Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester?

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Miles
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Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester?

Post #1

Post by Miles »

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I rarely delve into the Islamic faith or any of its elements; however, I did happen upon the following which I found rather interesting.

Please know that the events related below don't appear to mark Muhammad as a pedophile as the term is psychiatricly understood, but rather in it's more colloquial usage as a child sexual molester.

"Evidence that Muhammad was a pedophile.

For the Western mind, perhaps the most disturbing fact about Islam is that its founder had a sexual relationship with a nine-year-old girl. Because of this, it has become increasingly popular in some circles to refer to the Prophet of Islam as a "pedophile." This is, of course, extremely offensive to Muslims, who view Muhammad as the ideal servant of God and as the greatest example of what a man should strive to be. Nevertheless, Muhammad’s relationship with a young girl presents a problem for Muslims, especially for those who want to share their faith with others.


The evidence for Muhammad’s marriage to the nine-year-old Aisha is too strong to be ignored.


The problem with the selective and carefully edited defense just given (other than the complete lack of references) is that it ignores the numerous accounts we now possess which record Aisha’s age when Muhammad consummated his marriage to her. Many of these accounts are from Aisha herself. Indeed, the evidence for Muhammad’s marriage to the young Aisha is as strong as the evidence for just about any other fact in Islam. We have copious traditions relating Muhammad’s marriage proposal when Aisha was six or seven years old, as well as his consummation of that marriage when she was nine:

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) married her when she was six years old, and he consummated her in marriage when she was nine years old. Then she remained with him for nine years (i.e. till his death).

Khadijah died three years before the Prophet (the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) departed to Madina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he married Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consummated that marriage when she was nine years old.

Urwa narrated: The Prophet (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) wrote the (marriage contract) with Aisha while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years.
Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when I was nine years old.

Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) married her when she was seven years old, and she 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.

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ASSESSMENT: While the evidence isn’t enough to condemn Muhammad as a "pedophile," his sexual relationship with Aisha is unacceptable.

Muhammad has been accused of pedophilia in numerous writings, sermons, and conversations. We have seen that the earliest Muslim traditions offer support for this view. However, the evidence sustaining the charge of pedophilia is perhaps too limited to warrant such a harsh conclusion. We know that Muhammad had a sexual relationship with a young girl, and that this was reprehensible. Yet we must take cultural differences into consideration in formulating an accurate appraisal of a person’s character. In Muhammad’s society, sexual intercourse was acceptable when a girl reached menses, and Muhammad may have waited until Aisha had reached this age. (Note: There’s no good historical evidence that Muhammad waited for Aisha to reach menses. However, I think it’s important to be generous in our interpretations as much as possible, so I’m willing to grant, for the sake of argument, that Aisha had reached puberty.)

Similarly, we don’t have enough information to call Muhammad a "pervert." While Muhammad’s sexual acts may seem startling, we don’t know enough about the nature of these acts to condemn him as a sexual deviant or a predator.

Nevertheless, Muslims are too hasty in dismissing Muhammad’s relationship with Aisha. We can’t simply ignore a prophet’s marriage to a nine-year-old girl. Muslims view Muhammad as the highest example of a moral life, but his marriage to Aisha conflicts with that view. If they want to put Muhammad forward as the standard of morality, Muslims need to come to terms with the many questionable things Muhammad did, as well as the awful impact of these actions."
source



So, do you think taking "cultural differences into consideration" is enough to absolve an adult from having sex with a nine year-old (fourth grade) child?

Your thoughts?


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Last edited by Miles on Wed Feb 09, 2022 12:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester

Post #41

Post by otseng »

Miles wrote: Sat Feb 05, 2022 8:41 pm
mms20102 wrote: Sat Feb 05, 2022 6:35 pm [Replying to Miles in post #30]

You can start by answering my question when someone can be called pedophile and based on what ?!
Not going to do your homework for you anymore. Look it up yourself. You do have access to the internet don't you?
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mms20102 is correct. Whoever makes the claim has the burden of providing the support.


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Re: Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester

Post #42

Post by Miles »

mms20102 wrote: Sat Feb 05, 2022 8:46 pm [Replying to Miles in post #39]

You are the one supposed to present evidence not me
Aside from yourself, who says so?
. . . you are the one have to prove why he was a pedophile and on what basis you said that.
Why? I certainly never said he was a pedophile. Might want to brush up on your reading skills mms.


