Sanggahan Terhadap Apologis Muslim Mengenai Usia Aisha: Difference between revisions

Artikel ini merupakan analisa terhadap apologetika muslim masa kini yang berusaha mengaburkan usia Aisha sesungguhnya saat dirinya pertama kali berhubungan suami-isteri dengan Muhamad.

Beberapa apologis muslim baru-baru ini mengatakan bahwa Aisha berusia lebih dari sembilan tahun kalender bulan di saat hubungan suami-isteri pertamanya dengan nabi Muhamad. Mereka mencoba menjelaskan bahwa usia Aisha saat itu bukan sembilan tahun seperti yang tercatat dalam hadist sahih maupun dari pengakuan Aisha sendiri, melainkan berusia berbeda dengan didasari kepada penyalahgunaan kutipan, sumber yang tidak langsung, metode penanggalan yang tidak akurat, dan hinaan. Teknik penelitian asal-asalan ini menimbulkan dugaan umur yang saling bentrok mengenai usia Aisha saat dirinya berhubungan suami-isteri pertama kali, yaitu 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, dan 21 tahun. Artikel ini menganalisa setiap argumen yang disodorkan oleh para apologis tersebut, dan menyediakan informasi tambahan mengenai asal muasal dan latar belakang dari argumen-argumen apologetika "Aisha berumur lebih tua", dan apa sebenarnya satu-satunya tujuan logis dari argumen-argumen tersebut.

Argumen-argumen yang dilontarkan oleh para apologis muslim memberikan kesan yang keliru seakan-akan masalah usia nikah Aisha merupakan perdebatan yang sudah berlangsung lama dalam Islam, dan bahwa argumen-argumen tersebut valid atas penafsiran yang nantinya bisa membawa reformasi di dalam Islam umumnya. Jelasnya tidak demikian. Tidak ada yang bisa diperdebatkan soal penafsiran. Ayat teks jelas-jelas mengatakan satu hal, dan hanya satu hal. Bagi mereka yang benar-benar telah membaca sumbernya, adalah tidak jujur untuk mengatakan sebaliknya. Berbohong mengenai apa yang dikatakan oleh sumber asli mungkin bisa efektif sebagai apologetika, tapi tidak ada gunanya apabila tujuannya adalah untuk mereformasi agama. Tidak ada satu pun ahli Islam sungguhan, seorang yang diterima di dunia muslim dan yang oleh umat muslim kebanyakan dianggap mewakili keyakinan mereka, yang mau mendukung argumen-argumen ini. Karena itu, satu-satunya tujuan mereka adalah untuk mengalihkan kritik-kritik valid terhadap suatu keyakinan yang terus-menerus menyebabkan jutaan gadis-gadis kecil dipaksakan ke dalam pernikahan pedofilia anak-anak oleh individu-individu, dan bahkan oleh negara-negara, di mana kesemuanya membenarkan tindakan tersebut dengan secara gamblang mengambil contoh hubungan suami-isteri antara Aisha  

The majority of Muslims today, including both scholars and the general Muslim population, agree that Aisha was 9 when her marriage to Prophet Muhammad was consummated. This has been the mainstream Muslim understanding throughout Islam's 1,400 year history.  

The first ever pro-Muhammad and provably faulty objection raised to Aisha's age was by Maulana Muhammad Ali who lived from 1874 to 1951.<ref name="Zahid Aziz"></ref> He is neither a respected nor a notable figures as far as Islam is concerned, since he belonged to the [[Ahmadiyya]] whose beliefs drastically differ from mainstream Islam. The Ahmadiyya and their writings are also heavily focused on missionary work.

Adding to Ali's objections, there is Habib Ur Rahman Siddiqui Kandhalvi (1924-1991) who in his Urdu booklet, "Tehqiq e umar e Siddiqah e Ka'inat" (English trans. 1997), laments that he is "tired of defending this tradition" that is "laughed" at and "ridiculed" by English-educated individuals he meets in Karachi who claim it is against "sagacity and prudence" and "preferred English society to Islam over this", and he readily admits his "aim is to produce an answer to the enemies of Islam who spatter mud at the pious body of the Generous Prophet".<ref>All  Habib Ur Rahman Siddiqui Kandhalvi quotations are taken from the Preface of the 2007 English translation of his Urdu booklet, "''Tehqiq e umar e Siddiqah e Ka'inat''", translated by Nigar Erfaney and published by Al-Rahman Publishing Trust under the title, "''Age of Aisha (The Truthful Women, May Allah Send His Blessings)''"</ref> A posthumous [[fatwa]] was issued against him in November 2004, labelling him a "Munkir-e-Hadith" (hadith rejector) and a "Kafir" (infidel) on the basis of being a rejector of hadith.<ref>The original fatwa and the English translation branding Habib Ur Rahman Siddiqui Kandhalvi's beliefs outside of Islam, thus making him a 'kafir', can be viewed here: [{{Reference archive|1=http://marifah.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=3036|2=2012-09-24}} Fatwa's on hadith rejectors?]</ref>

