By Abu Adeeba

(Original Source: http://www.islam-sikhism.info/rebut/paedo01.htm)

(The original article was written for a Sikh audience, but most of the points are applicable to all non-Muslim objectors)

INTRODUCTION

The hackneyed charge of paedophilia has been levelled against Prophet Muhammad (may Allaah's peace and blessings be upon him) by some ignorant Sikhs due to his marriage to 'A'ishah when she was six-years-old and its subsequent consummation when she was nine. Some have also claimed that the Prophet married her out of lust and nothing more. They claim that such actions are not befitting the qualities of a true Prophet of God.

Notwithstanding the fact that this accusation has been borrowed from certain mischievous Christian missionaries, we will, insha'Allaah (God-Willing), thoroughly refute this accusation and respond with counter-arguments to expose the shortcomings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib - the religious scripture of the Sikhs. In doing so, we will prove that those who accuse our Prophet have no divine backing for their accusations. On the contrary, their scripture is once again silent about critical aspects of life; which, by necessity, require clarification and guidance. 

It is evident from a close examination of the Prophet's life, through the study of the authentic and preserved hadeeth literature, that he was a man whose actions were always controlled and balanced, never inclining towards extremes in any situation, and always upon justice. Hence, we ask any Sikh who has fallen into the acceptance of the charge of paedophilia or lust to reconsider their conclusion based upon the clear proofs and arguments we will present to them in what follows. We ask Allaah to guide you away from personalised whimsical conclusions and help you submit to His proofs and evidences.

AN EXAMINATION OF THE FACTS

Some claim that Prophet Muhammad (may Allaah's peace and blessings be upon him) married 'A'ishah out of lust. However, a simple argument to counter this absurd claim is to ask:

1. If he wanted to marry out of lust, why did he choose to marry the young daughter of his life-time bosom friend and ally Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq and not marry the more beautiful, mature and wealthy women in his locality?
2. If the Prophet's nature was inclined towards lustful dealings, why did he spend the good part of his youthful life, during the prime of his sexual prowess, with only one woman, when the social custom of the pre-Islamic people was to marry many women and have many mistresses? Why did he remain with one woman, Khadeejah (who was 40 years of age when they married), for over 25 years from the age of 25 until the age of approximately 50?

Why did he choose to marry the young daughter of his closest friend and compatriot, Abu Bakr?

In order to acquire the correct reason, one must take the socio-political circumstances of that time into account.

'A'ishah was the daughter of Abu Bakr, one of the Prophet's closest friends and devoted followers; the first man to revert to Islaam after the Prophet's wife Khadeejah. Abu Bakr hoped to solidify the deep love that existed between himself and the Prophet by uniting their families in marriage. The betrothal of Abu Bakr's daughter 'A'ishah to Muhammad took place in the eleventh year of Muhammad's Prophethood, which was about a year after he married Sawdah bint Zam'ah and before the hijrah (migration) from Makkah to al-Madinah.

'A'ishah and Hafsah were daughters of his two viziers, Abu Bakr and 'Umar, respectively. It was this relation of their fathers to Muhammad which caused the latter to cement his relationship with them by blood. That is why he married their two daughters; that is why he gave in marriage his two daughters to 'Uthman and 'Ali [1]...There is then ample evidence that Muhammad did not marry either 'A'ishah or Hafsah out of any love or desire but in order to consolidate the ties of mutual brotherhood within the new Islamic community, and especially between himself and his two viziers. [2] [3]

The early group of small and subdued Muslims were continually subjected to psychological and physical persecution with much of their property having been usurped by the Makkan powers that were. But when Muhammad's call towards certain tribes surrounding Makkah was rejected, the Muslims found themselves ever further isolated, alienated and persecuted. Hence, the reason why the Prophet married 'A'ishah at this critical juncture in time, and why Abu Bakr accepted the marriage, was because it served the best interests of the Muslims.
However, there is a condition for marrying off a very young woman which was drawn up by many of the scholars. The great scholar Imaam an-Nawawi (d.676AH/1277CE) wrote in his famous explanation of Saheeh Muslim:

It is preferable for a guardian not to marry off his daughter when she is still young unless there is a valid reason for that.
It should be noted that [Imaam] ash-Shaffa'ee (d.205AH) and his companions said: It is preferable for fathers and grandfathers not to marry off a virgin until she reaches the age of puberty and they ask her permission, lest she end up in a marriage that she dislikes. What they said does not go against the hadeeth of 'A'ishah, because what they meant is that they should not marry her off before she reaches puberty if there is no obvious interest to be served that they fear will be missed out on if they delay it, as in the hadeeth of 'A'ishah. In that case it is preferable to go ahead with the marriage because the father is enjoined to take care of his child's interests and not to forego a good opportunity.[4]

It is also important to realise that 'A'ishah's betrothal to the Prophet was not objected to by any of the Muslims, pagans, Jews or Christians at that time and for centuries thereafter.
The reason behind this is simple and two-fold:

1. During that time, the life span of people in Arabia was shorter than it is now, with an average duration ranging from between 40-60 years. Hence, it was only normal and natural for girls to be married by the age of 9 or 10 or there about.
2. This was 'urfi - a custom of the people of that time, not only in Arabia, but all over the world.

