Age of Marriage in the Olden days
Morality varies from culture to culture and society to society. What is perceived to be moral in USA may not apply to other parts of the world, such as Africa or Middle East. Morality is also linked to time, sexual intercourse and dating not long ago was regarded as a matter of shame for the family and was almost never spoken of. However, now this is a common, dating could start as early as at the age of 10. You often see children going out with other to pizza parlours or cinemas. The way people dress has changed a lot over time also, People used to dress very modestly in the early 19th century, and that has completely changed now.
So obviously socities change quickly, so we need to examine the age of marriage in history and judge Prophet's marriage from that. Historically, the age at which a girl was considered ready to be married was puberty; this also was the case in biblical times. In an article called "Ancient Israelite Marriage Customs", by Jim West, ThD - a Baptist minister writes:
"The wife was to be taken from within the larger family circle (usually at the outset of puberty or around the age of 13) in order to maintain the purity of the family line;"
While discussing the meaning of the word 'almah, which is the Hebrew word for "young woman" or "adolescent female", Gerald Segal, in his book "The Jew and the Christian Missionary", Ktav Publishing House,1981, page 28 says:
"It should be noted, however, that in biblical times females married at an early age."
The Campaign To Raise The Age Of Consent, 1885-1994 (http://womhist.binghamton.edu/teacher/aoc.htm) [note the education domain] states:
"American reformers were shocked to discover that the laws of most states set the age of consent at the age of ten or twelve, and in one state, Delaware, the age of consent was only seven."
It was completely normal to be married at a young age. This is why the people of Quraish and other tribes at Prophet's time found absolutely no fault in their marriage. These people hated Islam, they did everything to demonise the Prophet, they tried to stop Islam from spreading and even tried to kill the Prophet and these same people made no objection to the marriage of the Prophet to Aisha since at those times such a thing was not considered normal..
Nabia Abbott, who is a western female orientalist and has written many anti-islam materials, writes in her book Aishah-The Beloved of Mohammed, Al-Saqi Books, London, 1985, page 7:
"It is not clear just when the marriage actually took place. According to some versions, it was in the month of Shawwal of the Year 1, that is, some seven or eight months after the arrival at Medina; but, according to others, it was not until after the Battle of Badr, that is, in Shawwal of the second year of the Hijrah. In no version is there any comment made on the disparity of the ages between Mohammed and Aishah or on the tender age of the bride who, at the most, could not have been over ten years old and who was still much enamoured with her play."
Even in our times in certain parts of the world the age of marriage is still relatively low. According to a chart on (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent#Ages_of_consent_in_various_countries )
the age of consent in Mexico and Philippines is only 12. In Guyana, Japan, South Korea, Spain and Swaziland the age of consent is 13. Hence even in ?Today's Times' a young marriage is not abnormal, as some in the west think.
Should the people of the United Kingdom, where the age limit is higher, be correct in slandering the people of Philippines/Mexico where the age limit is much lower and thus married at young age? Of course not! Or if within few centuries the age of marriage rises up to 20, then should those people have a right to slander those who lived at our times and married before 20? By the same token, we should not criticize the marriage of the Prophet based on the norm of our time.
History shows that the age of the marriage was lower and relative to olden times, the marriage of the Prophet was normal and there was nothing immoral about it. It was a norm at biblical times to be wedded at puberty or earlier, the age of consent one century ago in a 'modern country' was as low as 10 or 12, even 7 in Delaware! Even in our times, in certain societies, the age of consent is as low as 12 or 13. In the light of historical evidences, the marriage cannot be criticized.
Can a 9 year old be mature enough?
Age of puberty varies from country to country. The age a woman reaches her menses depends on a lot of different factors."The average temperature of the country or province," say the well-known authors of the book Woman (Herman H. Ploss, Max Bartels and Paul Bartels, Woman, Volume I, Lord & Bransby, 1988, page 563.), "is considered the chief factor here, not only with regard to menstruation but as regards the whole of sexual development at puberty."
An Australian government Public Health organization, says:
"The first sign of puberty is usually a surge of growth: you become taller; your breasts develop; hair begins to grow in the pubic area and under the arms. This may start from 10 years to 14 years - even earlier for some and later for others."
