A Salafi Defense of Muhammad’s Marriage to a Minor Pt. 2

Continuing from my previous post (https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/10/25/a-salafi-defense-of-muhammads-marriage-to-a-minor-pt-1/), I now publish a further refutation by the same Salafi website (https://islamqa.info/en/answers/122534/refutation-of-the-lie-that-the-prophet-blessings-and-peace-of-allah-be-upon-him-married-aaishah-when-she-was-18-years-old) to those Muslims who are embarrassed by their prophet’s marriage to a premature 9-year-old maiden.

Refutation of the lie that the Prophet married ‘Aa’ishah when she was 18 years old

Question

I read in a newspaper an article entitled “Young journalist corrects a thousand-year-old mistake of leading scholars”. What was said in the article may be summed up as follows:

1. The idea that the Messenger married the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah when she was six years old and consummated the marriage with her when she was nine years old, based on the report narrated by al-Bukhaari, is wrong, and the mistake has to do with the age of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) at that time.

2. From researching historical sources (according to what the author of the article says), it is clear that the real age of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) consummated the marriage with her was 18 years, not 9 years.

3. This mistake was overlooked by all the Muslim scholars, and was not discovered except by this journalist!

I hope that you can explain this matter to ordinary Muslims and give us the Islamic perspective on this issue.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly: 

The saheeh hadiths state that the Prophet did the marriage contract with ‘Aa’ishah when she was six years old, and consummated the marriage with her when she was nine years old. These hadiths include the following: 

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah married me when I was six years old and he consummated the marriage with me when I was nine years old.  We came to Madinah and stayed among Banu’l-Haarith ibn Khazraj, and I fell sick… My mother Umm Roomaan came to me when I was on a swing and some of my friends were with me. She called me loudly and I went to her, and I did not know what she wanted of me. She took me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house, as I was gasping for breath, until I had calmed down. Then she took some water and wiped my face and head with it, then she took me into the house. There were some women of the Ansaar in the house, who said: With good wishes and blessings and good luck. She handed me over to them and they adorned me, and suddenly I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) at mid-morning, and they handed me over to him. At that time I was nine years old.

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3894) and Muslim (1422) 

It was narrated from her that she said: I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and I had friends who would play with me. When the Messenger of Allah entered they would hide themselves and he would call them to come and play with me.

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (7130) and Muslim (2440). 

Abu Dawood (4932) narrated from her that she said: The Messenger of Allah came back from the campaign to Tabook or Khaybar and there was a curtain over her niche. The wind lifted the edge of the curtain and uncovered ‘Aa’ishah’s toy dolls. He said: “What is this, O ‘Aa’ishah?” She said: My dolls. He saw among them a horse with two wings made of cloth and he said: “What is this that I see in the midst of them?” She said: A horse. He said: “What is this that I see on it?” I said: Two wings. He said: “A horse with wings?” She said: Have you not heard that Sulaymaan had horses with wings? She said: And the Messenger of Allah smiled so broadly that I saw his eyeteeth.

Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Adaab az-Zafaaf (p. 203) 

Al-Haafiz said: 

Al-Khattaabi said: A concession was only granted allowing ‘Aa’ishah to play with them (toys) because at that time she had not yet reached the age of puberty. I say: As to whether this was the case, we cannot be certain but it is possible, because at the time of the campaign to Khaybar, ‘Aa’ishah was fourteen years old, so either she had reached the age of fourteen or had passed that age or was close to it. But at the time of the campaign to Tabook, she had definitely passed the age of fourteen, so the reports of those who say that it was Khaybar are more likely to be correct. End quote. The campaign to Khaybar occurred in 7 AH. 

Muslim (1422) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet married her when she was seven years old and she was taken to him as a bride when she was nine years old, and she took her dolls with her. He died when she was eighteen years old. 

An-Nawawi said: 

What is meant by dolls is these toys that young girls play with; this highlights that she was very young. End quote. 

In this report she said that she was seven years old, but in most of the reports it says that she was six years old. The way to reconcile between the reports is to note that she was six years and some months, so sometimes she only mentioned the years, and sometimes she counted the year that she had embarked upon (her seventh year). This was suggested by an-Nawawi in Sharh Muslim. 

Ibn Katheer narrated that this is a matter on which the scholars were agreed, and there was no report that any one of them disagreed. 

He said: 

The words “he married her when she was six years old and consummated the marriage with her when she was nine years old” are a matter concerning which there is no difference of opinion among the scholars, as it is proven in the Saheehs and elsewhere, and the Prophet consummated the marriage with her two years after he migrated to Madinah.