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Re: Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester

Post #43

Post by Miles »

otseng wrote: Sat Feb 05, 2022 9:27 pm
Miles wrote: Sat Feb 05, 2022 8:41 pm
mms20102 wrote: Sat Feb 05, 2022 6:35 pm [Replying to Miles in post #30]

You can start by answering my question when someone can be called pedophile and based on what ?!
Not going to do your homework for you anymore. Look it up yourself. You do have access to the internet don't you?
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mms20102 is correct. Whoever makes the claim has the burden of providing the support.

You're absolutely correct; however, I never made any claim that could be said to bear a burden of proof. At most, any claims in my posts are those of others whom I quoted and linked to. Almost all my remarks here took the form of questions, beliefs, or clarifications.


About cmms20102's rather odd and confusing statement: "You can start by answering my question when someone can be called pedophile and based on what ?!." I took it as a request to explain the basis one must have for calling someone a "pedophile." In short: the definition of "pedophile." Hence my remark "Not going to do your homework for you anymore. Look it up yourself."
Personally, I've never called anyone a pedophile in this thread. Looking back, if one isn't too familiar with English I suppose my title question, "Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester," missing a question mark because of a typo, might lead one to think I was accusing Muhammad of being a pedophile, but this would be quite a stretch. Fact is, I've never claimed anything at all about Muhammad here.


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Re: Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester

Post #44

Post by mms20102 »

[Replying to Miles in post #43]

I want to know how you make a post without a claim?!
What are we debating here then ?
The claims I found in your sources are :-
1- Prophet Muhammad is a pedophile but we can't say for sure.
2- Marriage to Aisha is not acceptable.
3- There is a doubt that prophet Muhammad waited for Aisha to reach puberty.

Now if any of those claims are false or you don't agree with then please edit your post and point out the claims not to mislead us.
If the claims are your opinion and you agree with the sources then please provide me with an answer to my questions.

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Re: Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester

Post #45

Post by Miles »

mms20102 wrote: Sun Feb 06, 2022 1:36 am
Now if any of those claims are false or you don't agree with then please edit your post and point out the claims not to mislead us.
If the claims are your opinion and you agree with the sources then please provide me with an answer to my questions.
I'm sorry, but you appear to have trouble with the English language and need help as you read along and construct replies; however, that's not what I'm here for. Perhaps someone in your family or a friend could help you out.

Take care,

Miles


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Re: Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester

Post #46

Post by JoeyKnothead »

Miles wrote: Sun Feb 06, 2022 1:59 am I'm sorry, but you appear to have trouble with the English language and need help as you read along and construct replies; however, that's not what I'm here for. Perhaps someone in your family or a friend could help you out.
I don't blame ya for being a bit put off.

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Re: Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester

Post #47

Post by otseng »

I'd rather not close this thread due to devolving into just making personal comments.

I think it should be clearly stated what is being claimed. And the title of the thread with the false dichotomy is not helping either.

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Re: Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester

Post #48

Post by muslimforever »

otseng wrote: Sun Feb 06, 2022 7:15 am I'd rather not close this thread due to devolving into just making personal comments.

I think it should be clearly stated what is being claimed. And the title of the thread with the false dichotomy is not helping either.
I agree.

And also: obviously Muslims are going to get upset and be defensive when they see a Thread Title like this one.

So can I just state clearly, that ALLAH (GOD) sanctioned our Prophet Muhammad to marry Aisha when he did; so really, that should be the end of the story/argument!

Over and Out!
A proud Muslim

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Re: Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester

Post #49

Post by JoeyKnothead »

muslimforever wrote: Sun Feb 06, 2022 2:19 pm So can I just state clearly, that ALLAH (GOD) sanctioned our Prophet Muhammad to marry Aisha when he did; so really, that should be the end of the story/argument!
Only don't it beat all, not you nor Muammad neither one can show ol Allah there was proud to see a a grown man marry him a little girl.

Culture and time be danged. A little girl deserves to be more than some old guy's prize

We see these types of "god ordained" 'unions' quite often in cults, where some dude declares he's got him a god talking to him, and god wants that pretty little girl to be his bride.

It's predatory behaviour, plain and simple.

If Allah's cool with pedophilia (clinical term), I ain't cool with Allah.
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Re: Muhammad, a pedophile or child molester

Post #50

Post by mms20102 »

[Replying to JoeyKnothead in post #49]
It's predatory behaviour, plain and simple.

If Allah's cool with pedophilia (clinical term), I ain't cool with Allah.
All I see here is repeated postings that doesn't help the subject just circular logic.
I guess unless Mr. Miles start giving us what claims should we discuss the post is not aiming for any discussion but forced personal opinion.

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