More recently, we have Moiz Amjad (who refers to himself as "The Learner"). He readily admits to having lifted these faulty arguments from them, summarizing and presenting them in response to a Muslim asking him how he can respond to Christians who called Muhammad a pedophile (i.e. all of his arguments, like Ali's and Kandhalvi's before him, were apologetic in nature rather than scholarly).<ref>See: "[http://www.islamawareness.net/FAQ/what_was_ayesha.html What was Ayesha's (ra) Age at the Time of Her Marriage?]", by Moiz Amjad.</ref> It was at this very recent point in history that the arguments originating from the Ahmadiyya in the 1920s and 1930s finally achieved a little popularity among a few orthodox Muslims. However, this popularity seems to be strictly limited to articles or arguments on the Internet. Clearly a knee-jerk reaction to the avalanche in online criticism of Muhammad's life, as opposed to a shift in beliefs.

In July 2005, Shaykh [[Dr.]] [[Gibril Haddad|Gibril Fouad Haddad]] responded to Moiz Amjad's polemics with, "Our Mother A'isha's Age At The Time Of Her Marriage to The Prophet", published at SunniPath.com.<ref>Shaykh Gibril F Haddad - [http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=4604&CATE=1 <!-- Backup links: [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fqa.sunnipath.com%2Fissue_view.asp%3FHD%3D7%26ID%3D4604%26CATE%3D1&date=2011-05-05] [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?2925-Our-Mother-Aisha-s-Age-at-the-Time-of-Her-Marriage-to-the-Prophet-saw|2=2011-05-04}} ]-->Our Mother A'isha's Age At The Time Of Her Marriage to The Prophet] - Sunni Path, Question ID:4604, July 3, 2005</ref> Including many facts that are easily verifiable for those who have access to the hadith and sira literature, he  dismantled the lies and distortions being spread by apologists. For example, he exposed the fact that many of the arguments were based solely on faulty assumptions taken from hadiths completely unrelated to Aisha's age, or were misrepresenting the sources that were being cited (i.e. they actually supported the fact that Aisha was 9). To this day, his scholarly reply remains unanswered by Moiz Amjad. Haddad, who was listed amongst the inaugural "500 most influential Muslims in the world",<ref name="The 500">Edited by Prof. John Esposito and Prof. Ibrahim Kalin - [http://thebook.org/books_pdf/500Muslims_2009.pdf The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World (P. 94)] - The royal islamic strategic studies centre, 2009</ref> is a Muslim scholar and muhaddith (hadith expert)<ref name="The 500"></ref> who is taken very seriously by mainstream Muslims. He is also a vocal critic of [[Salaf|Salafi]] fundamentalism.<ref>Stephen Schwartz - [http://www.islamdaily.org/en/wahabism/2553.wahhabis-in-america.htm/ Wahhabis in America] - Islam Daily, February 26, 2005</ref>  

Since the publication of Haddad's definitive response, Moiz Amjad's highly convoluted arguments, with all of their obvious lies and faults intact, have continued to be rehashed by countless apologists on the Internet with the same missionary and apologetic focus. Other transmitters of these arguments include, but are not limited to; T.O Shavanas,<ref>T.O Shanavas - [http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_151_200/ayesha_age_the_myth_of__a_prover.htm AYESHA’s AGE: THE MYTH OF  A PROVERBIAL WEDDING EXPOSED ] - Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.</ref> “Imam” Chaudhry (word-for-word plagiarism of Amjad's work),<ref>Imam Chaudhry - [{{Reference archive|1=http://islamicsupremecouncil.com/ayesha.htm|2=2011-05-01}} What Was The Age of Ummul Mo'mineen Ayesha (May Allah be pleased with her) When She Married To Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)?] - Islamic Supreme Council of Canada</ref> Zahid Aziz,<ref name="Zahid Aziz">Zahid Aziz - [http://www.muslim.org/islam/aisha-age.php Age of Aisha (ra) at time of marriage] - Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha`at Islam Lahore Inc. U.S.A. (''for a refutation to the issues raised by Aziz's [[Tu Quoque|tu-quoque]] defence, titled "Mary and Joseph", [[Joseph the Pedophile|click here]]'')</ref> Nilofar Ahmed,<ref>Nilofar Ahmed - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/of-aishas-age-at-marriage.html|2=2012-02-17}} Of Aisha’s age at marriage] - Dawn, February 17, 2012</ref> and David Liepert.<ref>Dr. David Liepert - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-david-liepert/islamic-pedophelia_b_814332.html|2=2012-09-21}} Rejecting the Myth of Sanctioned Child Marriage in Islam] - The Huffington Post, January 29, 2011 (for direct responses to David Liepert, see: [[Rejecting Dr David Lieperts Aisha Was Older Apologetic Myth|Rejecting Dr. David Liepert's "Aisha Was Older" Apologetic Myth]] & [http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/silas/liepert.html Muhammad, Child brides, and David Liepert])</ref>

==The Arguments==

The following series of arguments were presented by Moiz Amjad. We have chosen to analyze and respond to them specifically, due to his polemics encompassing every single claim made by other modern-day apologists who sometimes use a few, or even all of them as their own. They do this often without acknowledging Amjad as the true source of their claims.  