Even today in third world Muslim and non-Muslim countries, marriage is not uncommon amongst girls as young as 9 or 10. This fact will be examined in due course.

PROPHET'S MARRIED LIFE

Abu Bakr's acceptance is a proof that he was looking out for the best interests of his daughter in that she would marrying none other than the very Prophet of God. What greater blessing could there have been for any woman than to not only be elevated to the status in Islaam as the 'Mother of the believers', but also to learn and spend time under the tutelage of the "best of creation", whom Allaah described as "Truly you are upon an exalted character". Would the Prophet have married a woman so young under normal circumstances? Allaah knows best. However, during those extreme circumstances, it was in the best interests of the small and vulnerable Muslim community that ties of friendship be strengthened through the ties of blood.

Furthermore, the Prophet's marriage to her was not for sexual pleasure or the need to sire children, since he was already married to Sawdah bint Zam'ah, the:  

...widow of Sakran ibn 'Amr ibn 'Abd Shams. No one ever described Sawdah as a beautiful woman, and no one has ever reported that she possessed any wealth or social position which might have given a material reason for any one to marry her... If Muhammad married her thereafter in order to provide for her and raise her position to that of a "Mother of the Believers (a title attributed to all wives of the Prophet)," he certainly did a most worthy and appreciable deed.[5]

Another example was Umm Salamah. Was she ever described as a rich and beautiful woman? No! As a result of her husband being martyred in battle, the Prophet (may Allaah's peace and blessings be upon him) sought to set the noblest example to his people, which was that if any of their brothers in faith died, it would be upon them to take the responsibility of looking after their deceased brother's family.
Umm Salamah herself was never described as beautiful. Rather, she was a heavy set woman nearing the time of menopause, and lived only one or two years after her marriage to the Prophet (may Allaah's peace and blessings be upon him). She was also a very poor woman, with many children to feed, and was pregnant when her husband was martyred. In most societies she would be considered a liability. And yet the best of examples - Prophet Muhammad (may Allaah's peace and blessings be upon him) - set the noble precedence by proposing marriage after she had given birth. And although she initially refused, citing the burden of so many mouths to feed as an excuse, she eventually accepted the repeated proposals of the Prophet.

The socio-natural environment in which the Prophet (may Allaah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the desert-dwelling Arabs resided in also needs to be taken into serious consideration if this subject is to be given any fair and objective consideration. The Arabian Peninsula is a hot and arid region which invariably affects the development of its inhabitants in a way different to those residing in cooler climes. As will be shown in what follows, adolescence tends to come earlier for women residing in hot countries resulting in them marrying and starting families earlier too. Until recently, this is how the people of Arabia were. Moreover, women also vary greatly in their development and their physical readiness for marriage.

In addition and as mentioned earlier, the ONLY virgin the Prophet (may Allaah's peace and blessings be upon him) married was 'A'ishah. If his motivation, as some hostile sources have intimated, was one of physical desire and enjoyment of women, he was in a definite position to fulfil exactly that. And yet, the historical evidence emphatically quashes these tenuous and baseless speculations.

When all of the above is taken into account, it can be determined that the Prophet of Allaah (may Allaah's peace and blessings be upon him) married 'A'ishah for something altogether more profound, virtuous and selfless.

From the many recorded statements of 'A'ishah, she had nothing but praise for her husband. She died at the age of fifty seven during the Caliphate of Mu'awiyyah, forty nine years after the death of the Prophet (may Allaah's peace and blessings be upon him). During those forty nine years, she described the Prophet's character in great detail and not once did she ever speak ill of him.

REFUTING THE CHARGE OF PAEDOPHILIA

The question we pose for those who see this marriage as immoral is:

Who decides what is morally right or wrong? 

Every Sikh will agree that it is Allaah who decides morality and immorality, right and wrong, good and evil. The next question we ask is: 

At what age is it deemed permissible and correct to marry and consummate marriage? 

