[salman]

continuing with the refutation and Muslim response to Ali Sina's article "Aisha the child wife of Muhammad"

Originally Posted by Ali Sina

Abu Bakr and Muhammad had pledged to each other to be brothers. So according to their costoms Ayesha was supposed to be like a niece to the Holy Prophet. Yet that did not stop him to ask her hand even when she was only six years old.

This is ridiculous logic at its best! First, there was no direct or explicit 'pledge treaty' was assigned between them which would say "We're brothers and therefore..". Unless you can show us an evidence which would support your argument. Second, I don't see how one being closer friends or being part of same community make them "actual" brothers; being like brothers doesn't make you biological brothers. In Islam, Muslims are brothers of each other, so by using such logic no Muslim can get married. Because if two people are like brothers and we use this logic then person A's sister is like person B's sister and A's daughter is like B's daughter, the A's wife is like B's wife and A's brother is like B's brother and A's father is like B's father and so on. One can notice the problem and absurdity in this argument. Again, you're exposing your lack of historical knowledge, it was not the prophet who came up with this idea.

Now, read this carefully, Musnad Ahmad Hadith no 25210:

After Khadijah died, Khawlah bint Hakeem, wife of 'Uthman bin Maz'oon said: 'Wouldn't you marry, O prophet of Allah?' He said: 'Who?' She said: 'If you like, a virgin, or a previously married woman.' He said: 'Who is the virgin?' She said: 'The daughter of the most beloved creature to you, Aisha daughter of Abu Bakr.' He said: 'And who is the previously married?' She said: 'Sawda bint Zama; she believed in you and followed you, in what you say.' He said: 'So go, and mention me to them.'

Also, Shaykh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid says while commenting on the dream of the Prophet (sal-allahu 'alayhi wa salam) seeing 'Aishah (radiallahu anha) as his bride:

There is nothing in the hadeeth to indicate that his marriage to 'Aa'ishah was as a result of that dream. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked her father for her hand in marriage, and her father Abu Bakr gave her in marriage, in the usual fashion, as is indicated in the following hadeeth:

" 'Urwah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked Abu Bakr for 'Aa'ishah's hand in marriage, and Abu Bakr said to him: 'But I am your brother.' He said: 'You are my brother according to the religion and Book of Allah (i.e., my brother in Islam), and she is permissible for me (to marry)." (Bukhaari, 4691).

In his commentary Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Ibn Abi 'Aasim reported via Yahyaa ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Haatib from 'Aa'ishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent Khawlah bint Hakeem to Abu Bakr to ask for 'Aa'ishah's hand in marriage. Abu Bakr asked her, 'Is she right for him? Because she is the daughter of my brother.' Khawlah went back and mentioned this to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He told her: 'Go back and tell him: "You are my brother in Islam, and your daughter is right for me."' She went back to Abu Bakr and told him, and he said: 'Call the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).' So he came and the marriage was performed."

The phrase "You are my brother according to the religion and Book of Allah (i.e., my brother in Islam)" was referring to the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): "The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion)" [al-Hujuraat 49:10] and other similar aayaat. The phrase "she is permissible for me (to marry)" means it is permissible to marry her even though she is the brother's daughter, because the kind of brotherhood that would prevent such a marriage is the brotherhood of descent (same parent) or of radaa'ah (by being breastfed in infancy by the same woman), not the brotherhood of faith.
Source

In cocnlusion, from above it is clear that the Messenger of Allah (sal-allahu 'alayhi wa salam) was not the one who came up with the idea of marrying our mother, 'Aishah (radiallahu anha).

Originally Posted by Ali Sina

But this moral relativist Prophet would use the same excuse to reject a woman he did not like.

Sahih Bukhari V.7, B62, N. 37
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
It was said to the Prophet, "Won't you marry the daughter of Hamza?" He said, "She is my foster niece (brother's daughter). "

Hamza and Abu Bakr both were the foster brothers of Muhammad. But Ayesha must have been too pretty for the Prophet to abide by the codes of ethics and custom.

