No minimum age of marriage?

Where is the protests from the UN?

Oh, right.......

Posted by: Abu_Lahab at April 16, 2008 8:57 AM

No minimum age of marriage?

Where are the protests from the UN?

Oh, right.......

Posted by: Abu_Lahab at April 16, 2008 8:57 AM

"Her lawyer compared the case to thousands of others in Yemen, which has no minimum age of marriage. She said advocates are pushing for laws that would make 18 the minimum age of marriage."

And what does Sharia Law say?

There is no minimum age of marriage. Even Mohammed (BBOH) had his eye on the babes -

(Suhayli, ii.79: In the riwaya of Yunus I.I recorded that the apostle saw her (Ummu'l-Fadl) when she was baby crawling before him and said, 'If she grows up and I am still alive I will marry her.' But he died before she grew up and Sufyan b. al-Aswad b. Abdu'l-Asad al-Makhzumi married her and she bore him Rizq and Lubaba....(ref.10, p. 311)

from an essay on Islam Watch by Abul Kasem

Posted by: tanstaafl at April 16, 2008 9:00 AM

In our country, we would charge the "husband" (read lecherous bastard) with statutory rape, and unlawful confinement (amongst other things), and the parents with profiting from the avails of prostitution and child abuse (at a minumum), and Family and Social Services would remove the child from the parents' home.

Pedophilia by any other name, I guess.

Posted by: OolongChung at April 16, 2008 9:08 AM

Right on OolongChung! Every time I read about the practices of Islam and it's culture I hope that will be the worst I've heard. Then an even more barbaric act is recorded such as this. This is a sick, sick religion and society.

Posted by: CLL1709 at April 16, 2008 9:43 AM

Forgive my cynicism, but either this little girl is the most amazingly mature and courageous 8 year child in the world or else it is a contrived event designed to show us infidels how "modern and progressive" the Yemeni court system is becoming.

Posted by: RBLA at April 16, 2008 9:52 AM

But yet we are more concerned about some polygamist cult here in the US.

http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives/2008/04/so_two_polygami.html#comments

Not that Im excusing the cult but they are a cult, not a mainstream religion that is spreadthrough the world bent on imposing its views on others.

Posted by: Elric66 at April 16, 2008 9:53 AM

I wish this little girl the best of luck in the future. She clearly has a lot of strength and courage-hopefully she will be able to finish school and work towards changing her society.

Posted by: margheri at April 16, 2008 10:02 AM

Quote:
In our country, we would charge the "husband" (read lecherous bastard) with statutory rape, and unlawful confinement (amongst other things), and the parents with profiting from the avails of prostitution and child abuse (at a minumum), and Family and Social Services would remove the child from the parents' home.

Pedophilia by any other name, I guess.

...

Reminds me of a repeat of 'Angel' I saw this week. The gang went out to kill some Hacklar demons that were about to eat some power walkers (in L.A, mind you), and one of the walkers bit Wesley on the forehead as he tried to rescue her.

Her reason for doing this? He "disrespected the Hacklar's culture." Nevermind the fact that the Hacklars were going to rip the power walkers to shreds and eat them.

And what was the illustrious Cordy's response?
"This town sucks."

Pretty much says it all.

Posted by: Lori B. at April 16, 2008 10:34 AM

I am happy that I am divorced now. I will be able to go back to school.

What a sensible little lady! More of these couragious figures, please. Or perhaps we just need better protection for them?

She's only 8. And invokes the Rule of Law to shatter the system of forced marriages and patriachate. The case is a top story in Danish media today - deservedly.

Posted by: Henrik at April 16, 2008 10:42 AM

BTW, I think there must be an editing mistake or something in the Islamic scripture. The widely accepted version prescribes stoning for sexual relations between consenting (non-married) adults, but *no* punishment for paedophilia?

This is reckless and insane. It really must be the other way, makes much more sense to stone paedophiles. If you want capital punishment at all, of course.

Posted by: Henrik at April 16, 2008 10:48 AM

Is there any sociological research done on how common this practice is in Muslim countries? I recall the controversy about 10 or 15 years ago regarding a 12 year old child "married" to a 28 year old.

It would be important to know the estimated numbers of children who are being abused in this manner. Does anyone know?

Posted by: James Martel at April 16, 2008 11:15 AM

Alas ... it is widespread.

http://www.voanews.com/uspolicy/archive/2008-01/2008-01-28-voa4.cfm?CFID=286100188&CFTOKEN=15378817

If this person's research is true then it is accurate to claim that Pedophilia is a common Islamic practice. The brouhaha about Catholic priests is nothing compared to what is being done in Islamic countries.

