Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
There is no specific age for girls to get married in Islam. However, Islam stipulates that a girl, or a boy, should be mature enough and be physically, mentally, and emotionally ready for the marriage.
In his response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
Age of marriage is not carved in stone in Islam, as there is nothing in the sources for reforming the laws pertaining to such matters considering the requirements of age and time.
If it has been determined that early pregnancy and child birth is rather harmful to the mother and child involved, as well as the family, it can be restricted.
A wife who is married early can also ask for delaying pregnancy until such time that she is able to bear responsibility of mothering.
The Prophet’s marriage to`Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) is an altogether different issue. It was done by the inspiration of Allah and it was, when looked at from within the context of the Prophet’s mission and life, part of the divine plan.
`Aishah’s role was more like that of a teacher and transmitter of the Prophetic legacy; she had no responsibilities as a mother. It is true that after the Prophet’s death, she did look after the orphans and children besides carrying out her primary role as a teacher.
Therefore, one cannot base a ruling on this Prophetic precedent.
Almighty Allah knows best.
Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.