# According to Traditional and Mainstream Islamic Source, the Prophet Muhammad Raped a Child **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 7, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112 "2013-04-07T23:30:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/161 "2013-04-12T05:41:38Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Huh? > > What UCSB Sociology professor are you referring to? The one you cited. I guess he is prof of creative writing at UC Riverside, my mistake. His phd is in sociology of religion from UCSB. > [@](#): > > Also, please give me the name of the Islamic scholar as well as the appropriate cite to prove it, who claimed that Aisha was vastly more than ten years younger than her sister Asma, did not participate in the battle of Uhud, and was not born before the call. [I have, several times](http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=4604&CATE=1). There are many others. [Muhammad Al Arifi](http://themuslim500.com/profile/muhammad-al-arifi) [His lecture](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c79AXU8bOSQ) on youtube. [QUOTE=The Muslim 500] Dr Al Arifi is a well-known scholar and lecturer from Saudia Arabia. He is a founding and honorary member of various Da’wah organisations, as well as being a member of their advisory committees. He is also a professor in King Saud University of Riyadh. He takes a special interest in Hadith literature and has received licenses for the chains of transmission for various Hadith texts from a number of scholars. [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > There are plenty of hadiths which contradict the idea that Aisha was nine when she and Muhammad were married. That does not mean that there is no commonly accepted interpretation. She says, “I was nine” in many hadith that have long ago been judged as authentic, so when the inconsistencies that you refer to are reflected upon, the hadith in conflict with Aisha’s positive claims are the ones called into question. > [@](#): > > Only someone so intellectually incurious that they relied on wikipedia and youtube would be ignorant of them. The Koran with it’s many interpretations and tafsirs and the hadiths are all available online now, you know. Islam is one of many areas of interest that a person can become informed about much more quickly than in the past, now that the source material is accessible in our homes. To paraphrase a favorite author, your experience has been rendered obsolete by deflationary time. ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/162 "2013-04-12T05:49:58Z")
tomndebb - do you accept Mohammed as your Prophet . . . . . because you argue as a believer, not as an impartial arbiter. In the years that I have visited this site, you have never argued in favor of a religion with as much fervor as you have in this thread. No judgement - just curious about your detachment. (Note: this is not a comment about your moderating, because I think all of your additions to this thread were as a poster, not as a mod.) ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/163 "2013-04-12T05:53:26Z")
> [@Hank\_Beecher](#): > > [I have, several times](http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=4604&CATE=1). There are many others. Bullshit. None of those people have declared the hadiths which say that Aisha was born prior to Muhammad hearing the call or that she was ten years younger than her sister Asma. Now, if what you’re saying is true it should be very easy to prove. Quote them saying that and provide a provide a proper link. Of course you can’t and you won’t. > [@](#): > > The one you cited. Huh? I merely ridiculed you for pulling some no name off youtube and claiming he was the most well-regarded critic you could find. I merely asked if you’d never heard of Reza Aslan. You have since demonstrated that you so embarrassingly ignorant and your research was so absurdly shoddy that you weren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/164 "2013-04-12T06:00:20Z")
> [@Enuma\_Elish](#): > > tomndebb - do you accept Mohammed as your Prophet . . . . . > > because you argue as a believer, not as an impartial arbiter. This is truly one of the stupidest comments I’ve actually read on this site and that is saying quite a lot. Aside from the fact that while he doesn’t wear his religion on his sleeve, he’s a believing Christian, he’s actually criticized Muhammad. Moreover, if he was actually a devout Muslim as you are insinuating he would have been adding a rather specific phrase after every mention of Muhammad(for any non-Muslims who find that affection annoying, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Lots of less than devout Muslims hate it too). Finally, if you want to insinuate he’s a Muslim there’s a slightly different question to ask him. Hint, Muslims accept Jesus(Issa) as a prophet also. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/165 "2013-04-12T06:07:25Z")
> [@Enuma\_Elish](#): > > tomndebb - do you accept Mohammed as your Prophet . . . . . > > because you argue as a believer, not as an impartial arbiter. > > In the years that I have visited this site, you have never argued in favor of a religion with as much fervor as you have in this thread. > > No judgement - just curious about your detachment. > > (Note: this is not a comment about your moderating, because I think all of your additions to this thread were as a poster, not as a mod.) I see no evidence whatsoever that **tomndebb** is arguing in favor of Islam. What he is doing is arguing against the incredibly mistaken comments from a particular poster about Islam. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/166 "2013-04-12T06:08:46Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Bullshit. > > None of those people have declared the hadiths which say that Aisha was born prior to Muhammad hearing the call or that she was ten years younger than her sister Asma. They don’t have to, the multiple positive claims of her age narrated in her own voice trump these little revisionist quibbles > [@](#): > > Huh? > > I merely ridiculed you for pulling some no name off youtube and claiming he was the most well-regarded critic you could find. I said he was the most well-regarded critic I could find who claimed the particular hadiths where Aisha narrates her age in her own voice\* were fabricated.\* So far he is the only one referenced in this thread who has made that claim. > [@](#): > > I merely asked if you’d never heard of Reza Aslan. > > You have since demonstrated that you so embarrassingly ignorant and your research was so absurdly shoddy that you weren’t. The bulk of Muslims the world over don’t get their religious direction from books they bought at Barnes and Noble after reading about on the NYT, or hearing about on NPR. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/167 "2013-04-12T06:22:01Z")
