Can a man (say it 56 year old) in Islam marry a prepubescent girl (say it 6 year old)?
To answer questions similar to this related to pedophilia in Islam we have to explain few words and phrases such as “Idda”,”age of marriage” in Islam, definition of “child”,etc.., then we go to few verses such as 65:4 , 4:6,etc.. , some Tafasir from top notch Islamic scholars over these verses and ultimately Sunnah & life style of Muhammad and its effect on Islamic world related to the topic.
WHAT IS “IDDA”?
There is a rule in sharia that when a married woman gets divorce , she must wait about 3 months before she is allowed to get married again.That waiting period is called”IDDA”.
Probably the reason behind that rule was logical for 1400 years ago . Because if the woman was pregnant at the time of divorce then the father could be easily known. With all technological advances that we have these days this rule like many other rules in Islam are not practical and worthless.
Since verse 65:4 is about divorce sometimes Muslims try to derail the conversation about pedophilia by stating that this verse is about the divorce BUT there is a catch :
Though it is about the divorce BUT it talks about divorcing wives who have not had their menstruation YET.The question is that what female who has not her mentruation yet is doing among wives in the first place?
QURAN VERSE 65:4 (and 33:49)
In Islam there are 3 categories of women , verse 65:4 explains it well in details:
Quran 65:4″ وَاللَّائِي يَئِسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِيضِ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمْ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلَاثَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَاللَّائِي لَمْ يَحِضْنَ ۚ وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ ۚ وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا ”
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri :And , THOSE OF YOUR WOMEN WHO HAVE NO HOPE OF MENSTRUATION if you doubt (as to what will be their prescribed period), then their prescribed period is three months. And FOR THOSE WOMEN WHO HAVE NOT YET MENSTRUATED (their prescribed period is also the same).AS FOR THE PREGNANT WOMEN , their term is till the birth of the child. And whoever fears Allah, He makes his matter easy for him”
“It simply says that if you divorce your wife who ” has not yet menstruated “then she must wait 3 month before she can get married again.
3 CATEGORY OF WIVES IN ISLAM:
Here are 3 obvious categories of women in Quran :
1-First it says: يَئِسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِيضِ “Yaisna mina al-maheedhi”—that is, those of your women who have no hope of menstruation,[ Those who no longer expect menstruating ( menopausal women ) . They don`t have to keep Iddah . Sahih International ] in simple word Those are the women, who reached the stage of Menopause but if you doubt, then their “IDDAH” (waiting period) is three months
2-Next, there comesوَاللَّائِي لَمْ يَحِضْنَ “Wallaee Lam yahidhna” for those women who have not yet menstruated [ Those WHO HAVE not MENSTRUATED ( prepubescent girls ) Sahih International ] ”; this group of women(wives) are prepubescent females who have not menstruated yet their Iddah (waiting period) is 3 month as well.
3- As for the pregnant women, their term is till the birth of the child[ for those who are pregnant .Sahih International] This is prescribed probably to take maximum precaution about her being pregnant
It is in the second category women that Quran gives greenlight to Muslims to marry prepubescent female who have not had their period yet and penetrate them. Otherwise why should they have to keep Iddah ?
In order to prevent anykind of “misunderstanding” ,”wrong translation”, “out of context”,etc.. I decided here to put the Verse 65:4 word by word in Arabic with the meaning of each portion :
واللائي يئسن من المحيض من نسائكم ان ارتبتم فعدتهن ثلاثة اشهر واللائي لم يحضن واولات الاحمال اجلهن ان يضعن حملهن ومن يتق الله يجعل له من امره يسرا
Wa Al-Lā’ī Lam Yaĥiًna
wa ( وَ ) = and
Al-Lā’ī ( وَاللَّائِي ) = for those who
Lam ( لَمْ ) = did not (negation in past tense) [2]
Yaĥiًna ( يَحِضْنَ ) = menstruate.
Yaĥiًna comes from the verbal root H-Y-D ( حيض ) which means “to menstruate”.
The addition of prefix “Ya” and suffix “na” to the root “HYD” shows that the word is used in third person, feminine gender, plural, imperfective aspect.The imperfective aspect, by itself lacks any tense feature. The tensed negatives like lam ( لَمْ ) (negation in past tense), lan ( لن ) (negation in future tense), laa ( لَ ) (negation in present tense) combined with imperfectives decide the tense in this case.Thus “Lam Yadrus” = He did not study.