End quote from al-Bidaayah wa’n-Nihaayah (3/161) 

It is well-known that scholarly consensus is protected from error, because the ummah cannot agree on misguidance. At-Tirmidhi (2167) narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah said: “Allah will not cause my ummah to agree on misguidance.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami‘ (1848) 

Secondly: 

The writer of the article mentioned was led by his ignorance and fanatical support for his false view to tell many lies and twist things, aiming thereby to support his falsehood. 

For example, he quotes Ibn Katheer as saying, in al-Bidaayah wa’n-Nihaayah, concerning the earliest Muslims: “Among the woman were Asma’ bint Abi Bakr and ‘Aa’ishah, when she was small; these people became Muslim within three years.” But we have not come across these words in al-Bidaayah wa’n-Nihaayah. Rather Ibn Katheer said (3/25): The first free man to believe was Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq; the first child was ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib; and the first woman was Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid. End quote. He did not mention either Asma’ or ‘Aa’ishah. 

In fact ‘Aa’ishah was born approximately four years after the Prophet’s mission began. 

This author also says:

“All the sources, without exception, say that she – i.e., Asma’ – was ten years older than ‘Aa’ishah.” 

That is not the case. Adh-Dhahabi said in Siyar A‘laam an-Nubala’ (3/522): Asma’ was more than ten years older than ‘Aa’ishah.” End quote. 

The Arabic phrase translated here as “more than ten” may refer to any number between thirteen and twenty. 

Thirdly: 

The fact that the Prophet married ‘Aa’ishah when she was nine years old is nothing strange. It is well-known that the age at which girls reach puberty varies according to race and environment. In hot regions girls reach puberty earlier, whereas in cold polar regions puberty may be delayed until the age of twenty-one years. 

At-Tirmidhi said: ‘Aa’ishah said: When a girl reaches the age of nine years, she is a woman. 

Sunan at-Tirmidhi (2/409) 

Imam ash-Shaafa‘i said: In Yemen I saw many girls aged nine who had reached puberty. 

Siyar A‘laam an-Nubala’ (10/91) 

Al-Bayhaqi (1588) narrated that ash-Shaafa‘i said: The earliest age at which I heard of girls reaching puberty was the women of Tihaamah who reach puberty at the age of nine. 

Ash-Shaafa‘i also said: In San‘aa’ I saw a grandmother who was twenty-one years old; she reached puberty at the age of nine and gave birth at the age of ten, and her daughter reached puberty at the age of nine and gave birth at the age of ten.  

As-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi (1/319) 

Based on that, the Messenger consummated his marriage with ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) when she had reached puberty or was very close to it.  

For more information, please see the answer to question no. 44990 

What is required of anyone who speaks about any branch of knowledge is that he should speak on the basis of knowledge and fairness, far removed from ignorance, fanaticism and following whims and desires. 

It is sufficient evil for a person to fabricate a view that was not uttered by any of the scholars throughout the centuries. This indicates that this view is wrong. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymyah said: Every view that is held by only one of the later scholars, and not by any of the earlier scholars, for which there is no precedent among any of the earlier scholars, is wrong, as Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: Beware of developing a view that you have never heard from any scholar. End quote. 

Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (21/291) 

We ask Allah to show as the truth as truth and enable us to follow it, and to show us falsehood as false, and enable us to avoid it.

FURTHER READING

A Muslim Defense of Muhammad’s Marrying A Prebuscent Minor Pt. 1 (https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/10/25/a-muslim-defense-of-muhammads-marrying-a-prebuscent-minor-pt-1/)

Revisiting the Age of Aisha Pt. 1 (https://answeringislam.net/authors/shamoun/rebuttals/jonathan_brown/aisha_age_1.html)

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/10/25/a-salafis-defense-of-muhammads-marriage-to-a-minor-pt-2/

IHS

A Salafi Defense of Muhammad’s Marriage to a Minor Pt. 1

In this post, I am republishing a Salafi refutation (https://islamqa.info/en/answers/124483/age-of-the-mother-of-the-believers-aaishah-may-allah-be-pleased-with-her-when-the-prophet-blessings-and-peace-of-allah-be-upon-him-married-her) to the desperate attempts by some Muhammadans to deny that their prophet had sex with a 9-year-old premature minor.

