Post 11: Child Marriage and Qur’an 65:4 — Does Islam Sanction Pedophilia?

Subtitle: When Scripture Codifies the Marriage and Divorce of Prepubescent Girls

Qur’an 65:4 clearly permits the marriage and divorce of girls who have not yet menstruated, confirming that child marriage is not a cultural misinterpretation but a theological mandate. Muhammad’s own marriage to Aisha — consummated when she was nine — cements the practice as divinely sanctioned, not just tolerated. The result is a morally indefensible precedent enshrined in sacred law.

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1. Qur’an 65:4 — The Smoking Gun

“And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women, if you doubt, then their waiting period is three months, and also for those who have not menstruated…”
— Qur’an 65:4

This verse defines the ‘iddah, or waiting period before a divorced woman may remarry. It explicitly includes:

• Post-menopausal women, and

• Girls who have not yet menstruated.

The implication is inescapable: men were divorcing prepubescent wives, and the Qur’an sets rules to regulate it, not prohibit it.

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2. No Apologist Escape Hatch

Some modern defenders argue that "those who have not menstruated" refers to women with delayed cycles. But this interpretation fails because:

• The verse contrasts menopausal women with prepubescent ones.

• Classical Tafsir authorities agree it refers to child brides:

  • Ibn Kathir: “[This includes] the girl who has not reached puberty.”

  • Al-Tabari: “It refers to girls who have not yet menstruated due to young age.”

The tradition is unanimous. The Qur’an assumes and legitimizes the marriage of children.

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3. Muhammad and Aisha: Prophetic Precedent

According to Sahih al-Bukhari 5133:

“The Prophet married me when I was six and consummated the marriage when I was nine.”
— Aisha, the Prophet’s wife

This isn’t fringe or weak hadith. It appears in all six major collections of Sunni hadith and is rated sahih (authentic) by consensus.

Aisha was:

• Still playing with dolls (Sahih Muslim 1422),

• Living with her parents,

• Prepubescent at the time of consummation.

This sets a precedent for child marriage that became part of Islamic jurisprudence.

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4. Legalization in Shariah

Islamic law reflects Muhammad’s example and Qur’an 65:4. For example:

• Reliance of the Traveller (Umdat al-Salik), m3.13:

  “It is permissible to have sexual intercourse with a prepubescent wife if she is capable of intercourse.”

• Imam al-Shafi’i (founder of one of four Sunni schools):

  “A father may marry off his daughter, regardless of age, even if she is an infant.”

Shariah jurists debated how young is too young for sex, not whether it is allowed.

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5. Theological Consequences

If Muhammad is considered the “perfect example” (Qur’an 33:21), then:

• Child marriage becomes morally untouchable,

• Reform becomes heresy,

• Dissent becomes blasphemy.

That’s why modern Islamic regimes, such as in Iran, Yemen, Afghanistan, and parts of Nigeria, still legally allow or tolerate child marriage.

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6. Historical vs. Ethical Defense?

Some argue, “That was normal back then.” Even if true, a timeless prophet with divine revelation should transcend social norms, not enshrine them.

Yet Islam makes Muhammad’s behavior a template for all humanity, not just his time.

So either:

• Muhammad was limited by his time (which contradicts divine infallibility), or

• Islam codifies unethical practices for eternity.

Either way, the moral contradiction is fatal.

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Conclusion: Islam's Child Marriage Problem Isn't Cultural — It's Scriptural

Islam doesn’t just permit child marriage — it institutionalizes it.

• Qur’an 65:4 lays the foundation.

• Muhammad’s marriage to Aisha cements it.

• Shariah law perpetuates it.

• Modern apologetics only obscure it.

This is not a fringe misinterpretation. It is a central, devastating truth that reveals how the Quran and the prophet it upholds fall short of ethical universality.