Chief of the Prophets

Chief of the Prophets — Page 111

Chapter Seven Marriages of Muḥammad sa Expulsion of Banū Qainuqā‘ and Banī Na*īr Battle of Uḥud Incident of Al-Rajī‘ and Bi‘r Ma‘ῡnah Ghazwah Banū Muṣṭalīq The Incident of the Accusation (Ifk) The Traditional Wedding-Farewell (Rukhṣati) of ‘Ᾱ’ishah ra , Shawwāl, 2 A. H. It has already been mentioned that after having a dream, Muḥammad sa performed a Nikāḥ 1 with ‘Ᾱ’ishah ra in Shawwāl of 10 th Nabawī. 2 At the time of the Nikāḥ , ‘Ᾱ’ishah ra was seven years old. 3 Since she had not reached adulthood, she continued to live with her parents for some time. Two years after the Migration, as it had been five years since the Nikāḥ and ‘Ᾱ’ishah ra was 12 years old 4 and fully matured, Abū Bakr ra went to Muḥammad sa and made a request for the traditional wedding-farewell ceremony ( rukhṣati). In the Shawwāl of the 2 A. H. , ‘Ᾱ’ishah ra bade farewell to her parents’ house and entered into the blessed household of Muḥammad sa. Distinction of ‘Ᾱ’ishah ra ‘Ᾱ’ishah ra has the distinction among all other wives of being the only one who was unmarried prior to marrying Muḥammad sa. All the other wives were either widows or divorcees, and every one of them was of elderly age. The motivations for the marriages with these wives included favour or goodwill to some party, to establish relationship with some nations, to break the traditions of the disbelievers of the time of ignorance, or simply because the woman 1 Formal declaration of marriage. 2 Isti‘āb. 3 Ibni Hishām, discussion of the wives of Muḥammad sa. 4 See Sīrat Khātamun-Nabiyyīn, Urdu edition, published by Islam International Publications, 1996, p. 423, for a detailed discussion about the age of ‘Ᾱ’ishah ra.