I’m sorry. I’ve lost count. How many times have we gone down the “No True Scotsman” path in this thread now? ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/168 "2013-04-12T06:30:46Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I’m sorry. I’ve lost count. How many times have we gone down the “No True Scotsman” path in this thread now? Zero. The claim that the mainstream and traditional view is that when Mo raped Aisha she was 9 is not a universal claim. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/169 "2013-04-12T06:35:11Z")
> [@Hank\_Beecher](#): > > Zero. Wow. Your counting is off, too. ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/170 "2013-04-12T06:36:20Z")
Ibn Warraq - I was just curious about tomndebb. I had no dog in this fight. Your posts, however, are extremely intense to the point of being rude and quite myopic. You post as if all the followers of Islam are absolutely innocent of any offence ever. No religion has ever had 100% adherence to the best of its beliefs. NO RELIGION. I roll my eyes at any claim you make to objectivity. There is good in Islam and there is evil in Islam. Your posts don’t express that you know the difference. Do you care to share what you feel the negative aspects of Islam are? ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/171 "2013-04-12T07:03:51Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > I merely ridiculed you for pulling some no name off youtube and claiming he was the most well-regarded critic you could find. [About Imran Nazar Hosein](http://www.imranhosein.org/about-imran-n-hosein.html) > [@](#): > > He was born in the Caribbean island of Trinidad in 1942 from parents whose ancestors had migrated as indentured labourer from India. He is a graduate of the Aleemiyah Institute in Karachi and has studied at sevaral instutions of higher learning including the University of Karachi,the University of the West Indies, Al Azhar University and the Graduate Institute of International Relations in Switzerland. > > He worked for several years as a Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago but gave up his job in 1985 to devote his life to the mission of Islam. > > He lived in New York for ten years during which time he served as the Director of Islamic Studies for the Joint Committee of Muslim Organizations of Greater New York. He lectured on Islam in several American and Canadian universities, colleges, churches, synagogues, prisons, community halls, etc. He also participated in many inter-faith dialogues with Christian and Jewish scholars while representing Islam in USA. He was the Imam, for sometime, at Masjid Dar al-Qur’an in Long Island, New York. He also led the weekly Juma’ah prayers and delivered the sermon at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan once a month for ten years continuously. > > He is a former Principal of the Aleemiyah Institute of Islamic Studies in Karachi, Pakistan, Director of Research of the World Muslim Congress in Karachi, Pakistan, Director of the Islamic Institute for Education and Research in Miami, Florida, and Director of D’awah for Tanzeem-e-Islami of North America. [QUOTE=Ibn Warraq] I merely asked if you’d never heard of Reza Aslan. [/QUOTE] [Reza Azlan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_Aslan) > [@](#): > > Aslan’s family came to the United States from Tehran in 1979, fleeing the Iranian Revolution. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the early 1990s, Aslan taught courses at De La Salle High School in Concord, California. > In August 2000, while serving as the Truman Capote Fellow at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Aslan was named Visiting Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Iowa, becoming the first full-time professor of Islam in the history of the state.[6] After the September 11 attacks, Aslan put his expertise of the Middle East to work for both the university and the greater Iowa community by traveling throughout the state speaking to public and private organizations, businesses, churches, mosques, and universities. His efforts in Iowa received national attention in such periodicals as USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. > Education and writings > > Aslan holds a Bachelor of Arts’ degree in religions from Santa Clara University, a Master of Theological Studies’ degree from Harvard Divinity School, a doctorate in the sociology of religions from the University of California, Santa Barbara,[7] and a Master of Fine Arts’ degree from the University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop, where he was named the Truman Capote Fellow in Fiction. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities, and the Pacific Council on International Policy. He has served as Legislative Assistant for the Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington D.C., and was elected President of the World Conference of Religions for Peace, Harvard Chapter. He serves on the board of directors of the Ploughshares Fund, PEN Center USA, and serves on the national advisory board of the Levantine Cultural Center. > As Contributing Editor, Aslan has written articles for The Daily Beast. He has also written for various newspapers and periodicals, including The Christian Science Monitor, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Slate, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, The Guardian, the Chicago Tribune, and The Nation. He has made numerous appearances on TV and radio, including National Public Radio (NPR), PBS, The Rachel Maddow Show, Meet the Press, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, Anderson Cooper 360°, Hardball, Nightline, Real Time with Bill Maher, Fareed Zakaria GPS, and ABC Australia’s Big Ideas.[8] ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/172 "2013-04-12T09:36:53Z")
