Writer's assertions open to question

In this article, the writer Wan Azahar Wan Ahmad [writing for The Star, Kuala Lumpur] addressed the issue of child marriage in Islam. We were told that “in-depth studies” by “reliable” scholars assure us that Mohammad’s child bride was not nine after all, but “at least 17”. Inasmuch as the most respected commentators of the Hadith say Mohammad met her when he was six and (as a 52-year-old man) and married her at nine, perhaps your writer could enlighten us by giving us details of these “in-depth studies” and exactly who these “reliable” scholars are. The writer might wish to check Bukhari, Vol 5, Book 63, No 3896, and Vol 7, Book 67, No 5158.  Bukhari states: “Mohammad would take a bath with the little girl (Aisha) and fondle her.” Also, the very respected Hadith chronicler, Muslim, states: “Mohammad married Aisha at the age of nine.”

Dean Barrett

Bangkok