Thursday, October 14, 2010

Wives of the Prophet Mohammed

For many years I had heard the Prophet Muhamed had several wives, but I was never sure how many and was very unaware of the details surrounding this fact. 

Having recently posted: MASS WEDDINGS in which the speaker (see 1:05) suggests the Prophet Mohammed married Aisha when she was 6 and consumated the marriage when she was aged 9, I thought I would check this out further (it appears to be true).

However discussing his marriage to Aisha is not the purpose of this posting - the aim is to simply list the names of the Prophet's wives - for those of us who are unsure about whom he married and in which order:

1 -Khadija bint Khawilad (aged 40, twice widowed before)

2 - Sauda bint Zama (aged 50, widow)

3 - Aisha bint Abu Bakr (aged 9)

4 - Hafsa bint Umar bin Khattab (aged 22, widow)

5 - Zainab bint Khuzaima (aged 30?)

5 - Umm-I-Salma bint Abu Umayia (aged 26, widow)

6 - Zainab Bint Jahash (aged 38, widow)

7 - Juwaeria Bint Harith (aged 20, widow)

8 - Umm-I-Habiba bint Abu Sufyan (aged 36, widow)

9 - Marya Qibtiya bint Shamun (aged 17, Egyptian)

10 - Safia bint Hayi bin Akhtab (aged 17, widow)

11 - Raihana bint Umru bin Hanafa (no details given)

12 - Maimuna bint Harith (aged 36, widow)



Here are some relevant Koranic quotes regarding marriage: 

4:3
"And if you be apprehensive that you will not be able to do justice to the orphans, you may marry two or three or four women whom you choose. But if you apprehend that you might not be able to do justice to them, then marry only one wife, or marry those who have fallen in your possession."

33:52
"It is not lawful for thee (to marry more) women after this, nor to change them for (other) wives, even though their beauty attract thee, except any thy right hand should possess (as hand maidens) and Allah doth watch over all things."

33:53
"Nor is it right for you that ye should annoy God's Apostle, or that ye should marry his widows after him at any time. Truly such a thing is in God's sight an enormity."