Child Marriage in the Muslim World: Difference between revisions

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In many Islamic countries and around the world, child marriages are common practice. Girls below the age of 18, and often far below the age of puberty are forcibly [[Marriage|married]] to older persons (sometimes in their 50s and later), often for various personal gains by the girls' guardian or with the intention to preserve family [[Honor violence|honor]] by helping her avoid pre-marital [[sex]].
In many Islamic countries and around the world, child marriages are common practice. Girls below the age of 18, and often far below the age of puberty are forcibly [[Marriage|married]] to older persons (sometimes in their 50s and later), often for various personal gains by the girls' guardian or with the intention to preserve family [[Honor violence|honor]] by helping her avoid pre-marital [[sex]].
[[Islamic Law|Islamic law]] permits [[Child Marriage in Islamic Law|child marriage]]. Jurists agreed that a father may compel his pre-pubescent virgin daughter to enter into a marriage contract. The family was to be hand her over for consummation when they judged her physically able to withstand intercourse without physical harm. See the article [[Forced Marriage]] for more detail and for sources of help for those at risk.


The prevalence of child marriage involving under 18s is decreasing globally, but is still widespread according to Unicef, affecting millions of girls annually, as well as boys to a much lesser extent.<ref>[https://www.unicef.org/protection/child-marriage Child marriage] - Unicef.org (accessed November 2022)</ref> According to Unicef, "Many factors interact to place a child at risk of marriage, including poverty, the perception that marriage will provide ‘protection’, family honor, social norms, customary or religious laws that condone the practice, an inadequate legislative framework and the state of a country’s civil registration system." Data available on their website indicates that marriage of girls under 18 and under 15 is common in many predominantly Muslim countries, and similarly in many predominantly Christian countries in Africa, in India (among Hindus as well as Muslims) and to a lesser extent in Latin America and the Caribbean.<ref>[https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-marriage/ Child marriage data] - Unicef.org (accessed November 2022)</ref>
The prevalence of child marriage involving under 18s is decreasing globally, but is still widespread according to Unicef, affecting millions of girls annually, as well as boys to a much lesser extent.<ref>[https://www.unicef.org/protection/child-marriage Child marriage] - Unicef.org (accessed November 2022)</ref> According to Unicef, "Many factors interact to place a child at risk of marriage, including poverty, the perception that marriage will provide ‘protection’, family honor, social norms, customary or religious laws that condone the practice, an inadequate legislative framework and the state of a country’s civil registration system." Data available on their website indicates that marriage of girls under 18 and under 15 is common in many predominantly Muslim countries, and similarly in many predominantly Christian countries in Africa, in India (among Hindus as well as Muslims) and to a lesser extent in Latin America and the Caribbean.<ref>[https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-marriage/ Child marriage data] - Unicef.org (accessed November 2022)</ref>


[[Islamic Law|Islamic law]] permits [[Child Marriage in Islamic Law|child marriage]]. Civil laws to introduce protections against child marriage have sometimes [[Child_Marriage_in_the_Muslim_World#Conclusion|faced opposition on traditional Islamic grounds]]. The practice also exists on a much smaller scale among Muslim populations in some non-Muslim countries such as the United Kingdom, where hundreds of girls under the age of 18 (as well as young adults) are taken overseas to be forcibly married each year (though for adults, consent to be married is required in Islamic law).<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/forced-marriage-unit-statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/forced-marriage-unit-statistics] - UK government Forced Marriage Unit</ref>
Civil laws to introduce protections against child marriage have sometimes [[Child_Marriage_in_the_Muslim_World#Conclusion|faced opposition on traditional Islamic grounds]]. The practice also exists on a much smaller scale among Muslim populations in some non-Muslim countries such as the United Kingdom, where hundreds of girls under the age of 18 (as well as young adults) are taken overseas to be forcibly married each year (though for adults, consent to be married is required in Islamic law).<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/forced-marriage-unit-statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/forced-marriage-unit-statistics] - UK government Forced Marriage Unit</ref>
 
Today, [[w:Marriageable_age|many modern Muslim countries]] have legislated to raise the minimum age of marriage, in many cases to the age of 16 or 18 for girls (though often with loopholes or with ineffective enforcement) and to prevent forced marriage, often in the face of opposition from Islamic scholars. Many Muslim campaign groups and charities have been involved in this process and continue to offer help to those at risk (see the article [[Forced Marriage]] which includes sources of help).<ref>For example [https://www.mwnuk.co.uk/Forced_Marriage_7_factsheets.php Muslim Women's Network UK] and [https://preventforcedmarriage.org/forced-marriage-overseas-pakistan/ Tahirih Justice Center Forced Marriage Initiative]</ref> In collaboration with activists, in 2019 the deputy Grand Mufti of al-Azhar University in Cairo issued a fatwa calling for marriage based on mutual consent with a minimum age set as 18.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/jun/21/senior-islamic-cleric-issues-fatwa-against-child-marriage Senior Islamic cleric issues fatwa against child marriage] - Guardian.com</ref>


==Statistics==
==Statistics==
'''PLEASE NOTE: The information below dates to the first decade of the 21st century. A number of countries have since taken steps to raise the minimum age of marriage. For more up to date information see the table on the Wikipedia page [[w:Marriageable_age|Marriageable Age]].'''