(http://www.population.health.wa.gov.au/Communicable/Resources/2107%20PubertyinGirls.pdf)
According to MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopaedia (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001168.htm):
"Precocious puberty is premature development of body characteristics that normally occur during puberty. (Puberty is the period in life when the body changes rapidly and develops reproductive capability). Puberty normally occurs between 13 and 15 years old in boys, and between 9 and 16 years old in girls. In girls, precocious puberty is when any of the following develop before 8 years of age:
- Breasts
- Armpit or pubic hair
- Mature external genitalia
- First menstruation"
Indeed, there have been many cases of early puberty. For instance, Lina Medina gave birth at the age of 5 years, 7 months and 21 days. Encyclopaedia Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lina_Medina) says:
"Lina Medina (born September 27, 1933 in Paurange, Peru) gave birth at the age of 5 years, 7 months and 21 days and is the youngest confirmed mother in medical history. This world record is closely followed by a similar case in Russia."
When Aisha reached puberty the marriage was consummated, as Karen Armstrong writes in her book Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet, Harper San Francisco, 1992, page 157: ‘ the marriage was consummated there later when she had reached puberty.’
Lust For Women?
The prophet's First wife was twice widowed before and she was 15 years older than him. And this was the only woman the prophet every married from his birth until age 50. All his wives except Aisha and Marya were widows. Therefore, its obvious that Prophet's marriage with Aisha was more of an exception and Prophet did indeed find adult relationship..
Prophet waited for Aisha to mature and reach Puberty before the marriage was consummated, this obviously is contrary to the characteristics of a paedophile. The marriage was willingly consented by Aisha's father Abu Bakr. If there had been anything wrong with the marriage, Abu Bakr would have objected. If the father of Aisha found no fault with the marriage then why should people 1400 years later raise objections? Naturally, Abu Bakr must have had the best interests in his heart for his daughter. And Both Aisha and Abu Bakr lived after the Prophet Muhammed Passed away.
Conclusion
History shows that the age of marriage was low, in olden times women married when they reached puberty or even earlier. Even in USA, a century ago, age of consent was low, 7 in Delaware, even Today in some countries like Mexico and Philippines, age of consent is as low as 12. It should not be too astonishing to find therefore that Aisha was mature enough, as the medical evidences states that puberty can occur at the age of 9
Aisha played a vital role for Islam. the marriage also strengthened the relationship between Prophet Muhammed and Abu Bakr the First Caliph, the Prophet does not fulfil the characteristics of a Paedophile. Let us not forget that Prophet waited 3 years before the marriage with Aisha was consummated and that all his other wives were older than 16. It is quite hypocritical of Christian to criticize the marriage of Aisha when Mary, who according to Catholic Encyclopaedia was between 12 and 14, and yet married Joseph who was 90 years old. Let us also not forget that consent of marriage was given by Aisha's father, who had the best interest in his heart for her
Early marriage In Christianity & Judasim
It is quite hypocritical of Jews and Christian to criticize the marriage of Aisha. Talmud (Jewish scripture) says:
"Marrying off one's daughter as soon after she reaches adulthood as possible, even to one's Slave. (From the Talmud, Pesachim 113a)"
As we discussed, in biblical times adulthood could refer to the age of Puberty or even younger age.
Regarding the Marriage of Mary to Joseph, Catholic Encyclopaedia ( http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08504a.htm), says:
"When forty years of age, Joseph married a woman called Melcha or Escha by some, Salome by others; they lived forty-nine years together and had six children, two daughters and four sons, the youngest of whom was James (the Less, "the Lord's brother"). A year after his wife's death, as the priests announced through Judea that they wished to find in the tribe of Juda a respectable man to espouse Mary, then twelve to fourteen years of age, Joseph, who was at the time ninety years old, went up to Jerusalem among the candidates; a miracle manifested the choice God had made of Joseph, and two years later the Annunciation took place."
Note: That article on Catholic Encyclopaedia obtains its information from early
Christian writing including apocryphal writings.
The Catholic Encyclopaedia goes on to conclude "...retained the belief that St. Joseph was an old man at the time of marriage with the Mother of God." If Christians do not find any difficulty in accepting "Mother of God" (according to Catholic Encyclopaedia), who was 12-14, marrying a 90 year old man then why do they raise objection towards the marriage of Aisha to the Prophet?