First, Ali Sina, show an evidence for your bogus interpretation: he didn't like her and Abou Bakr (radiallahu anho) was the foster brother of Prophet Muhammad (sal-allahu 'alayhi wa salam). This only shows your academic dishonesty and ignorance. I would expect from an ex-Muslim and an "Islamic expert" to know the definition of foster brother in Islam. Learn more about Islamic Ruling on breastfeeding and the wisdom behind it. So, in this case, Allah's Rasoul (Messenger - sal-allahu 'alayhi wa salam) rejected the marriage because according to Shari'ah she was forbiden for him to marry due to the fact that Hamza (radiallahu anho) and Prophet Muhammad (sal-allahu 'alayhi wa salam) were breastfed by the same woman (Thuwaiba):

Umm Habiba, the daughter of AbuSufyan, reported: "...I said: I have been informed that you have given the proposal of marriage to Durrah daughter of Abu Salama He raid: You mean the daughter of Umm Salama? I said: Yes. He said: Even if she had not been my step-daughter brought up under my guardianship, she would not have been lawful for me, for she is the daughter of my foster-brother (Hamza), for Thuwaiba had suckled me and her father. So do not give me the proposal of the marriage of your daughters and sisters." [Sahih Muslim Book 8.3412]

There're few other ahadith in both of the Sahih (Bukhair & Muslim) confirming this.

Originally Posted by Ali Sina

In the following Hadith he confided to Ahesha that he had dreamed of her before soliciting her from her father.

Sahih Bukhari 9.140
Narrated 'Aisha:
Allah's Apostle said to me, "You were shown to me twice (in my dream) before I married you. I saw an angel carrying you in a silken piece of cloth, and I said to him, 'Uncover (her),' and behold, it was you. I said (to myself), 'If this is from Allah, then it must happen.

Whether Muhammad had actually such dream or he just said it to please Ayesha is not the point. What matters here is that it indicates that Ayesaha was a baby being "carried" by an angel when the Prophet dreamed of her.

The whole dream issue has been already explained and what I want to focus on is his last argument. The emphasized part of his argument is the ridiculous logic at its best, not surprised to see. Mr. Sina, can you please explain us how one being carried is considered a baby? Also, the word 'carry' in the hadith is not the in the inverted quotes. When people carry injured soldiers on the battlefields, does it mean the soldiers are the baby? Off course, they're according to your argument. It is amazing that your country, America, is sending "babies" to fight the "terrorists", while adults like you are sitting at home and enjoying their deaths.

He quotes bunch of ahadith and says

Originally Posted by Ali Sina

In the above hadith we read that Ayesha was swinging, This is a play of little girls not grown up people.

So, if a girl doesn't play on a swing then she is grown up? What kind of criteria is this? do you know that even the girls who are 18 years old or older play and love to play on swings etc?

side note: can a sister on forum please provide an evidence for this insha'Allah, you or your friend or anyone you know, Jazak Allah khair?

Originally Posted by Ali Sina

But the following is also interesting because it demonstrates that she was just a kid playing with her dolls. Pay attention to what the interpreter wrote in the parenthesis. (She was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty)

Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 151
Narrated 'Aisha:
I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Apostle used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me. (The playing with the dolls and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for 'Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty.) (Fateh-al-Bari page 143, Vol.13)

Sahih Muslim Book 008, Number 3311
'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married her when she was seven years old, and he was taken to his house as a bride when she was nine, and her dolls were with her; and when he (the Holy Prophet) died she was eighteen years old.

Again, Ali Sina is imposing a ridiculously stupid criteria! How does one playing or not playing with dolls prove that she has grown up or not? I've already showed two authentic narrations at the start proving that 'Aishah not only had reached puberty but also had physically matured and this is from her own mouth. Ali Sina appealing to what Khatabi said and quoted in Fateh al-Bari only shows that you're committing the logical fallacy: Appealing to an authority. I've already dealt with this issue in bit details here. You can also check out brother Bassam's articles on this topic on his website in section refuting Sam Shamoun.

In rest of the articles, Ali Sina goes on typical rampage against the Muslims who rejects these ahadith, which some students of knowledge already dealt with: Age of 'Aisha's Marriage: Historians vs Hadith Scholars

In conclusion, this is end of the refutation; allhamdulillah, I've shown the logical problems with Ali Sina's arguments, his misinterpretation of the historical facts and his academic dishonesty. I also presented TWO authentic narrations which proves that our mother, 'Aishah (radiallahu anha), not only had reached the puberty but also had physically matured. Now, if these people have problem with an adult man marrying an adult woman, we can't help them; maybe doctors can.

Wallahu A'lam (and Allah knows best)