In the verse 65:4, Lam Yaĥiًna = ‘those who did not menstruate’.
Further the imperfective verb in the context of Lam ( لَمْ ) (past tensed negatives) is in the Jussive mood.
(The mood is similar to the cohortative mood, in that it expresses plea, insistence, imploring, self-encouragement, wish, desire, intent, command, purpose or consequence. In some languages, the two are distinguished in that cohortative occurs in the first person and the jussive in the second or third. It is found in Arabic, where it is called the مجزوم, majzum. The rules governing the jussive in Arabic are somewhat complex).
Some Muslims try different interpretation and meaning for part of verse 65:4>>they argue the phrase over women who (“Not menstruated yet”) reffers to the group of women who have reached the age of puberty, but fail to have courses. This group of women already is covered in the verse in phrase:” وَاللَّائِي يَئِسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِيضِ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمْ ” ”Yaisna min al-Maheedhi”—i.e. desperate for menstruation.
word by word translation can be found in this Islamic page:
( http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=65&verse=4#(65:4:1 )
TAFASIR ON CHILD MARRIAGE VERSE(65:4)
Here is the tafsir from 2 famous scholars:
1 – ‘Ibn Kathir
The
Iddah of Those in Menopause and Those Who do not have Menses Allah the Exalted clarifies the waiting period of the woman in menopause. And that is the one whose menstruation has stopped due to her older age. HerIddah is three months instead of the three monthly cycles for those who menstruate, which is based upon the Ayah in (Surat) Al-Baqarah. [see 2:228] THE SAME FOR THE YOUNG ,WHO HAVE NOT REACHED THE YEARS OF MENSTRUATION . Their `Iddah is three months like those in menopause. This is the meaning of His saying
2- Al-Jalalayn ( the most tafsir which is accepted by all sects in Islam )
And [as for] those of your women who (read allā’ī or allā’i in both instances) no longer expect to menstruate, if you have any doubts, about their waiting period, their prescribed [waiting] period shall be three months, and [also for] those who have not yet menstruated, because of their young age, their period shall [also] be three months – both cases apply to other than those whose spouses have died; for these [latter] their period is prescribed in the verse: they shall wait by themselves for four months and ten [days] [Q. 2:234]. And those who are pregnant, their term, the conclusion of their prescribed [waiting] period if divorced or if their spouses be dead, shall be when they deliver. And whoever fears God, He will make matters ease for him, in this world and in the Hereafter.
Some Muslims claim that in verse 65:4 the category of the women that have been referred to as”THOSE WOMEN WHO HAVE NOT YET MENSTRUATED is talking about menopausal women( those who have stopped menstruation ) . BUT that is clearly lie, because such women are already mentioned in the beginning of the verse that they should not keep Iddah. Why does the verse repeats talking about them and this time it says that they should keep Iddah ?
CONCLUSION
It is clear the verse 65:4 is given as a command to be followed (Jussive mood).
The verse itself refers to those women who did not menstruate(in all of past time until the present time), which can include children or girls before puberty or attainment of menarche (first period).
Therefore, the exact translation of this portion of Qur’an 65:4 is “Not menstruated yet” ( لَمْ يَحِضْنَ ). In Arabic, the menstruating process is called “HAIDH” ( حيض ). It is possible to turn this noun into its verb form. Like we do it with menstruation, “menstruate” is “YAHIDH” ( يَحِض ). But it is “LAM” ( لَمْ ) that comes before “YAHIDH” and the “NA” ( نَ ) associated with “YAHIDH” and this puts apologists in a quandary because it cannot have any other meaning than “Not menstruated yet”. This is the appropriate English translation.
We can see this translation in many of current scholars works ,scholars such as:
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri /Dr. Munir Munshey /Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar /Abdel Haleem/Abdul Majid Daryabadi/Ahmed Ali/Ali Quli Qara’i/Hamid S. Aziz/Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali/Muhammad Sarwar/Muhammad Taqi Usmani/Farook Malik/Talal A. Itani /Maududi/Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah/Sher Ali/Muftis Shafi‘ / Shakir/ Al-Hilali & Khan /Wahiduddin Khan /T.B.Irving/Safi Kaskas/Aisha Bewley/[Al-Muntakhab]/Bijan Moeinian/ Faridul Haque/Muhsin Khan / Muhammad al-Hilali …
[source: http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/65/4/ ] or you can check translation of each scholar separately in their pages.
