What was the age of Lady Aisha (ra) when she married the Prophet?
Though the most popular opinion amongst Muslim scholars is that Lady Aisha was nine years of age at the time of her marriage to the Prophet based on what Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim have narrated, the idea is contested from several aspects. First, this view is not aligned with the established norm and custom of the then Hijazi culture to marry someone of this age. Second, the Prophet at his advanced age should have been seeking someone with whom he can share his pain and agony through which he was passing through in his mission of preaching the word of God. This purpose could have never been achieved by marrying someone of this tender age. Lastly, the noble character of the Prophet would not allow him to marry a girl who is yet to reach the stage of adolescence.
On the other side, there are a significant number of reports suggesting a more acceptable age of nineteen years. Given the above-mentioned reasons and the contradictory reports, it is reasonable to conclude that the age of Lady Aisha at the time of her marriage should not have been nine years.