The Philosophy of Marriages of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.)

Verdict of History

Unbiased historians, both Muslims and Chri- stians, are agreed that the number of marriages.

contracted by the Prophet of Islam was not as a result of lust or to satisfy the sexual desires.

If this had been the case, he would not have married the twice-widowed Khadijah, 46 years old, at the youthful age of 25 when one is full of emotion and sexual urge Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) lived together with his first (and, at that time, only) wife, Khadi- jah, happily for 26 years with great mutual affec tion,

despite the fact that young and beautiful girls of Arabia were easily available to him and were keen to be married to the Prophet.

Not even once, during that period, did the Prophet take another wife.

Undoubtedly he would have at least considered another younger wife simultaneously with Khadijah if he ever suffered from lust and fondness of young women, particularly when the country's customs wholly approved unlimited mar- riages.

Critics Dumbfounded

Let us look at the life history of the Prophet of Islam. During the prime of his life, he remains satisfied with an aged and twice-widowed wife, and does not even think of another.

Then during the last ten years of his life, after passing the age of fifty, in his old age, when he is surrounded by various difficult problems of the newly-borne Isla- mic State, he starts marrying a number of wives.

Ask these Christian writers why this pheno- menon?

What logical answer can these critics give to this amazing question?

Was it not a difficult exercise and heavy bur- den to marry widows and support their orphans?

Was it easy for a perfectly dignified man in the person of Mubammad (s.a.w.) to marry women of different outlook, characters and tribes, including some of much younger age who were still un- aware of the full responsibilities of life?

Let us ponder over the reply to these ques- tions as given by a famous western historian, Thomas Carlyle in his book "Heroes and Heroes' Worship".

He says in effect that contrary to what his enemies accuse him, Muhammad was never lusty and sexualist and that it was a slander only out of prejudice against him and this indeed is a great injustice.

John Devenport says, "and it may then be asked, is it likely that a very sensual man, of a country where polygamy was a common practice, should be contented for five-and-twenty years with one wife, she being fifteen years older than himself".