Index

Seven troubles arising from an age difference between spouses

Seven troubles arising from an age difference between spouses

According to Islamic law, the age difference between a man and a woman is not an obstacle to marriage between them. Individuals filled with the right spiritual meanings, no matter what age they are, will live a life together harmoniously. Moreover, confirmation of this is the example of the best of people - the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was in a happy marriage with a woman who was 15 years older than him - Khadija (may the Lord be pleased with her) and was also married to one who was 36 years younger than him - Aisha (may the Lord be pleased with her).

 

But what if there is a deficiency of spiritual values and low psychological stability? In such a case, the age difference can adversely affect the stability of the marriage. In this article, we will point out seven problems that can be caused by a large age difference between spouses.

 

  1. Lack of dialogue in the family

A large age difference can lead to misunderstandings between husband and wife. Usually, the older spouse ceases to respect the opinion of the wife, considering himself more experienced and knowledgeable. In turn, such an attitude towards a young life partner develops an inferiority complex in her.

 

  1. Overbearing

Due to an older age, the spouse may want to dominate a young wife. And if he is not filled with spiritual and moral values, all this results in despotism, which certainly destroys their marriage.

 

  1. Shyness

Unlike an adult spouse, whose age encourages him to excessive dominance, the young age of a wife, on the contrary, encourages her to excessive shyness. She does not know how to convey her problems to her husband and begins to share them with others but not with her spouse.

 

  1. Lack of flexibility

At a young age, we often show flexibility in relationships and lose it as we get older. Therefore, the older age of one of the spouses deprives him of that flexibility in married life. And this circumstance can cause conflict in the family.

 

  1. Excessive indulgence

It happens that an older spouse, in order to bind the young spouse more strongly to himself, begins to indulge all her desires. As a result, the girl begins to build a world of whims and caprices around herself, which of course destroys a cozy family world.

 

  1. Physical difference

As we get older, our bodies undergo significant changes. The body of an older person is physically different from a younger one, which can affect relationships in married life. Those who enter into such a marriage must take it into account.

 

  1. Excessive suspicion

In families with a weak spiritual atmosphere, the difference in age can cause both excessive suspicion and unreasonable assumptions of the spouses about each other. even if there be no good reasons for such suspicions.

 

 

Nuria Rakhimova

Islam.ru website writer

 

2026-11-01 (Jumad-ul-awwal 1448) №11.


The Contribution of Abu al-Hasan Thabit ibn Qurra to Science

The Golden Age of Islam was an era of remarkable scientific minds, among whom Abu al-Hasan Thabit ibn Qurra (836–901 AD) stands out for his profound influence on the fields of mathematics, astronomy and physics.   He was a key scholar at the renowned “House of Wisdom” in...


The Importance of Studying the Biography of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

In the 19th century, numerous approaches to writing history emerged alongside the objective method, also known as the scientific school. Most of these other approaches converge under what is termed the “subjective method”. Sigmund Freud, the Austrian psychologist, psychoanalyst and...


Facing Rudeness: How to Survive in a World of Toxic Interaction

In the office, where dozens of people cross paths daily, in queues, on public transport, and especially across the vast expanse of the internet, we encounter them everywhere.     These are the people whose presence turns every interaction into a test of one’s endurance. In...


Dirham of Caliph al-Mahdi

In my collection, I have a silver dirham of the Caliph (leader of the Muslims) al-Mahdi, who inherited power from his father, Caliph al-Mansur.     The future Caliph al-Mahdi was born in 126 AH (744 AD) in the village of Humayma, located in present-day Jordan. As Caliph, his father...


Aggression in Children: Causes and Proactive Approaches

All children are born with aggressive impulses; this is a natural part of being human, serving to help them protect themselves and explore the world. As they grow, most people learn to manage these impulses.   Research from the University of Montreal, which tracked 35,000 children from the...