As a matter of fact verse 65:4 should be accompanied with verse 33:49>> ” يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَكَحْتُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَمَسُّوهُنَّ فَمَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ عِدَّةٍ تَعْتَدُّونَهَا ۖ فَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ وَسَرِّحُوهُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيلًا “Muhammad Sarwar: Believers, if you marry believing women and then divorce them before the consummation of the marriage, they do not have to observe the waiting period. Give them their provisions and set them free in an honorable manner.
This verse shows that “Iddah”(stipulated waiting period) is for the women that husband had sex with them ,other wise they do not have to observe this waiting period.Then when Quran talks about observing”Iddah” by pre-pubescent girls , it is talking about females( pre-pubescent girls ) that husband has sex with
With understanding the meaning of above mentioned verses we see that:
1) With no definition for pedophilia in Islam,
2) with no age limit to separate children from adult
3)With not any verse that shows clear sanction for pedophilia
4)With verse 65:4 and 33:49 >>>>>
ISLAM GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO “PEDOPHILIA”. PERVERT OLD MEN CAN MARRY(RAPE) CHILDREN LEGALLY AND THEY THINK NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
DEADLY MISTAKE OF MUHAMMAD &HIS ALLAH over PREPUBESCENT FEMALES ISSUE
Muslims as usual go and look for the rarest conditions and cases to prove their claim . They claim when you are talking about ” PREPUBESCENT” females ” MAY BE THOSE ARE FEMALES WHO HAVE SOME MEDICAL CONDITION, SICKNESS,ETC.. ,AND CAN NOT HAVE THEIR PERIOD ”
Lets turn this statement around and look at the issue from different angle view. Problem starts when Muhammad set the rule of being adult based on child when she has her period,she can get married(modern world call it raped),have children and a family!!
BUT HERE IS THE CATCH >>
What this role model did not know ( and even his almighty Allah forgot to tell him) was that if a younger child — for example, a 5 or 6-year-old girl begins showing the signs of puberty, Is she still a child or she is ready to be raped ( get married ) or killed as an adult in the case of being prisoners of war?All knowing Allah forgot to tell his perfect man that there is a condition that is called ” precocious puberty“.
[https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/924002-overview ]
The signs of ” precocious puberty” include any of the following :
*breast development
*pubic or underarm hair development
*rapid height growth — a growth “spurt”
*start of menstruation (her period)
*acne
*”mature” body odor
HOW THE HELL MUHAMMAD AND HIS ALLAH MISSED THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE?HOW THE HELL THEY DERIVED THE MEANING OF ADULT ? HOW MANY CHILDREN GOT RAPED(THEY CALL IT MARRIED) OR KILLED DURING THE WAR BECAUSE OF THIS STUPID MISTAKE?
DEFINITION OF “CHILD” AND AGE OF MARRIAGE IN ISLAM
Definition of child in Islam is different from modern world’s definition.
Role Model of Arabian desert nomadic tribes in the 7th century made a decision that reflected clear explanation of a “child”, here was his decision :”pull down your pant and let me see if you have pubic hair or not”!! That criteria was for separating children before massacre of 700 Jews[ 800 or 900(Ishaq 464). ]:
sources:
=()“Sirat A, Rasul” page 463 , 464 >>466
=() Abu Dawood Book of Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud) #4390/ Abu Dawood 4404/Sunan Abu Dawood Vol. 5, Book 40, Hadith 4390/Sunan Abu Dawood Vol. 5, Book of Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud), Hadith 4390
=()Scholarly Commentary on Qur’an 33:26-27, Tafsir Ibn Kathir – The Campaign against Banu Qurayzah
=() Al-Tabari: Vol 8. p.34, 38
=()Sahih Muslim 19:4370
=() Bukhari Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 444
=() Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 63
=() Bukhari Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 443 [2 different narrators Ayesha and Anas]
=() Bukhari Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 448,449
=() Ibn Ishaq, p. 462; Watt, Muhammad at Medina, pp. 188-89; 214-17
=() Bukhari Vol. 5, Book of Expeditions, Hadith 447
There are countless ahadith that indicate of pedophilia in Islam
Later on Allah send the brilliant verses 33:25,26,27,28 and justified Muhammad’s decisions. You even can see that merciful Allah supported these acts and and invited Muslims to enjoy the booty and made it Halal and lawful to them in some verses such as (Quran 8:67/8:17/8:69/8:1/8:41).
