Here is a translation of the tafsir of the great Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir
regarding the Koranic verse which implies that marriage to prepubescent
girls is lawful under Islam. Ibn Kathir is quite explicit about the fact
that he is dealing with prepubescent children:
" The `Iddah of Those in Menopause and Those Who do not have Menses
"Allah the Exalted clarifies the waiting period of the woman in menopause.
And that is the one whose menstruation has stopped due to her older age.
Her
`Iddah is three months instead of the three monthly cycles for those who
menstruate, which is based upon the Ayah in (Surat) Al-Baqarah. [see
2:228]
The same for the young, who have not reached the years of menstruation.
Their `Iddah is three months like those in menopause."
(The commentary together with the Arabic can be found at the following
link:
http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=65&tid=54196):
