Assalamu Alaikum
Recently we have been seeing a monstrous lie spreading on TikTok (social media) by Christian apologist against the Quran specifically on Surah 65:4 (Talaq). The allegation they make is, the verse endorses child marriage somehow connecting to prepubescent girls. Without a shadow of a doubt Christians are following a trend that will only lead them to humiliation. This paper is a quick response to those Christian apologists and their followers on whether this verse speaks about prepubescent girls.
And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women – if you doubt, then their period is three months, and [also for] those who have not menstruated. And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him of his matter ease. – (Quran 65:4)
Does Surah 65:4 speak about prepubescent marriage? Before we investigate this verse let us first see what criteria the Quran presents on marriage.
And test the orphans [in their abilities] until they reach marriageable age. Then if you perceive in them sound judgement, release their property to them. And do not consume it excessively and quickly, [anticipating] that they will grow up. And whoever, [when acting as guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee]; and whoever is poor - let him take according to what is acceptable. Then when you release their property to them, bring witnesses upon them. And sufficient is Allah as Accountant. – (Quran 4:6)
Reading from the above verse, we see the criteria set for a female is as follows. Firstly, the female must be mature i.e. reached her puberty arabic word used is بَلَغُو balaghoo. Secondly, she must have sound judgement and intellect arabic word used is رُشْدًا rushdan. We also have hadith where Prophet Muhammed Pbuh said a woman should be asked for her consent.
Aisha reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, should women be asked for their consent before marriage?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Yes.” I said, “Indeed, sometimes a virgin is too shy to speak when asked.” The Prophet said, “Her silence is her consent.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1420)
Here's another hadith where Prophet Muhammed Pbuh invalidated a woman's marriage because she did not consent to it.
Narrated By Khansa bint Khidam Al-Ansariya :
That her father gave her in marriage when she was a matron and she disliked that marriage. So she went to Allah’s Apostle and he declared that marriage invalid.
(Sahih Bukhari Vol 7, Book, 62, Hadith no 81)
Also read Sahih Bukhari 6945 relating to the same Hadith.
Let's break this down into three segments.
Attain puberty (بَلَغُو balaghoo.)
Have sound judgement and intellect (رُشْدًا rushdan)
Ask for her consent (تُسْتَأْمَرَ tusta’maru)
Just for the record Surah Nisa (chapter 4) was revealed before Surah Talaq (chapter 65). Now that we have addressed the requirement for marriageable age and consent from the Quran and sunnah let's move to Surah 64:5 and see if he really is speaking of prepubescent girls.
Also note had Surah 65:4 referred to child or children then you would have expected to find the word طِفْلًا ṭif’lan or لطِّفْلِ l-ṭif’li
O Prophet, when you [Muslims] divorce women, divorce them for [the commencement of] their waiting period and keep count of the waiting period, and fear Allah, your Lord. Do not turn them out of their [husbands'] houses, nor should they [themselves] leave [during that period] unless they are committing a clear immorality. And those are the limits [set by] Allah. And whoever transgresses the limits of Allah has certainly wronged himself. You know not; perhaps Allah will bring about after that a [different] matter. (Surah 65:1)
First point to note is the chapter starts by addressing WOMEN (النِّسَاءِ) which defeats their whole argument. Nevertheless, let's move to the verse they assume speaks of prepubescent girls.
Let us read the verse again.
And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women – if you doubt, then their period is three months, and [also for] those who have not menstruated. And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him of his matter ease. – (Quran 65:4)
The first category is speaking about those WOMEN who no longer expect menstruation, i.e. MENOPAUSE.
Explain MENOPAUSE: Woman at a certain age in life cease to menstruate.
Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her periods (menstruation) stop. Most often, it is a natural, normal body change that occurs between ages 45 to 55.
The second category appeals to those who have not menstruated yet i.e. speaking about WOMAN who suffer from AMENORRHEA or OLIGOMENORRHEA
Explain AMENORRHEA and OLIGOMENORRHEA:
AMENORRHEA, woman who misses one of more periods. There are two kinds of amenorrhea: primary and secondary. Primary amenorrhea is when a person older than 15 has never gotten their first period. Secondary amenorrhea happens when a person doesn’t get a period for more than three months.
OLIGOMENORRHEA is a condition in which you have infrequent menstrual periods. It occurs in women of childbearing age. Some variation in menstruation is normal, but a woman who regularly goes more than 35 days without menstruating may be diagnosed with oligomenorrhea.