In the case of the girls He established different criteria”you are child up to the moment that you bleed and have your period,from that point on immediately you are mature,adult,and you can get married(modern world call it raped),have children and a family!! ”
And this was the pattern that was set by perfect role model for humanity to follow!!! It is according to this criteria that they can claim that they never raped and never killed any child. Many many male captives who barely had pubic hair they were considered adult and dangerous for Islam and they were beheaded by the order of role model .Those females who barely got their period they were raped( married) by Role Model and his thugs.
One of claims that Muslim have is that in Islam no body force the girls to get married,IF that is the case then where is the “will” of prepubescent girls ?who will decide for them to get married?Is not that true that Muhammad signed contract with Ayesha’s father for her?How about his top commander Umar married 5/6 year old baby girl Umme Kulthum
MUHAMMAD AND CHILD MARRIAGE
Muhammad married Ayesha when she was about 6 year old and consumed the marriage(raped her) when she was 9 ,and he left the legacy of a pedophile role model behind.
[for complete information on Ayesha’s age ,Ahadith ,Historical documents,and related issues click here>> [ http://www.apartheidsharia.com/ayeshas-age/ ]
Have you ever figured out why Ayesha could not give birth?Muhammad ,the role model,destroyed her cervix and fistula with the penis of 56 year old man.He left a demonic life style as a pattern for his followers that later on was followed by many followers including Ummar ibn al Khattab(عمر بن الخطاب ),a senior companion of Muhammad,the second of the Rashidun Caliphate , who earned the epithet Al-Farooq (“the one who distinguishes between right and wrong”). About the age of 50 he married Umme Kulthum at the age of 5 /6.
For Muslims the happy side of the story of Muhammad and Ayesha was that Muhammad called Ayesha ( Ummul Momineen )” امّ المؤمنين ” means mother of believers!! and later called her “Jamilah” means”beautiful; lovely” .[Abu Dawood Book of General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab) #4934/ Abu Dawood 4952/Sunan Abu Dawood Vol. 5, Book 43, Hadith 4934/Sunan Abu Dawood Vol. 5, Book of General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab), Hadith 4934]
After Muhammad many believers engaged in child marriage and If Muhammad had any problem with that he at least would mentioned it or tried to stop them .One of them was Umar the Second Caliphate.
UMAR IBN KHATTAB,THE SECOND OF THE RASHIDUN CALIPHATE & HIS
CHILD BRIDE
Many Muslims deny the story of Caliph Ummar Ibn al Khattab and Umme Kulthum,Here is some historical documents that prove the story:
That left legacy and the patteren from a perfect role model for generations to come.
Umar Ibn al Khattab( عمر بن الخطاب ) the famous second Caliph after Muhammad was about 50 years old when he fell in love with ” Umme Kulthum” ( أم كلثوم ) who was about 5/6 years old ,This child was his most favourite wife (just like Mohammad and Ayesha) .
According to many Ahadith , and historical evidence scholars believe that she was the daughter of Ali and Fatima. [There are some scholars who claim that Umme Kulthum was the posthumous daughter of Abu Bakar and Habiba. Abu Bakar died (13 A.H.) a few months before Umme Kulthum was born,if that claim is correct it makes her the half sister of Aisha ]
Here are the details of the story:
=()Asad al Ghaybah ( الغيبة أسد ) Volume 5 page 367:
“Abu Umar narrates on the authority of Zubayr Bakri, ‘Umar asked for the hand of Ali’s daughter, who replied that she was too young. ‘Umar asked twice more. ‘Ali said ‘I shall send the girl to you, if you like her than say ‘I accept”. ‘Ali then sent the girl with a cloth and told her to say [to ‘Umar] ‘This is the scarf that I was talking about’. She conveyed these words to ‘Umar, who said ‘Tell your father that I accept’. Umar then touched the girl’s calf. She exclaimed ‘You have done this to me? If it hadn’t been for the fact that you are Khalifa of the Muslims I would have broken your nose’. The girl went home and repeated the episode to her father, stating ‘You sent me to a foul man’, with that ‘Ali said ‘He is your husband’.”
=() Al Isaba Volume 4 page 492 reports the text similarly with difference being the comment of Umme Kalthum (as) namely:
“If it hadn’t been the fact that you were Khalifa of the Muslims I would have spat in your face”.
