May 27, 2026

Marriage Age

Under Roman law, girls could be given in marriage at the age of 12. Juliet was 14 and Desdemona 13, and the issue raised was certainly not their age.

Aisha was 9 years old when she was given in marriage to Muhammad, though the marriage was consummated a few years later: the hadiths recount Aisha as a child who continued to play with other children. In short, at that time it seemed entirely natural that a girl could marry as soon as she became a woman (i.e., began menstruating); it appeared to be a natural, obvious fact.