God Almighty [says]: {Give them what is written for them} (16). It is only delivered to the adult woman, or we interpret it as referring to a girl of nine years.
Section: If a girl reaches the age of nine, there are two narrations regarding her. The first is that she is like one who has not reached nine; this was stated by him (Ibn Qudama) in the narration of al-Athram, and it is the view of Malik, al-Shafi'i, Abu Hanifa, and the rest of the jurists. They said: The ruling for a nine-year-old girl (17) is the same as the ruling for an eight-year-old girl, because she is not an adult, and because her permission is not considered in other legal disposals (18), so likewise in marriage. The second narration is that her ruling is the ruling of an adult woman. This was stated by him in the narration of Ibn Mansur, based on the implication of the verse and the indication of the two reports (19) in their generality, [establishing] that the orphan girl is married off with her permission, and if she refuses, there is no authority over her. Since permission is negated (20) for one younger than her [by this ruling], it must be interpreted as applying to one who has reached nine. Imam Ahmad (21) narrated with his chain of transmission from Aisha (may God be pleased with her) that she said: "If a girl reaches nine years, she is a woman." The Qadi reported it with his chain of transmission from Ibn Umar, from the Prophet (peace be upon him), and its meaning (22) is: in the ruling of a woman. [It is also] because she has reached an age where it is possible for her to menstruate and she develops a need for marriage, so it is permitted to marry her off just like an adult woman. According to this, if she is married and then reaches puberty, she does not have the right of option (khiyar), just like an adult woman if she is married. Umar (may God be pleased with him) had proposed to Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Abu Bakr, after his death, to Aisha (may God be pleased with her), and she answered him, while she (Umm Kulthum) was less than ten years old, because she was born only after her father's death, and Umar's guardianship was only ten years. The girl disliked it, so Talha ibn Ubayd
(16) Surah al-Nisa, 127. (17) Omitted from B. (18) In the original: "al-sifat" (attributes). (19) In M: "al-khabar" (the report). (20) Omitted from the original and A. (21) Reported by al-Tirmidhi, in: The Chapter of What Has Been Said regarding Compelling the Orphan Girl into Marriage, from the Chapters of Marriage. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 5/29. Perhaps Imam Ahmad reported it in a work other than the Musnad. (22) In M: "bi-ma'nahu" (with its meaning).