=() Al Istiab Volume 4 page 467:
“‘Umar asked Ali for the hand of Umme Kalthum. ‘Ali replied that she was too young. ‘Umar said ‘Marry her to me and do as I say for I wish to attain to that position which no one else has attained. ‘Ali then said, ‘I shall send Umme Kalthum to you. If you like her then I shall marry her to you.’ ‘Ali then sent the girl with a cloth and told her to say [to ‘Umar] ‘This is the scarf that I was talking about’. She conveyed these words to Umar, who said ‘Tell your father that I accept’. Umar then touched the girl’s calf. She exclaimed, ‘You have done this to me? If it had not been the fact that you were Khalifa of the Muslims I would have broken your nose’. The girl went home and repeated the episode to her father, stating ‘You sent me to a foul man’, with that ‘Ali said ‘He is your husband’. Umar then attended a gathering of the Muhajireen and said ‘Congratulate me’. They said ‘Why?’ He said ‘I have married Umme Kalthum binte ‘Ali ‘ . ”
NAME :Umme Kulthum bint Ali Ibn Abi Talib
AGE :about 5/6
PRICE TAG (DOWREY/MAHR):40,000 dirhams
SOLD TO UMMAR IBN KHATTAB (about 50 year old) !!!
=() Zakhair Al-Aqba( ذخائر العقبة), Page 169
=() [In Tarikh Khamees[ تاريخ الخميس في أحوال أنفس النفيس ], Volume 2, p. 384 (‘Dhikr Umm Kalthum'[ ذکر ام کلثوم ]) and Zakhair Al-Aqba[ذخائر العقبى في مناقب ذوى القربى ], p. 168]
=() Ibn Sa d, Tabaqat ( كتاب الطبقات الكبير ) Volume 8 page 463>> 464 Dhikr Umm Kalthum
=() Ibn Sa d, Tabaqat(كتاب الطبقات الكبير ) (8:337-340[ This is reported by Ibn Saad in ‘Al-Tabaqat’. ]
=() From Urwa Ibn Zubair(Arabic: عروة بن الزبير بن العوام الأسدي, died 713): that Zubair, may Allah be pleased with him, married his daughter when she was very young. Reported by Saeed Ibn Mansour, in his Sunnah, and Ibn Abi Shaibah, in Al-musannaf, with a Sahih chain of narration.
=() Tareekh Baghdad ( الخطيب البغدادي المؤلف تاريخ بغداد ) Volume 6 page 182
=() Sawaiqh al Muhriqa( الصواعق المحرقه ) page 280 and Asaaf al Ghaneen page 162
=() Sawaiqh al Muhriqa ( الصواعق المحرقه ) page 280 – Arabic
=() Sawaiqh al Muhriqa page 157( برق سوزان ) – Farsi
=() Abu ʿAbdillah Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi‘i (ابو عبدالله محمد بن إدريس الشافعيّ ) said in the book of Al-Umm [ Kitāb al-Umm (كـتـاب الأم) ]: “Many companions of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) married their daughters while these were still young.” ]
=() Ibn al-Jarud,Al-Muntaqa fil-Ahkam ( المنتقى في أحكام) [an entirely sahih book] (p. 142)
=() al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar, al-Muntakhab min Azwaj al-Nabi SallAllahu `alayhi wa-Sallam( صلى الله عليه وسلم المؤلف: الزبير بن بكار بن عبد الله المنتخب من کتاب ازواج النبي ) (p. 30-31)
=() al-Dulabi, al-Dhurriyat al-Tahira (p. 62);
=() GF Haddad – Muharram 1425
=() al-Siyar wal-Maghazi (p. 248)
=() Tarikh al-Ya`qubi (2:260)
=() Ibn Shabba’s Tarikh al-Madina( المؤلف: عمر بن شبة تاریخ المدینه المنوره ) (2:654)
=() Nasab Quraysh ( نسب قريش للمصعب الزبيري )(p. 352)
=() `Abd al-Razzaq, Musannaf ( المؤلف: عبد الرزاق بن همام الصنعاني أبو بكر ” المصنف” )(3:465)
=() al-Nasa’i, Sunan (4:71) , Sunan Kubra (1:641)
=() al-Bukhari, Tarikh al-Saghir ( التاريخ الصغير – الإمام بخاري )(1:102)
=() Ibn Qutayba, Ma`arif ( المعارف – ابن قتيبة الدينوري )(p. 107, 122)
=() al-Tabari, Tarikh( الطبري تاریخ ) (4:199 and 5:335)
=()al-Daraqutni, Sunan (2:79)