Islaam states that a woman is ready for marriage when her body is ready to bear children, i.e. when she reaches puberty and starts her menstrual cycle. [6] Menstruation is a clear creationary sign of Allaah that indicates the female's physical and mental readiness to bear children. Depending on genetics, race and environment, women reach puberty at different ages, which can vary considerably: 

There is little difference in the size of boys and girls until the age of ten, the growth spurt at puberty starts earlier in girls but lasts longer in boys.[7]

Similarly: 

The first signs of puberty occur around age 9 or 10 in girls but closer to 12 in boys.[8]

Moreover, women in warmer environments reach puberty at a much earlier age than those in colder environments:   

The average temperature of the country or province is considered the chief factor here, not only with regard to menstruation but as regards the whole of sexual development at puberty.[9]

As mentioned before, marriage at the early years of puberty was acceptable in seventh century Arabia since it was a social norm. The proof of this is that prior to the modern age, the average life expectancy was much shorter; thus, cultures all over the world and throughout history were taking puberty and the menstrual cycle as a natural indicator that a woman was ready for marriage and siring children: 

Puberty is defined as the age or period at which a person is first capable of sexual reproduction, in other eras of history, a rite or celebration of this landmark event was a part of the culture.[10]

An article on customs of central Africa, likewise, related the age of marriage to puberty stating:

... women marry soon after puberty. [11]

Similarly, the Jewish tradition also implemented this normative practice: 

The wife was to be taken from within the larger family circle (usually at the outset of puberty or around the age of 13) in order to maintain the purity of the family line. [12]

It is important to remember that for Muslims marital guidelines are determined by the Holy Islamic Law - the Shari'ah. The Shari'ah accommodates tradition and customary practices providing these do not violate it. Hence, the age of marriage can vary from culture to culture. During the time of the Prophet the Arabs tended to marry their children at an early age. Yet, in the "modern age", society and culture has changed. With the advent of modern science improving the longevity of life, as well as the establishment of a systematic educational system, people are no longer inclined to marry as early as before. This is wholly acceptable in Islaam as long as it is not taken to an extreme that may lead to the spread of illegal sexual practices and moral depravity.

CONCLUSION

The evidences presented in this article demolish the assertion that the Prophet (may Allaah's peace and blessings be upon him) married 'A'ishah out of lust and emphatically refute the accusation that he was a paedophile, may Allaah forgive us for uttering such a statement.
However, those Sikhs who are still adamant and pigheaded enough to accuse the Prophet of paedophilia must, by extension, accuse the majority of humankind of paedophilia since prior to the post-modern era people of the world accepted and understood that womanhood was reached upon the onset of menstruation and was thus ready for marriage. In fact, the categorisation of "children-teenagers-adults" is a modern invention.

Furthermore, we ask these Sikhs to consider the following:

During the time of Guru Nanak, at what age were women in Hindustan and the Arabian Peninsula getting married? Was it upon the onset of menstruation or similar to today - at the ages of 20-30?

And we conclude with the following challenge as Allah informs us to: "Produce your evidences if you speak the truth" (Qur'an 2:111):

Provide us with a clear proof from Sri Guru Granth Sahib that establishes when the right time for marriage is.  

If the said Sikhs are unable to meet this challenge, but still have the audacity to claim that such and such an age of marriage is wrong, we say that you are not only claiming to be more knowledgeable than your ten Gurus and God, but you are no different to the atheists.
Why?

• There is not a single verse in SGGS that answers the above question. Hence, the Gurus' silence is an acceptance of the social customs of marriage during their time, since if it was wrong, it is safe to assume they would have forbidden it and castigated the practitioners. However, any Sikh looking to contradict the silence of the Gurus is not only claiming greater knowledge than them, but also implying their silent acceptance of such marriages was wrong and that these post-modern Sikhs are correct! [13]
• In following their vain desires, the atheists seek to formulate and invent edicts and laws based upon nothing but their limited and flawed intellects. Indeed, the atheists are more true to their beliefs than those Sikhs who arrogantly declare things to be right and wrong. Why? Because the atheists naturally reject the existence of an all-Wise Creator; these Sikhs, however, even after claiming to believe in an all-Wise Creator, have the temerity of seeking to play the role of the all-Wise by forwarding what they deem to be right and wrong, good and evil without any Divine guidance whatsoever.

We end with these simple questions that have remained unanswered by Sikhs since we published this article in 2006: 

• How old were the wives of the Gurus when they married? How old was Sulakhni when Guru Nanak married her?
• During the time of the Gurus, how old, on average, were Muslim, Hindu and Sikh women during their betrothal?

Answer these two questions, O Sikhs, if you are truthful, objective, and seek to have a serious academic discussion on this subject.

Allaah says: "Indeed they are a quarrelsome lot." (Qur'an 43:58)