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The Quranic Provision

Quran 65:4 contains a verse that permits marriage to prepubescent girls. This verse, combined with Muhammad's own marriage to Aisha at age 6, establishes that child marriage is permissible in Islamic law—a practice that continues in some Muslim-majority countries today.

"And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women - if you doubt, then their period is three months, and [also for] those who have not menstruated. And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him of his matter ease." — Quran 65:4

The Clear Meaning

"Those Who Have Not Menstruated"

The Arabic phrase wa-al-lā'ī lam yaḥiḍna (وَاللَّائِي لَمْ يَحِضْنَ) literally means "those who have not menstruated." This refers to prepubescent girls who have never had a menstrual period.

The verse discusses divorce waiting periods (iddah) for different categories of wives, including those "who have not menstruated"—proving that prepubescent girls can be married, since you can only divorce someone you've married.

Classical Scholarly Interpretation

Islamic scholars unanimously understood this verse as permitting marriage to prepubescent girls:

Ibn Kathir's Commentary

"The 'iddah [waiting period] for the girl who has not yet menstruated—the same for the young, who has not reached the years of menstruation. Their 'iddah is three months like those in menopause." — Tafsir Ibn Kathir on Quran 65:4

Al-Jalalayn's Explanation

"And [also for] those who have not yet menstruated, because of their young age, their period shall [also] be three months." — Tafsir al-Jalalayn on Quran 65:4

Muhammad's Example

Marriage to Aisha

The most famous example of child marriage in Islam is Muhammad's marriage to Aisha. According to multiple authentic hadith:

"The Prophet wrote the marriage contract with Aisha while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old, and she remained with him for nine years (i.e., till his death)." — Sahih Bukhari 7:62:64

"Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Medina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he married 'Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consumed that marriage when she was nine years old." — Sahih Bukhari 5:58:234

The Significance

This isn't a peripheral detail—it's authenticated in the most reliable hadith collections (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). Since Muhammad is considered "an excellent example" (Quran 33:21), his marriage to a 6-year-old child establishes a precedent that cannot be easily dismissed.

The Reality of Consummation

What "Consummation at Nine" Means

Aisha herself narrated details about their marriage:

She was still playing with dolls when Muhammad consummated the marriage
Her mother prepared her and brought her to him
She describes being a child during this time

Modern medicine recognizes that girls this age:

Are physically not ready for sexual intercourse
Can suffer serious physical trauma
Cannot meaningfully consent
Are psychologically children, not adults

Modern Child Marriage in Islamic Countries

Current Practice

Child marriage remains legal or common in many Muslim-majority countries:

Yemen: No minimum age; girls as young as 8-9 married
Saudi Arabia: No minimum age until recently; religious courts permitted child marriage
Iran: Girls can marry at 13 (9 with father's permission and court approval)
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan: Child marriage common despite legal minimum ages
Many African Muslim-majority nations: High rates of child marriage

Religious Justification

When challenged, some Islamic scholars and officials explicitly cite:

Quran 65:4 (proving it's permissible)
Muhammad's marriage to Aisha (the perfect example)
Classical Islamic jurisprudence (all four schools permit it)

Health and Human Rights Consequences

Physical Harm

Child brides face:

Severe physical trauma from sexual intercourse
Early pregnancy complications (leading cause of death for girls 15-19 globally)
Obstructed labor and fistulas
Stunted physical development

Psychological Impact

Loss of childhood
Trauma from forced sexual activity
Depression and anxiety
Loss of educational opportunities

Apologetic Responses

"It Was Normal in That Culture"

Muslims argue this was acceptable in 7th-century Arabia. Problems:

The Quran is supposed to be timeless: If Allah's law is eternal, why would it permit something now considered harmful?
It wasn't universal even then: Many cultures had older marriage ages
Muhammad is the "perfect example": If his behavior was only for his time, what else is outdated?
It's still practiced today: Muslims cite these sources to justify modern child marriage

"Girls Matured Earlier Then"

Some claim girls matured physically faster in the past. This is:

Scientifically false (better nutrition accelerates puberty, not the reverse)
Irrelevant (even if physically mature, 9-year-olds aren't mentally/emotionally adults)
Not what the sources say (Aisha was explicitly described as a child)

Reform Efforts and Resistance

Attempts to Ban Child Marriage

When Muslim-majority countries try to set minimum marriage ages, they often face religious opposition:

Conservative clerics cite Quran 65:4 and Muhammad's example
They argue humans cannot override Allah's law
Reforms are labeled as Western interference

Biblical Contrast

The Bible nowhere permits or endorses child marriage. While ancient Israelite culture practiced arranged marriages, there is no biblical provision for marrying prepubescent children.

Jesus emphasized protecting children:

"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." — Matthew 18:5-6

Christianity has consistently taught that sexual relations are only appropriate within adult marriage between consenting partners.

Questions to Consider

How can marrying and having sex with a 9-year-old child be compatible with protecting children?
If Muhammad is the "perfect example for all times," does that include his marriage to Aisha?
If Quran 65:4 is outdated, what other parts of the Quran are no longer applicable?
How can Muslims condemn modern child marriage while defending Muhammad's actions?
What does it say about Islam that this verse and Muhammad's example are still used to justify child marriage today?

Conclusion

Quran 65:4 explicitly provides rules for divorcing prepubescent wives, proving child marriage is permitted. Muhammad's marriage to 6-year-old Aisha, consummated when she was 9, provides the authoritative example. This continues to enable and justify child marriage in parts of the Muslim world today, with devastating consequences for girls' health, safety, and rights.

Child Marriage in Islam: What the Sources Say