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| '''Aisha''' or '''Ayesha''' (] for ''life'') was the daughter of ] and married the ]ic ] ] at the age of 6, making her his third wife. Aisha reportedly was Muhammad's favourite wife. | '''Aisha''' or '''Ayesha''' (] for ''life'') was the daughter of ] and married the ]ic ] ] at the age of 6, making her his third wife. Aisha reportedly was Muhammad's favourite wife. | ||
| According to '']'' narrated by Aisha herself, Aisha was ] when she was six years old, with her parents' consent and approval. Since Aisha was ] at the time, the marriage was not consummated until three years later when she was nine. | According to '']'' narrated by Aisha herself, Aisha was ] when she was six years old, with her parents' consent and approval. Since Aisha was ] at the time, the marriage was not consummated until three years later when she was nine. Today this would be called statutory rape, but it was common at the time. | ||
| Some ]s question the accuracy of narrations and how a founder of ] could have married a juvenile. Other Muslims hold that it is generally accepted amongst the prestigious Islamic scholars and mainstream academia that Muhammad was in his fifties and Aisha was nine when the marriage was consummated, and that it was accepted by Arab society at the time, with both husband and wife reaching sexual maturity before consummating the marriage. | Some ]s question the accuracy of narrations and how a founder of ] could have married a juvenile. Other Muslims hold that it is generally accepted amongst the prestigious Islamic scholars and mainstream academia that Muhammad was in his fifties and Aisha was nine when the marriage was consummated, and that it was accepted by Arab society at the time, with both husband and wife reaching sexual maturity before consummating the marriage. | ||
Revision as of 10:55, 7 September 2004
Aisha or Ayesha (Arabic for life) was the daughter of Abu Bakr and married the Islamic prophet Muhammad at the age of 6, making her his third wife. Aisha reportedly was Muhammad's favourite wife.
According to hadith narrated by Aisha herself, Aisha was betrothed when she was six years old, with her parents' consent and approval. Since Aisha was prepubescent at the time, the marriage was not consummated until three years later when she was nine. Today this would be called statutory rape, but it was common at the time.
Some Muslims question the accuracy of narrations and how a founder of Islam could have married a juvenile. Other Muslims hold that it is generally accepted amongst the prestigious Islamic scholars and mainstream academia that Muhammad was in his fifties and Aisha was nine when the marriage was consummated, and that it was accepted by Arab society at the time, with both husband and wife reaching sexual maturity before consummating the marriage.
Having the prospect of living for a considerable period of time after Muhammad's death, Aisha was a key figure within the oral traditions of narrations, especially since she spent countless hours with Muhammad. Renowned for her knowledge, which she had learned from the Prophet first-hand, Aisha was involved in the teaching of Islamic deen (way of life) to following generations, memorizing narrations of Muhammad, and was given a respected position in Medinan society. Despite the long relationship, they had no children. This was possibly because of internal injuries received during consummation at the early age of nine.
She was also bold, rising up in rebellion against Ali ibn Abu Talib. Although she was initially defeated along with her armies, she was not harmed. Despite the tension between the two, Ali did not intend to hurt the wife of his cousin and gave her a pension. She lived the rest of her days in Madinah near the burial site of Muhammad.
Muslims later gave Aisha the honorific title Ummul Mu'minin, mother of believers.