The issue of early marriage in the context of hadiths

The hadiths that address early age marriage have recently become a frequent subject of orientalist criticism. Since this issue has been discussed throughout Islamic history and interpreted by scholars from various periods, it is considered a topic worth examining. Especially today, as mentioned earlier, the age of Hazrat Aisha (May Allah Be Pleased With Her) at the time of her marriage has become a matter of debate among orientalist scholars. Through this discussion, many criticisms have been directed toward Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). In response, numerous Muslim scholars have produced counterarguments aiming either to defend or to refute these claims. As a result, the issue has given rise to differing perspectives and a variety of interpretations. The ongoing uncertainty surrounding this topic in contemporary discussions is noteworthy, and this study aims primarily to clarify this ambiguity. To this end, the first chapter provides an overview of pre-Islamic (Jahiliyyah) society to understand both the continuity of certain social practices and the background of the Prophetic teaching period. The situation of early age marriage during that period is then examined. The same chapter also outlines the general characteristics of the Prophetic teaching period and includes examples of early age marriages, thereby tracing how the topic evolved within the framework of hadiths. The first section concludes with this discussion. The second chapter subjects both the primary narration concerning the topic of early age marriage, specifically the hadith regarding the marriage age of Hazrat Aisha (May Allah Be Pleased With Her) and a less frequently cited hadith concerning the marriage of Hazrat Fatimah (May Allah Be Pleased With Her) to Hazrat Ali (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) to a complete takhrij (authentication) process. In accordance with classical hadith commentary sources, findings related to the subject of early age marriage are identified through an analysis of these hadiths by Islamic scholars. Furthermore, to highlight the differences in the understanding of this topic, commentaries from different historical periods are examined and evaluations are made. Accordingly, attention is drawn both to the perspective of a specific period and to variations across different eras, in this manner the second chapter is concluded. In the final chapter, early age marriage, which also represents a significant problem in the modern world, is discussed with a particular focus on Muslim societies. Before addressing the main topic, the study first examines the concept of marriage itself, presenting both internationally recognized definitions and jurisprudential interpretations from different Islamic legal schools. It then explores how marriage age has been perceived within the changing global context, offering a general assessment of the current situation. It is observed that early age marriage continues to pose serious challenges within many Muslim societies, where hadiths related to such marriages are still cited as justifications for child marriage. This reality illustrates the difficulties of transmitting the Prophetic tradition into the modern era and exposes the consequences of misunderstandings surrounding the issue. The study concludes with a comprehensive evaluation of the findings and observations obtained throughout the research.