> [@Enuma\_Elish](#): > > Your posts, however, are extremely intense to the point of being rude and quite myopic. You post as if all the followers of Islam are absolutely innocent of any offence ever. This is patently false. I’m open, however, to being persuaded that it’s not if you were to actually provide proof that his posts are such. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/173 "2013-04-12T14:03:29Z")
This discussion is very strange, I am always very astonished that the persons who have hatred against Muslims use this subject. But I think I can add a useful real point of data for what in a Muslim country where the real majority feelings are. It is the case of the Morocco where a few years ago an Imam on his own issues a fatwa to legitimate religiously the marriage of girls from 6 to 9 years of age. In the French and the Arabic you can find much more information, but there is no doubt that the great popular reaction of all segments of the society was very negative to this Imam with popular protests against him as being deviant, and the [government of Morocco at the request of many segments including the local Ikhouan](http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/uncategorized/shutdown-of-moroccan-sheikh-sanctioning-marriage-at-age-nine/3448/), took legal action against him. It is easier to see if you can read the arabic articles, [but here in English you can see](http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2008/09/25/feature-01) there was strong revulsion against such views. > [@](#): > > There are many who have applauded the decision by the public prosecutor’s office to put an end to the debate. > Hassan Boukoura, a teacher of Islamic education, said it is of the utmost importance to ban exceptions that could become the rule. > “Marriage in Morocco is governed by the law,” Boukoura said. “We welcome the public prosecutor’s initiative in launching proceedings against this man for trying to pervert the law.” > > … > Lahcen Daoudi of the Justice and Development Party [this is the Ikhouan party in Morocco] said the fatwa should simply be discredited and ignored. > > “It’s madness. We’re getting into a false debate on this ridiculous fatwa which will have no effect on the Moroccan people. I don’t think people will listen to this view and marry their daughters off at nine years of age. No one can take this man seriously,” he said. > … > The statement from the High Council of Ulemas said Al Maghraoui is known for his subversive tendencies and said his sensational opinions will certainly not be heeded. The council pointed out that the legal age for marriage is 18 years, as specified in the Moroccan Family Code. The council of the Ulemas is the body of the trained islamic scholars. So to refute the claims of the OP, it is in fact evidenced in this that it is not the ordinary view of even a conservative traditional body of Islamic scholars that the interpretation of 6 or 9 years old is actually Sahih. It is true this is an interpretation very much promoted by the Wahhabite vision that comes out of the Arabia Saudite, but their vision is a perverted one that is not acceptable to many. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/174 "2013-04-12T15:10:12Z")
Could some expert pls tell whether below 2 can be justified?: 1: Men allowed to have multiple wives at any time but women allowed only 1 husband. 2: Quran verse [4:34](http://quran.com/4/34) justifying wife beating: > [@](#): > > Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband’s] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/175 "2013-04-12T18:10:10Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > Could some expert pls tell whether below 2 can be justified?: > > 1: Men allowed to have multiple wives at any time but women allowed only 1 husband. > > 2: Quran verse [4:34](http://quran.com/4/34) justifying wife beating: The answer is no, both of those portions of the Quran are quite sexist. Unfortunately all of the world’s major religions are fairly sexist. Obviously many clerics who dislike the idea of polygamy point out that Muslims are commanded to treat all the wives equally and those clerics argue that since it would be impossible to treat each wife equally that it would be wrong for them to marry more than one. As for the second, while its hardly a defense, even the most hardcore fundamentalist says that only “light” beatings. For example, in Iran the law specifies that men will be arrested “if marks are left, blood is spilled, or bones are broken.” This has unfortunately led to what one Muslim feminist termed “the culture of cables”. Of course, while it hardly makes it okay, all the holy books of the Abrahamic faiths make similar claims. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/176 "2013-04-12T22:51:35Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > This discussion is very strange, I am always very astonished that the persons who have hatred against Muslims use this subject. You do not have to hate Muslims to have criticism of their religious ideas. In some ways you might say the the harshness of Islamic indoctrination does give people bad qualities some might hate. But difficult circumstances also have a tendancy to bring out the most beautiful aspects of humanity. [QUOTE=Ramira] But I think I can add a useful real point of data for what in a Muslim country where the real majority feelings are. It is the case of the Morocco where a few years ago an Imam on his own issues a fatwa to legitimate religiously the marriage of girls from 6 to 9 years of age. [/QUOTE] That’s a useful data point all right. From your [link](http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2008/09/25/feature-01): “Speaking in his defence on television channel 2M, Al Maghraoui explained that his fatwa had been wrongly interpreted. He stressed that he was talking only of a few rare cases where nine-year-old