Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage: Difference between revisions

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Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage (view source)

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===Safiyah's Age===
===Safiyah's Age===


Safiyah gives us unusual precision, for it appears that she knew her age to the month.
[[Safiyah]] gives us unusual precision, for it appears that she knew her age to the month.


{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 185}}.|I was not even 17, or I was just 17, the night I entered the Prophet.}}
{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 185}}.|I was not even 17, or I was just 17, the night I entered the Prophet.}}
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The Muslims therefore began the march to Khaybar in late May or early June 628 and were back in Medina before the end of July. So Muhammad married Safiyah early in Rabi-Awwal 7 AH (mid-July 628). Safiyah apparently knew that she had been born in Rabi-Awwal 17 years earlier, though she did not know whether it had been late or early in the month and therefore did not know whether she had reached 17 full years on the particular night when she married Muhammad. The Rabi-Awwal of 17 years earlier fell between 14 January and 12 February 612, giving Safiyah a birthdate of 28 January 612, plus or minus a fortnight.
The Muslims therefore began the march to Khaybar in late May or early June 628 and were back in Medina before the end of July. So Muhammad married Safiyah early in Rabi-Awwal 7 AH (mid-July 628). Safiyah apparently knew that she had been born in Rabi-Awwal 17 years earlier, though she did not know whether it had been late or early in the month and therefore did not know whether she had reached 17 full years on the particular night when she married Muhammad. The Rabi-Awwal of 17 years earlier fell between 14 January and 12 February 612, giving Safiyah a birthdate of 28 January 612, plus or minus a fortnight.


:::'''Safiyah’s Age = 16 years and 6 months.'''
*''Safiyah’s Age = 16 years and 6 months.''
:::'''Muhammad’s Age = 57 years and 3 months.'''
*''Muhammad’s Age = 57 years and 3 months.''
:::'''Age Difference = 40 years and 9 months.'''
*''Age Difference = 40 years and 9 months.''


Safiyah was yet another bride who was young enough to be Muhammad’s granddaughter.
Safiyah was yet another bride who was young enough to be Muhammad’s granddaughter.
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30 BH fell between 9 June 593 and 28 May 594, giving Ramlah a median birthdate of 2 December 593. Her marriage to Muhammad was consummated upon his return from Khaybar in July 628.<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 526, 529-530.</ref>
30 BH fell between 9 June 593 and 28 May 594, giving Ramlah a median birthdate of 2 December 593. Her marriage to Muhammad was consummated upon his return from Khaybar in July 628.<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 526, 529-530.</ref>


:::'''Ramlah’s Median Age at Consummation = 34 years and 7 months.'''
*''Ramlah’s Median Age at Consummation = 34 years and 7 months.''
:::'''Muhammad’s Age = 57 years and 3 months.'''
*''Muhammad’s Age = 57 years and 3 months.''
:::'''Age Difference = 22 years and 8 months.'''
*''Age Difference = 22 years and 8 months.''


Ramlah was young enough to be Muhammad’s daughter.
Ramlah was young enough to be Muhammad’s daughter.
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While we do not really know Maymunah’s death-date, and therefore her birth-date, we will accept Ibn Kathir’s more conservative tradition. According to this, she was born in 30 BH, i.e., between 9 June 593 and 28 May 594 (median = 2 December 593). This would make her about 35 when she married Muhammad in February 629, although we will bear in mind that she might have been many years younger.
While we do not really know Maymunah’s death-date, and therefore her birth-date, we will accept Ibn Kathir’s more conservative tradition. According to this, she was born in 30 BH, i.e., between 9 June 593 and 28 May 594 (median = 2 December 593). This would make her about 35 when she married Muhammad in February 629, although we will bear in mind that she might have been many years younger.


:::'''Maymunah's Median Age at Marriage = 35 years and 2 months.'''
*''Maymunah's Median Age at Marriage = 35 years and 2 months.''
:::'''Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 57 years and 10 months.'''
*''Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 57 years and 10 months.''
:::'''Age Difference = 22 years and 8 months.'''
*''Age Difference = 22 years and 8 months.''


Sir William Muir’s unsourced comment that “Maymunah is said to have been at this time 51 years of age”<ref>[http://www.answering-islam.org/Books/Muir/Life4/chap22.htm/ Muir, W. (1861). ''The Life of Mahomet'' vol. 4 p. 89. London: Smith, Elder & Co.]</ref> is thus wide of the mark.
Sir William Muir’s unsourced comment that “Maymunah is said to have been at this time 51 years of age”<ref>[http://www.answering-islam.org/Books/Muir/Life4/chap22.htm/ Muir, W. (1861). ''The Life of Mahomet'' vol. 4 p. 89. London: Smith, Elder & Co.]</ref> is thus wide of the mark.
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If they expected Mohammed to believe that “she is too young to think for herself,” they were suggesting that she was barely an adult – someone whose body had so recently reached puberty that her mind had not yet caught up.
If they expected Mohammed to believe that “she is too young to think for herself,” they were suggesting that she was barely an adult – someone whose body had so recently reached puberty that her mind had not yet caught up.


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 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. As for the date of the wedding:
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:
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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.
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.''
:::'''Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 58 years and 9 months.'''
*''Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 58 years and 9 months.''
:::'''Age Difference = 45 years and 9 months.'''
*''Age Difference = 45 years and 9 months.''


While this is only a guess, we were also only guessing about Sawdah. By the time Muhammad married Mulaykah, Aisha had become a just-nubile 16. Although Mulaykah was an older bride, she was almost certainly younger in years than Aisha.
While this is only a guess, we were also only guessing about Sawdah. By the time Muhammad married Mulaykah, Aisha had become 16. Although Mulaykah was an older bride, she was almost certainly younger in years than Aisha.