Age of the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah when the Prophet married her

Question

Whilst visiting some chat rooms, I read a very strange topic, and I want someone who has knowledge of the Prophet’s biography (seerah) to explain this matter to me, may Allah bless you. To sum up, after researching the accusations the reports narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari which state that ‘Aa’ishah’s age, when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did the marriage contract with her, was six years, and that he consummated the marriage with her when she was nine years old, a journalist cast doubts on Saheeh al-Bukhaari. The researcher did not only examine the reports from the angle of figures and dates, but also from the angle of the isnaads through which the most famous hadeeths were narrated, as mentioned in al-Bukhaari and Muslim. In both cases he seems to have wanted to demonstrate that he is smart and prove his point.

Answer

Praise be to Allah

Firstly: 

The definition of the age of ‘Aa’ishah when the Prophet  did the marriage contract with her as being six years, and of the age when he consummated the marriage with her as being nine years, is not a matter of ijtihaad (individual opinion) on the part of the scholars, such that we could argue whether it is right or wrong; rather this is a historical narration which is proven by evidence that confirms its soundness and the necessity of accepting it. That is for several reasons: 

1.

It was narrated by the individual concerned herself, namely ‘Aa’ishah, and is not something that someone else said about her, or the description of a historian or hadeeth scholar. Rather it comes in the context of her speaking about herself, when she said:

The Prophet married me when I was six years old. We came to Madinah and stayed among Banu’l-Haarith ibn Khazraj. I fell sick and lost my hair, (then I reovered) and my hair grew down to my earlobes. My mother Umm Roomaan came to me when I was on a swing and some of my friends were with me. She called me loudly and I went to her, and I did not know what she wanted of me. She took me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house, as I was gasping for breath, until I had calmed down. Then she took some water and wiped my face and head with it, then she took me into the house. There were some women of the Ansaar in the house, who said: With good wishes and blessings and good luck. She handed me over to them and they adorned me, and suddenly I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) at mid-morning, and they handed me over to him. At that time I was nine years old. 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3894; Muslim, 1422. 

2. 

This report from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) is in the soundest of books after the Book of Allah, may He be exalted, namely the two Saheehs of al-Bukhaari and Muslim. 

3.

It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah via a number of isnaads (chains of narration), not by one isnaad only, as some ignorant people claim. 

·         The most well-known chain of narration is that of Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr, from his father ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr, from ‘Aa’ishah. This is one of the soundest narrations, as ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr is one of the most well acquainted of people with ‘Aa’ishah, because she was his maternal aunt.

·         It was also narrated via another chain, by az-Zuhri from ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr, from ‘Aa’ishah. Narrated by Muslim, 1422.

·         It was also narrated via another chain by al-A‘mash, from Ibraaheem, from al-Aswad, from ‘Aa’ishah, who said: “The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) married ‘Aa’ishah when she was six years old and consummated the marriage with her when she was nine years old, and he died when she was eighteen years old. Narrated by Muslim, 1422.

·         It was also narrated via another chain, from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr, from Yahya ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Haatib, from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4937.

Shaykh Abu Ishaaq al-Huwayni compiled the names of those who followed ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr, namely: al-Aswad ibn Yazeed, al-Qaasim ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan, al-Qaasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, ‘Amrah bint ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan, and Yahya ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Haatib. 

He also compiled the names of those who followed Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah in narrating this hadeeth. They were: Ibn Shihaab az-Zuhri and Abu Hamzah Maymoon, the freed slave of ‘Urwah. 

Then he named those who narrated it from Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah among the scholars of Madinah. The reader should understand that this hadeeth is one of those that were also narrated by Hishaam in Madinah. They were: Abu’z-Zinnaad ‘Abdullah ibn Dhakwaan and his son ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad, and ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn ‘Urwah.

Among the people of Makkah (it was narrated by) Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah. 

(It was also narrated by) Jareer ibn ‘Abd al-Hameed ad-Dubbi among the people of ar-Rayy. 

Among the people of Basra (it was narrated by): Hammaad ibn Salamah, Hammaad ibn Zayd, Wuhayb ibn Khaalid, and others. 

See the lecture given by Shaykh Abu Ishaaq al-Huwayni (may Allah preserve him) discussing the ignorance of the one who wrote the article mentioned in the question, and the response to it, on the following link (in Arabic): http://www.islamway.com/?iw_s=Lesson&iw_a=view&lesson_id=86106

See also the following link (in Arabic):

http://www.islamway.com/?iw_s=Lesson&iw_a=view&lesson_id=86495

All of these lists are mentioned in order to ward off the specious argument of some ignorant people who say that Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah was the only one who narrated it. Even if we accept [?} that Hishaam became confused at the end of his life, the correct view is that this accusation was made only by Abu’l-Hasan ibn al-Qattaan in Bayaan al-Wahm wa’l-Eehaam, and he was mistaken in doing so. 