girls could be married, in the tradition of the Prophet Mohammed.” The [page](http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2008/09/12/feature-02) linked from there has the opposing opinion, which is, as we would hope and expect, more popular with Moroccon’s: “Islamic scholar Abdelbari Zemzem told reporters that the fatwa is unacceptable from a religious point of view. The marriage of underage girls is inapplicable to modern societies, he said, where no ethical, religious or social interest could possibly authorise the marriage of a nine-year-old girl.” So we have a scholar who issued a fatwa allowing rape of children as young as nine, based on the traditionally accepted understanding of Aisha’s story. And this opinion is opposed by other more influential scholars and the bulk of the population. If the guy issuing the unpopular opinion was using any story other than the traditionally agreed upon interpretation, then surely Abdelbari Zemzem would have mentioned this in his criticism, don’t you think? No where does it challenge that age nine is the age Aisha was raped, just that it is wrong to rape children today because we live in “modern societies”. This by implication communicates that is acceptable under some circumstances. When you add in the fact that the person said to have done it is someone who’s behavior is emulated by so many people to the point of fetishism, you can see how certain it is that this story leads to child rape. When these details are elaborated on, when it is explained why it is was OK in the case of Mo and Aisha, the excuses given are right out of To Catch a Predator: she was exceptionable mature, it was a special relationship, he treated her so well, he was given to her by God in a dream, they had a “ceremony”. > [@](#): > > In the French and the Arabic you can find much more information, but there is no doubt that the great popular reaction of all segments of the society was very negative to this Imam with popular protests against him as being deviant, and the [government of Morocco at the request of many segments including the local Ikhouan](http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/uncategorized/shutdown-of-moroccan-sheikh-sanctioning-marriage-at-age-nine/3448/), took legal action against him. > It is easier to see if you can read the arabic articles, [but here in English you can see](http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2008/09/25/feature-01) there was strong revulsion against such views. > The council of the Ulemas is the body of the trained islamic scholars. > > So to refute the claims of the OP, it is in fact evidenced in this that it is not the ordinary view of even a conservative traditional body of Islamic scholars that the interpretation of 6 or 9 years old is actually Sahih. It is true this is an interpretation very much promoted by the Wahhabite vision that comes out of the Arabia Saudite, but their vision is a perverted one that is not acceptable to many. This does not refute the OP, it confirms it, since the claim is not that it is the majority opinion of Muslims is to allow rape of nine year olds. It does refute the simplistic idea, which is a straw man in this thread but an actual opinion of some bigots, that Muslims are somehow more inclined to be immoral or that Islamic indoctrination turns every last one into a maniac. Most Muslims manage to be perfectly fine people despite Islam. Your post shows how the story of Aisha is like a usually dormant disease, most of the time and in most places it is in remission, but the fact that it is in there is dangerous because it provides a justification built into the religion, even if it isn’t used that way by a majority of Muslims. There are many kinds of cancer with high survival rates, but they remain a factor in mortality. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/177 "2013-04-12T22:54:28Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Of course, while it hardly makes it okay, all the holy books of the Abrahamic faiths make similar claims. Not true! There is not one verse in the bible to justify spousal assault, although there is plenty sexism. When it comes to the subjugation of women however , the Koran and Islam in general takes it to a whole new level. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/178 "2013-04-12T23:03:30Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Muslim feminist ROFL. The Muslim feminist: [a ray of hope for bacon-eating vegetarians, god-fearing atheists and peace-loving terrorists.](http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/04/12/comment/columns/thank-you-dear-muslimaat/) ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/179 "2013-04-13T00:17:34Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > When it comes to the subjugation of women however , the Koran and Islam in general takes it to a whole new level. No, that’s not true at all. In fact, Bernard Lewis(not exactly an apologist for Islam) pointed out that one of the major complaints many Jewish and Christian leaders had under the Ottoman Empire was that Jewish and Christian women wanting to divorce their husbands would convert to Islam because they got a much better deal under Islamic divorce rules than Jewish women and unlike Christian women could divorce. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112/180 "2013-04-13T02:56:26Z")
Thanks for the reply IBN\_WARRAQ. Other religions have reformed or evolved over the time or have been subjugated by modernity, economical progress etc. Countries(esp. the rich ones) where people practice this sort of sexism and attribute it to religion are exclusively Islamic. Why do you think this is the case? Rich Saudis literally purchasing under-aged Muslim girls to be one of their wives from India(my country) and Pakistan or the case of [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfv41ZaTyyQ) Pakistani marrying 2 of his cousins in single ceremony. Or this Egyptian man with his [4 wives](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf3KGXllkgg)… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/according-to-traditional-and-mainstream-islamic-source-the-prophet-muhammad-raped-a-child/655112.md?page=10)