Assalamualaikum
As Muslims are aware that critics and enemies of Islam Leave no stone unturned to malign and present distorted image of Islam and of our beloved prophet Muhammad (saw)
And one of the most painful, shameful and totally baseless allegation against our prophet is that he was a ped*phile and child mol*ster. And many times some Muslims are at wits end justifying and explaining his marriage to Aishah(may Allah be pleased with her).
This post is a bit long I request you to read everything till the end even if you feel little bored.
Prophet Muhammad (saw) as we Muslim know, he was the finest human being with highest moral and social behavior that ever lived and no other human being, present or in future will ever equal him. But coming from a Muslim mouth does not cut much ice with non-Muslims, so let’s see what some of the non-Muslims had to say about him.
Thomas Carlyle in 'Heroes and Hero Worship and the Heroic in History,' 1840
"The lies (Western slander) which well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man (Muhammad) are disgraceful to ourselves only."
Edward Gibbon and Simon Oakley in ‘History of the Saracen Empire,’ London, 1870
"The greatest success of Mohammad’s life was effected by sheer moral force."
Reverend Bosworth Smith in 'Muhammad and Muhammadanism,' London, 1874.
"Head of the State as well as the Church, he was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without the Pope's pretensions, and Caesar without the legions of Caesar, without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a police force, without a fixed revenue. If ever a man ruled by a right divine, it was Muhammad, for he had all the powers without their supports. He cared not for the dressings of power. The simplicity of his private life was in keeping with his public life."
Michael Hart in 'The 100, A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons In History,' New York, 1978.
My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the secular and religious level. ...It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity. ...It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.
Washington Irving 'Mahomet and His Successors'
He was sober and abstemious in his diet and a rigorous observer of fasts. He indulged in no magnificence of apparel, the ostentation of a petty mind; neither was his simplicity in dress affected but a result of real disregard for distinction from so trivial a source.
In his private dealings he was just. He treated friends and strangers, the rich and poor, the powerful and weak, with equity, and was beloved by the common people for the affability with which he received them, and listened to their complaints.
His military triumphs awakened no pride nor vain glory, as they would have done had they been effected for selfish purposes. In the time of his greatest power he maintained the same simplicity of manners and appearance as in the days of his adversity. So far from affecting a regal state, he was displeased if, on entering a room, any unusual testimonials of respect were shown to him. If he aimed at a universal dominion, it was the dominion of faith; as to the temporal rule which grew up in his hands, as he used it without ostentation, so he took no step to perpetuate it in his family.
(Please note I don’t know if any of the authors that I have mentioned has accepted Islam since I am calling them non-Muslims)
FOR MANY MORE GO TO
http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/quote1.html
Please remember for Muslims
1) Quran is the word of Allah and there is no error in it.
2) Hadith are not the words of Allah but they are narrations or sayings of the prophet Mohammad (PUBH).Hadith of shahi Muslim and bukhari are considered most authentic and reliable and are taken as true.
3) Calculations based on information found in an early Muslim chronicler, Ibn Ishaq, indicate that Aisha was at least fourteen to sixteen years old,
(We will take the age as 9 years, hope this makes our enemies happy!)
4) Many Muslim scholars have accepted the tradition that Aisha was nine years old when the marriage was consummated.
5) The most important point, Aishah(r) was given in marriage to our prophet with her parents consent (remember this for later)
All the marriages of our prophet had some sound reasons and purpose behind them, like to cement relations with some tribe or to encourage people to marry war widows or widows.
Except Aishah(r.a) all his other wives were 17 years or above and majority of them widows.
Definition of a Pedophile:
"Pedophile: also spelled PEDOPHILIA, psychosexual disorder in which an adult's arousal and sexual gratification occur primarily through sexual contact with prepubescent children. The typical pedophile is unable to find satisfaction in an adult sexual relationship and may have low self-esteem, seeing sexual activity with a child as less threatening than that with an adult." Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998
"pe.do.phil.ia n [NL] (1906): sexual perversion in which children are the preferred sexual object -- pe.do.phil.i.ac or pe.do.phil.ic adj." Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary
DSM-III-R Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, ed 3, revised, copyright American Psychiatric Association.
