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The Meaning of Consummate: Difference between revisions
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==Introduction== | ==Introduction== | ||
Some | Some Muslim apologist refuse to accept the [[Qur'an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Aisha#Aisha.27s_Age_at_Consummation_and_Marriage|narrations given by Aisha]] in which she states that she was married to Prophet [[Muhammad]] when she was six years old and that he consummated his marriage with her when she was nine [[Islamic Lunar Calendar|lunar years]] of age, even though these are recorded in Bukhari's sahih ahadith collection. | ||
These | These apologists will usually resort to questioning the English translation <ref>[http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/hadith/ USC's Compendium of Muslim texts - translated by Dr. Mushin Khan]</ref> of [[Dr.]] Mushin Khan, without addressing the ahadith in their original [[Arabic]]. This article will examine the Arabic language used in the narrations concerning [[Aisha|Aisha's]] marriage to Muhammad, in order to show that Muhammad did in fact have sexual intercourse with Aisha when she was nine years old. | ||
==Consummating the Marriage== | |||
Although there are numerous narrations regarding the age of Aisha when she was married, the one that is most often a point of contention is the following: | Although there are numerous narrations regarding the age of Aisha when she was married, the one that is most often a point of contention is the following: | ||
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In this narration, the word ''"udkhilath"'' was translated by Dr. Mushin Khan to mean ''"consummated his marriage."'' | In this narration, the word ''"udkhilath"'' was translated by Dr. Mushin Khan to mean ''"consummated his marriage."'' | ||
== Interpretations of "Consummate" == | ===Interpretations of "Consummate"=== | ||
Some | Some apologists claim that Muhammad ''"zawaj'ed"'' Aisha when she was six, and ''"nikah'ed"'' her when she was 9 years old. <ref>[http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Polemics/aishah.html Muslim Answers - 'The young age of Aishah' by Abd ar-Rahmân Robert Squires]</ref> They claim that ''"zawaj"'' means ''"betrothal"'' and ''"[[nikah]]"'' means ''"marriage."'' After stating this, they claim that Dr. Mushin Khan's translation is "poor" because he has (allegedly) added "consummation of" to the meaning of 'nikah', instead of simply rendering it as "marriage". Thereby, they claim that Dr. Khan has added a sexual connotation to the narration in question which was not intended. | ||
Others accept Dr. Khan's translation, but argue as to the meaning of "consummate" as they too, disagree with the implied sexual connotation. The usual reasoning given for this interpretation of the ahadith in question, is that 'consummation' could be interpreted as 'completion' of the marriage or wedding ceremony - as in completion of a business transaction. However this is not correct, as the word 'dakhala' does not simply mean 'consummate' in English, but it actually translates as the English phrase 'consummate the marriage.' | |||
Essentially what | Essentially what they are doing when they attack the meaning of 'consummate' is that they are addressing the English word but not the Arabic (dakhala). While 'consummate' can sometimes mean 'completion' (as in a business transaction), the Arabic word 'dakhala' carries no such meaning or connotation. | ||
Furthermore, a fluent English speaker will never take 'consummate the marriage' to mean 'complete the marriage' or 'enter the marriage', but will always understand it to mean 'sexual intercourse.' It is the only possible way to understand this euphemism. This is what Muslims fail to understand; ie. the meaning of the verb is dependent on the object in question. As the object in this case is marriage, the verb 'consummate' refers to sexual intercourse. This is because of the historical English (or more correctly Catholic) custom in which a marriage is considered to be consummated once the sexual act has taken place. | Furthermore, a fluent English speaker will never take 'consummate the marriage' to mean 'complete the marriage' or 'enter the marriage', but will always understand it to mean 'sexual intercourse.' It is the only possible way to understand this euphemism. This is what Muslims fail to understand; ie. the meaning of the verb is dependent on the object in question. As the object in this case is marriage, the verb 'consummate' refers to sexual intercourse. This is because of the historical English (or more correctly Catholic) custom in which a marriage is considered to be consummated once the sexual act has taken place. | ||
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If we say in Arabic: 'Muhammad bana bi Aisha', the meaning is: 'Muhammad had intercourse with Aisha.' This is the only possibly Arabic understanding of the phrase. Therefore, again, it is apparent that Dr. Mushin Khan has used the euphemism "consummated the marriage" to denote the sexual act. | If we say in Arabic: 'Muhammad bana bi Aisha', the meaning is: 'Muhammad had intercourse with Aisha.' This is the only possibly Arabic understanding of the phrase. Therefore, again, it is apparent that Dr. Mushin Khan has used the euphemism "consummated the marriage" to denote the sexual act. | ||
Other Bukhari ahadith that use the phrase ''"bana biha"'' to mean sexual intercourse (although not between Muhammad and Aisha) include: {{Bukhari|4|53|353}} and {{Bukhari|7|62|87}}. | Other Bukhari ahadith that use the phrase ''"bana biha"'' to mean sexual intercourse (although not between Muhammad and Aisha) include: Sahih Bukhari 4:53:353 and Sahih Bukhari 7:62:87. | ||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|53|353}}|Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "A prophet amongst the prophets carried out a holy military expedition, so he said to his followers, 'Anyone who has married a woman and wants to '''consummate the marriage''', and has not done so yet, should not accompany me; nor should a man who has built a house but has not completed its roof; nor a man who has sheep or shecamels and is waiting for the birth of their young ones.' So, the prophet carried out the expedition and when he reached that town at the time or nearly at the time of the 'Asr prayer, he said to the sun, 'O sun! You are under Allah's Order and I am under Allah's Order O Allah! Stop it (i.e. the sun) from setting.' It was stopped till Allah made him victorious...}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|87}}|Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "A prophet among the prophets went for a military expedition and said to his people: "A man who has married a lady and wants to '''consummate his marriage''' with her and he has not done so yet, should not accompany me.' "}} | |||
== Conclusion == | == Conclusion == | ||
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The confusion from Muslims regarding this comes from their lack of understanding regarding the English phrase "consummation of marriage", their ignorance of Arabic and their unwillingness to admit that their prophet had sexual intercourse with a nine year old child. | The confusion from Muslims regarding this comes from their lack of understanding regarding the English phrase "consummation of marriage", their ignorance of Arabic and their unwillingness to admit that their prophet had sexual intercourse with a nine year old child. | ||
Instead of attacking the English phrase "consummation of the marriage", it might better serve Muslim apologists to read the relevant ahadith in the original Arabic | Instead of attacking the English phrase "consummation of the marriage", it might better serve Muslim apologists to read the relevant ahadith in the original Arabic. | ||
{{Core Pedophilia}} | {{Core Pedophilia}} | ||