Monday, January 18, 2010

Saudi Arabia: 80-year-old man marries 11-year-old girl

Robert Spencer

"There is no law that prohibits the marriage of a girl under 18," says the randy old goat, and he's right. After all, Muhammad did it:

"The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with 'Aisha while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old and she remained with him for nine years (i.e. till his death)." -- Bukhari 7.62.88 It seems likely that this is the same case as the one we reported about here, although it could conceivably be a similar but different case of child marriage. "Saudi activists outraged as man marries 11 yr old," from Al-Arabiya, January 17 (thanks to Sr. Soph):

DUBAI (Al Arabiya) News of a Saudi octogenarian marrying an eleven-year-old girl has outraged human rights activists amid calls on the government to regulate the marriage of underage girls, local media reported Saturday.

The Saudi National Human Rights Commission formed a committee to investigate the marriage, which activists consider a flagrant violation of human and children rights, the Saudi newspaper al-Riyadh said.

The marriage registrar, who was widely criticized since he agreed to seal the marriage contract knowing the girl's age, absolved himself of any blame.

"There is no law that prohibits the marriage of a girl under 18," he told the paper. "Plus, I summoned the girl and she declared her consent and signed the contract."...

The father, who took 85,000 riyals (more than $22,000) in dowry, defended his decision to marry off his 11-year-old daughter even though his wife vehemently objected.

"I don't care about her age," he told the paper. "Her health and her body build make her fit for marriage. I also don't care what her mother thinks."

Of course not. Why should he?

The father added that marriage at such an early age has been a custom in the Saudi society for a very long time and that he saw no reason why it should be a problem now.

"This is a very old custom and there is nothing wrong with it whether religiously or socially."...

As for the bride, she just called for help as she burst into tears.

"Save me. I don't want him," she cried.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/01/saudi-arabia-80-year-old-man-marries-11-year-old-girl.html

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you want more information on how girls and women are treated in Saudi Arabia read the book "Princess Sultanas Daughters" a true acount of what has been going on for years in that country. Every American library has it or can get it for you! It will literally give you nightmares for days afterwards! Thank God I was born in a none Islamic country!!!

Anonymous said...

There is no provision in the Saudi legal system to prevent this. At one time there was a busy trade of 11 and 12 year old girls bought from their families in india and poorer countries. After one or two years they would divorce the girl and send her back home, minus any children they may have concieved.

Saudi is an ally of the west, but you only have to scratch the surface to see the real Saudi with no regard to human rights.

I read a great book called "Paramedic to the Prince" written by an American paramedic who was on the medical staff of King Abdullah. The best inside look into Saudi I have ever read.