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Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage: Difference between revisions
Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage (view source)
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The year 66 years before 58 AH (25 October 613 - 13 October 614) was once again nine years before the ''Hijra'', making Aisha nine years old at her consummation in 1 AH. While it may well be true that most Arabs only knew their age to the year and not to the day, there is some evidence that Aisha’s family had noted at least the month in which she was born. | The year 66 years before 58 AH (25 October 613 - 13 October 614) was once again nine years before the ''Hijra'', making Aisha nine years old at her consummation in 1 AH. While it may well be true that most Arabs only knew their age to the year and not to the day, there is some evidence that Aisha’s family had noted at least the month in which she was born. | ||
{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:55.|Aisha was born at the beginning of the fourth year of prophethood, and she married the Messenger of Allah in the tenth year, in Shawwal, when she was six.}} | {{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:55.|Aisha was born '''at the beginning of the fourth year''' of prophethood, and she married the Messenger of Allah in the tenth year, in Shawwal, when she was six.}} | ||
If they knew that she had been born at the “beginning” and not the “middle” or the “end” of the year, it is unlikely that they would have been wrong about the year itself. “The fourth year of prophethood” was indeed the ninth year before the ''Hijra'' (25 October 613 - 13 October 614). It was the year when Muhammad first preached Islam in public;<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 117.</ref> Aisha’s parents would not have forgotten what was happening around the city at the time when their daughter was born. Abu Bakr’s accuracy is not really surprising, as he was a recognised expert on genealogy,<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 115.</ref> so a person’s month of birth was exactly the kind of detail that he would remember. | If they knew that she had been born at the “beginning” and not the “middle” or the “end” of the year, it is unlikely that they would have been wrong about the year itself. “The fourth year of prophethood” was indeed the ninth year before the ''Hijra'' (25 October 613 - 13 October 614). It was the year when Muhammad first preached Islam in public;<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 117.</ref> Aisha’s parents would not have forgotten what was happening around the city at the time when their daughter was born. Abu Bakr’s accuracy is not really surprising, as he was a recognised expert on genealogy,<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 115.</ref> so a person’s month of birth was exactly the kind of detail that he would remember. | ||