Adh-Dhahabi said: 

Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah was one of the prominent and authoritative scholars, but when he grew old his memory failed, although he did not get confused, and there is nothing valid in the view of Abu’l-Hasan ibn al-Qattaan, which suggests that he and Suhayl ibn Abi Saalih became confused and changed. Yes, the man changed a little and his memory was not as sound as it had been in his youth. He forgot some of the things he had memorized and he made some mistakes, but so what?! He was not infallible. When he came to Iraq at the end of his life he passed on a great deal of knowledge, among which were a few hadeeths that he did not remember well. Something similar happened to Maalik, Shu‘bah, Wakee‘ and other senior, trustworthy narrators. So forget about this nonsense and mixing trustworthy scholars with weak narrators and those who became confused. Hishaam was Shaykh al-Islam, and may Allah help us against what Ibn al-Qattaan suggested and what  ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Kharaash said:  Maalik did not approve of him because he got angry with him for going and narrating hadeeth in Iraq. End quote. 

Mizaan al-I‘tidaal, 4/301-302 

4.

There are reports from people other than ‘Aa’ishah that speak of the Prophet’s marriage to her when she was nine years old. Among those who were her contemporaries and knew her better than others were the following: 

Imam Ahmad narrated in al-Musnad, 6/112 from Muhammad ibn Bishr, who said: Muhammad ibn ‘Amr told us: Abu Salamah and Yahya told us: When Khadeejah died, Khawlah bint Hakeem, the wife of ‘Uthmaan ibn Maz‘oon, came and said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you get married? He said: To whom? She said: If you wish, a virgin, and if you wish, a previously married woman. He said: Who is the virgin? She said: The daughter of the dearest of Allah’s creation to you: ‘Aa’ishah bint Abi Bakr… And he mentioned the story in detail, including the fact that she was six years old when the marriage contract was done, and was nine years old when the marriage was consummated. 

5.

This is what ‘Aa’ishah narrated concerning herself, and it was conveyed by the narrators from her, and it is what is stated in all the historical sources that give the biography of ‘Aa’ishah. There is no difference among them concerning that, and the matter was not subject to ijtihaad. When a person speaks about himself (or herself), no one has the right to suggest anything else. 

6.

The historical sources are also agreed that ‘Aa’ishah was born in Islam, four or five years after the Prophet’s mission began. 

Imam al-Bayhaqi said – commenting on the hadeeth, “I only ever remember my parents as following Islam”–: 

‘Aa’ishah was born in Islam, because her father became Muslim at the beginning of the Prophet’s mission. It is proven from al-Aswad, from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah married her when she was six years old, and consummated the marriage with her when she was nine years old, and he died when she was eighteen years old. But Asma’ bint Abi Bakr was born during the Jaahiliyyah, and became Muslim when her father became Muslim. … According to what Abu ‘Abdullah ibn Mandah said, narrating from Ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad, Asma’ bint Abi Bakr was ten years older than ‘Aa’ishah, and the mother of Asma’ became Muslim later on. Asma’ said: My mother came to me and she was (still) a mushrik. According to a hadeeth that she quoted, her name was Qateelah,  from Banu Maalik ibn Hasal. She was not the mother of ‘Aa’ishah. Asma’ became Muslim when her father did, not her mother. With regard to ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi Bakr, it seems that he was an adult when his parents became Muslim, but he did not follow them in becoming Muslim, until he became Muslim a long time after that. He was the oldest of the children of Abu Bakr. End quote. 

As-Sunan al-Kubra, 6/203 

Adh-Dhahabi  said: 

‘Aa’ishah is one of those who were born in Islam; she was eight years younger than Faatimah. She used to say: “I only ever remember my parents as following Islam”. End quote. 

Siyar A‘laam an-Nubala’, 2/139 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

She – i.e., ‘Aa’ishah – was born four or five years after the Prophet’s mission began. End quote. 

Al-Isaabah, 8/16 

Based on that, her age at the time of the Hijrah was eight or nine years. This is in accordance with the hadeeth quoted above from ‘Aa’ishah herself. 

7.

The historical sources are also agreed that the Prophet died when ‘Aa’ishah was eighteen years old, so at the time of the Hijrah she must have been nine years old. 

8.

The books of biography and history state that ‘Aa’ishah died at the age of sixty-three years, in 57 AH. So before the Hijrah her age was 6 years. So if you round up or down – as is the custom of the Arabs in counting years – they round up or down the first and last years, so her age at the time of the Hijrah was eight years, and her age at the time when the Prophet married her, eight months after the Hijrah, was nine years. 

