In the name of Allāh, ar-Raḥmān (the most merciful), ar-Raḥīm (the bestower of mercy).
When discussing historical events, it is important to understand societal and cultural norms of that time. Events are often misconstrued when people try to interpret historical events through the lens of “presentism” i.e. interpreting historical events through contemporary values thereby creating a cultural bias.
The concept or marriage and polygamy
Unlike many modern cultures – which often associate marriage primarily with love and romance – marriage served many functions in society, including social, economic, and political purposes.
Polygamy was the norm, before, during and after Islām, across many civilisations including Roman, Persian, Christian, and Jewish societies – in fact it is still common throughout many parts of the world.
Islām was one of the first religions to limit polygamy and enforce laws. This is outlined in the Qur’ān:
{…فَانكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً} النساء: ٣
{… then marry women of your choice, two or three, or four; but if you fear that you will not be just [towards them], then [marry only] one} [04:03]
The Prophet’s marriage to ‘Āishah
The Prophet ﷺ married 11 women in total. His first wife, who bore all his children was Khadījah bint Khuwaylid raḍiaAllāhu ‘anhā. He married her at the age of 25, and she was 40 years old. Their marriage lasted for almost twenty-five years, and this was during the prime of his life, yet he never married another woman during their marriage. This only happened after her death, later in life, most of which were contracted for social, political or humanitarian reasons. [1]
After she passed away, he married his best friend’s daughter, ‘Āishah the daughter of Abu Bakr as-Ṣiddīq, raḍiaAllāhu ‘anhā. The marriage contract (nikāḥ) was concluded when she was 6 years old, [2] and the marriage was consummated when she was 9 years old. The Prophet ﷺ died when she was 18 years old.
A marriage which produced a luminous personality
Their marriage was one of mutual respect, affection and honour:
- The Prophet ﷺ would often praise her, along with her father. In one narration, he was asked: “Which of the people do you love most?” He replied: “ʿĀishah.” When asked, “And among men?” he said, “Her father.” [3]
- In many instances, the Qur’ān was revealed whilst he was in her house, and in one narration when his head was resting on her lap.
- He passed away in her house, in the morning, between dawn and sunrise, and was buried in her house.
- Throughout her long life, she spoke with great love and admiration for the Prophet ﷺ and never expressed resentment regarding the marriage.
From a very young age, she was known for her remarkable intelligence, and strong memory. Her young age meant that when the Prophet passed away, she lived long after him – for another 47 years – and thus became one of the foremost authorities of Islamic knowledge, to the extent that the senior companions would consult her for religious edicts and rulings. Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence arose with a strong dependence upon her narrations, and leading scholars and jurists of her time would travel to consult her on matters of law, inheritance, and prophetic tradition. She also became one of the most prolific transmitters of prophetic traditions (aḥādīth), narrating over 2,200 such traditions, particularly those relating to the Prophet’s private and domestic life. This was largely due to ‘Āishah living with him from a young age.
The age of marriage
In Islām, the age of marriage is based upon biological markers, as opposed to an artificially defined age.
Puberty is a natural marker which indicates the womanhood of a girl, and the maturity of her body for marriage, consummation and eventually motherhood. There is no set age for puberty. It occurs in stages which are widely accepted by human biologists. The “Tanner Stages” outline 5 stages of puberty that typically begin between the ages of 8 and 13 for girls and 9 and 14 for boys. Recent studies have shown that puberty is occurring at an increasingly earlier age in children. These changes in timing are often due to environmental and other societal factors, “African American and Hispanic girls may start puberty somewhat earlier than white girls”. [4]
According to the NHS, the average age for girls to start puberty is 11, while for boys the average age is 12, but it is perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys. [5]
‘Āishah, raḍiaAllāhu ‘anhā, herself said,
When a young girl reaches 9 years old, she is a woman. [6]
Some Muslim historians such as Ibn Sa’d mention that ‘Āishah had previously been engaged to a man named Jubayr ibn Muṭʿim, however when her father Abu Bakr accepted Islām and Jubayr refused to do so, the engagement was called off. [7]
This further indicates that the marriage of ‘Āishah to the Prophet was considered normal and socially acceptable at the time.
Unjust Accusations
The above demonstrates how historically uninformed many of the accusations against the Prophet ﷺ are, and why these accusations have only arisen in very modern times, amongst people who are unaware of history, culture and science.
During the Prophet’s lifetime and after his death, he had many adversaries who utilised many doubts and strategies to diminish his character and message. Opponents such as Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, and the pagan leaders of Quraysh as well as neighbouring Jewish and Christian tribes accused him of many things: being a poet, a magician, fabricating revelation – yet not a single one of them made an issue out of ‘Āishah’s young marriage. Historians consider this particularly significant because adversaries normally exploit any available scandal against their opponents. The absence of such criticism strongly suggests that the marriage was entirely uncontroversial within the society of that time.
