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When the fact that Islam's prophet married
a child came to the attention of the Kafir world, Muslims scurried for damage control. They have many claims disputing the
idea that Mohammad could have been a pedophile. Among them are that the age of Aisha was recorded incorrectly. That would
mean that the hadith writers, who have been authenticated by their own Islamic scholars, made mistakes. If that were true,
it would make suspect the validity of ALL hadiths.
Another justification is that ancient
people recorded years differently than we do now. That is true, since Arabs used and still use the lunar calendar. The lunar
calendar has less than 365 days in a year, which means that when Aisha said she was 6, she was really younger.
Many Muslims argue that Aisha was very
wise for her age, and was actually a 9 year old "woman" when the act was consummated. They also claim that puberty was earlier
in ancient times- a theory that is baseless- and the Muslim belief still stands that when a person acheives puberty, they
are ready for marriage.
The other, most prevalent excuse,
is that in ancient times, child marriage was an accepted way of life. They bring up that even in western cultures, child marriage
was accepted in many places until recently. But allowing child marriage was human law. It was disallowed by humans when the
realization set in that the act was harmful and cruel to the children. If Mohammad got all his revelations from God, was told
how to wipe himself, how to pray, how to dress, why didn't God tell him that things like rape, slavery and child marriage
were wrong?
Aisha is very clear on
her age when she was married to Mohammad and this is recorded by several different hadith writers and historians :
- Narrated by Aisha: The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some
women came. Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared
and decorated me. I was then brought to the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) and he took up cohabitation with me when
I was nine. Dawood B41 N4915
-
The prophet married Aisha in Mecca
three years before before the Hijrah, after the death of Khadija. At the time she was
six In may 623 AD, when she was 9, Allah’s messenger consummated his marriage
to Aisha. Tabari II:6,7
- When
the prophet married Aisha, she was very young and not yet ready for consummation. Tabari
IX 131: “My mother came to me while I was 6. I was being swung on a swing between two branches and got me down. My nurse
took over and wiped my face with some water and started leading me. When I was at the door she stopped so I could catch my
breath. I was brought in while Muhammad was sitting on a bed in our house. My mother made me sit on his lap. The other men
and women got up and left. The prophet consummated his marriage with me in my house when I was 9 years old. Tabari IX:128
Aisha played with dolls while married:
-
I used to play with the dolls in
the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Apostle used to enter (my dwelling
place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me. (The playing with the dolls
and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for 'Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the
age of puberty.) (Fateh-al-Bari page 143, Vol.13) Bukhari V8 B73 N151
Mohammad died at
age 63 or 64. If Aisha was 18 when he died, she was born when he was about 46, and consummated the marriage to a 9 year old
when he was 55 years old:
- A'isha (Allah be pleased with
her) reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married her when she was seven years old, and he was taken to his
house as a bride when she was nine, and her dolls were with her; and when he (the Holy Prophet) died she was eighteen years
old. Sahih Muslim B8 N3311
Mohammad got revelations when in bed with the child Aisha:
- The angel
brought down my likeness, the messenger married me when I was seven, my marriage was consummated when I was nine, he married
me when I was a virgin, no other man having shared me with him, inspiration came to him when he and I were in a single blanket,
I was one of the dearest people to him, a verse of the qur’an was revealed concerning me hen the community was almost
destroyed, and I saw Gabriel when none of this other wives saw him. Tabari V:117
The people gave gifts on the nights Mohammad sleeps with Aisha due his
receiving revelations while in bed with the child:
- The people
used to send presents to the prophet on the day of Aisha’s turn with him. Aisha said,
“His other wives gathered in the apartment of Um Salama and said, Um, the people send presents on the day of
Aish’s turn and we too, love the good presents just as much as she does. You should tell Allah’s apostle to order
the people to send their presents to him regardless of whose turn it may be. Um repeated that to the prophet and he turned
away from her. When the prophet returned to Um, she repeated the request again. The prophet again turned away. After the third
time, the prophet said, “UM, don’t trouble me by harming Aisha, for by Allah, the divine inspiration never came
to me while I was under the blanket of any woman among you except her.” Bukhari V5 B57 N119
Mohammad claimed he took a night flight on a winged horse to heaven from Mecca to the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.
There he met Allah. Some Muslims claim this was meant only as a dream,
others believe it was real. Nevertheless, this story has been the cause of bloodshed over the ownership of the mosque
for centuries.
The following verse may be where Mohammad got his idea of a winged horse
from:
- When the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) arrived after the expedition to Tabuk or Khaybar (the narrator is doubtful), the draught raised an
end of a curtain which was hung in front of her store-room, revealing some dolls which belonged to her. He asked: What is this? She replied: My dolls. Among them he saw a horse with wings made of
rags, and asked: What is this I see among them? She replied: A horse. He asked: What is this that it has on it? She replied:
Two wings. He asked: A horse with two wings? She replied: Have you not heard that Solomon had horses with wings? She said:
Thereupon the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) laughed so heartily that I could see his molar teeth. Dawud B41 N4914
Mohammad punched Aisha in the chest. Muslims claim Mohammad never struck any of his wives:
-
When it was my turn for Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) to spend the night with me, he turned his side, put
on his mantle and took off his shoes and placed them near his feet, and spread the corner of his shawl on his bed and then
lay down till he thought that I had gone to sleep. He took hold of his mantle slowly and put on the shoes slowly, and opened
the door and went out and then closed it lightly. I covered my head, put on my veil and tightened my waist wrapper, and then
went out following his steps till he reached Baqi'. He stood there and he stood for a long time. He then lifted his hands
three times, and then returned and I also returned. He hastened his steps and I also hastened my steps. He ran and I too ran.
He came (to the house) and I also came (to the house). I, however, preceded him and I entered (the house), and as I lay down
in the bed, he (the Holy Prophet) entered the (house), and said: Why is it, O 'A'isha, that you are out of breath? I said:
There is nothing. He said: Tell me or the Subtle and the Aware would inform me. I said: Messenger of Allah, may my father
and mother be ransom for you, and then I told him (the whole story). He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I
saw in front of me? I said: Yes. He struck me on the chest which caused me pain, and then said:
Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? She said: Whatsoever the people conceal, Allah will
know it. Sahih Muslim Book 4 #2127
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