Aisha

How Old Was Aisha When She Married the Prophet?

In Europe 1000 years ago the marriage laws for men and women were legally age 12. Time changes and so does cultural norms. We’re not talking about the Middle East this was 1000 years ago in Europe 12 years old was the cultural norm for marriage. Life expectancy was also different, most people didn’t live past their 60s. You can’t compare the times then to the times now, just as we can’t compare Aisha (RA) to any other woman. The Virgin Mary was someone who was chosen by Allah just as Aisha was. She’s not going to be held as the same standard as everyone else regardless of what her age was.

Prophet Isaac & Rebecca – Child Marriage in the Bible

[Genesis 24:16] “The girl was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her.”
[Genesis 24:58-60] – Rebecca’s family gave her away for marriage.
Jewish sources confirm her young age: Talmud (Yevamot 61b) says Rebecca was 3 years old when she married Isaac, who was 40 (Genesis 25:20). Midrash Genesis Rabbah 57:1 also supports this. If critics call Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) a “pedophile,” then Prophet Isaac married a 3-year-old!

The Virgin Mary & Joseph – Married at 12-14

Christian Sources Say Mary Was a Child Bride:
The Catholic Encyclopedia states: “Jewish custom in those days was for girls to be married between the ages of 12 and 14”. The Protoevangelium of James (an early Christian text) says Mary was given to Joseph at a very young age. The Talmud (Niddah 45a) states puberty begins at 12 for Jewish girls, meaning Mary was married as soon as she was ready. If Christianity accepts Mary’s marriage, why criticize Aisha’s (RA) marriage?

Prophet Moses & Zipporah – Married a Young Girl

[Exodus 2:16-21] – Moses married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro.
[Numbers 12:1] – She is referred to as the “Cushite woman” (a term sometimes linked to youth).
Jewish sources confirm she was young.  Jewish traditions say that women married at puberty (12-13 years old). Sefer HaYashar (Book of Jasher) mentions Zipporah as a young woman at marriage. If Moses’ marriage follows the same norm as Aisha’s, why single out Islam?

King David & Abishag – Married a Young Girl

[1 Kings 1:1-4] When King David was old, young Abishag was brought to him. The Talmud confirms she was a child or very young girl. She was chosen because she was a virgin—implying extreme youth. If David’s young marriage is accepted, why attack Islam?

Which King Married a 9 Year Old?

Edward I ‘Longshanks’ (r. 1272-1307), In 1254, Edward traveled to Spain for an arranged marriage at the age of 15 to 9-year-old Eleanor of Castile. Just before Edward’s marriage, Henry III gave him the duchy of Gascony, one of the few remnants of the once vast French possessions of the English Angevin kings. Below is a list of child brides, women of historical significance who married under 18 years of age:

  1. Isabella of Valois & Richard II (England, 14th century) – Isabella, daughter of Charles VI of France, married Richard II of England at around 6 years old.
  2. Margaret Beaufort & Edmund Tudor (England, 15th century) – Margaret married Edmund Tudor at 12 years old, and from this marriage, Henry VII, who became the King of England, was born.
  3. Anne de Mowbray & Richard of Shrewsbury (England, 15th century) – Anne, daughter of the Duke of Norfolk, married Richard of Shrewsbury at around 6 years old.
  4. Joan of France & Louis XII (France, 15th century) – Joan, daughter of Charles VI of France, married Louis XII of France at 12 years old.
  5. Maria of Castile & Alfonso V of Aragon (Spain, 15th century) – Maria married Alfonso V of Aragon at around 10 years old.
  6. Catherine of Aragon & Arthur Tudor (England, 15th century) – Catherine, daughter of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, married Arthur Tudor at around 15 years old.
  7. Blanca of Navarre & Charles III of Aragon (France, 14th century) – Blanca, daughter of Charles II of Navarre, married Charles III of Aragon at around 9 years old.
  8. Empress Matilda & Henry V of Germany (England, 12th century) – Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England, married Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, at around 12 years old.
  9. Beatrice of Burgundy & Philippe VI of France (France, 14th century) – Beatrice married Philippe VI of France at around 10 years old.
  10. Eleanor of Aquitaine & Louis VII (France, 12th century) – Eleanor, daughter of William X, Duke of Aquitaine, married Louis VII of France at 13 years old.
  11. Alice of Hainaut & Edward III (England, 14th century) – Alice, daughter of William I of Hainaut, married Edward III of England at around 10 years old.
  12. Margaret of Anjou & Henry VI (England, 15th century) – Margaret, daughter of René I of Anjou, married Henry VI of England at around 15 years old.
  13. Philippa of Hainaut & Edward III (England, 14th century) – Philippa, daughter of William I of Hainaut, married Edward III of England at around 12 years old.
  14. Irene of Wessex & Charles the Bald (France, 9th century) – Irene married Charles the Bald of France at around 10 years old.
  15. Maria of Burgundy & Maximilian I of Habsburg (Belgium, 15th century) – Maria married Maximilian I of Habsburg at around 11 years old.
  16. Mary, Queen of Scots, & Francis II of France (Scotland, 16th century) – Mary, daughter of James V of Scotland, married Francis II of France at around 6 years old.
  17. Catherine of Braganza & Charles II (England, 17th century) – Catherine, daughter of King John IV of Portugal, married Charles II of England at around 12 years old.
  18. Anna of Kiev & Henry I of France (France, 11th century) – Anna, daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, married Henry I of France at around 11 years old.
  19. Bertha of Holland & Rudolf IV of Austria (Netherlands, 14th century) – Bertha married Rudolf IV at around 11 years old.
  20. Constance of León & Alfonso VI of León and Castile (Spain, 11th century) – Constance married Alfonso VI of León and Castile at around 10 years old.
  21. Agnes of Merania & Philip II of France (Germany, 12th century) – Agnes married Philip II of France at around 11 years old.
  22. Saint Hedwig of Silesia & Henry I (Poland, 12th century) – Saint Hedwig married Henry I of Silesia at around 12 years old.
  23. Blanche of Castile & Louis VIII of France (France, 13th century) – Blanche married Louis VIII of France at around 12 years old.
  24. Adelaide of Maurienne & Humbert II of Savoy (Italy, 12th century) – Adelaide married Humbert II at around 11 years old.
  25. Catherine of Aragon & Henry VIII (England, 16th century) – Catherine first became engaged to Arthur Tudor at around 12 years old.
  26. Margaret of Flanders & Philippe IV of France (Flanders, 13th century) – Margaret married Philippe IV of France at around 10 years old.
  27. Eleanor of Provence & Henry III of England (England, 13th century) – Eleanor married Henry III at around 12 years old.
  28. Joan of Navarre & Henry IV of England (France, 14th century) – Joan married Henry IV of England at around 10 years old.
  29. Anne of Cleves & Henry VIII of England (Germany, 16th century) – Anne of Cleves married Henry VIII at around 24 years old, but she was previously betrothed at a younger age.
  30. Matilda of Austria & Hugh IV of Lusignan (Austria, 13th century) – Matilda married Hugh IV of Lusignan at around 10 years old.
  31. Elisabeth of Portugal & John II of Portugal (Portugal, 14th century) – Elisabeth married John II of Portugal at around 11 years old.
  32. Maud of England & William X of Aquitaine (England, 12th century) – Maud married William X of Aquitaine at around 10 years old.
  33. Emma of Normandy & Aethelred the Unready (England, 10th century) – Emma married Aethelred the Unready at around 12 years old.
  34. Margaret of Scotland & Malcolm III (Scotland, 11th century) – Margaret married Malcolm III of Scotland at around 12 years old.
  35. Isabella of Aragon & Frederick II of Hohenstaufen (Spain, 13th century) – Isabella married Frederick II at around 12 years old.
  36. Alice of Champagne & Theobald III of Champagne (France, 12th century) – Alice married Theobald III at around 10 years old.
  37. Eleanor of Castile & Edward I of England (Spain, 13th century) – Eleanor married Edward I of England at around 12 years old.
  38. Sophia of Hanover & Ernest Augustus of Hanover (Germany, 17th century) – Sophia married Ernest Augustus at around 11 years old.
  39. Matilda of Boulogne & Stephen of Blois (England, 12th century) – Matilda married Stephen of Blois at around 12 years old.
  40. Cecilia of Hohenstaufen & Henry VI of Germany (Germany, 12th century) – Cecilia married Henry VI of Germany at around 10 years old.
  41. Eleanor of Navarre & Henry II of England (France, 12th century) – Eleanor married Henry II at around 12 years old.
  42. Bertha of Savoy & Peter II of Aragon (Italy, 12th century) – Bertha married Peter II of Aragon at around 11 years old.
  43. Beatrix of Provence & Raymond Berengar IV of Provence (France, 12th century) – Beatrix married Raymond IV at around 10 years old.
  44. Eleanor of Aquitaine & Henry II of England (France, 12th century) – Eleanor married Henry II at around 12 years old.
  45. Margaret of Denmark & King Eric of Denmark (Denmark, 14th century) – Margaret married King Eric at around 10 years old.
  46. Alicia of Hainaut & Louis IX (France, 13th century) – Alicia married Louis IX at around 12 years old.
  47. Margaret of York & Charles the Bold (France, 15th century) – Margaret married Charles the Bold at around 12 years old.
  48. Agnes of Austria & Louis IV of Bavaria (Austria, 14th century) – Agnes married Louis IV at around 12 years old.
  49. Johanna of Brabant & Philip the Good (Brabant, 14th century) – Johanna married Philip the Good at around 12 years old.
  50. Margaret of Brabant & Duke of Burgundy (Brabant, 14th century) – Margaret married the Duke of Burgundy at around 12 years old.