=() al-Bayhaqi, Sunan Kubra( البيهقي المؤلف “السنن الكبرى “) (4:33)
=() Ibn
Abd al-Barr, Istiab (4:490-491)
=() al-Nawawi, Tahdhib al-Asma’ wal-Lughat (يحيى بن شرف النووي “تهذيب الأسماء واللغات ” )(2:267 #1219)
=() al- Dhahabi( أبو عبد الله شمس الدين الذهبي ), Siyar A`lam al-Nubala’ (سير أعلام النبلاء )(Dar al-Fikr ed. 5:22-24) and Tarikh al- Islam ( تاريخ الإسلام )(4:58-59, 4:137-139, 4:227, 5:21)
=() al-Dimyati, Nisa’ al-Rasul (p. 128)
=() Ibn Hajar ( ابن حجر العسقلاني ), Isaba ( الإصابة في تمييز الصحابة )(4:492 #1481)
=() Ibn al-Athir(عز الدین بن الاثیر الجزري ), Usd al-Ghaba( أسـد الـغـابـة في مـعـرفـة الـصـحـابـة ) (7:387-388) and al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh( الكامل في التاريخ ) (3:54, 4:12)
=()al-Suyuti, al-Hawi lil-Fatawa (2:179).
QURAN AND THE AGE OF MARRIAGE
Normally debate over Pedophilia starts with confusion over the age of marriage and lack of definition of pedophilia in Quran.I already went through the age of marriage and the meaning of “child” and regarding the pedophilia There is absolutely no definition in Islam and on contrary verses 65:4 and 33:49 approve pedophilia .
If you were asked what is your definition of pedophilia? the respond is:
The subject of debate is the definition of pedophilia in “ISLAM” and not the general definition or my definition. Dictionaries are sturated with the meaning of pedophilia though the topic is that we want to see what is the moral standard in Islam and if Islam has a better definition for pedophilia.
VERSE 4:6:
There is nothing in Quran about the age of marriage .Some Muslims claim age of marriage is mentioned in Quran 4:6.
=() Quran 4:6″ “Prove orphans till they reach the marriageable age; then, IF YE FIND THEM OF SOUND JUDGMENT ,DELIVER OVER UNTO THEM THEIR FORTUNE ; and devour it not by squandering and in haste lest they should grow up Whoso (of the guardians) is rich, let him abstain generously (from taking of the property of orphans); and whoso is poor let him take thereof in reason (for his guardianship). And when ye deliver up their fortune unto orphans, have (the transaction) witnessed in their presence. Allah sufficeth as a Reckoner.”
[ http://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp?chapter=4&verse=6 ]
As we see here this verse(4:6) IS NOT ABOUT THE AGE OF MARRIAGE IT IS ABOUT THE AGE OF MATURITY OF ORPHANS(sound judgement) TO TAKE OVER THE PROPERTY !!!!! “Giving Back the Property of the Orphans When They Reach” Adulthood”.
Here are some tafsir from highly respected Islamic scholars:
(()) Tafsîr Ibn Abbas
“وَٱبْتَلُواْ ٱلْيَتَامَىٰ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغُواْ النِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ آنَسْتُمْ مِّنْهُمْ رُشْداً فَٱدْفَعُواْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافاً وَبِدَاراً أَن يَكْبَرُواْ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيّاً فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيراً فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيباً ”
(Prove orphans…) [4:6]. This was revealed about Thabit ibn Rifa‘ah and his uncle. Rifa‘ah died when his son Thabit was very young. The uncle of Thabit went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and said: “The son of my brother is an orphan under my care, what is lawful for me from his wealth? And when should I give him back his wealth?” And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse.