===The First Argument===

{{Quote|1=[http://www.understanding-islam.com/ri/mi-005.htm Moiz Amjad]|2=Most of these narratives are reported only by Hisham ibn `urwah reporting on the authority of his father. An event as well known as the one being reported, should logically have been reported by more people than just one, two or three.}}

This is a classic ''Straw man''. There is no requirement in [[Islam]] for multiple narrations. Even a single sahih hadith is sufficient to establish Islamic laws and practices.

Shaykh Gibril Haddad also debunks the claim that most of these narratives are reported only by Hisham ibn Urwah.

{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/67gTj2QC2 Gibril Haddad]|2=Try more than eleven authorities among the Tabi`in that reported it directly from `A'isha, not counting the other major Companions that reported the same, nor other major Successors that reported it from other than `A'isha.}}

===The Second Argument===

{{Quote|1=[http://www.understanding-islam.com/ri/mi-005.htm Moiz Amjad]|2=It is quite strange that no one from Medinah, where Hisham ibn `urwah lived the first seventy one years of his life has narrated the event [from him], even though in Medinah his pupils included people as well known as Malik ibn Anas. All the narratives of this event have been reported by narrators from Iraq, where Hisham is reported to have had shifted after living in Medinah for seventy one years.}}

Another ''Straw man''. There is no requirement for a hadith to be narrated in Medina for it to be considered sahih. Also, many events in the Prophet’s life were narrated by single narratives as well. Does that make them invalid? No. To demand multiple, independent narrations from Medinans is just setting up a standard that does not exist – i.e. a straw man.

Shaykh Haddad also refutes this argument by listing the people from Medina who reported this event.

{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/67gTj2QC2 Gibril Haddad]|2=Al-Zuhri also reports it from `Urwa, from `A'isha; so does `Abd Allah ibn Dhakwan, both major Madanis. So is the Tabi`i Yahya al-Lakhmi who reports it from her in the Musnad and in Ibn Sa`d's Tabaqat. So is Abu Ishaq Sa`d ibn Ibrahim who reports it from Imam al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, one of the Seven Imams of Madina, from `A'isha. All the narratives of this event have been reported.

In addition to the above four Madinese Tabi`in narrators, Sufyan ibn `Uyayna from Khurasan and `Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya from Tabarayya in Palestine both report it.}}

===The Third Argument===

{{Quote|1=[http://www.understanding-islam.com/ri/mi-005.htm Moiz Amjad]|2=Tehzeeb al-Tehzeeb, one of the most well known books on the life and reliability of the narrators of the traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) reports that according to Yaqub ibn Shaibah: "narratives reported by Hisham are reliable except those that are reported through the people of Iraq". It further states that Malik ibn Anas objected on those narratives of Hisham which were reported through people of Iraq (Vol. 11, pg. 48 - 51).  

The actual statements, their translations and their complete references are given below:

Yaqub ibn Shaibah says: He [i.e. Hisham] is highly reliable, his narratives are acceptable, except what he narrated after shifting to Iraq. (Tehzeeb al-Tehzeeb, Ibn Hajar Al-`asqalaaniy, Arabic, Dar Ihya al-turath al-Islami, Vol. 11, pg. 50)  

I have been told that Malik [ibn Anas] objected on those narratives of Hisham which were reported through people of Iraq. (Tehzi'bu'l-tehzi'b, Ibn Hajar Al-`asqala'ni, Arabic, Dar Ihya al-turath al-Islami, Vol. 11, pg. 50)}}

According to Shaykh Haddad, Amjad’s third argument is either misrepresentation or a lie. Apparently, the slander against Hisham ibn Urwah is unfounded and unsupported by closer reading of Amjad’s own reference.

{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/67gTj2QC2 Gibril Haddad]|2=Rather, Ya`qub said: "Trustworthy, thoroughly reliable (thiqa thabt), above reproach except after he went to Iraq, at which time he narrated overly from his father and was criticized for it." Notice that Ya`qub does not exactly endorse that criticism.

As for Malik, he reports over 100 hadiths from Hisham as is evident in the two Sahihs and Sunan! to the point that al-Dhahabi questions the authenticity of his alleged criticism of Hisham.

