The traditional narrations in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim state that Aisha was betrothed at about six and the marriage was consummated when she was about nine, after she had reached maturity. Some Muslim scholars have argued from other reports that she was older.
Muslims understand this in the context of 7th-century Arabia, where marriage at puberty was normal across many cultures, including the Christian and Jewish societies of the time. The marriage was arranged by her father Abu Bakr, was not opposed by anyone, including the Prophet's enemies who attacked him in other ways, and Aisha herself later spoke warmly of it and became one of the greatest scholars of the early community.
Today, the question troubles many people because it conflicts with modern standards. Some modern scholars question the age on the basis of other reports on her age compared to her sister Asma, while most traditional scholars accept the narrations. Muslims do not take it as a licence for child marriage, and most Muslim-majority countries have legal minimum ages for marriage.
The authentic hadith behind this answer, from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and the Sunan with the grade of the scholars of hadith. Open a reference to read it in the hadith library of this site.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَزَوَّجَهَا وَهْىَ بِنْتُ سِتِّ سِنِينَ، وَأُدْخِلَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَهْىَ بِنْتُ تِسْعٍ، وَمَكَثَتْ عِنْدَهُ تِسْعًا.
حَدَّثَنِي فَرْوَةُ بْنُ أَبِي الْمَغْرَاءِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ تَزَوَّجَنِي النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَنَا بِنْتُ سِتِّ سِنِينَ، فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فَنَزَلْنَا فِي بَنِي الْحَارِثِ بْنِ خَزْرَجٍ، فَوُعِكْتُ فَتَمَرَّقَ شَعَرِي فَوَفَى جُمَيْمَةً، فَأَتَتْنِي أُمِّي أُمُّ رُومَانَ وَإِنِّي لَفِي أُرْجُوحَةٍ وَمَعِي صَوَاحِبُ لِي، فَصَرَخَتْ بِي فَأَتَيْتُهَا لاَ أَدْرِي مَا تُرِيدُ بِي فَأَخَذَتْ بِيَدِي حَتَّى أَوْقَفَتْنِي عَلَى باب الدَّارِ، وَإِنِّي لأَنْهَجُ، حَتَّى سَكَنَ بَعْضُ نَفَسِي، ثُمَّ أَخَذَتْ شَيْئًا مِنْ مَاءٍ فَمَسَحَتْ بِهِ وَجْهِي وَرَأْسِي ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَتْنِي الدَّارَ فَإِذَا نِسْوَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فِي الْبَيْتِ فَقُلْنَ عَلَى الْخَيْرِ وَالْبَرَكَةِ، وَعَلَى خَيْرِ طَائِرٍ. فَأَسْلَمَتْنِي إِلَيْهِنَّ فَأَصْلَحْنَ مِنْ شَأْنِي، فَلَمْ يَرُعْنِي إِلاَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ضُحًى، فَأَسْلَمَتْنِي إِلَيْهِ، وَأَنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ بِنْتُ تِسْعِ سِنِينَ.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي، شَيْبَةَ قَالَ وَجَدْتُ فِي كِتَابِي عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ تَزَوَّجَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِسِتِّ سِنِينَ وَبَنَى بِي وَأَنَا بِنْتُ تِسْعِ سِنِينَ . قَالَتْ فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فَوُعِكْتُ شَهْرًا فَوَفَى شَعْرِي جُمَيْمَةً فَأَتَتْنِي أُمُّ رُومَانَ وَأَنَا عَلَى أُرْجُوحَةٍ وَمَعِي صَوَاحِبِي فَصَرَخَتْ بِي فَأَتَيْتُهَا وَمَا أَدْرِي مَا تُرِيدُ بِي فَأَخَذَتْ بِيَدِي فَأَوْقَفَتْنِي عَلَى الْبَابِ . فَقُلْتُ هَهْ هَهْ . حَتَّى ذَهَبَ نَفَسِي فَأَدْخَلَتْنِي بَيْتًا فَإِذَا نِسْوَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَقُلْنَ عَلَى الْخَيْرِ وَالْبَرَكَةِ وَعَلَى خَيْرِ طَائِرٍ . فَأَسْلَمَتْنِي إِلَيْهِنَّ فَغَسَلْنَ رَأْسِي وَأَصْلَحْنَنِي فَلَمْ يَرُعْنِي إِلاَّ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ضُحًى فَأَسْلَمْنَنِي إِلَيْهِ .
This answer follows the mainstream Sunni understanding and is general learning, not a fatwa. Where Muslims differ, the answer says so. Have a question of your own? Write to us.