9.

The above is also in accordance with what the scholars have narrated concerning the difference in age between Asma’ bint Abi Bakr and ‘Aa’ishah. Adh-Dhahabi said: She – i.e., Asma’ – was ten or more years older than ‘Aa’ishah. End quote. 

Siyar A‘laam an-Nubala’, 2/188 

‘Aa’ishah was born four or five years after the Prophet’s mission began. Abu Na‘eem said in Mu‘jam as-Sahaabah that Asma’ was born ten years before the Prophet’s mission began. End quote. 

So the difference in age between ‘Aa’ishah and Asma’ was fourteen or fifteen years. This is the view of adh-Dhahabi quoted above: She – i.e., Asma’ – was ten or more years older than ‘Aa’ishah. 

10.

Although we quote these numbers that are mentioned in the books of biography and history, what we mostly rely on is what is narrated with saheeh isnaads, not what we find in books quoted without any isnaad. But all of the reports are in accordance with the hadeeths with undoubtedly saheeh isnaads that we quoted at the beginning of this answer. Hence we quoted reports from the history books that support what we quoted above. 

Secondly: 

As for the response to the author of the hostile article quoting as evidence what is narrated in some sources about the age difference between Asma’ and ‘Aa’ishah being ten years, we say: 

That is not proven in terms of the isnaad or chain of narrators. If its isnaad is proven, then it may be understood in a manner that is in accordance with the definitive evidence mentioned above. 

With regard to the isnaad or chain of narrators, it was narrated from ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad that he said: Asma’ bint Abi Bakr was ten years older than ‘Aa’ishah. 

This report was narrated via two isnaads from al-Asma ‘i from ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad. 

The first isnaad was narrated by Ibn ‘Asaakir in Tareekh Dimashq (69/10). He said: Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Maaliki told us: Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Waahid as-Sulami told us: My grandfather Abu Bakr told us: Abu Muhammad ibn Zabr told us: Ahmad ibn Sa‘d ibn Ibraaheem az-Zuhri told us: Muhammad ibn Abi Safwaan told us: al-Asma‘i told us, that Ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad  said: … and he quoted the report. 

The second isnaad was narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in al-Isti‘aab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashaab (2/616): Ahmad ibn Qaasim told us: Muhammad ibn Mu‘aawiyah told us; Ibraaheem ibn Moosa ibn Jameel told us: Ismaa ‘eel ibn Ishaaq al-Qaadi told us: Nasr ibn ‘Ali told us: al-Asma‘i told us: Ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad told us: Asma’ bint Abi Bakr, who was ten years or so older than ‘Aa’ishah, said:… 

If the fair-minded researcher thinks about this report it will become clear to him that accepting its apparent meaning and rejecting all the proven evidence to the contrary is an offence against knowledge and scholarship, for the following reasons: 

1.

‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad (100-174 AH) is the only one who stated that the difference in age between Asma’ and ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them both) was ten years. The evidence mentioned above, on the other hand, is abundant and was narrated from more than one of the Taabi‘een. It is known that what is abundant takes precedence over that which is smaller. 

2.

Most of the scholars regarded ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad himself as da‘eef (weak). In his biography of him in Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb (6/172), Imam Ahmad is quoted as saying concerning him: He is mudtarab al-hadeeth (his hadeeth is faulty). Ibn Ma‘een is quoted as saying: He is not one of those whom the scholars of hadeeth quote as evidence. ‘Ali ibn al-Madeeni is quoted as saying: Whatever he narrated in Madinah is saheeh, but whatever he narrated in Baghdad was corrupted by the Baghdadis. I saw ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan – i.e., Ibn Mahdi – draw a line through the hadeeth of ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad. Abu Haatim said: His hadeeth may be written down but it may not be quoted as evidence. An-Nasaa’i said: His hadeeth cannot be quoted as evidence.  

With regard to at-Tirmidhi describing him as thiqah (trustworthy) in his Sunan, following hadeeth no. 1755, this contradicts the criticism of the previous commentator, and criticism (of a narrator) takes precedence over praise, especially with regard to the reports that were narrated only by ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad , especially when he says something that is contrary to what is well-known in the books of the Sunnah and history. 

3. 