"In addition to their pedophilia, a significant number of pedophiles are concomitantly or have previously been involved in exhibitionism, voyeurism, or rape". (Voyeurism’s the recurrent preoccupation with fantasized or acts that involve seeking out or observing people who are naked, or are engaged in grooming or in sexual activity". Synopsis of psychiatry, Harold I.Kaplan et al., 5th ed., pg360, Publishers: Williams and Wilkens, 1988
(
http://ireland.iol.ie/~afifi/BICNews/Sabeel/sabeel6.htm)
Prophet Muhammad’s (saw) enemies even offered him vast amount of money and beautiful women in exchange for not spreading Islam.
And his response was,
"O my uncle, if they placed the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, to force me to renounce my work, verily I would not desist thereform until Allah made manifest His cause, or I perished in the attempt." (Ibid)
His companions were the most loyal to him and were ready to sacrifice their life and wealth, they never disobeyed him nor doubted his judgment and any explanation forwarded by the prophet was accepted as truth.
The allegation of our enemies does not hold water, why?
1)The marriage to Aishah(r.a) was an exception because, the prophet married 13 times during his lifetime and nothing prevented him from marrying more girls similar to Aishah(r.a) age, since it was accepted at that time in Arab culture to marry girls at young age.
His followers were very devoted (even today) to him and he only had to drop a hint and they would have given their daughters to him in marriage and would have considered it an honor!
2) The definition of a ped*phile does not fit the prophet because he does not show preference for marrying young girls and ped*phile do not marry their victims.
Except Aisha(r.a) all other wives were 17 years and above and majority of them widows where as a Pedophile is obsessed with prepubescent children
3) He did not suffer from low self-esteem (see definition)
4) Go and study his conduct and manners and behavior and you will find he does not fit the profile of a ped*phile
"It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher."
Annie Besant, The Life and Teachings of Muhammad (Madras, 1932), p. 4.
For many unbiased people the above explanation will satisfy but for the enemies of Islam?
I see that swords are out and daggers are pointing!
Hey! Wait have patience, the daggers will be blunted and swords will be made useless.
Let’s see some of the effects on the people who have suffered from child abuse.
Fears, panic attacks, sleeping problems, nightmares, irritability, outbursts of anger and sudden shock reactions when being touched.
Little confidence, and self-respect and respect for one's own body may change.
Behavior that harms the body: addiction to alcohol and other substances, excessive work or sports, depression, self-destruction and prostitution.
Social problems:
Have little confidence in other people.
Fear of loss of control in relationships.
http://web4health.info/en/answers/sex-abuse-effects.htm
Now let’s have a look at Aishah(r.a)
“The life of Aishah is proof that a woman can be far more learned than men and that she can be the teacher of scholars and experts. Her life is also proof that a woman can exert influence over men and women and provide them with inspiration and leadership”
“She did not graduate from any university there were no universities as such in her day. But still her utterances are studied in faculties of literature, her legal pronouncements are studied in colleges of law and her life and works are studied and researched by students and teachers of Muslim history as they have been for over a thousand years.”
“In her youth, already known for her striking beauty and her formidable memory,”
“she was proficient not only in fiqh but also in medicine (tibb) and poetry. Many of the senior companions of the Prophet came to her to ask for advice concerning questions of inheritance which required a highly skilled mathematical mind”
“al-Ahnaf who said: "I have heard speeches of Abu Bakr and Umar, Uthman and Ali and the Khulafa up to this day, but I have not heard speech more persuasive and more beautiful from the mouth of any person than from the mouth of Aishah."
“Because of the strength of her personality, she was a leader in every field in knowledge, in society, in politics and in war. She often regretted her involvement in war but lived long enough to regain position as the most respected woman of her time. She died in the year 58 AH in the month of Ramadan”
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/history/..._ABI_BAKR.html
Now go back and read the effects of child abuse, and come back here there is more meat left!
As explained above it has been proved that prophet did not give preference to marrying young girls
Then why did he marry Aishah(r.a) at such a young age?
Well this marriage was special and an exception and the prophet was made aware of this marriage by Allah.
