Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
From this hadith, it is understood that it is permissible for an older man to marry a younger woman.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
When the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) mentioned to Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) his desire to marry Aisha (radi Allahu anhuma), he said:
“She is your niece, and marriage to a niece is not permissible.”
At that time, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) clarified that: “You are my brother in religion and Islam, and Islamic brotherhood does not prevent marriage. However, marriage to a real (biological) niece is forbidden.”

(2)
The purpose of Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) is to show that it is permissible for a young girl to marry an older man; there is no legal prohibition in this matter.
In another narration, it is further clarified that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent Khawla bint Hakim (radi Allahu anhuma) to Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) so that she might mention to him the proposal of marriage to Aisha (radi Allahu anhuma).
Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) said:
“She is his niece.
How can marriage to her be permissible?” Khawla (radi Allahu anhuma) came to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and mentioned the words of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu), so he said:
“Tell him: You are my brother in religion, therefore your daughter is lawful for me.”
Khawla (radi Allahu anhuma) went to Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) and mentioned the words of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to him, so he said:
“Go, call the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).” Thus, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) came, and he married Aisha (radi Allahu anhuma) to him.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) considered the words of Khawla (radi Allahu anhuma) as his own words because she was his representative (wakil).
(Musnad Ahmad: 211/6, Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 7/129, and Fath al-Bari: 156/9)

Hadith Commentary:
At the time of the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) passing, the age of Aisha (radi Allahu anha) was eighteen years.
In hot countries like Arabia, women would generally reach puberty at the age of nine.
The onset of puberty is also greatly influenced by climate and weather.
In extremely hot regions, women and men reach puberty earlier, whereas in very cold regions, it generally occurs around eighteen to twenty years of age. Therefore, this is not something that is beyond reason.
Some scholars have made many unnecessary interpretations regarding this matter, but the apparent reality is as mentioned in the narration; there is no need for such contrivances.
It was not unreasonable for girls in Arabia to reach puberty at nine years of age, and that is what happened here.
And Allah knows best what is correct.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
At the time of the passing of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), the age of Aisha (radi Allahu anha) was eighteen years.
(2)
From this hadith, it is understood that at the time of her marriage being consummated, Aisha (radi Allahu anha) was nine years old and she had reached puberty.
In reality, the onset of puberty is closely related to climate and weather.
In hot regions, puberty occurs earlier, whereas in cold areas, it is delayed.
Furthermore, human health also plays a significant role in this.
A weak and frail woman reaches puberty earlier, while healthy women attain puberty later.
Some scholars have engaged in much unnecessary elaboration at this point, whereas in regions like Arabia, it is not unreasonable for a girl to reach puberty at the age of nine.
Our own observation is that even in the regions of the Indian subcontinent, some girls reach puberty at nine years of age.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
A well-known objection regarding this hadith is that Khadijah radi Allahu anha passed away three years before the Hijrah. If the marriage took place three years after her death, then it would have occurred at the time of the Hijrah or after it, whereas no one holds this view. In reality, this hadith mentions the death of Khadijah radi Allahu anha and the marriage to Aishah radi Allahu anha, meaning that Khadijah radi Allahu anha passed away three years before the Hijrah. After her death, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam stayed in Makkah for two years or more. The marriage to Aishah radi Allahu anha and her moving in (rukhsati) are separate matters, which are not directly connected to the previous statement; that is, when the marriage to her took place, she was six years old, and then in the first year after the Hijrah, her rukhsati took place, at which time she was nine years old. This is supported by the narration of Allamah Isma‘ili, in which it is stated that Khadijah radi Allahu anha passed away three years before the Hijrah of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. After her death, the marriage to Aishah radi Allahu anha took place when she was six years old, and after coming to Madinah Tayyibah, her rukhsati took place when she was nine years old. (Fath al-Bari: 7/281)

Whatever the differences may be regarding the year of Khadijah radi Allahu anha’s death and, based on that, the date of Aishah radi Allahu anha’s marriage, there is no disagreement on the fact that Aishah radi Allahu anha was six years old at the time of marriage and nine years old at the time of rukhsati. This is the narration found in all the books of hadith. This incident is narrated by Aishah radi Allahu anha herself, and ‘Urwah narrates it after hearing it from her. Who is ‘Urwah? He is the son of Asma radi Allahu anha, and it is from his year and age that some try to determine the year of Aishah’s marriage, even though for Aishah radi Allahu anha herself, the rukhsati at the age of nine is such a certain matter that she considers nine years to be the age of maturity for an Arab girl. Her statement is: “When a girl reaches nine years, she is a woman.” (Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Nikah, Hadith: 1109)

Rationally, it is not impossible for a nine-year-old girl to reach puberty. Accordingly, regarding Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has written that he saw a grandmother who was twenty-one years old, who had her first menstruation at the age of nine and gave birth to a daughter at the age of ten. The same happened with her daughter. (Fath al-Bari: 5/341)

The same is possible for boys as well. Mughira ibn Muqsim Dhammi al-Kufi says: “I reached puberty at the age of twelve.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Shahadat, Chapter: 18, before Hadith: 2664)

Similarly, there was only a twelve-year age difference between ‘Amr ibn al-‘As radi Allahu anhu and his son ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr radi Allahu anhu, meaning there was only a twelve-year difference between father and son. (Fath al-Bari: 5/341)

In conclusion, our claim is that according to the most authentic, reliable, and agreed-upon narrations, Aishah radi Allahu anha’s marriage took place at the age of six, and her rukhsati at the age of nine. Furthermore, according to the reconciliation of all events and years, she was born at the end of the fifth year of Prophethood, her marriage took place in Shawwal of the eleventh year of Prophethood, and she came into the service of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in Shawwal of the first year after the Hijrah. Then, at the age of eighteen, she faced widowhood.

Radi Allahu anha wa ‘an sa’ir al-muslimin.