Benefits of the Hadith: (… Aisha said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) married her when she was six years old, and he consummated the marriage when she was nine, and he passed away from her when she was

The Shaykh : This provides evidence for what was mentioned previously. It also provides evidence for the permissibility of delaying consummation after the marriage contract, and that it is not required for consummation to immediately follow the contract. However, is it better to do this, or is it better for the contract to be made at the time of consummation? It is better for the contract to be made at the time of consummation, so that a person’s heart does not become attached, and because if consummation is delayed after the contract, a divorce may occur, or death may occur, or something similar. But if the contract is made at the time of consummation, that is better. Some people hasten [to contract] fearing a change in circumstances; for example, they say, “Now the opportunity has been granted, so give me the one I proposed to, so I will hasten with this so that circumstances do not change.” It is said, “There is no harm in hastening, but if circumstances do change, the matter will be more severe, because they will try to separate the man from his wife, and the matter will be more severe. In any case, the preferred position is that a person does not contract except at the time of consummation, and if the contract precedes it, there is no harm. Yes.”