3) and the meaning of Mohammed in Arabic actually means “The praised one”?

For those who think..stay tuned..

Viking (and Ash) when William the conquerer invaded mostly Saxon England in 1066, his left flank consisted of the descendants mostly exiled CELTS who the Saxons had greedily stolen the land from, they also did not forget. I fully understand the 'feeling' of the Serbs, but will not justify any cruelty. I CAN on the other hand, justify the desire to cleanse their land from the UNJUST invasion by the Ottomans. i.e. "put right a crime of history". Note, 'invasion'.

"Right hand posseses" :) yes. That is worthy of more exploration. After all its in the QURAN and is therefore ENDURING to this day. It has not been abrogated. The usual muslim argument is to point to how many slaves were freed by Mohammed etc etc. But it does not change the DIVINE LAW according to Islam. Surah 23:5-6 "The conduct of the believers"

5. And who guard their private parts,

6. Except before their mates or those whom their right hands possess, for they surely are not blameable,

7. But whoever seeks to go beyond that, these are they that exceed the limits;

Ayat(verse) 5 is translated by Indonesian MUSLIMS "FOR" muslims, to read "sexual relations". Those who their right hand posses are the captive slave women. (who's husbands had been slaughtered)
http://answering-islam.org.uk/Silas/femalecaptives.htm

But this type of direction usually just brings out references to the Old Testament on Captives and slaves, (most of which are inadequately qualified or unsoundly exegeted.)

I prefer to examine the 'Sharia Law by Stealth' which Waleed Aly and the ICV appear to be attempting, by his own confession.

Muslims cannot by their Sharia Law pay "interest". So, the state government of Victoria was lobbyed to CHANGE OUR LAW, to facilitate a double title transfer which avoids 2 lots of stamp duty. They end up paying a financier a PROFIT for the transaction, so is this not in principle INTEREST ?

See Waleed's article==>http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=2872

.. continued Part 2

Sharia by stealth is not just happening in the Financial sector.

BURIAL
We also have 'discriminatory burial' provisions, which provide for Muslims to bury their dead in a 'shroud'.

FOOD
We then have the Ham Sandwiches debacle of Hume council which blatantly discriminated against 78% of the rate payers who are not Muslim when they decided not to offer our favorite aussie food, (ham sanga's) at council functions. How EASY would it have been for a THINKING person, to offer a table of HALAL food AS WELL ! but no, the mayor was Muslim, so.... go figure.

POLITICS a group of Muslims in Sydney attempted to branch stack one labor seat to get the candidate up who would lobby for a change of government policy re- Israel.

ISLAMIC CENTRES
The incident in outer Sydney, where the local population CLEARLY did NOT want the Centre to be built, was bulldozed and stream rolled through. And you wonder why people in that area 'hate muslims' ?

It all just goes to show, that everyone sees the world through their own cultural eyes. But for all 'minorities' such as Muslims, I urge a big re-think on seeking to shape and mould this country in ways which pander for 3 % of the whole population AT THE EXPENSE of the 97%.

Not to do so, would be to invite feelings which you have referred to a lot in various posts (Ash) "Why do you hate us".. well, we don't, but we DO hate the idea of our culture being 'white-anted' by minorities.

Strangely enough, the Buddhists DON'T try this stunt, the Hindu's DON'T try this stunt, the Falungong DON'T try this stunt. Nor do the Bahai's, the Zoroastrians the Hari Krishna's or any other mob I know of.

'Which' is the ONLY Minority group seeking to change our laws in terms of their RELIGION ?

Hmm.. now that's a hard one, can we try an easier question ? :)