Marriage of Immature Girls in Other Religions



It should be noted that many Western Islamaphobes try to criticize Islam for allowing
fathers to marry their immature daughters off in such a way. Yet, this is another case of
the Jews and Christians throwing stones from their glass house. The Jewish Talmud, for
example, allows fathers to marry off their immature daughters. Just like Islamic Law, the
Talmud does not recommend fathers to do this, but the provision is there. We read:


Although the Talmud recommended that a daughter be given in marriage when
na'rah, between the ages of twelve and twelve and a half, a father could marry
her off well before that time…16th century Jewish history reveals a prevalence
of girl "child" marriage.


(G.U.S.: A World Reference Atlas, http://www2.rz.huberlin.
de/sexology/GESUND/ARCHIV/GUS/MIDDLEEASTOLD.HTM)


Unlike Islamic Law, however, Jewish Law allows husbands to have sexual relations with
immature girls. The authoritative Jewish website, AskMoses.com, says:


What is the minimum age of marriage according to Jewish law?


by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg


…In ancient (and not so ancient) times however, marriage was often-times
celebrated at a rather young age. Although we do not follow this dictum,
technically speaking, a girl may be betrothed the moment she is born, and married


at the age of three. [Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 37:1.]

(AskMoses.com, http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=573&o=2488)


Mark E. Pietrzyk writes:


According to the Talmud, the recommended age for marriage is sometime after
twelve for females, and thirteen for males. Marriage below these ages was
generally frowned upon. However, a father was allowed to betroth his
daughter to another man at an earlier age, and sexual intercourse was regarded
as a valid means of sealing a betrothal. The age limit for betrothal through sexual
intercourse was shockingly low. According to the Talmud, “A girl of the age of
three years and one day may be betrothed by intercourse.”


(Mark E. Pietrzyk, http://www.internationalorder.org/scandal_response.html)
Similarly, Christian Law allows fathers to marry off their immature daughters. Saint
Thomas Aquinas, considered by Catholics to be the greatest theologian of all time, wrote
in The Summa Theologica:


If the parties are betrothed by another person [i.e. the father] before they reach the
age of puberty, either of them or both can demur; wherefore in that case the
betrothal does not take effect, so that neither does any affinity result therefrom.
Hence a betrothal made between certain persons by some other takes effect, in so
far as those between whom the betrothal is arranged do not demur when they
reach the proper age, whence they are understood to consent to what others have
done.
(The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas,


http://www.newadvent.org/summa/5043.htm)
Yet, according to Christian Law, a husband can invalidate his wife’s right to annul the
marriage if he has sex with her. Mark E. Pietrzyk writes:


Once intercourse had taken place, the marriage could not be annulled.


(Mark E. Pietrzyk, http://www.internationalorder.org/scandal_response.html)

Pope Alexander III ruled:
If a girl of tender age is betrothed and delivered to her husband, and afterwards
desires to marry a different man, her petition is not to be granted if her husband
swears that he has had carnal knowledge of her even at the early age of eleven or
twelve. [12]


Other than Jews and Christians, we find that many Hindus join the bandwagon to attack
Prophet Muhammad for his marriage to Aisha. Yet, it seems that Jewish, Christian, and
Hindu Islamaphobes all hire the same architect to build their giant glass house. Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam discourage fathers to marry their immature daughters off, even if
the provision exists. On the other hand, Hindu Law goes one step further and actively
encourages fathers to marry their immature daughters off. In the Hindu religious
scripture known as the Manu-smriti, we read:
Vashistha (17.70).— Out of fear of the appearance of the menses, let the father
marry his daughter while she still runs about naked. For if she stays in the home
after the age of puberty, sin falls on the father.


Bodhayana (4.1.11).— Let him give his daughter, while she still goes about
naked, to a man who has not broken the vow of chastity and who possesses good
qualities, or even to one destitute of good qualities ; let him not keep the maiden
in his house after she has reached the age of puberty.


(Manu IX, 88; http://www.payer.de/dharmashastra/dharmash083.htm)


In conclusion, Islam protects the rights of a female more so than Judaism, Christianity,
and Hinduism. Judaism allows a man to have sex with a three year old girl. In
Christianity, a man can have sex with a seven year old immature girl, which subsequently
invalidates her right to annul the marriage. Hinduism actively encourages a father to
marry off his immature daughter, even when she is running around in diapers. Islam, on
the other hand, allows a father to contract a marriage on his daughter’s behalf, and this



provision is given only if it serves the child’s benefit. The husband cannot have sex with
her until she becomes mature. Meanwhile, the wife has the right of annulment and
divorce, as applicable (see relevant sections above).
As for Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he did indeed marry Aisha (peace be
upon her) when she was immature, but the marriage remained suspended until she came
of age, and it was only then that the marriage was consummated. As such, no blame can
be put on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).


[12] Quoted in John Fulton, The Laws of Marriage (New York: E. and J.B. Young, 1883), 112.