Narrated 'Aishah, may God be pleased with her: The Messenger of God said (to me): "You have been shown to me twice in (my) dreams. A man was carrying you in a silken cloth and said to me, 'This is your wife.' I uncovered it; and behold, it was you. I said to myself, 'If this dream is from God, He will cause it to come true.'" (Saheeh Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 15)
Also even though Aishah(r.a) was nine years old she must not have been 9 years old
No, no! I have not taken leave of my senses.
Let’s read some news. (No really I have not taken leave of my senses lol ! )
Girl, 8, Credited With Year's 1st Bear Kill
Born to the woods, she's 4 1/2 feet tall and 8 years old, with a shock of light brown hair and a steady trigger finger that put two bullets into a black bear's chest cavity…..
she took careful aim and squeezed the trigger. The bullet struck the bear behind the shoulder. Unfazed by the rifle's light recoil, she said, she ejected the casing, reloaded and fired another round.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...102402024.html
Well! What do you conclude?
You see even though she is 8 years old she is not really 8 years old.
Not only she was brave, she remained calm and shot twice, reloading the gun!
Many adults would have soiled their pants and ran away.
Get it; she is really beyond 8 years physically and mentally
When prophet Muhammad (saw) saw aishah(r.a) he probably must have seen a physically , mentally and very intelligent mature girl and since the prophet himself was 50 years old and delaying the marriage would have been unwise, since Allah had already revealed it to him about this marriage.
Also this marriage was for the benefit of Islam,
And had a purpose.
One may ask how come?
During the lifetime of prophet people came to him with their problems
And he solved them and guided them and taught them about Islam
For Any private matter like between husband and wife, the women would ask their husband and they in turn would ask the prophet.
After the demise of the beloved prophet the companions of the prophet took the work of guiding and teaching about Islam but when it came to guiding regarding private matters between husband and wife they were not ideal person since Islam was still very new and sometimes they themselves needed guidance when it came to private matters and guess who would be the ideal person to ask?
Aishah(r.a) obviously.
Now if you want to train a person so that he/she becomes an expert in a particular field.
What age would be ideal to start training? Make a wild guess.
The youngest age possible. Right?
Aishah(r.a) lived almost 50 years after the demise of the prophet, and during these years she contributed immensely towards Islam
“So far as the Hadith or sayings of the Prophet is concerned, Aishah ® is one of four persons (the others being Abu Hurrah, Abdullah ibn Umar, and Ana ibn Malik) who transmitted more than two thousand sayings. From her, 2210 Hadith have come, out of which 174 Hadith are commonly agreed upon by both Bukhari and Muslim. Many of her transmissions pertain to some of the most intimate aspects of personal behavior which only someone in Aishah’s position could have learnt. What is most important is that her knowledge of Hadith was passed on in written form by at least three persons including her nephew Urwah who became one of the greatest scholars among the generation after the Companions. It is the claim of the Scholars of Islam that without her, half of the Ilm-I-Hadith [knowledge, understanding of the Hadith (and Islam)] would have perished.”
(
http://ireland.iol.ie/~afifi/BICNews/Sabeel/sabeel6.htm
She was his wife for about a decade
Now if prophet had delayed the marriage he would have had less time to train her
And it would have been harder for her to learn.
Remember in those days life expectancy was also was low.
Now do you realize the importance of the marriage and why she had to be young?
But our enemy though his tail is between his legs is still spewing venom
Since he does not believe in Islam he does not believe that Allah revealed to the prophet about the marriage.
You know the flesh of swine goes down his throat well but not this marriage
He goes on,
This marriage is illegal and sex with 9 years old, can you justify this?
Yes I can!
During time of prophet it was perfectly legal marriage since nobody objected not even his enemies.
But we hear Islam is universal and is for all times, so can this marriage be held legal
At present time?
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Where, in Afghanistan?
No! No! No!
Can you guess the country?
Hint: this country is spreading democracy at the point of sword, oops! Sorry I mean guns and laser guided missile.
This country kills more numbers of innocent children, men and women than any terrorist can even dream of, and you know what? It’s legal!
You mean UNITED STATES OF AGGRESSORS
Wrong answer and you don’t get to win encyclopedia on social behavior of Islamic terrorist.
It’s the most advanced country of the world united states of America.
