Holy Matrimonial Or Child Rape/Sexual Abuse?

There is no doubt that a couple of centuries ago girls were (mentally)adults by 12, 13 and 14 years old. When you were most likely dead at 40, 13 was adult. :P

However there were reasons so many women died in childbirth then. At 12,13 or 14 a women's body, despite having reached puberty, is not physically ready to carry and birth a child. The chances of long term physical problems are too great.

I meant being mentally mature.....however, physically there is merely any change.

Qadoomy--girls were not fully grown at 12-13 years old centuries ago. If anything, with modern diets and nutrition they reach puberty earlier now. They may have been mentally more mature, but physically? Absolutely not.

And just because something was done in Europe or elsewhere in the past does not justify it in the present. Slavery was practiced not long ago in cultures in America, Africa and Asia, including the ME (MUCH longer ago in Europe). People also used to think that the world was flat and the sun revolved around it. My point is that humanity is meant to advance. And stopping the rape of children is and advance in my view.

Other countries do it too, no one can deny this.This is a global problem with perpetrators always looking to justify their dastardly acts with that of our predecessors and/or other ways!

Fathimah: Sorry, but it is all too easy to "justify" using the Prophet's example. As I said earlier, this is not a single religion or single region/country issue, but a global problem and we need to address it - both through education and laws to protect the young.

See attached link from same organisation: There are many countries with higher rates than Yemen..

http://www.childinfo.org/marriage_countrydata.php

Since the topic is about the Middle east MT's reasoning is justified. Because the truth is some of the culprits who do such criminal acts as mentioned in the OP, try to justify it to be accordance to the Sunnah, when in actuality they far away from the path of Muhammad(peace be upon him) and their poor victim child brides no where near possessing the maturity and knowledge of "the mother of the believers" Aisha(may Allah be pleased with her)..Allahu Must'aan!

Yes as we have discussed before, many years back it was perfectly normal for our ancestors from all over the globe to marry even as young as 12 and 13. But times have changed now. And today people who marry off their girls young many times do it without their consent and that too when they are not physically or mentally fit for marriage,hence it becomes a crime.

Because we are in the middle east and the OP is asking about the Middle East and Asia. Oh & we are in Qatar.

I have no problem with the Islamic faith...merely giving a possible reason.

missteacher....we said that this was done in the past all over the world as the life style was different....girls who were 11, 12 and 13 were full grown ups at that time....they used to know how to take care of their home and their husbands......

Nowadays, its different.....but its funny that you mention prophet Mohamad Peace Be Upon Him and you want to focus on this matter while this act was done in Europe and America less than 100 years ago.

So lets just agree that things are different nowadays and lets stop this from happening....but lets not discuss what ppl used to do before as they had their own reasoning.

I hope changes come about and soon,it's disturbing to say the least, although in rural areas it will continue,you can't change the mindset of people over night..We all know it's wrong it's rape of an innocent child..Dare i say paedophilia although i know some will strongly disagree and say it's been going on for hundreds of years..But people we have progressed and this is just wrong!

He probably thinks you're trying to undermine the government MT.

Flor please elaborate what you think is in my mind!

Merely stating a fact and trying to fathom why certain cultures accept child marriage.

Until they reach the age of consent and then consent, it is rape.

I don't think that has anything to do with it MT, because, while he married her at 9, he didn't consummate the marriage until she had come of age (which at the time was puberty, which made sense since everyone died at 35 ;P )

I think it has more to do with protecting a girls "virtue" and "honour" before she can get involved in premarital relations and with the idea that the younger a girl is, the more child bearing years she has and the easier she is to "train."

of discussing it the way it is in your mind!

Child abuse and this picture is very disturbing.

Perhaps it is more acceptable in areas of Middle East as prophet Muhammad's(PBUH) youngest wife, Aisha, was said to be only 9 years old.

It does happen in other countries Brit, but not with the consent of the government.

is WITH MALICE!

Yes its totally wrong, but also happens in Africa and parts of Europe.

It is very very disturbing... :(

i agree with fathimah,, its so disappointing,, forced marriage nd child marriage is not permitted,,,

All I can do is hope and pray that such evils are forever stamped out from around the world. Anyone who even remotely tries to justify such marriages today,when immature little girls who have no clue as to what marriage is are forced to wed without their consent and that too to abusive men, to be correct and even religiously acceptable is probably severely and dangerously misguided.

This matter was acceptable 100 years ago as the culture and way of thinking was different, similarly to the West, this kind of marriage was acceptable less than 100 years ago.

However, things change and this rarely happens nowadays.

I dunno why it is so difficult to just respond politely to ppl who disagree with u?

Moza watch this : &feature=related

If we really need to effect a change we should meet in Sanaa soon !!!

Disgusting, but someone will come on and defend it in a religious/cultural context and then mention the war in Iraq.