Information AboutMuhammad's Marriages |
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His life falls into two epochs: his residence in Mecca , a city in northern Arabia, from 570 to 622 C.E., and his residence in Medina , a nearby city, from 622 until his death in 632 . All but two of his marriages were contracted after his Hijra , or flight to Medina. PROBLEMS WITH THE HISTORICAL SOURCES Most of what we know about Muhammad's life is derived from sources written down from 120 to 200 years after his death. These stories, passed down through chains of narrators until recorded, sometimes contradict each other. It is difficult to tell which stories to trust. Hence the frequent references to "some say." See Historiography Of Early Islam for further discussion. LIST OF MUHAMMAD'S WIVES
After each wife's name is listed the date of the marriage, if known, whether she was a virgin, widow, or divorcee, whether there could have been a political reason for the marriage, and whether or not she survived Muhammad. KHADIJAH His first marriage, to Khadijah, was long, happy, and fruitful. Muslim traditions say that she was a forty-year-old rich widow, fifteen years older than Muhammad, when she noted his pleasing character and competence as her employee. According to Sunni Muslims, they had four children, of whom three survived. According to Shi'a Muslims, they had three, but only one child survived, a daughter named Fatima Zahra . Khadijah was the first to accept Muhammad as a prophet and stood staunchly behind him through many years of persecution and turmoil in Mecca. While she lived, he married no other wife. She is considered by Shi'a Muslims to be the prophet's favorite wife. Accounts differ as to his next marriage. Most say that it was to Sawada bint Zama; some say it was to Aisha. Sawada was also an older widow, and a Muslim convert. Muhammad is said to have married her in Mecca. AISHA See Also: Aisha It was also at this time that he was betrothed to Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr , who later became the first Caliph and whom Sunnis consider to have been Muhammad's closest friend. Most Muslims believe that she was only six years old at the time of the betrothal (a mutual promise to marry), based on oral traditions, or Hadith reported by Bukhari . However, there are other traditions, including Ibn Ishaq 's biography of Muhammad, that would indicate she was older {Link without Title} {Link without Title} . Muhammad married Aisha after the Hijra, when she may have been anywhere from nine to seventeen years old. The marriage to Aisha may have been politically motivated initially, in that Abu Bakr was one of Muhammad's strongest supporters, and the marriage strengthened the ties between them. However, there are many stories indicating that Muhammad was extremely fond of Aisha, and that most people considered her his favorite wife. He defended her when she was accused of adultery. : Aisha became separated from the rest of the party while on a trip, and was brought back by one of Muhammad's companions, Shafwan ibn Muatthal. Since she had been alone with another man, people gossiped and said that she must be having an affair. Muhammad refused to repudiate her, then received a revelation that four eyewitnesses were necessary to prove adultery. Many traditions relate that during his last illness, he sought her company and died with his head in her lap. Aisha in her turn grew attached to Muhammad. Note that Shia Muslims deny most of the traditions narrated above. They take a very dim view of Aisha and of her father, Abu Bakr. They deny that Abu Bakr was close to Muhammad; they do not believe that Aisha was Muhammad's favorite wife; they deny that Muhammad died in Aisha's arms. They argue that most of the traditions ( Hadith ) making these asssertions can be traced to Aisha, Abu Bakr, and their supporters. Shia Muslims believe that Muhammad revered the memory of Khadija, and regarded his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali Ibn Abi Talib as his closest family. Aisha was jealous of Khadija, they argue, and after Muhammad's death, did her best to exaggerate her own importance. MANY WIVES OF MEDINA Soon after settling in Medina, Muhammad married Hafsa, the daughter of Umar, another close advisor. He was thus linked by marriage to two of his chief lieutenants -- Abu Bakr, who was to lead the Muslims after Muhammad's death, and Umar, who became Caliph after Abu Bakr. Note that some Shi'a Muslims do not believe that Abu Bakr and Umar were ever close friends or trusted lieutenants of Muhammad. Sunni Muslims and academic historians believe that there is ample historical evidence to establish their positions as companions and leaders. The marriage to Hafsa was the first of a spate of marriages in the years 624-629, when the Muslims were engaged in constant warfare. Muhammad married widows of Muslims killed in battle:
He married captives widowed when their cities were taken:
He married for political reasons:
He either married or took as a concubine a slave girl sent to him by the ruler of Egypt:
Maria was the mother of Ibrahim, a short-lived son by Muhammad. MUHAMMAD'S WIDOWS One verse in the Qur'an forbids marriage with Muhammad's widows. So far as history knows, none of his widows did remarry. The extent of Muhammad's property at the time of his death is unclear. Although Quran {Link without Title} clearly addresses issues of inheritence, Abu Bakr , the new leader of the Muslim Ummah , refused to divide Muhammad's property among his widows and heirs, saying that he had heard Muhammad say, : ''"We (Prophets) do not have any heirs; what we leave behind is (to be given in) charity"'' {Link without Title} However, Abu Bakr and the succeeding caliphs did make provision for Muhammad's widows and relatives out of the proceeds of the Muslim conquests. One-fifth of the spoils were to be given to the ruler, as public funds. Part of this was devoted to pensions. Neither the wives nor the relatives were satisfied with this decision, and there are many traditions recounting their complaints to Abu Bakr and succeeding caliphs. MONOGAMY VERSUS POLYGYNY Muslims report that there is nothing wrong with , according to the Jewish and Christian scriptures.) Many Muslims defend Muhammad's polygyny, and polygyny in general, as necessary and useful. Muhammad's marriages are explained either as political marriages, or as acts of charity towards Muslim widows. Muslims also believe that Muhammad brought a complete system of life, it was hence necessary to practically demonstrate the desirable characteristics of a marriage relationship under differing circumstances. Many of Muhammad's detractors have criticized his conduct in having more wives than his followers. During the Medina period, he received a new revelation telling Muslim men to marry no more than four wives, and that only if they could treat them all equally. However, Muhammad himself had more than four wives. He would seem to have broken the Quranic rules. However, Muslim scholars note that the Qur'an exempts Muhammad from the general decree.
They explain this as a kind concession to Muhammad's wives. If he were to divorce them, no one else could marry them, and they would be left alone until their deaths. The prophet's wives were revered as "Umm ul Mo'mayneen" or ''Mothers of the Believers''; it would be tantamount to incest for a believer to marry one of Muhammad's widows. So the Qur'an commands:
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