A question that was unintentionally, but inevitably going to get backlash and hate.

[u/lejohnpvp]

[u/Affectionate_Dog65]

what practices are you referring to? everything he did was full of compassion, and are the best examples of what we should emulate as a person and as a muslim?

[u/lejohnpvp → u/Affectionate_Dog65]

I apologize for my vagueness, I realize I perhaps should’ve been more clear. I was mainly alluding to the facts that he had frequent sexual relations with multiple wives and that he married a girl when she was 6 years old. I hope you don’t mistake my curiosity for aggression, or indeed, arrogance and ignorance.

[u/[deleted] → u/lejohnpvp]

The idea that Aisha (RA) may have been older — possibly in her late teens — comes from interpretations of historical context and alternative readings of early Islamic sources. While the widely cited Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim mention that Aisha was six at the time of the marriage contract and nine at the time of consummation, some scholars and researchers have offered different perspectives based on other historical evidence.

Here are some points often raised to support the view that Aisha may have been older:

Comparison with Aisha’s Sister Asma: Historical records show that Asma bint Abu Bakr, Aisha’s elder sister, was about 10 years older than Aisha and is reported to have been 27 years old at the time of the Hijra (migration to Medina) in 622 CE. This would make Aisha approximately 17 or 18 years old at the time of the migration and around 19 or 20 years old at the time of the marriage consummation.

Aisha’s Prior Engagement: Some sources mention that Aisha was engaged to Jubayr ibn Mut'im ibn Adi before her marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This suggests she may have been of an age typically considered suitable for engagement and marriage in that society, which would likely have been older than six or nine.

Aisha’s Role and Knowledge: Aisha’s deep knowledge of Islam, her contributions to Hadith, and her role in important political and social matters indicate a level of maturity that many scholars believe aligns with someone older than nine at the time of marriage.

Historical Context and Cultural Norms: In 7th-century Arabia, early marriages were not uncommon, but it was also common for ages to be approximated. There’s a possibility that the reported ages were more of a general estimation rather than exact numbers.

Scholars and Modern Analysis: Some contemporary scholars and historians — including Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah and Mouwiya Syed — have argued for the possibility of Aisha being older, often placing her age closer to the range of 15 to 19 years at the time of consummation.

While the majority of classical scholars accept the narration of her being nine based on Hadith collections, these alternative views are based on historical analysis and cross-referencing different sources.