Only nihlistic secular relativism keeps the Rational West from exposing Islamic culture for its perversity and inhumanity. Little girls should be playing with dolls, not being on their backs for some horny pervert who calls this evil "marriage". And what is with the parents? Oops, I forgot about the family honor issue and that parents in many Islamic cultures kill daughters who don't "tow the line".

They say cartoons of Mohammad are evil, but abusing girls is accepted. Islamic culture is an oxymoron.

Posted by: James Martel at April 16, 2008 11:25 AM

Investigate Islam has videos on this subject.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAhy1oWYCbA

Posted by: interestinconundrum at April 16, 2008 11:43 AM

I'd be surprised if she makes it to 9.

More courage than every jihadi who ever lived.

Posted by: profitsbeard at April 16, 2008 11:46 AM

Meanwhile, the State of Louisiana is being challenged on its imposition of the death penalty on a man convicted of raping an eight year old girl. (Of course here in the United States, intercourse with an eight year old girl is rape by definition.)

Posted by: Karl Pov at April 16, 2008 11:47 AM

In a very perverse sense, the aberrant behavior demonstrated in islamic cultures can be rationalized as follows.

Think back to Soviet forces fighting against the Nazis during the early stages of the German invasion of Russia and the Chinese forces fighting against the UN forces in Korea. In both instances, the technology deficient forces (Russia and China) fought using tactics derived from their overwhelming superiority in manpower. Thus, the ultimate outcome depended not on which side was technically superior, rather it depended on which side was willing to throw more troops into the meat grinder.

Fast forward to 2008...

I do not profess (nor do I want) to be an expert on islamic child marriages. I believe that the social standing (i.e. wealth/power) of the purported husband is a factor in obtaining a child bride. By marrying at an early age, the reproductive years of the bride are maximized (i.e. a female can bear 6 to 8 children during the teenage years (13-21) that, if "unmarried" would be "wasted"). By maximizing the number of children available to a male of superior wealth/power/social standing the population growth is maximized - under the presumption that the male can support the increased number of children until such time as they are self sufficient. Thus, the "child marriage" concept provides one of the fastest means of explosively growing a population.

The question is not why they do it? The question is one of when will critical mass be reached within the culture such that the mass populace, under the leadership of a militant few, are able to follow the tactical outline developed by the Russians and Chinese in the 40's and 50's?

Just a thought...just trying to understand and rationalize the unexplainable and unintelligible.

from,
Shinola

Posted by: shinola at April 16, 2008 11:57 AM

I concur with a poster above that this story seems fantastical and contrived. I don't think it's possible for an 8 year old to act and speak with such stolidness and conviction. I don't believe the narrative.

While the details may be based on something real, and I have no doubt that children are rampantly abused in the hideous societies of Islam, it strains credulity to envision a little girl emerging in this manner from the nightmare, and doing so appearing utterly unscathed. But there is more...

If one were to invent some propaganda about Islam, propaganda which told just enough truth to be convincing but designed to ultimately disarm Islam's critics, it might look exactly like this story.

Forced marriage and child rape is tacitly admitted, but is depicted as the act of a bad father rather than the systemic feature of a cultural Islam. With such a narrative, we're encouraged to consider "Doesn't this happen in other primitive societies?". It comfortably deflects attention away from Islam itself. Worse, it depicts recourse to Sharia as the solution to the little girl's plight, not as the causation of her dilemma!

Really, it's a very clever construct. It's too much.

Posted by: jsla at April 16, 2008 11:59 AM

"Eight-Year-Old Girl Divorces Husband From Arranged Marriage"

Should say, "Deranged Marriage".

Next step: getting a body guard, some loving and professional rape counseling, and a doctor needs to check her for STD's before heading back to school and the playground (like that will ever happen). Thank God she did not become pregnant and that she had the strength to get out. She is so brave!

8 year olds SHOULD NOT have to deal with such adult issues. I just wish that she could come and live here with me and my husband and be a part of a loving family where she can experience real love and freedom. Well, I've always given my children "rules" to follow, but rules within reason. Of all the stories that I read everyday on JW/DW, this one makes me feel the most helpless and sad....sigh.

I pray Nojud would find the peaceful life that she seeks. Something God wants for all of us.

