First of all, the issue of `A’ishah’s age at the time of marriage is a contentious issue among scholars. A critical study of the issue has led researchers to conclude that she was much older than 9; some say she was 19.

Among the facts that controvert the first estimate include:

First, she had been betrothed to someone else; it was broken before her engagement with the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Second, she is also reported as saying that she saw the elephant master who was a blind man in the streets of Makkah.

Such facts cast doubts on the veracity of the standard view of her age. The estimates of her age vary from 9 to 19.

Furthermore, marriage at a young age was a widely acceptable practice at the time, including among the Jews,

Christians as well as other traditional societies. The Bible itself would testify to this fact.

For a balanced view of this you may read the article posted here:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2012/sep/17/muhammad-aisha-truth

As far as Muslims are concerned, we ought to look at it from the perspective of the Prophet’s divine mission and its transmission to posterity.  Aishah’s role in it was inestimable.

This is evident for anyone who studies carefully her life and works as well as her outstanding accomplishments- as a scholar, teacher, and mentor.

As one scholar rightly said, “Perhaps there is no woman in the entire history throughout the world who can be compared to her in her career as a teacher, scholar, and mentor.” On this, you will find details in my article on `A’ishah posted here:

`A’ishah: A Paragon of Islamic Activism By Shaikh Ahmad Kutty

http://www.islam.ca/documents/akutty-aishah%20a%20paragon%20of%20islamic%20activism.pdf