A Marriage in a Wider Perspective

A MARRIAGE IN A WIDER PERSPECTIVE T he Prophet of Islam’s first marriage was to Khadijah, a respected and influential woman of Makkah. Through this marriage, he gained a strong position of social support within Makkan society. This support remained with him for nearly twenty-five years. Anyone committed to a mission needs a stable social base from which to carry the work forward. After Khadijah’s death, the Prophet married Aisha. The marriage took place towards the end of the Makkan period, and Aisha joined his household in Madinah after the Hijrah. At the time, she was nine years old and the Prophet was fifty-three. The wide difference in their ages has been the subject of much discussion, but many interpretations overlook the broader historical context. The marriage was not simply a personal arrangement. After Khadijah’s death, it also created a new family bond that strengthened the Prophet’s social support. His already close relationship with Aisha’s father, Abu Bakr Siddiq, was now reinforced by ties of kinship. Historical accounts