===Asma's Age===
===Asma's Age===
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In conclusion, Asma was probably in her late teens; but we do not really know. To be conservative, we will say that she was 20.
In conclusion, Asma was probably in her late teens; but we do not really know. To be conservative, we will say that she was 20.


:::'''Asma’s Maximum Age = 20 years and 0 months.'''
*''Asma’s Maximum Age = 20 years and 0 months.''
:::'''Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 59 years and 3 months.'''
*''Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 59 years and 3 months.''
:::'''Age Difference = 39 years and 3 months.'''
*''Age Difference = 39 years and 3 months.''


Asma was once again young enough to be Muhammad’s granddaughter.
Asma was once again young enough to be Muhammad’s granddaughter.
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{{Quote|{{Muslim|5|2347}}|Abdulmuttalib ibn Rabi'a narrated. … [Al-Fadl ibn Abbas and I] spoke: “Messenger of Allah, you are the best of humanity and the best to cement the ties of blood-relations. '''We have reached the marriageable age.''' We have come so that you may appoint us as tax-collectors, and we would pay you just as The Thins [''apparently slang for “tax-collectors”''] pay you, and receive our share as others receive it [so that we can earn our living and afford to marry].” ... [Muhammad said]: “It is not suitable for Muhammad's family to collect tax ... Call to me Mahmiyah (and he was the treasurer) and Nawfal ibn Harith ibn Abdulmuttalib.” They both came to him, and he said to Mahmiyah: “Marry your daughter to this young man (Al-Fadl),” and he married her to him. And he said to Nawfal ibn Harith: “Marry your daughter to this young man (Abdulmuttalib),” and he married her to me. He said to Mahmiyah: “Pay the dower on behalf of both of them out of the treasury.”}}
{{Quote|{{Muslim|5|2347}}|Abdulmuttalib ibn Rabi'a narrated. … [Al-Fadl ibn Abbas and I] spoke: “Messenger of Allah, you are the best of humanity and the best to cement the ties of blood-relations. '''We have reached the marriageable age.''' We have come so that you may appoint us as tax-collectors, and we would pay you just as The Thins [''apparently slang for “tax-collectors”''] pay you, and receive our share as others receive it [so that we can earn our living and afford to marry].” ... [Muhammad said]: “It is not suitable for Muhammad's family to collect tax ... Call to me Mahmiyah (and he was the treasurer) and Nawfal ibn Harith ibn Abdulmuttalib.” They both came to him, and he said to Mahmiyah: “Marry your daughter to this young man (Al-Fadl),” and he married her to him. And he said to Nawfal ibn Harith: “Marry your daughter to this young man (Abdulmuttalib),” and he married her to me. He said to Mahmiyah: “Pay the dower on behalf of both of them out of the treasury.”}}


It is not clear whether these marriages were long-standing betrothals that the young men wanted to consummate or whether Muhammad match-made on the spot. The point here is that the young cousins had to remind Muhammad that they had reached puberty, so they must have been quite recently pubescent. This suggests that Al-Fadl was born in 615, plus or minus a year. Mahmiyah ibn Jazi did not take his family on his emigration to Abyssinia,<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 148, 527.</ref> so his daughter must have been conceived in Mecca before 615. Her age is not known beyond this; we can only guess that she was paired off with Al-Fadl (her cousin) because they were roughly the same age, i.e., about 15.
It is not clear whether these marriages were long-standing betrothals that the young men wanted to consummate or whether they were spontaneous choices made by Muhammad. The point here is that the young cousins had to remind Muhammad that they had reached puberty, so they must have been quite recently pubescent. This suggests that Al-Fadl was born in 615, plus or minus a year. Mahmiyah ibn Jazi did not take his family on his emigration to Abyssinia,<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 148, 527.</ref> so his daughter must have been conceived in Mecca before 615. Her age is not known beyond this; we can only guess that she was paired off with Al-Fadl (her cousin) because they were roughly the same age, i.e., about 15.


Later Al-Fadl married Amrah bint Yazid. It is safe to say that he married her willingly. Amrah was of no political importance, and Al-Fadl was extremely susceptible to pretty girls.<ref>See {{Bukhari|8|74|247}}.</ref> So it is highly unlikely that Amrah was older than Al-Fadl (or that she was plain). She would have been the same age as her bridegroom or a little younger. However, Al-Fadl subsequently divorced Amrah, and she was afterwards married to Muhammad.
Later Al-Fadl married Amrah bint Yazid. It is safe to say that he married her willingly. Amrah was of no political importance, and Al-Fadl was extremely susceptible to pretty girls.<ref>See {{Bukhari|8|74|247}}.</ref> So it is highly unlikely that Amrah was older than Al-Fadl (or that she was plain). She would have been the same age as her bridegroom or a little younger. However, Al-Fadl subsequently divorced Amrah, and she was afterwards married to Muhammad.
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We do not know how old Amrah was in 631, but it is reasonable to suggest that she was 14 or 15 – a couple of years younger than Aisha.
We do not know how old Amrah was in 631, but it is reasonable to suggest that she was 14 or 15 – a couple of years younger than Aisha.


:::'''Amrah’s Probable Age = about 15 years.'''
*''Amrah’s Probable Age = about 15 years.''
:::'''Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 60 years and 5 months.'''
*''Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 60 years and 5 months.''
:::'''Age Difference = 45 years and 5 months.'''
*''Age Difference = 45 years and 5 months.''


Again, this is a guess, but it is an estimate based on real data about Amrah’s life. We can make no such guesses about the remaining women in Muhammad’s life.
Again, this is a guess, but it is an estimate based on real data about Amrah’s life. We can make no such guesses about the remaining women in Muhammad’s life.
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