[ http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=2&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=4&tAyahNo=6&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 ]
(()) Tafsir al-Jalalayn
” وَٱبْتَلُواْ ٱلْيَتَامَىٰ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغُواْ النِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ آنَسْتُمْ مِّنْهُمْ رُشْداً فَٱدْفَعُواْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافاً وَبِدَاراً أَن يَكْبَرُواْ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيّاً فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيراً فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيباً ”
(Prove orphans) test the intelligence of orphans (till they reach the marriageable age) the age of puberty; (then, if ye find them of) if you see that they possess (sound judgement) righteousness in Religion and a tendency to protect their wealth, (deliver over unto them their fortune) then give their wealth which is with you; (and devour it not squandering) it in transgression and unlawfully (and in haste) in haste lest the orphan grows older and consumes it little by little (lest they should grow up) for fear that they grow older and stop you from devouring their wealth. (Whoso (of the guardians) is rich) and needs not the orphan’s wealth, (let him abstain generously) because of his richness from taking of the property of orphans, nor should he diminish anything from their wealth; (and whoso is poor) and needy (let him take thereof in reason (for his guardianship)) in measure, such that he is not in need for the wealth of orphans; it is also said that this means: he should take from the wealth of orphans in proportion with the measure of his work regarding this wealth; and it is also said that this means: he can take from the wealth of orphans as a loan to be paid back. (And when ye deliver up their fortune unto orphans) when they reach the legal age, (have (the transaction) witnessed in their presence) when you deliver it to them. (Allah sufficeth as a Reckoner) Allah suffices as a witness. This verse was revealed about Thabit Ibn Rifa’ah al-Ansari.
[ http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=4&tAyahNo=6&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2]
(()) At-Tirmidhi said, “Hasan Sahih.
Allah’s statement, “فَإِنْ ءَانَسْتُمْ مِّنْهُمْ رُشْداً فَادْفَعُواْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَلَهُمْ”
(if then you find sound judgment in them, release their property to them,) Sa
id bin Jubayr said that this portion of the Ayah means, when you find them to be good in the religion and wise with their money. Similar was reported from IbnAbbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and others among the Imams. The scholars of Fiqh stated that when the child becomes good in the religion and wise concerning with money, then the money that his caretaker was keeping for him should be surrendered to him.
Giving Back the Property of the Orphans When They Reach Adulthood
(())Tafsir Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi
تفسير
” وَٱبْتَلُواْ ٱلْيَتَامَىٰ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغُواْ النِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ آنَسْتُمْ مِّنْهُمْ رُشْداً فَٱدْفَعُواْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافاً وَبِدَاراً أَن يَكْبَرُواْ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيّاً فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيراً فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيباً ”
(()) Tafsir Al Qushairi
” وَٱبْتَلُواْ ٱلْيَتَامَىٰ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغُواْ النِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ آنَسْتُمْ مِّنْهُمْ رُشْداً فَٱدْفَعُواْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافاً وَبِدَاراً أَن يَكْبَرُواْ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيّاً فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيراً فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيبا ”
Try well the orphans until they reach the age of marrying; then, if you perceive in them maturity, deliver their property to them; consume it not wastefully and in haste, lest they should grow up. If any man is rich, let him be abstinent; if he is poor, let him consume honorably. And when you deliver to them their property, take witnesses over them. God suffices as a reckoner.
Maturity of intellect is to be abstentious and to hold to the religion. It is generosity and the preservation of honor, companionship with elders, and striving to witness the good and perform acts of servanthood as decreed by the command.
It is said the one who is mature is the one who is guided to his Lord. When a need arises in him, he does not rely on his own power or strength, his own directing or free choice.
[ http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=108&tSoraNo=4&tAyahNo=6&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 ]
(()) Tafsir Ibn Kathir
“وَٱبْتَلُواْ ٱلْيَتَامَىٰ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغُواْ النِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ آنَسْتُمْ مِّنْهُمْ رُشْداً فَٱدْفَعُواْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافاً وَبِدَاراً أَن يَكْبَرُواْ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيّاً فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيراً فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيباً ”
Try, test, well the orphans, before reaching maturity with regard [the duties of] religion and [before] they can [legally] manage their own affairs, until they reach the age of marrying, that is, until they have become eligible for it through puberty or [legal] age, which, according to al-Shāfi‘ī, is the completion of fifteen years; then, if you perceive in them maturity, that is, right [judgement] in matters of religion and their property, deliver their property to them; consume it not, O guardians, wastefully, without due merit, and in haste, that is, hastening to expend it, fearing, lest they should grow up, and become mature, at which time you will be obliged to hand it over to them. If any man, who is a guardian, is rich, let him be abstinent, that is, let him abstain from the orphan’s property and refrain from consuming it; if he is poor, let him consume, of it, honourably, that is, in line with the wage for his work. And when you deliver to them, the orphans, their property, take witnesses over them, that they have received it and that you are absolved [of the obligation], so that if any dispute occurs, you are able to refer to a clear proof: this is a command [intended] for guidance. God suffices as a reckoner, as a guardian of His creatures’ deeds and as a reckoner of these [deeds] (the bā’ [in bi’Llāhi] is extra).
