Originally Posted by
CYCLEON
This is the authority I would best use but there is wide agreement on this - keep in mind that Islam allows marriage as soon as the girl begins to menstruate - this is still practiced in Iran and other Islamic countries and in Mohammed's time would not have been thought of as especially strange to have a young woman go into an ailing king (though they were normally at least well in their teens). Keep in mind a hadith is considered tradition and not holy writ as it were, but followed much the same, like the Jews' torah and talmud.
JUST ON A SIDE NOTE, HADITH IS REPEATEDLY CHANGED BY MODERN CENTRAL FIGURES KNOWN AS AYATOLLAHS TO REFLECT CURRENT TIMES. I.E. KHOMEINI INTERPRETED HADITHS FOR HIS FOLLOWERS IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM RELEVANT. THAT IS WHY POLYGAMY AND CHILDHOOD ENGAGEMENT, WHILE RELEVANT DURING THE PROPHET'S LIFE DUE TO THE GOAL OF SPREADING ISLAM THROUGH MULTIPLE MARRAIGES, IS NO LONGER ACCEPTED THROUGH THE INTERPRITATION OF THE AYATOLLAHS.
FROM THE HADITH OF SAHIH BUKHARI
I have used Bukhari's Hadith, translated into English by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan, at the Islamic University in Medina. Bukhari's Hadith is considered authentic by the majority of Sunni Islamic scholars. It is second to the Quran in terms of importance. The central figure to approve and sign the translation is Dr. Amin Al-Masri, Ph.D. Cambridge University. He is the Advisor and Head of the Sharia Dept., at the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies in Mecca.
From Bukhari vol. 7, #65:
"Narrated Aisha that the prophet wrote the marriage contract with 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).""
Bukhari vol. 7, #88:
"Narrated Urwa: "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).""
Bukhari vol. 5, #234 says:
"Narrated Aisha: The prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six. We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Harith Kharzraj. 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 all right, 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 messenger 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."
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I don't know all these things seem so ridiculous in our society, but were the cultural norm 100's of years ago. Makes you think.
All I can say is THANK GOD for the protestant reformation - and though I would be loathe to admit it Brittish imperialism - for it was they who spread it - and that has largely allowed US influence to permeate as much as it has.
although it was largely them before the brits - and there are still many places where they are doing good things throughout the world