In fact, the controversy only emerged – or was manufactured – in the modern period, particularly from the 19th century onward, when Western norms regarding marriage began to change.
“The concept of adolescence only emerged during the last decade of the nineteenth century and the first three decades of the twentieth century. Society started to think of childhood as extending beyond puberty, into the later teenage years. Before that, children were considered to graduate into adulthood with the onset of puberty.”[8]
The fact that the Prophet ﷺ waited a further 3 years after the nikāh – until she had reached puberty and physical maturity – shows that he waited for her to reach womanhood before consummating their marriage.
The Historical Context
In the 19th century, until recently, in many U.S. states, the typical age of consent (i.e. consent to sexual relations outside of marriage) was as low as 10 – 12 years old, and in Delaware, the age was as low as 7 years old. The ages of consent were raised across the U.S. during the late 19th century and the early 20th century. [9]
The practice of arranged marriages of young girls and their consummation at the age of puberty is well documented, especially amongst European royals and elite families – often to develop political links, strengthen family ties and establish dynasties.
Classic examples include:
- The marriage of Margaret of Burgundy to Edward, Prince of Wales (the future Edward II of England) at age 10 in 1300.
- The marriage of Isabella of France to Edward II of England in 1308 at age 12.
- The marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots to the Dauphin of France (Francis II) at age 15.
- The marriage of Margaret Beaufort to Edmund Tudor at age 12, after which the Tudor dynasty was founded.
One of the reasons why the Prophet ﷺ married ‘Āishah, was to strengthen ties with his closest companions, several of whom later became caliphs. He married ‘Āishah and Ḥafṣah, the daughters of the first two caliphs – Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. Similarly he married his daughter Fāṭimah the 4th caliph ‘Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib, and married his daughter Ruqayyah and then his daughter Umm Kulthūm to the 3rd caliph ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affan. Through this “he reinforced bonds with those four men, who were known to have endured afflictions and offered sacrifices for Islām during the crises it went through…”[10]
Conclusion
When examined within its social, cultural and historical context, the marriage of the Prophet ﷺ to ‘Āishah was neither unusual nor controversial in the society in which it occurred. On the contrary, it resulted in one of the most influential scholars in Islamic history, without which many branches of Islamic knowledge would today be non-existent. Judging events of the 7th century by the social norms of the 21st century is neither historically sound nor intellectually fair.
Written by Abul Abbaas Naveed
Nelson, Lancashire
The blessed 27th night of Ramaḍān, 1447h.
Corresponding to 15th March, 2026.
Footnotes
[1] See: “Who Was Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)?” https://madeenah.com/who-was-prophet-muhammad-peace-be-upon-him/
[2] Some Muslim historians have suggested that ‘Āishah may have been 12, 14 or even 16 – 17 years old when she married the Prophet, based on chronological deductions and the age difference between her and her sister Asmā bint Abī Bakr, however the strongest – as mentioned in the article – is from the words of ‘Āishah herself:
“The Prophet ﷺ married me when I was 6 years old. [Then] we migrated to Madinah and stayed with the tribe of al-Ḥārith ibn Khazraj. I fell ill, my hair became untidy, and my skin became pale. Then my mother, Umm Rūmān, came to me while I was on a swing with my friends. She called to me, and I went to her not knowing what she wanted. She took me by the hand until she brought me to the door of the house. I was breathing heavily until some of my breath calmed down. Then she took some water and wiped my face and head with it. Then she brought me into the house. There were women from the Anṣar in the house, and they said: ‘May it be for goodness and blessing, and like a good omen.’ They took care of me and tended to my affairs. None looked after me but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the forenoon. Then they handed me over to him, and I was nine years old that day.” [al-Bukhāri & Muslim]
[3] Narrated by ‘Amr Ibn al-Ās; Collected by al-Bukhāri & Muslim.
[4] American Academy of Pediatrics. “Precocious Puberty: When Puberty Starts Early.” www.HealthyChildren.org
[5] National Health Service (UK). “Early or Delayed Puberty.” www.nhs.uk
[6] Narrated by ‘Āishah; Collected by at-Tirmidhī.
[7] Ibn Sa’d in “at-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrá”; and Ibn Hisham in “Sīrat Ibn Hishām”.
[8] Arthur Siccan, in “What’s Wrong in America: A Look at Troublesome Issues in Our Country.”
[9] Stephen Robertson, in “Age of Consent Laws”. www.cyh.rrchnm.org
[10] ṢafiurRaḥmān al-Mubarakfūri in “ar-Raḥīq “al-Makhtūm” (The Sealed Nectar).
