Women in islam part 1- childhood

Submitted by Margaret (Poland), Oct 24, 2009 at 18:18

This is the script of the 43 minutes documentary film produced by the Arab Atheists Network. The Film is available on Youtube.

(The next time you hear about / discuss how wome are trated "like queens" in islam- here is a valuable source of handy quotation form the prophet/ scholars of islam- M.)

A female experiences disparagement in Islam from the moment of her birth. While a newborn male gets to have two sheep offered as a sacrifice of thanksgiving on his behalf, they offer only one on behalf of the female. Muhammad (570-632), the prophet of Islam, said, "Two sheep for the boy and one for the female" (see: The authentic of Al-Tirmidhi?s collection, Al-Albani, Hadith no. 1516).

Islam also permits the father to marry off his daughter before she reaches adolescence. On the legally prescribed period of waiting (termed as 'Iddah) during which a woman may not remarry after being widowed or divorced in order to ensure no pregnancy occurred, the Quran says, Such of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses, for them the prescribed period, if you have any doubts, is three months, and for those who have no courses (it is the same).? (65:4).

"Those who have no courses" that is, those who have not reached adolescence yet. Ubay Bin Kab, a close companion of Mohammad, said: When the verse in Surat Al-Baqarah was revealed prescribing the 'Iddah of divorce, some people in Al-Madinah said, 'There are still some women whose Iddah has not been mentioned in the Qur'an. There are the little girls, the old whose menstruation is discontinued, and the pregnant'. In response, this verse was revealed: Such of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses (See: Al-Mustadrak, by Al-Hakim. pp. 492-493. This narration is authentic according to Al-Hakim and Al-dhahabi.).

Throughout the ages, the Muslim commentators of the Quran confirmed this explanation of the verse. Here are quotations from the most notable of them.
Al- Tabari (839-923) said, "This also includes the 'Iddah' of girls who have not menstruated yet as they are such little.. if divorced after being sexually consummated in marriage".

Al-Baghawi (1045-1117) said, "Those little girls who have not reached menstruation age yet".

Az-Zammakhshari (1074-1143) said, "They are those little girls".

Al-Qurtubi (1204-1273) said, "She is the little girl".

Ibn Kathir (1302-1373) said, ?The same for the young, who have not reached the years of menstruation. Their 'Iddah is three months like those in menopause. This is the meaning of His saying: and for those who have no courses?.

Al-Mahali and As-Syyouti (1445-1505) both said, "for how such young they are".

Al-Alousi (1802-1854) said, "Those little girls who have not got their menstruation period yet".

As Mohammad reached 52, Abu Bakr got his daughter, Aisha, married off to him when she was only 6 years old. Mohammad began having sexual relations with her when she was just 9. This is what Aisha says as recoded in Al-Bukharis authentic, the second authoritative book in Islam next to the Quran,
The Prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six (years). We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Bani-al-Harith bin Khazraj. my mother, Um Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girl friends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me. She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when my breathing became Allright, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said, ?Best wishes and Allah's Blessing and a good luck.? Then she entrusted me to them and they prepared me (for the marriage). Unexpectedly Allah's Apostle came to me in the forenoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age. (See: Al-Bukhari?s authentic vol.3 p.66).
Muslim jurisprudents unanimously agreed on having the little girl being married off. Ibn Abdul Bur (978-1071) says, " Jurisprudents have unanimously agreed that a father is entitled to marry off his little girl without consulting her as Aisha herself was married off to the Messenger of Allah when she was six years old. (See: Al Tamhid vol. 19 p. 98).

Ibn Battal (died 1057) said, "A little girl is unanimously permitted to marry an adult even if she is in the crib" (See: Fat'h Al-Bari by Ibn Hajar, vol. 9 p. 124).

Ibn Al-Monther (856-931) said, "All known jurisprudents have unanimously agreed that a father's marrying off his firstborn daughter is permissible as long as he gets her to be married off to an acceptable man. In fact, as a father he is allowed that in spite of her reluctance and refusal". (See: Al-Moghni by Ibn Qudama, vol. 9 p. 398).

Ibn Qudama (1146-1223) said, "A father is entitled to marry off his little girl undisputedly since Abu Bakr Al Sidiq married Aisha off to the prophet while she was 6 years old without asking her permission" (See: Al Kafi by Ibn Qudama, vol. 4 p. 243).

A husband is entitled to have sexual intercourse with his wife, a little girl though she may be, as long as her body is capable of enduring sexual intercourse, even if she has not reached adolescence yet. If she, however, is not capable of enduring this intercourse, he is allowed to sexually enjoy her without having intercourse.
Al-Kharshi (died 1101) said, "His saying and it is possible to have sex with her has a reference to the fact that there is no specific age, which will vary from one person to another, and this does not necessitate been adult as it is the case with man, for if she endured intercourse, then she is enabling the man to receive full sexual pleasure?. (See: Sharh Mukhtassar Khalil, Al-Kharsahi, section on "marriage", chapter on dowry).

Al Zali'yye (died 1343) says, "They varied on specifying the age, some said, she could be nine years of age. What is true is it has nothing to do with age but it has everything to do with the ability to endure sexual intercourse, as a fat, large woman would endure sexual intercourse, though she may be young of age" (See: Tabyeen Al-Haqa?eq, book of divorce, chapter on divorce alimony).

