Why Did Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Got Married With Young Aisha Siddiqa (r.a.)?

Question

Why Did Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Got Married With Young Aisha Siddiqa (r.a.)?
Through the centuries, orientalists have advance numerous accusations and far-fetched theories to discredit Islam and its last Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him). Praise be to Allah alone, all such accusations have been successfully refuted by the Muslims Ummah. Currently, one of the ‘reinvented’ accusations against the noble character of the Prophet is about his marriage to young Aisha Siddiqa (r.a.).Let’s probe some of the orientalists’ charges in detail in the light of modern research, historic evidence and the Islamic sources of the Qur’an and the Sunnah to separate truth from falsehood, and display to the world that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is indeed an exemplary for all of mankind.Two main theories are often advance by orientalists to attack the pure character of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on his marriage to Aisha (r.a.) at her young age.A. He was a Paedophile.

B. He was involved in child abuse.

Let’s analyse each theory to dig out the truth, through the Guidance of Allah (SWT).
A. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) married Aisha (r.a.) because he was a paedophile?

Definition of a Paedophile:

“Pedophile: also spelled PAEDOPHILIA, psychosexual disorder in which an adult’s arousal and sexual gratification occur primarily through sexual contact with prepubescent children. The typical paedophile is unable to find satisfaction in an adult sexual relationship and may have low self-esteem, seeing sexual activity with a child as less threatening than that with an adult.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1998.“pe.do.phil.ia n [NL] (1906): sexual perversion in which children are the preferred sexual object — pe.do.phil.i.ac or pe.do.phil.ic adj.” Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

The diagnostic criteria for paedophilia according to American Psychiatric Association:


Over a period of at least 6 months, recurrent intense sexual urges and sexual arousing fantasies involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children.
The person has acted on these urges, or is markedly distressed by them.
The person is at least 16 years old and at least 5 years older than the child or children in A.

DSM-III-R Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, rev ed. 3, (American Psychiatric Association).

“In addition to their paedophilia, a significant number of paedophiles are concomitantly or have previously been involved in exhibitionism, voyeurism, or rape”. (Voyeurism is the recurrent preoccupation with fantasised or acts that involve seeking out or observing people who are naked, or are engaged in grooming or in sexual activity).

Harold I. Kaplan et al., Synopsis of Psychiatry, 5th ed. (Williams and Wilkens, 1988), p. 360.

Others claim that the noble Prophet (peace be upon him) indulged in child-abuse when he married Aisha at her young age
Let scrutinise this allegation…

Definition of Child Abuse:
Child Abuse, also called CRUELTY TO CHILDREN, the wilful and unjustifiable infliction of pain and suffering on children. The term can denote the use of inordinate physical violence; unjustifiable verbal abuse; the failure to furnish proper shelter, nourishment, medical treatment, or emotional support; incest; other cases of sexual molestation or rape; and the making of child pornography. Frequently described by the medical profession as the “battered-child syndrome,” abusive treatment of children is almost universally proscribed by criminal statutes. Child abuse can have serious future consequences for the victims involved. Delays in physical growth, impaired language and cognitive abilities, and problems in personality development, learning, and behaviour are common following instances of child abuse.

. The Prophet married Aisha for the benefit of Islam and Humanity
Lets analyse…

1. The Prophet married Aisha primarily for three reasons:

a. To reinforce the friendly relations already existing with Abu Bakr (his closest companion).

b. To educate and train Aisha for the purposes of Islam.

c. To utilise her capabilities for the sake of Islam.

2. Her Marriage with the prophet was a Wahy (Divine Revelation). She, herself relates from the Prophet. “He said, ‘I saw you in dreams three times. The angel brought you to me and you were clad in white silk. He (the angel) said that it was your consort and he (angel) showed me by opening your face. You are just like that…“ Sahih Muslim, Vol.2, p. 285.

3. Aisha (r.a.) was born after her parents had embraced Islam. Therefore, she was free from the defilement of polytheism right from her birth.

4. In her youth, already known for her striking beauty and her formidable memory, she came under the loving care and attention HIM.

Conclusion
It was the aforementioned qualities of Aisha (r.a.) and the Prophet’s guidance in moulding these capabilities for the service of Islam, were the main reasons, why the Prophet Married young Aisha (r.a.), and not the perverted reasons brought forth by misguided orientalists.Muslims invite all sincere humans to study the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon) in the light of the authentic sources of the Qur’an and the Sunnah (exemplary sayings and deeds of the Prophet) and judge for themselves where the truth lies. Indeed, by recognising the truth of Islam as the final and complete Guidance sent by our Creator can humanity find lasting peace in this world and a means of salvation from the hell fire in the hereafter.
http://mudeer.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/why-did-prophet-muhammad-pbuh-married-young-aisha-siddiqa-ra/

Saryah Hamzah and Saryah Ubaidah
A brief account of the Holy Prophet's fifty three years life has so far been presented to the readers. It has also been learnt with some details: how Islam was propagated in the world, and how much were dedicated to Islam and the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) those thousands of human beings, belonging to different tribes and classes, who embraced Islam before Hijrat (Migration) and got so much absorbed in it that they never cared for their wealth, their parents and ancestors their wives and children and even their own lives for the sake of Islam and the Holy Prophet. After all, what was the reason behind their acceptance of Islam? Was it the coercion by a Government, of greed for any status, or suppression by the sword of any imperial army? Even a cursory glance at the character and events of the Holy Prophet's life (my parents be sacrificed for him!) evincingly negate all these conjectures.

Answer 1

The Noble Prophet (pbuh) did nothing wrong.
The enemies of Islam will do anything to make him seem like a bad person.
He was the BEST among mankind and he is a mercy to mankind.
They are indeed the foolish ones.
When we are successful in the Hereafter, insha-Allah, then they will realize the errors of their ways.

Answer 2

He married Aisha in contract when she was twelve according to reliable sources and she did not live with him as husband and wife until she was over fifteen. It was the practice of the people at that time to marry women at 12, this due to them reaching puberty earlier in oral civilisations. This was a normal marriage in this time. Don’t forget that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has a dream where the angel Jibril was carrying a person and he asked who is was, the angel said it is your wife, the cloth was uncovered and it was Aisha, this happened three times. She was married to him before the Hijra to Medina and did not live with him until after which was some three years. In the Jewish Torah it states than any father who hasn’t married his daughter by the age of twelve, has dishonored her. Henry the 8th wed Anne Boleyn aged twelve There are several reasons for this marriage Aisha (may God be pleased with her) reported the second most narrations about him (over two thousand), she was the first female scholar and she taught hundreds if not thousands of students. She corrected other companions when they made mistakes, she was a living authority of religious knowledge in her time. People who try to compare one time with another really misrepresent that time.