Do you remember? Aishah(r.a) was given in marriage to the prophet with her parental consent.
Now read on.
Massachusetts Law Updates
Massachusetts, under MGL c.207, s. 25, a person under eighteen cannot marry without parental consent . Massachusetts does not have a law specifying the minimum age at which a person can marry with a parent’s consent. The process requires court approval, so whether or not to authorize the marriage of a particular minor is within a judge’s discretion.
http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/2007/01/child-brides.html
Well forget 6 years or 9 years even 1 year old girl can be married legally in
United States of America!!!
ALASKA: The age of consent is eighteen. With parental consent, parties can marry at the age sixteen. Parties can marry at a younger age, also with parental consent. Common law marriage is not recognized.
ARIZONA: The age of consent is eighteen. With parental consent, parties can marry at the age of sixteen. Parties can marry at a younger age, but with both parental and judicial consent.
CALIFORNIA: The age of consent is eighteen. With parental consent, there are no age limits regarding the minimum age for a couple to marry. (Other statutory laws apply.)
COLORADO: The age of consent is eighteen. Parties can marry at a younger age, also with parental consent. Common law marriage is recognized.
CONNECTICUT: The age of consent is eighteen. With parental consent, parties can marry at the age of sixteen. Parties can marry at a younger age, but with both parental and judicial consent
KENTUCKY: The age of consent is eighteen. With parental consent and/or the consent of a judge, parties can marry under eighteen years of age. Common law marriage is not recognized.
LOUISIANA: The age of consent is eighteen. Parties under eighteen years of age can marry with parental consent. Common law marriage is not recognized.
NEW JERSEY: The age of consent is eighteen. With parental consent, parties can marry at age sixteen or younger. Also, younger parties may receive a license by reason of pregnancy or the birth of a child or other special circumstances. Common law marriage is not recognized.
TENNESSEE: The age of consent is eighteen. With parental consent, parties can marry at age sixteen. Under special circumstances, younger minors can receive a license to marry. Common law marriage is not recognized.
WYOMING: The age of consent is eighteen. With parental consent, parties can marry at age sixteen. They may obtain a license and marry at a younger age under special circumstances. Common law marriage is not recognized.
http://law.enotes.com/everyday-law-e...e-marriage-age
Now looking at credential of our beloved prophet and with followers who are in excess of 1.5 billion people, He certainly qualifies for special circumstances
But in the state of ALASKA, CALIFORNIA, COLORADO and LOUISIANA there is no need for special circumstances, only parental consent is required.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/Table_Marriage.htm#gg
So you see
Our prophet’s marriage to Aisha(r.a) is 100% legal even today!!!
Alhumdulliah !!! allahuakbar !!!
Exhausted?
No!!!... I told you this is a long post.
What? I cannot hear you speak louder please.
But, Sex at such young age and that too with such older man?
Let’s move on.
“A girl can begin menstruating anytime between the ages of 8 and 16. Menstruation will not occur until all parts of a girl's reproductive system have matured and are working together.”
http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/menstru.htm#1
This means as soon as a girl starts menstruating she is ready to have sex and can reproduce.
The primary function of sex is to reproduce, pleasure is secondary
If pleasure was absent then the human race would be in danger of extinction
Many people argue that it is too early an age for sex and reproduction
But the evidence is to the contrary, as you know children especially in the west loose their virginity as early as 12 and 13 years of age and many of them get pregnant and some even prefer to give birth.
“A new survey shows four out of 10 city kids say they have had intercourse before age 14,”
http://www.southend.wayne.edu/module...p?storyid=2445
Here is an interesting article you may want to read but I do not agree fully with this article also the site contain photo which is inappropriate.
Here are some excerpts:
“Child sex: why are we so f**ked up about it?”
“Should childhood be defined by civil laws that lay down the legal age at which a child may engage in sexual activity,”
” Should a child be legally permitted to have sex at puberty, and if not, what outlets (if any), should it be permitted to express it's natural urges during the intervening years between puberty and the age of sexual consent?”
