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Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage: Difference between revisions
Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage (view source)
Revision as of 01:04, 16 April 2013
, 16 April 2013→How Old was Juwayriyah?
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Unfortunately, this cannot be right. For a start, Ibn Ishaq disagrees. | Unfortunately, this cannot be right. For a start, Ibn Ishaq disagrees. | ||
{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 490.|[The apostle] attacked the Mustaliq branch of the Khuza’a tribe in '''Shaaban 6 AH | {{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 490.|[The apostle] attacked the Mustaliq branch of the Khuza’a tribe in '''Shaaban 6 AH''' [19 December 627 - 16 January 628].}} | ||
Further, it is certain that the raid at al-Muraysi and consequent marriage to Juwayriyah took place not before, but ''after'', Muhammad’s marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh. As Aisha tells the story: | Further, it is certain that the raid at al-Muraysi and consequent marriage to Juwayriyah took place not before, but ''after'', Muhammad’s marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh. As Aisha tells the story: | ||
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This makes it very clear that Muhammad was already married to Zaynab at the time of the slander, which arose before the warriors had even arrived home from the al-Muraysi expedition. He married Zaynab in late 5 AH, so Ibn Ishaq’s date of 6 AH for the raid must be the correct one. It does seem odd that Aisha would give the wrong sequence for two such dramatic and personally painful events as the raid at al-Muraysi and the Prophet’s marriage to Zaynab. However, it is more likely that, when asked for a date, she accidentally named the wrong expedition than that, recalling the crisis of her life, she could not remember whether she had been veiled or who had been slandering her. | This makes it very clear that Muhammad was already married to Zaynab at the time of the slander, which arose before the warriors had even arrived home from the al-Muraysi expedition. He married Zaynab in late 5 AH, so Ibn Ishaq’s date of 6 AH for the raid must be the correct one. It does seem odd that Aisha would give the wrong sequence for two such dramatic and personally painful events as the raid at al-Muraysi and the Prophet’s marriage to Zaynab. However, it is more likely that, when asked for a date, she accidentally named the wrong expedition than that, recalling the crisis of her life, she could not remember whether she had been veiled or who had been slandering her. | ||
If Juwayriyah was 20 years old in 6 AH, she must have been born in 15 BH (between 29 December 607 and 17 December 608). That would make her only 64 not 65 at her death in 50 AH. This is not a serious discrepancy, but it does mean that one of these ages is only an approximation. On balance, the younger age is more likely to be correct. Young people are usually accurate about their ages (“When my husband was killed, I was definitely 20, not 19 or 21”) whereas the elderly are more likely to use round numbers (“I think this will be my final illness, for I’m already | If Juwayriyah was 20 years old in 6 AH, she must have been born in 15 BH (between 29 December 607 and 17 December 608). That would make her only 64, not 65, at her death in 50 AH. This is not a serious discrepancy, but it does mean that one of these ages is only an approximation. On balance, the younger age is more likely to be correct. Young people are usually accurate about their ages (“When my husband was killed, I was definitely 20, not 19 or 21”) whereas the elderly are more likely to use round numbers (“I think this will be my final illness, for I’m already in my mid-60s”). | ||
Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, we shall take a two-year range for Juwayriyah’s birthdate, between January 607 and December 608. The median is 28 December 607. She was married in Shabaan 6 AH, a median date of 2 January 628. | Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, we shall take a two-year range for Juwayriyah’s birthdate, between 9 January 607 and 17 December 608. The median is 28 December 607. She was married in Shabaan 6 AH, a median date of 2 January 628. | ||
:::'''Juwayriyah’s Median Age = 20 years and 0 months.''' | :::'''Juwayriyah’s Median Age = 20 years and 0 months.''' | ||