Periods usually occur every 21 to 35 days. The diagnosis changes to oligomenorrhea after more than 90 days without a period.
The third category is speaking about pregnant WOMAN.
Explain: Self-explanatory. Pregnant Woman.
Note the first and second category have three months waiting period (Idda) that is if they have found to be pregnant withing that time. It would be nonsensical to say a prepubescent girl would need three months waiting period (idda) to find out if she is pregnant hence, the verse is referring to WOMAN not CHILD or CHILDREN طِفْلًا or لطِّفْلِ.
A typical response Christians bring is the Tafsir of Ibn Abbas. Let us first take a look at what this Tafsir allegedly written by Ibn Abbas says.
(And for such of your women as despair of menstruation) because of old age, (if ye doubt) about their waiting period, (their period (of waiting) shall be three months) upon which another man asked: “O Messenger of Allah! “What about the waiting period of those who do not have menstruation because they are too young?” (along with those who have it not) because of young age, their waiting period is three months.” Another man asked: “what is the waiting period for those women who are pregnant?” (And for those with child) i.e. those who are pregnant, (their period) their waiting period (shall be till they bring forth their burden) their child. (And whosoever keepeth his duty to Allah) and whoever fears Allah regarding what he commands him, (He maketh his course easy for him) He makes his matter easy; and it is also said this means: He will help him to worship Him well. (Source Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas )
A good number of Islamic scholars have clarified that the narrations in the book cannot be authentically attributed to Ibn Abbas. Dr. Mokrane Guezzou, who first translated the Tanwir al-Miqbas book into English, says the following in the introduction of the work: There is no doubt that this commentary is not the work of Ibn Abbas. The chain of transmitters of this commentary goes back to Muḥammad ibn Marwan, to al-Kalbi, to Abu Salih, which is described by Hadith experts as the chain of lies (Silsilat al-Kadhib), for this line of transmission is utterly dubious and unreliable. Muhammad Taqi Usmani, in his work Uloomu-l-Qur'an, agrees that Tanwir al-Miqbas cannot be attributed to Ibn Abbas and also comments on the unreliability of the chain of transmission of the narrations in the book: It is wrong to ascribe it to Ibn Abbas because this book has been based on the reported sequence of Muhammad ibn Marwan as-Suddi from Ibn al-Kalbi from Abi Salih from Ibn Abbas (R) ... this has been regarded by the Muḥaddithīn as a "chain of falsehood." Bilal Philips in Usool at-Tafseer states that Tanwir al-Miqbas cannot be relied upon, due to it having Ibn al-Kalbi in the chain of transmission. Nearly all of the so-called "Tafsir" of Ibn Abbas is based on statements narrated in chains containing Muhammad ibn as-Sa'ib al-Kalbi. Hence, this tafseer is considered unreliable for the most part; and, despite its popularity among the masses, it is totally rejected by Muslim scholars. Phillips then added that, Ibn al-Kalbi was accused of making up Hadith (narrations from Muhammad or his companions, the Sahaba) hence Tanwir al-Miqbas cannot be an authentic work from Ibn Abbas himself. Abdul-Rahim Reasat, on authority of Faraz Rabbani, stated that Tanwir al-Miqbas could not be relied upon, due to problematic narrators in the chain of transmission: The tafsir in question uses the narrations of al-Suddi al-Saghir from al-Kalbi – which are the weakest and most problematic narrations of tafsir ascribed to him.
Reference:
Guezzou, Mokrane (2008). Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas: Translated into English. Amman, Jordan: Royal Aal Al Bayt Institute For Islamic Thought. pp. 5–6.
Mufti Taqi Usmani (2016). Uloomu-l-Quran (in Urdu). Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan: Darul Ishaat. ISBN 9789694281797.
Bilal Phillips, Abu Ameenah (2007). Usool at-Tafseer. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: International Islamic Publishing House. pp. 31–32.
"What Is the Reliability of the Tafsir Tanwir Al-Miqbas?". Seekers Guidance. 6 April 2024.
We have already shown from Surah 4:6 the legal requirement for marriage with consent from the sunnah which alone is sufficient to debunk their ludicrous claim. It is clear from the Quran Surah 65:4 is speaking about WOMAN. We conclude Christian apologists spread nothing, but lies and lead themselves and their followers astray.
Say, "O People of the Scripture, do not exceed limits in your religion beyond the truth and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way." (Surah 5:77)
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