Aisha was traditionally reported to be married to Muhammad at the age of six and the marriage was consummated when she was nine, according to classical Islamic sources including hadith narrated by Aisha herself. However, some modern scholars argue that she was likely older, possibly in her late teens, based on historical context and other analysis.
Traditional View
- Aisha stated in hadith that she was six at the time of marriage and nine at consummation.
- This view is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and other early Islamic texts.
- The marriage consummation happened after the migration to Medina, around when she reached puberty.
Alternative Scholarly Views
- Some contemporary scholars estimate Aisha to be between 15 and 19 years old at consummation.
- These arguments include historical timelines of Muhammad’s mission and Aisha’s activities such as tending to the wounded on battlefields.
- This view questions the accuracy of the traditional age reports, considering social and cultural norms of the time.
In summary, the most widely accepted traditional account is that Aisha was six at marriage and nine at consummation , but there remains scholarly debate about the exact age, with evidence suggesting she may have been older.
