Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa's Marriage to Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH): An Assessment of Montgomery Watt and Robert Spencer’s views

Abstract

Islam is a natural religion, and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) are in accordance with human nature and fulfill ample resources for the fulfillment of human economic and social needs. The marriage of the Holy Prophet with Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa was indispensable to the Muslim Ummah due to the fulfillment of the Prophet's mission, universal propagation of the religion, education and training of the Ummah. However, Orientalists have distorted the facts and reasons for the Prophet's marriage and criticized his character with regard to marriage with Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa. Montgomery Watt and Robert Spencer are inclined to disprove the marriage of the Holy Prophet with Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa while interpreting the verses of Holy Quran in their Quran commentaries and books.  There is no point of objection in this marriage which has been acknowledged by some Orientalists such as John Bagot, D.S Margolioth and Sir William Muir. This article presents a critical review of the both Orientalists objections to the marriage of the Holy Prophet. For this research, modern research methodology has been followed. Instead of paraphrasing and putting in our own words the writings and observations of various scholars, the method of Muslim historiography has been followed by quoting the writer in his own words, giving full reference to his work.