According to the report of Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, he said: “She (Asma’) was ten years or so older than ‘Aa’ishah.” This report is more sound than the report of Ibn ‘Asaakir, because Nasr ibn ‘Ali, who narrated it from al-Asma‘i in the isnaad of Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr is thiqah (trustworthy), as it says in Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb, 10/431. With regard to Muhammad ibn Abi Safwaan, the narrator from al-Asma‘i in the isnaad of Ibn ‘Asaakir, no one described him as trustworthy. 

The words in the report of Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, “or so”, indicate that he was not certain about (the difference in age) being ten years. This makes his report weak and it is not permissible for the fair-minded researcher to reject the evidence quoted above for the sake of this uncertainty. 

4. 

Moreover, it is possible to reconcile this report with the other reports by saying that Asma’ was born six years or five years before the Prophet’s mission began, and ‘Aa’ishah was born four or five years after his mission began. When Asma’ died in 73 AH, she was ninety-one or ninety-two years old, as was mentioned by adh-Dhahabi in Siyar A‘laam an-Nubala’, 3/380: Ibn Abi’z-Zinnaad said: She was ten years older than ‘Aa’ishah. I (adh-Dhahabi) say: Based on that, her age would have been ninety-one years. Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah, on the other hand, said: She lived for one hundred years and not one of her teeth fell out. End quote. 

5.

It may also be said that Asma’ was born approximately 14 years before the Prophet’s mission began – which is what is affirmed by the author himself in his previous article – and that in the year of the Hijrah she was twenty-seven years old, and her age at the time of her death in 73 AH was one hundred years, so as to be in harmony with what the historical sources are agreed upon with regard to Asma’ bint Abi Bakr, that she died in the same year in which her son ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr was killed (73 AH), and that she died at the age of one hundred years. Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah said, narrating from his father: Asma’ reached the age of one hundred years and not one of her teeth fell out and she remained alert all her life.  

There follow the names of the sources that mention that: 

Hilyat al-Awliya’, 2/56

Mu‘jam as-Sahaabah by Abi Na‘eem al-Asbahaani

Al-Isti‘aab by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, 4/1783

Tareekh Dimashq by Ibn ‘Asaakir, 69/8

Asad al-Ghaabah by Ibn al-Atheer, 7/12

Al-Isaabah by Ibn Hajar, 7/487

Tahdheeb al-Kamaal, 35/125 

With regard to the idea of her having been born ten years before the Prophet’s mission began, this was only stated by Abu Na‘eem al-Asbahaani, in a statement in which he said:

She – i.e., Asma’ – was the sister of ‘Aa’ishah through her father. She was older than ‘Aa’ishah; she was born twenty-seven years before the Hijrah, and ten years before the mission of the Prophet began. When she was born, her father (Abu Bakr) as-Siddeeq was twenty-one years old. Asma’ died in 73 AH in Makkah, a few days after her son ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr was killed, at the age of one hundred years, having lost her sight. End quote. 

It is as if Abu Na‘eem meant that the Makkan period (of the Prophet’s mission) lasted for seventeen years, which is the view of some of the scholars of seerah; it is a da‘eef (weak) view, but it should be pointed out when trying to understand the opinion of Abu Na‘eem. 

For the wisdom behind the marriage of the Prophet to ‘Aa’ishah despite the difference in their ages, please see the answer to question no. 44990.

And Allah knows best.

Please proceed to the second part of the Salafi response (https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/10/25/a-salafis-defense-of-muhammads-marriage-to-a-minor-pt-2/).

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/10/25/a-salafi-defense-of-muhammads-marriage-to-a-minor-pt-1/

IHS

Revisiting The Issue of the Uncreated Quran Pt. 2

I proceed from where I left off (https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/10/28/revisiting-the-issue-of-the-uncreated-quran-pt-1/).

Here’s a quick summary of the orthodox Islamic view of the Quran:

1.       The words of Allah eternally subsist within the essence/nature of Allah since they are part of his attributes.

2.       Allah’s attributes are uncreated and therefore inseparable from him.

3.       Since Allah’s attributes are inseparable they are all divine in nature.

4.       The Quran is the word of Allah.

5.       Therefore, the Quran is uncreated, eternally subsists within the essence of Allah, and therefore inseparable from him.

6.       Being the word of Allah, the Quran has the property of being divine, meaning it is divine speech as opposed to being human, animal, and/or angelic speech.

7.       The Quran consists of a second nature, namely a physical aspect, one that is temporal and created, since it is also a book.

This now introduces some insurmountable problems for the Islamic conception of monotheism.

