Islam: 8-year old girl seeks divorce from 30 year old man

[jimmyfour]

I thought people might be interested in this appalling story of a forced/arranged marriage of an 8-year girl, Najoud Nasser, to a 30 year old man.

http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1145&p=front&a=2
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/b...-feminist.aspx
http://www.mideastyouth.com/2008/04/...seeks-divorce/

What is further interesting (seeing as we have heard during the week on Newstalk about the demands for government funding for a Muslim community centre in Navan) is that the marriage would not have been legal in Yemen civil law, yet again we are seeing how Islamic law as it is used in the everyday society can have an entirely different "legal" standpoint, at odds with the prevailing state/civil law.

(It's not much of surprise seeing Mohammad himself married a 9-year old, i.e., the Satanic Verses, but we had better not say that seeing as what happened to Salman Rushdie. Can anyone here defend this marriage and rape of a child which was done under Muslim laws? Not just angry reponses,and no threats to blow up my flat please.

[Schuhart]

Mohammad himself married a 9-year old.

Just a quick pedant point. I think she was actually six when he married her - the marriage was consummated when she was nine.

[Mujaahid]

I thought people might be interested in this appalling story of a forced/arranged marriage of an 8-year girl, Najoud Nasser, to a 30 year old man.

http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1145&p=front&a=2
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/b...-feminist.aspx
http://www.mideastyouth.com/2008/04/...seeks-divorce/

What is further interesting (seeing as we have heard during the week on Newstalk about the demands for government funding for a Muslim community centre in Navan) is that the marriage would not have been legal in Yemen civil law, yet again we are seeing how Islamic law as it is used in the everyday society can have an entirely different "legal" standpoint, at odds with the prevailing state/civil law.

(It's not much of surprise seeing Mohammad himself married a 9-year old, i.e., the Satanic Verses, but we had better not say that seeing as what happened to Salman Rushdie. Can anyone here defend this marriage and rape of a child which was done under Muslim laws? Not just angry reponses,and no threats to blow up my flat please.

Jimmy - Yemeni law stipulates that both groom and bride must be at least 15 years old for a marriage to be considered legal. Not only was the marriage illegal, but the father was mentally disturbed at the time of the marriage. It is an extremely sad story - thankfully the 'husband' is now in jail and the young girl free. What you failed to mention was the fact that the young girl was able to bring the case herself and that there was no debate on the issue, the husband was immediately arrested and imprisoned.
With regard to the Prophet Muhammad - his marriage to Aisha at such a young age was considered a normal and acceptable practice at that time. Byzantine kings and nobles married 8 year olds as a normal practice. However, while it was a normal practice then, it would not be considered so in this day and age.

[kittyn]

Mohammad himself married a 9-year old.

Just a quick pedant point. I think she was actually six when he married her - the marriage was consummated when she was nine.

Im sorry but thats wrong on all levels........

[evercloserunion]

Mohammad himself married a 9-year old.

Just a quick pedant point. I think she was actually six when he married her - the marriage was consummated when she was nine.

Im sorry but thats wrong on all levels........

Yeah, society thousands of years ago was wrong on all levels in many ways. It's hardly Islam's fault though, nor Muhammad's.

[popper]

The point is Red Star, western society has moved on via the Renaissance, Enlightenment, democracy and so on. The Islamic world has not.

[Aindriu]

The point is Red Star, western society has moved on via the Renaissance, Enlightenment, democracy and so on. The Islamic world has not.

Exactly! Just look at what happens when a woman gets raped - she is prosecuted herself!

[Aindriu]

..............
With regard to the Prophet Muhammad - his marriage to Aisha at such a young age was considered a normal and acceptable practice at that time. Byzantine kings and nobles married 8 year olds as a normal practice. However, while it was a normal practice then, it would not be considered so in this day and age.

This leads to the inevitable question - is sexual intercourse with a nine year old perfectly acceptable once it falls within the norms of a culture or is it always wrong?

Always wrong! It is paedophilia sin é!

[Aindriu]

I would also appreciate an answer from Mujaahid

Given his worship of the prophet, who himself indulged in the act of sex with a child, I don't see how he can condem it. To do so would mean saying that Mohammed was wrong & he can't do that.

[Leftfemme22]

Jesus was a pedarist as was Moses who enjoyed sexual relations with his 12 year old nephews.

There are many examples of pedophilia in western culture as well as within the Islamic world. To say they are endemic and universally excepted in either culture though is utterly ridiculous.