Posted by: champ at April 16, 2008 1:27 PM

Nojud's father said he married off his daughter with her consent

With her consent? There's no such thing as getting her consent on an issue like marriage when she's only eight!!!

Anybody know what happened to the so-called father and husband? Are they still in jail?

I wonder what Dhimmy Carter thinks about this kind of thing?

Posted by: PersonOfTheBook at April 16, 2008 1:28 PM

I wonder what Dhimmy Carter thinks about this kind of thing?

Answer: Nothing. He's too busy kissing terrorists.

Posted by: Lori B. at April 16, 2008 1:32 PM

I wonder what Dhimmy Carter thinks about this kind of thing?

Answer: Nothing. He's too busy kissing terrorists.

Posted by: Lori B.

LOL!! Maybe he's a closet Muslim. Lets throw him a Coming-Out party.

Posted by: champ at April 16, 2008 2:27 PM

"Thameur told a judge that he married Nojud with her consent and her parents', and that the marriage "was consummated, but I did not beat her." He did not object to the divorce petition."

Consummated? An 8 year old?

(looking for my pistol.....)

This is more than I think I can stand! Even if it is partially fabricated (I agree the girl speaks much more eloquently than most adults) the fact that this man admits to consummating the marriage has spun me into a universe of pissed off I did not know exsisted!

Oh, wait.....since Muhammad was the perfect man and, Aisha was only 9 then............

sorry, can't wrap brain around this.......
must think clearly..............

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!

"Kuffirs of the world, Unite!"
"Islam, abusing women and children since 622AD"

Posted by: OregonJake at April 16, 2008 3:11 PM

OregonJake, it's like this ...

The thief says: "Yeah, I stole. But I didn't rape anyone."

The rapist says: "Yeah, I raped. But I didn't kill anyone."

The murderer says: "Yeah, I killed. But I didn't ... uhm ..."

So what's worse than a thieving, raping, murderer? All of which are extolled in the Qur'an as 'acceptable' behaviors?

Posted by: Lori B. at April 16, 2008 3:32 PM

"So what's worse than a thieving, raping, murderer?"
from Lori B

That he is still breathing!!!

"Kuffirs of the world, Unite!"
"Islam, abusing women and CHILDREN since 622AD"

Posted by: OregonJake at April 16, 2008 3:35 PM

I do hope that this will be the end of the matter, and that Nojud will be able to get on with her life and schooling.
There is more about her lawyer, Shatha Ali Nasser, here:

http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1071&p=report&a=1

Posted by: M Al-Content at April 16, 2008 4:07 PM

So now this little girl is going back to live with the parents who arranged for her to be repeatedly raped by a 30-year-old man?

I think a military operation is called for.

Posted by: angloirishslav at April 16, 2008 7:05 PM

jsla wrote: "While the details may be based on something real, and I have no doubt that children are rampantly abused in the hideous societies of Islam, it strains credulity to envision a little girl emerging in this manner from the nightmare, and doing so appearing utterly unscathed."

I have to admit my "B.S. Detector" hackles were raised a little bit by this story, too. All the comments I have made are based on the assumption that this story is genuine. I'm not enough of a conspiracy theorist to understand why someone would go to such lengths - and involve a child, no less - to construct such a hoax. Nonetheless, I agree that a grain of skepticism is still called for.

Posted by: angloirishslav at April 16, 2008 7:16 PM

Yes, my radar immediately went up on this story. This girl is in both a culture and country where women don't count one little bit. Let alone an 8 year old girl! Read the book SOLD.

News like this coming out of Yemen is a bit of a sham to my mind.

Posted by: PorkyPig at April 16, 2008 9:42 PM

From the first article in Yemen Times:
“Whenever I wanted to play in the yard he beat me and asked me to go to the bedroom with him. This lasted for two months," added Nasser. "He was too tough with me, and whenever I asked him for mercy, he beat me and slapped me and then used me. I just want to have a respectful life and divorce him.”
…
Thamer is in jail now. “Yes I was intimate with her, but I have done nothing wrong, as she is my wife and I have the right and no one can stop me," he said
…
Shatha Ali Nasser confirmed that item number 15 in Yemeni civil law reads that “no girl or boy can get married before the age of 15." However, this item was amended in 1998 so parents could make a contract of marriage between their children … But the husband cannot be intimate with her until she is ready or mature”

It’s probably no wild guess that it was the devout and pious guardians of Islam in Yemen that demanded the amendment, clearly doesn’t comply with Sharia. One can also wonder how long the age of 15 law had been and if ever enforced. Shatha Ali Nasser who hear self is non critical of (true) Sharia does some double talk, what is mature according to Sharia?