If the Quran is inseparable from Allah then that means an essential aspect of Allah became a part of creation by becoming a physical, tangible entity, namely, a book! Therefore, when Muslims touch the Quran they are actually touching Allah, or at least an essential part of him. This further means, that when an individual desecrates the Quran either by burning it, as in the case of the third caliph Uthman,

Or by tearing it shreds, stomping on it, etc., this means that an essential aspect of Allah is being desecrated, which therefore means that Allah himself is being desecrated and dishonored. Therefore, the only way around this dilemma is by claiming that the Quran is not a part of Allah but completely distinct and separate from him.

However, this introduces a different set of problems. If the Quran is separate from Allah then this means that Muslims have two separate uncreated beings in existence. Note the logic of this argument:

1.       Allah and the Quran are uncreated.

2.       The Quran is not Allah but separate and distinct from him.

3.       Therefore, Allah and the Quran are two eternal beings that exist independently from one another.

4.       For the Quran to have eternally existed independently from Allah means that Allah has no control over it, since he didn’t create it and it isn’t a part of him.

5.       The Quran, therefore, is autonomous and sovereign in the same sense and to the same degree that Allah is.    

The Quran and its individual surahs also speak and can appear separately in visible form. Since the modern Quran consists of 114 chapters, this means that the Muslim revelation is a multi-personal entity eternally made up of 114 living, conscious beings and/or persons. Once again, note the problem this raises for the followers of Muhammad:

1.       The Quran and its 114 surahs are conscious, living agents that can appear in visible form, which can and will speak and/or intercede with Allah on behalf of others.

2.       Since the Quran is uncreated this leaves Muslims with two options:

·         If the Quran is separate and independent from Allah and has eternally existed then this means that there are 115 gods that have existed for all eternity.

·         If the Quran is inseparable from Allah then this means that the Islamic deity is a multipersonal Being, consisting of 115 divine persons who can and will appear in visible form.

The Muslim woes are far from over.

What About Jesus?

The Islamic scripture plainly testifies that Jesus is the living, personal Word of Allah who came froth from Allah as a Spirit in order to take on human flesh from Mary:

When the angels said, ‘Mary, God gives thee good tidings of a Word from Him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; high honoured shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God. S. 3:45 Arberry

O People of the Book! Go not beyond the limits in your way of life and say not about God but The Truth: That the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was a Messenger of God and His Word that He cast to Mary and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers. And say not: Three. To refrain yourselves from it is better for you. There is only One God. Glory be to Him that He have a son! To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in and on the earth and God sufficed as a Trustee. S. 4:171 Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/4/st46.htm

The Quran and Islamic tradition further attest that Jesus is faultless, absolutely pure, and therefore perfect:

He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless son. S. 19:19 Pickthall

It is related that Abu Hurayra said… “They will go to ‘Isa and say, ‘O ‘Isa! You are the Messenger of Allah and HIS WORD which He cast to Maryam and a spirit from Him. You spoke to people while in the cradle. Intercede with your Lord on our behalf. Do you not see what we are suffering?’ ‘Isa will say, ‘My Lord is angry today with such anger as has never existed before nor will again,’ AND HE DID NOT MENTION A SIN. ‘O my soul! My soul! My soul! Go to someone else. Go to Muhammad.’” (Aisha Bewley, The Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari, Chapter 68. Book of Tafsir https://bewley.virtualave.net/bukhari31.html; bold, capital and underline emphasis ours)

And:

Abu Huraira reported… “Moses would say to them: Verily my Lord is angry as He had never been angry before and would never be angry afterwards. I, in fact, killed a person whom I had not been ordered to kill. I am concerned with myself, I am concerned with myself. You better go to Jesus. They would come to Jesus and would say: O Jesus, thou art the messenger of Allah and thou conversed with people in the cradle, (thou art) HIS WORD which He sent down upon Mary, and (thou art) the Spirit from Him; so intercede for us with thy Lord. Don’t you see (the trouble) in which we are? Don’t you see (the misfortune) that has overtaken us? Jesus would say: Verily, my Lord is angry today as He had never been angry before or would ever be angry afterwards. HE MENTIONED NO SIN OF HIS. (He simply said:) I am concerned with myself, I am concerned with myself; you go to someone else: better go to Muhammad. They would come to me and say: O Muhammad, thou art the messenger of Allah and the last of the apostles. Allah has pardoned thee all thy previous and later sins…” (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0378 http://searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=001&translator=2&start=0&number=0378; bold and capital emphasis ours)

Here, again, is the particular quotation from Sunan Abu Dawud, which  I cited in the previous segment:

4127. The Prophet called the Qur’an the perfect words of Allah. A perfect word cannot be a created thing. (Sunan Abu Dawud, English translation with explanatory notes by Prof. Ahmad Hasan [Sh. Muhammad Ashraf Publishers, Booksellers & Exporters; Lahore, Pakistan, 1984], XXXV. Kitab al-Sunnah [Book of Model Behaviour (of the Prophet)], Chapter 1698: The Qur’an, The Word of Allah, pp. 1325-26; bold emphasis mine)

Let’s break down the logic of this Islamic assertion:

1.       Allah’s words are perfect.

2.       A perfect word cannot be a created thing.

3.       Jesus is the perfect Word of Allah.

4.       Jesus, therefore, cannot be a created thing but must be eternal by nature.

5.       Since Jesus is uncreated he must have eternally subsisted as an essential aspect of Allah’s being/nature, and therefore inseparable from Allah.

6.       Allah’s words are divine in nature.

7.       Since Jesus is Allah’s word he must, therefore, be divine in essence.

8.       Islamic theology concurs that God is the only being who has eternally existed.

9.       Jesus, must, therefore, be God while also being distinct from the God whose eternal Word he happens to be.

In other words, the Quran and Islamic traditions are merely echoing what the Apostle John wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created. In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind… The true Light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not know Him… The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth… No one has seen God at any time. The only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” John 1:1-4, 9-10, 14, 18

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have touched, concerning the Word of life—the life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and announce to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was revealed to us—we declare to you that which we have seen and heard, that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:1-3

“He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God.” Revelation 19:13

Muhammad was merely parroting John’s Logos Christology, which identifies Jesus as the eternal Word of God whom the Father employed to create all things and who then tabernacled in the blessed, consecrated womb of Mary, his beloved mother, in order to take on human flesh from her by the power of the Holy Spirit:

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way: After His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child by the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, had in mind to divorce her privately. But while he thought on these things, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for He who is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.’ Now all this occurred to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, saying, ‘A virgin shall be with child, and will bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is interpreted, ‘God with us.’ Then Joseph, being awakened from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and remained with his wife, and did not know her until she had given birth to her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.” Matthew 1:18-25

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.’ When she saw him, she was troubled by his words, and considered in her mind what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Listen, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there will be no end.’ Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ The angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God.’” Luke 1:26-35

To recap what we have learned:

Islamic tradition teaches that the Quran is the uncreated speech of Allah and inseparable from him.

It further proclaims that the Quran consists of a second part, one that is physical, tangible, and therefore a part of creation, since it is also a book.

Since the Quran cannot be separated from Allah, this means that an essential part of Allah’s own being has become physical, and therefore is now a part of creation.

This makes the Muslim revelation similar to the biblical proclamation that Jesus is the eternal Word who became flesh, one divine Person with two distinct natures, who is inseparable from God.

The Islamic sources actually agree with the biblical revelation in that both the Quran and ahadith affirm that Jesus is indeed the eternal Word of Allah who proceeded forth from him as a Spirit and entered into Mary’s blessed womb in order to take on human nature.

The ahadith also testify that each of the 114 chapters of the Quran is a distinct center of consciousness that can speak and pray, and which can appear separately in visible form.

This means that, according to the Islamic “revelation,” Allah does not exist as a singular person, but is rather a multi personal Being who eternally subsists in at least 116 divine persons, namely, Allah, the 114 surahs of the Quran, and Jesus.

Therefore Muslims, you have some insurmountable problems!

So much for the assertion that Islam teaches absolute, pure monotheism.

Further Reading

The Quran: The Islamic Counterfeit To Jesus Christ (https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/05/21/the-quran-the-islamic-counterfeit-to-jesus-christ/)

The Inlibration of the Word Pt. 1 (https://answeringislam.net/authors/shamoun/inlibration1.html), Pt. 2 (https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/10/17/the-inlibration-of-the-word-pt-1/)

The Quran Confirms the Prehuman Existence And Incarnation of Christ Pt. 1 (https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/the-quran-confirms-the-prehuman-existence-and-incarnation-of-christ/), Pt. 2 (https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/05/22/the-quran-confirms-the-prehuman-existence-and-incarnation-of-christ-pt-2/)

Even More Proof from the Quran that Jesus is God Incarnate! Pt. 1 (https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/01/08/even-more-proof-from-the-quran-that-jesus-is-god-incarnate-pt-1/), Pt. 2 (https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/01/08/even-more-proof-from-the-quran-that-jesus-is-god-incarnate-pt-2/)

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2019/10/28/revisiting-the-issue-of-the-uncreated-quran-pt-2/

IHS