And this is what happened with Aisha. Her family fattened her up before sending her off to her wedding with Mohammed. Aisha said, "My mother was giving me fattening recipes in order to prepare me for the Messenger of Allah, and she got nowhere until I began eating cucumber until I got fattened very well" (See: The authentic of Ibn Majas collection, Al-Albani. vol. 3 p. 131).
This would lead Al-Sarakhsi (died 1090) to comment on this story related by Aisha stating, "This in itself is a proof that a little girl is permitted to be wedded with her husband if she is fit for men, for she was in her wedded with him while she was 9 years old. so she was young as it appears. In a Hadith it is mentioned that they fattened her and when she got fat she was sent off to her wedding with the Messenger of Allah". (See: Al-Mabsoott by Al Sarakhsi, vol. 4 p. 213).

(A video clip of Dream Channel by Sheikh Farahat Al Sayyed Al Manji of Al-Azhar).
(
Sheikh Al Manji says: "There is no evidence in Islam for specifying marriage age. Just upfront, in Islam there is no set specific age for marriage.

Interviewer: From this I gather you agree.

Al Manji: Yes.

Interviewer: You are confirming that Fatwa (previously mentioned in the show).

Al Manji: I am not confirming that Fatwa, I am simply telling you that she can bear marriage, that is, bear sexual intercourse.

Interviewer: At what age can a girl endure "marriage"?

Al Manji: I actually don't know, but let me tell you, there is a girl who could be 15 years old, bubbly though she may be, yet she is not good for anything and knows nothing. Also there might be a girl who is just 10 years of age and look at her! She is so big and tall, to give you an example. What does it all depend on? Well, it all depends on where she is raised.

Interviewer: So it has nothing to do with age?

Al Manji: No, Islamic Law didn't specify age.

Interviewer: There is a girl who is 9 years old and she is so big and tall, could she get married?

Al Manji: Of course yes. Why not?

Interviewer: Call us at this number? as I am not really in the mood. Your honor the Sheikh this is so hard to accept. 9 years of age and gets married This is...

Al Manji: yes, 9 years old and getting married. And I said, as long as she can bear a man. I am speaking to you in light of the Islamic Law. This Law "Sharia" is what really matters.
)

In one of the largest Islamic sites on the Internet specialized in giving fatwas (religious authoritative verdicts) http://www.islamweb.net , a fatwa entitled "Sexually Enjoying the Little Girl of a Wife- Legally Islamic View" said, "There is no problem or issue in kissing the little girl of a wife lustfully and thighing (rubbing the penis against her thighs) and so on, even if she cannot bear sexual intercourse. Muslim jurisprudents have shown that the foundation lies in man's being able to sexually enjoy his wife if he wants to as long as there is no harm. This included his masturbating with her hands, fondling her and kissing her and so forth".
http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/Fatwa/ShowFatwa.php?lang=A&Id=78529&Option=FatwaId

In another fatwa entitled "Sexually Enjoying the Little Girl of a Wife", it stated, "There is no harm in ejaculating between the thighs of this little girl who cannot afford to bear intercourse and it might harm her, as long as such ejaculation is without sexual penetration. Muslim jurisprudents have shown that the starting point in all of this and what really matters the most is that the man is permitted to sexually enjoy his wife in any manner he wants as long as there is no harm.
http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/Fatwa/ShowFatwa.php?Option=FatwaId&lang=A&Id=56312

Shiite Muslims are not any different. Imam Khomeini (1902-1989), leader of Islamic revolution in Iran, said in his book "Tahrir Al Wasilah" (vol. 2 p. 221) the following: "A wife should not receive sexual intercourse before she is fully nine years old, be this marriage permanent or temporary. But for all other forms of pleasure, as in lustful touch, embrace or thighing (rubbing the penis against her thighs), there is no problem in them, even if she is a little suckling baby".

Shiite scholar, Al-Ayrawani, says that to receive sexual pleasure from the suckling baby is unanimously agreed upon by Muslim jurisprudents, be they Sunnis or Shiites.
(Recording Clip):
(
Enquiring person: Mr Imam Khomeini has mentioned in his book Tahrir Al-Wasilah a matter: A wife should not receive sexual intercourse before she is fully nine years old, be this marriage permanent or temporary. But for all other forms of pleasure, as in lustful touch or embrace, there is no problem in them, even if she is a little suckling baby. We hope that the Sheikh would expound on the last paragraph. Please go ahead our mullah.

Sheikh Ayrawani: In fact, this issue is one of the things that our Shiite jurisprudents, have all unanimously agreed upon. They (Sunnis) also have it in their books, its not belonging to us (Shiites) only. Now, suppose a man wants to get married to a little girl, to marry her permanently. What do you think? Let us now leave aside temporal marriage. I am here talking about the permanent kind of marriage. It is permitted for a man to marry off his daughter of 5 years of age to a man.

Question: is that permitted or not permitted?.

All Muslim jurisprudents agree and see no problem with that whatsoever. The father has every right to marry her off to a man. He is her custodian. Within the bounds of interest that is perfectly normal. The father is entitled to marry her off without any prohibition. Let us suppose that she is just two years of age. Or let us even say she is just one year old. There is not the least problem in that. By marrying her, she becomes lawful halal for the husband (to do whatever he wants to her). Now, you tell me, can the husband kiss her or no. Well, there is not the least problem in that since this little one is his own wife and therefore no problem at all.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".