Posted by: Engelbrekt at April 16, 2008 10:22 PM

To those commenters who are questioning the verity of this story based on the child's unusual articulateness, please keep in mind that this is an English translation, not the child's actual words. And it could well be that the journalist who interviewed her put the words straight in her mouth. No, not admirable journalistic practice. But that doesn't prove the story is a sham.

There are still a lot of unanswered questions to this story, however. First, nothing is mentioned about whether or not the child needs medical attention. Perhaps the Yemini press are still to delicate to raise that particular issue. In a civilized country that really cares for its children, if an 8-year-old girl says that she has been raped, she is taken to a doctor first, not to a lawyer. Or do they not have doctors in Yemen yet? And second, how in the hell is this child going to be able to "go on with her life" with parents who consented to her rape? Are they just going to admit that they made a mistake, allow her to go back to school and back to being a child, at least until she goes through puberty 3 or 4 years down the road, then it's back on the auction block for her? And how about the fact that she is no longer a virgin, which is seen as a bit of an impediment in marrying one's daughter off? Don't families in this region have a tendency to kill daughters who disgrace them in this way, even if it wasn't the daughter's fault?

If this is a true story, this can't possibly be the happy end of it.

Posted by: angloirishslav at April 16, 2008 11:06 PM

he "consumated" a marriage with a third grader?

I am going to be sick.

Posted by: A Simple Sinner at April 17, 2008 2:52 AM

a 28 year old man "consumated" a marriage to a third-grader?

Posted by: A Simple Sinner at April 17, 2008 2:53 AM

“The law, in fact, allows marriage with minors, but requires waiting for "maturity" to have sexual relations. But the law itself does not provide any sanctions against those who do not respect it. Thus, in the country, the practise of marriages with young girls is extremely widespread: a study conducted in 2006 by a centre for women's development revealed that childhood marriage affects 52.1% of girls, for whom the average age of marriage varies from a little more than 10 years to almost 15”

Posted by: Engelbrekt at April 17, 2008 3:08 PM

I have some good news about this little girl. I knew it would be imperative in a place like Yemen that a male relative step up to offer her protection, if she was to have any chance at all of a decent life, or even of survival.

Well, a maternal uncle has come forward. This is what he has to say:

"Nojoud is living happily with me and my eight other children. She is looking forward to going back to primary school as soon as possible."

He makes it clear in subsequent statements that he intends to protect the girl from both her father and "husband"--who, oddly, look enough alike to be brothers themselves.

For anyone who wondered at the reference by Nojoud's father to his being afraid of kidnapping, there is this:

"Her father, Mohammad Ali Al-Ahdal told the court he felt obliged to marry off his daughter after receiving repeated threats from the would-be husband and his entourage.
He said was frightened because his oldest daughter had been kidnapped several years earlier and had been forced to marry her abductor".

So, the original plan was to kidnap and rape a little eight-year-old, and then force her to marry her rapist to protect the family "honor". Precious little honor anywhere in this story.

Nojoud's uncle says of her father "He is too frail to defend himself or his family". He told the BBC that his brother-in-law had had no control over the events.

This implies that the father still wanted to send his little girl back into this hell. He probably did.

Her lawyer, Shatha Nasser says the judge annulled the marriage instead of granting a divorce, to stop the husband trying to reinstate the wedlock.

Anyone who knows anything about Islamic "marriage" under Shari'ah knows how crucial this point is. One "divorce" would not suffice--the "husband" could have up to three while still pursuing his child bride. Even after that, he could pay someone to "marry" her, rape her, and divorce her, so that he could start the whole thing over again. The dowry was also repaid, probably by the uncle.

More from the lawyer: "We are grateful to the judge" she explains. "Had it been someone with strong traditional views, Nojoud could have been sent back home."

I'm sure this is true. Let the horror or this statement sink in. As completely appalling as this little girl's case is, in some ways she was lucky.

Here's the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7351336.stm

Thanks to reader Luber for posting this link on another thread.

Posted by: gravenimage at April 18, 2008 12:20 PM

To gravenimage: thanks for posting this encouraging news, and God bless that girl's uncle for doing the right thing. My view of Yemen as a hellhole still stands, but with his protection at least she has something of a chance.

Posted by: angloirishslav at April 18, 2008 10:46 PM