“Prior to ascendancy of the Church children were generally regarded as either potential adults or actual adults in the eyes of the societies in which they grew up. As such they were valued for the actual or potential contribution they could make to the prosperity and culture of their communities. Work was not incompatible with play, and went hand in hand with their gradual transformation into adults.”
“This inversion of the natural order culminated in the cult of childhood and of 'the teenager', both entirely artificial constructs with no basis in biological or psychological reality.”
“
The result was a head-on clash between the biological and sexual maturity of children and the new social roles assigned to them, which provide no socially sanctioned outlet for their sexuality”
“One of the areas which the treatment of children as a species apart from adults has most affected, is marriage. Throughout most of human history societies have allowed marriage at or near the time of puberty, sometimes very much earlier”
“In the affluent nations of the world (coincidentally the same nations that have the greatest problems with pornography and paedophilia) the average marriageable age has steadily advanced through recent centuries to the mid-twenties — some twelve years later than the average age of puberty! This irony has not been lost on many health professionals and psychologists, yet continues to be completely ignored by the vast majority of parents and teachers.”
“The evidence from historical, cultural, biological and psychological causes overwhelmingly demonstrates that Nature intended us to be sexual adults at puberty and to experiment sexually to some degree much earlier. Yet our modern, western culture so inhibits this natural growth process that we enter adulthood seriously crippled sexually, psychologically and often morally and spiritually too, often unable to enjoy satisfying lives of sexual intimacy.”
http://www.utterpants.co.uk/notpants/childsex.html
Islam provides perfect solution to the west’s problems
In Islam it is recommended that children be married soon after they reach puberty and marriage should not be delayed unnecessarily.
But it is not compulsory to get married at very young age.
Islam does not encourage pedophilia since sex outside marriage and with minors(prepubescent) is not allowed.
Let’s move further
Here are more interesting articles
Please visit the site to read the full articles
“Experts debate impact, gray areas of adult-child sex”
“Sex researchers and academics are tussling over a topic that most Americans don't even want to think about
: sex between adults and children. Some of these experts are making the startling assertion that not all sexual activity between adults and minors is necessarily harmful. The result is a questioning of one of the country's most strongly held taboos.”
“The controversy is engaging some researchers at top universities. "I think the evidence has been clear for some time that child and adolescent sexual abuse does not always do harm in the long term," says David Finkelhor of the University of New Hampshire, one of the nation's foremost researchers on the sexual abuse of children”
“The issue should not be blurred by talking about sex with a 17-year-old versus a younger child, Dallam says. "That is just one hill in the battle" pedophiles are waging, she says. "Once they have the 15- to 17-year-olds, then it will be OK with the 12- and 13-year olds."
There is still "a lot to be cleared up," Finkelhor says. The adult-child issue would be easier to deal with, he says, if America had fewer children who had been victimized and "so badly hurt by the imposition of adult sexual activities."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...-child-sex.htm
“ Feminist writer Judith Levine's book "Not Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Kids from Sex" has been condemned by those who say she excuses sexual abuse of children ? a charge she strongly denies.”
“"Do I advocate priests having sex with their child parishioners? No, absolutely no," she said in a telephone interview. However, she said, "The research shows us that in some minority of cases, young ? even quite young ? people can have a positive [sexual] experience with an adult. That's what the research shows."”
http://www.come-and-hear.com/editor/ca-wt-04-19-02/
“Alarmed critics often quote a list of negative effects Finkelhor has catalogued. His inventory includes depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, an earlier entry into sexual activity, a larger number of partners and a greater tendency to be sexually victimized later in life.”
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...-child-sex.htm
Aishah(r.a) never suffered from any of the above negative effects.
Here I must again stress the marriage of our prophet to Aishah(r.a)
Was a special case and an exception.
It was perfectly legal in every sense and it not only benefited Aishah(r.a) but also Islam Immensely as already explained
Also companions of the prophet were very devoted they followed him to the T and tried to emulate all his actions, but you do not find all his companions having 9 years old brides.
I think I have said enough there is no need for further explanation
Case dismissed in favor of Prophet Muhammad (saw).
(Since Allah is absolute truth, all the true things that I have said above are from Allah And any mistake that I may have made or any wrong information that I may have Given unintentionally is from me, and I ask Allah for his forgiveness, Allah alone Knows best)