Tafsir Ibn Kathir:[ The Command to handle the Orphan’s Wealth ]
[ http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2825&Itemid= ]
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Regarding Child marriage and pedophilia in Islam there are countless ahadith that indicate the age of marriage that was decided by Muhammad and the best example is Ayesha’age when Muhammad married her [ http://www.apartheidsharia.com/ayeshas-age/ ], and Muhammad’s taste for children[even crawling baby] ahadith and historical documents that come from credible scholars and some respected historians such as Guillaume,Tabari, Ibn Ishaq , Abu Nasai,Bukhari,Abu Muslim,Ibn i Majah,Abu Dawud,etc.. they are all confirm permission to marry “PREPUBESCENT girls“according to the verse 65:4 .
Even recent scholars such as late Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Mufti Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen al-Wuhaibi al-Tamimi (1925–2001 CE) [Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen, Majmoo’at As’ilah tahumm al-Usrah al-Muslimah, p. 61–63] or Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi (d. 1979) in Tafhim al Quran (Commentary on the Quran) have the same interpretation of verse 65:4 .
This interpretation was followed by some other famous tafasir such as Tafsīr al-Jalālayn (تفسير الجلالين, ie; ‘Tafsir of the two Jalals’) that is a classical Sunni tafsir of the Qur’an, composed first by Jalal ad-Din al-Maḥalli in 1459 and then completed by his student Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti in 1505, thus its name, which means “Tafsir of the two Jalals”.
There are many other famous Tafsirs, now available only in Arabic, some of them listed in “altafsir.com” with English translations
MATURE “WOMEN” NOT “CHILDREN”
One of the argument that Muslims produce is that in the verse 65:4 it talks about “NISA”,” نِسَاء “,”women” it does not talk about “children” and “prepubescent girls”.Lets see verses that Quran used the word “NISA”( ” نِسَاء” ) :
(()) Quran(2:49) Andوَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ ۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُمْ بَلَاءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ” Yusuf Ali : And remember, We delivered you from the people of Pharaoh: They set you hard tasks and punishments, slaughtered your sons and let your women-folk live; therein was a tremendous trial from your Lord.
(()) Quran(7:127)وَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْ قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَىٰ وَقَوْمَهُ لِيُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَآلِهَتَكَ ۚ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَنَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّا فَوْقَهُمْ قَاهِرُونَ”Yusuf Ali : Said the chiefs of Pharaoh’s people: “Wilt thou leave Moses and his people, to spread mischief in the land, and to abandon thee and thy gods?” He said: “Their male children will we slay; (only) their females will we save alive; and we have over them (power) irresistible.”
(()) Quran(7:141)وَإِذْ أَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ ۖ يُقَتِّلُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ ۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُمْ بَلَاءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ”Yusuf Ali : And remember We rescued you from Pharaoh’s people, who afflicted you with the worst of penalties, who slew your male children and saved alive your females: in that was a momentous trial from your Lord.”
(()) Quran (14:6)وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ أَنْجَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ ۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُمْ بَلَاءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ”Yusuf Ali : Remember! Moses said to his people: “Call to mind the favour of Allah to you when He delivered you from the people of Pharaoh: they set you hard tasks and punishments, slaughtered your sons, and let your women-folk live: therein was a tremendous trial from your Lord.” ”
(())Quran (40:25)فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا قَالُوا اقْتُلُوا أَبْنَاءَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ وَاسْتَحْيُوا نِسَاءَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا كَيْدُ الْكَافِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَالٍ”Yusuf Ali: Now, when he came to them in Truth, from Us, they said, “Slay the sons of those who believe with him, and keep alive their females,” but the plots of Unbelievers (end) in nothing but errors (and delusions)!…”
In these verses, the word “NISA”[ نِسَاءَ ] is used to signify “Female infants”; it’s use is not restricted to refer to “mature women”. when you check verses in Quran regarding the story of Pharaoh and his command to kill all male infants we clearly see that word “NISA” indicates female infant.
At the end this question might comes up that why Muhammad waited 3 years to consume his marriage ? well the answer is easy he took care of the business through “tafkhiz”[ تفخیذ ]. !!