Indeed, none among the hadith Masters endorsed these reservations since they were based solely on the fact that Hisham in his last period (he was 71 at the time of his last trip to Iraq), for the sake of brevity, would say, "My father, from `A'isha? (abi `an `A'isha)" and no longer pronounced, "narrated to me (haddathani)".

Al-Mizzi in Tahdhib al-Kamal (30:238) explained that it became a foregone conclusion for the Iraqis that Hisham did not narrate anything from his father except what he had heard directly from him.

Ibn Hajar also dismisses the objections against Hisham ibn `Urwa as negligible in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (11:45), saying: "It was clear enough to the Iraqis that he did not narrate from his father other than what he had heard directly from him".

===The Fourth Argument===

{{Quote|1=[http://www.understanding-islam.com/ri/mi-005.htm Moiz Amjad]|2=Meezaan al-Ai`tidaal, another book on the [life sketches of the] narrators of the traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) reports that when he was old, Hisham's memory suffered quite badly (Vol. 4, pg. 301 - 302)

 

The actual statement, its translation and its complete references is given below:

When he was old, Hisham's memory suffered quite badly (Meezaan al-Ai`tidaal, Al-Zahabi, Arabic, Al-Maktabah al-Athriyyah, Sheikhupura, Pakistan, Vol. 4, pg. 301).}}  

This is another slander in which the slanderer does not correlate Hisham’s memory loss with the ‘Aisha’s age’ hadiths. Hisham was born in 61 A.H. and died in 146 A.H. at Baghdad – meaning he was 85 years old when he died. He moved to Iraq when he was 71 years old. When did his memory fail him? The slanderer provides no answer.

In fact, Shaykh Haddad accuses Moiz Amjad of outright lying.

{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/67gTj2QC2 Gibril Haddad]|2=An outright lie, on the contrary, al-Dhahabi in Mizan al-I`tidal (4:301 #9233) states: "Hisham ibn `Urwa, one of the eminent personalities. A Proof in himself, and an Imam. However, in his old age his memory diminished, but he certainly never became confused. Nor should any attention be paid to what Abu al-Hasan ibn al-Qattan said about him and Suhayl ibn Abi Salih becoming confused or changing! Yes, the man changed a little bit and his memory was not the same as it had been in his younger days, so that he forgot some of what he had memorized or lapsed, so what? Is he immune to forgetfulness? [p. 302] And when he came to Iraq in the last part of his life he narrated a great amount of knowledge, in the course of which are a few narrations in which he did not excel, and such as occurs also to Malik, and Shu`ba, and Waki`, and the major trustworthy masters. So spare yourself confusion and floundering, do not make mix the firmly-established Imams with the weak and muddled narrators. Hisham is a Shaykh al-Islam. But may Allah console us well of you, O Ibn al-Qattan, and the same with regard to `Abd al-Rahman ibn Khirash's statement from Malik!"}}

===The Fifth Argument===

{{Quote|1=[http://www.understanding-islam.com/ri/mi-005.htm Moiz Amjad]|2=According to the generally accepted tradition, Ayesha (ra) was born about eight years before Hijrah. But according to another narrative in Bukhari (Kitaab al-Tafseer) Ayesha (ra) is reported to have said that at the time Surah Al-Qamar, the 54th chapter of the Qur'an , was revealed, "I was a young girl". The 54th Surah of the Qur'an was revealed nine years before Hijrah. According to this tradition, Ayesha (ra) had not only been born before the revelation of the referred surah, but was actually a young girl (jariyah), not an infant (sibyah) at that time. Obviously, if this narrative is held to be true, it is in clear contradiction with the narratives reported by Hisham ibn `urwah. I see absolutely no reason that after the comments of the experts on the narratives of Hisham ibn `urwah, why we should not accept this narrative to be more accurate.  

The actual statements referred to in the above paragraph, their translations and their complete references are given below:

Ayesha (ra) said: I was a young girl, when verse 46 of Surah Al-Qamar, [the 54th chapter of the Qur'an ], was revealed. (Sahih Bukhari, Kitaab al-Tafseer, Arabic, Bab Qaulihi Bal al-saa`atu Maw`iduhum wa al-sa`atu adhaa wa amarr)}}

===The Sixth Argument===

Dr. [[Ali Sina]], founder of [[Faith Freedom International]] and author of "[[Understanding Muhammad]]", refuted this argument:

===The Seventh Argument===

===The Eighth Argument===

===The Ninth Argument===

===The Tenth Argument===

===The Eleventh Argument===

===The Twelfth Argument===

===The Thirteenth Argument===

==Conclusion==

*[http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Learner/index.htm Responses to "The Learner" (Moiz Amjad) and others] - ''Collection of Answering Islam articles''  

==Acknowledgments==

==References==

[[Category: Muhammad and Aisha]]

[[Category:Hector]]