Is it right to marry a young girl?

Question

If one is to marry more than a wife is it permissible to marry a girl(10 years) as the second or third wife. If not, at what age scripturally must a woman be given out for marriage in Islam?

Answer 1

In Islam there is no minimum numerical age at which marriage may be contracted.

Instead the the relevant details to consider include:

• Has she reached puberty?
• If not, then:
  • Is she an orphan or being married by her parents?
  • Do you mean to consummate the marriage or just enter into the contract for now?
  • Are you in her Kufu, i.e. an equitable match to her.
  • What Mahr will you give her?

If a person has reached puberty, then there is no Islamic objection to marrying them.

If they have not reached puberty, they can not engage in contracts and hence can not marry on their own.

However according to the majority opinion, even their marriage can be arranged by their parents if there is benefit in it, it is to someone who is an equitable match or better, the Mahr is proper etc. Such a marriage will not be consummated until the person reaches puberty.

The evidence cited for permitting such a marriage is the verse of the Quran that mentions the iddah of women who do not menstruate:

واللائي يئسن من المحيض من نسائكم إن ارتبتم فعدتهن ثلاثة أشهر واللائي لم يحضن

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.

^{— Quran 65:4}

And the marriage of Ayesha bint Abu Bakr, Umm Kulthum bint Ali, the daugther of Hamza and others.

The marriage should not be consummated until they reach puberty, the verse of the Quran:

وابتلوا اليتامى حتى إذا بلغوا النكاح

And test the orphans [in their abilities] until they reach marriageable age.

^{— Quran 4:6}

A small minority of scholars, such as Ibn Shubrumah, have used the above verse as evidence that even the marriage contract should not be drawn before puberty.

Keep in mind that national laws, even in Muslim countries, may make it illegal for you to marry someone of this age.