Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage: Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search
[checked revision][checked revision]
Line 425: Line 425:
This makes sense in the light of the fact that Mulaykah found a new fiancé within days of her divorce from Muhammad, before she had completed her three-month waiting-period.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:106; {{Tabari|39|p. 165}}.</ref> It looks suspiciously as if this man had already been a suitor before it became politically necessary for Mulaykah to marry Muhammad. If she had been courted but not married, this also suggests that she was very young.
This makes sense in the light of the fact that Mulaykah found a new fiancé within days of her divorce from Muhammad, before she had completed her three-month waiting-period.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:106; {{Tabari|39|p. 165}}.</ref> It looks suspiciously as if this man had already been a suitor before it became politically necessary for Mulaykah to marry Muhammad. If she had been courted but not married, this also suggests that she was very young.


Since the mean age of menarche was 12½ years,<ref>[http://www.mum.org/menarage.htm/ Finley, H. (2003). “Average age at menarche in various cultures.”]</ref> this indicates that Mulaykah was about 13, plus or minus a couple of years.
Since the mean age of menarche was 12½ years,<ref>[http://www.mum.org/menarage.htm/ Finley, H. (2003). “Average age at menarche in various cultures.”]</ref> this indicates that Mulaykah was about 13, plus or minus a couple of years. As for the date of the wedding:


[[File:Bedouin1904.jpg|right|thumb|A Bedouin bride and groom, c. 1904. The bride must be much younger than the groom as she has very obviously not yet reached her full height.|200px]]
[[File:Bedouin1904.jpg|right|thumb|A Bedouin bride and groom, c. 1904. The bride must be much younger than the groom as she has very obviously not yet reached her full height.|200px]]
{{Quote|Tabari|8|p. 187.|In this year [8 AH] the Messenger of God married Mulaykah ... He had killed her father the day of the conquest of Mecca [14 January 630].}}
The year 8 AH did not end until 22 April 630. But in fact Muhammad must have married Mulaykah earlier than this. Her tribe lived near Mecca; they had resisted him at Mecca on 14 January; and Muhammad left Mecca on 28 January to fight the Hawazinites and Thaqifites.<ref>{{Tabari|9|pp. 2-3}}.</ref> It is practically certain that he married Mulaykah during his fortnight of residence in the city, i.e. in the second half of January 630.


:::'''Mulaykah’s Probable Age = about 13 years.'''
:::'''Mulaykah’s Probable Age = about 13 years.'''

Navigation menu