'''Afghanistan'''
'''Afghanistan'''
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{{Quote||Yemen is full of child brides. Roughly half of Yemeni girls are married before 18, some as young as eight.<ref>Carla Power - [http://www.yementimes.com/DefaultDET.aspx?i=1207&p=report&a=1 Nujood Ali & Shada Nasser win “Women of the Year Fund 2008 Glamour Award”] - Glamour Magazine, November 13, 2008</ref>}}
{{Quote||Yemen is full of child brides. Roughly half of Yemeni girls are married before 18, some as young as eight.<ref>Carla Power - [http://www.yementimes.com/DefaultDET.aspx?i=1207&p=report&a=1 Nujood Ali & Shada Nasser win “Women of the Year Fund 2008 Glamour Award”] - Glamour Magazine, November 13, 2008</ref>}}


==Justification by Muslims==
==Traditional Islamic Justification==


===Permitted in the Qur'an===
===Permitted in the Qur'an===
{{main|Child Marriage in the Qur'an}}
{{main|Child Marriage in Islamic Law|Child Marriage in the Qur'an}}


Some Muslims justify child marriages using verses from the [[Quran|Qur'an]], that clearly advocate the practice. The Qur'an cannot be questioned by Muslims since it's not simply considered to be 'inspired'. but the very words of [[Allah]], uttered by his final messenger [[Muhammad]]. In Islam, moral relativism cannot be applied, as the Qur'an is Allah's eternal message to mankind and is as relevant today as it were when the [[Revelation|revelations]] first escaped Muhammad lips.
Traditional Quran commentators and jurists have been essentially unanimous that child marriages are permitted in the [[Quran|Qur'an]].


{{Quote|{{Quran|65|4}}|And (as for) those of your women who have despaired of menstruation, if you have a doubt, their prescribed time shall be three months, '''and of those too who have not had their <i>courses</i>'''; and (as for) the pregnant women, their prescribed time is that they lay down their burden; and whoever is careful of (his duty to) Allah He will make easy for him his affair.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|65|4}}|And (as for) those of your women who have despaired of menstruation, if you have a doubt, their prescribed time shall be three months, '''and of those too who have not had their <i>courses</i>'''; and (as for) the pregnant women, their prescribed time is that they lay down their burden; and whoever is careful of (his duty to) Allah He will make easy for him his affair.}}
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The term "courses" mentioned above (indicated in '''<i>bold italic</i>''' text) is most accurately translated as "menstruation", which is the exact meaning of the Arabic word used in that context (i.e. 'Yaĥiđna يَحِضْنَ).  
The term "courses" mentioned above (indicated in '''<i>bold italic</i>''' text) is most accurately translated as "menstruation", which is the exact meaning of the Arabic word used in that context (i.e. 'Yaĥiđna يَحِضْنَ).  


===Permitted by Muslim Scholars and Leaders===
===Permitted by Muslim Scholars===
{{main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Child marriage}}
{{main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Child Marriage}}


{{Quote|Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh|It is incorrect to say that it's not permitted to marry off girls who are 15 and younger. A girl aged 10 or 12 can be married. Those who think she's too young are wrong and they are being unfair to her. <br><br>We hear a lot in the media about the marriage of underage girls. We should know that Shariah law has not brought injustice to women.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/17/saudi.child.marriage/index.html?iref=newssearch Top Saudi cleric: OK for young girls to wed] - CNN, January 17, 2009</ref>}}
{{Quote|Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh|It is incorrect to say that it's not permitted to marry off girls who are 15 and younger. A girl aged 10 or 12 can be married. Those who think she's too young are wrong and they are being unfair to her. <br><br>We hear a lot in the media about the marriage of underage girls. We should know that Shariah law has not brought injustice to women.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/17/saudi.child.marriage/index.html?iref=newssearch Top Saudi cleric: OK for young girls to wed] - CNN, January 17, 2009</ref>}}
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:''Main Article: [[Aisha Age of Consummation|Muhammad's marriage to Aisha]]''
:''Main Article: [[Aisha Age of Consummation|Muhammad's marriage to Aisha]]''


Another justification is that Muhammad, who is considered the [[Uswa Hasana]] (perfect example) by all Muslims, at the age of 53 or 54, also indulged in a pedophilic marriage with [[Aisha]], a 9 year old girl.  
Another justification used by scholars is that Muhammad, who is considered the [[Uswa Hasana]] (perfect example) by all Muslims, then in his early 50s, married [[Aisha]], when she was a 6 year old girl and consummated the marriage when she was 9.  


{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3311}}|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.}}
{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3311}}|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.}}


===Committed by Muhammad's Companions===
===Committed by Muhammad's Companions===
{{main|Child Marriage and Muhammad's Companions
{{main|Child Marriage and Muhammad's Companions}}
}}


Umar ibn al-Khattab, the 2<sup>rd</sup> [[Caliph]] of Islam, at the age of 55 married Umm Kulthum bint Ali when she was between 10 and 12 years old. Some sources even say that she was five years old when Umar married her.
Umar ibn al-Khattab, the 2<sup>rd</sup> [[Caliph]] of Islam, at the age of 55 married Umm Kulthum bint Ali when she was between 10 and 12 years old. Some sources even say that she was five years old when Umar married her.
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