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Children on the Frontline

Underage Girls Are Egypt’s Summer Rentals

Teenage girls in low-income areas of Egypt are vulnerable to trafficking. Credit: Cam McGrath/IPS.

El HAWAMDIA, Egypt , Aug 5 2013 (IPS) - Each summer, wealthy male tourists from Gulf Arab states flock to Egypt to escape the oppressive heat of the Arabian Peninsula, taking residence at upscale hotels and rented flats in Cairo and Alexandria. Many come with their families and housekeeping staff, spending their days by the pool, shopping, and frequenting cafes and nightclubs. Others come for a more sinister purpose.

In El Hawamdia, a poor agricultural town 20 kilometres south of Cairo, they are easy to spot. Arab men in crisp white thawbs troll the town’s pot-holed, garbage-strewn streets in their luxury cars and SUVs. As they arrive, Egyptian fixers in flip flops run alongside their vehicles, offering short-term flats and what to them is the town’s most sought-after commodity – underage girls.

Each year, in El Hawamdia and other impoverished rural communities across Egypt, thousands of girls between the ages of 11 and 18 are sold by their parents to wealthy, much older Gulf Arab men under the pretext of marriage. The sham nuptials may last from a couple of hours to years, depending on the negotiated arrangement.

“The girl may have 10 siblings, so the family considers her as a commodity.” -- Sandy Shinouda, a Cairo-based official at the IOM’s Counter-Trafficking Unit

“It’s a form of child prostitution in the guise of marriage,” Azza El-Ashmawy, director of the Child Anti-Trafficking Unit at the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) tells IPS. “The man pays a sum of money and will stay with the girl for a few days or the summer, or will take her back to his country for domestic work or prostitution.”

The girl is returned to her family when the marriage ends, usually to be married off again.

“Some girls have been married 60 times by the time they turn 18,” says El-Ashmawy. “Most ‘marriages’ last for just a couple of days or weeks.”

The deals are hatched in El Hawamdia’s myriad “marriage broker” offices, identifiable by the conspicuous presence of air-conditioners in a ramshackle town with intermittent power.

The brokers, usually second-rate lawyers, also offer a delivery service. Village girls as young as 11 are brought to the Arab tourists’ hotel or rented flat for selection. Arab men travelling with their wives and children often arrange a separate flat for such purposes.

The temporary marriages offer a way to circumvent Islamic restrictions on pre-marital sex.

“Many hotels and landlords in Egypt will not rent a room to unmarried couples,” explains Mohamed Fahmy, a Cairo real estate agent. “A marriage certificate, even a flimsy one, allows visiting men to have sexual liaisons.”

Engaging in sexual relations with minors is illegal in Egypt. Brokers can help with that too, forging birth certificates or substituting the identity card of the girl’s older sister.

A one-day mut’a or “pleasure” marriage can be arranged for as little as 800 Egyptian pounds (115 dollars). The money is split between the broker and the girl’s parents.

A summer-long misyar or “visitor” marriage runs from 20,000 Egyptian pounds (2,800 dollars) to 70,000 Egyptian pounds (10,000 dollars). The legally non-binding contract terminates when the man returns to his country.

The “dowry” that Gulf Arab men are prepared to pay for sex with young girls is a powerful magnet for impoverished Egyptian families in a country where a quarter of the population subsists on less than two dollars a day.

A NCCM-commissioned survey of 2,000 families in three towns near Cairo – El Hawamdia, Abu Nomros and Badrashein – found that the hefty sums paid by Arab tourists was the main motive for the high rate of “summer marriages” in these towns.

Some 75 percent of the respondents knew girls involved in the trade, and most believed the number of marriages was increasing.

The 2009 survey indicated that 81 percent of the “spouses” were from Saudi Arabia, 10 percent from the United Arab Emirates, and four percent from Kuwait.

The International Organisation of Migration (IOM) too has been studying these “marriages”. “The family takes the money, and the foreign ‘husband’ usually leaves the girl after two or three weeks,” says Sandy Shinouda, a Cairo-based official at the IOM’s Counter-Trafficking Unit.

“The unregistered marriages are not recognised by the state and afford no rights to the girl, or any children that result from these unions.”

Shinouda, who formerly ran a shelter for victims of the trade, says most of the young girls come from large families that see marriage to an older, wealthier foreigner as a way to escape grinding poverty.

“The girl may have 10 siblings, so the family considers her as a commodity,” she says.

Parents may seek a broker to arrange a marriage once their daughter reaches puberty. In about a third of cases the girl is pressured into accepting the arrangement, the NCCM study found.

This can have a profound psychological impact on the girl’s mental health, says Shinouda.

“The girls know their families have exploited them…they can understand that their parents sold them,” she says. “Reintegration is a big challenge because in many cases if you return the girls to their family the parents will sell them again.”

Egypt’s 2008 Child Law criminalises marriages to girls who have not reached the legal age of 18. Another law prohibits marriages to foreigners where the age difference exceeds 25 years.

But the laws are poorly enforced, concedes NCCM’s El-Ashmawy. Anecdotal evidence suggests the trade has grown since Egypt’s 2011 revolution as a result of worsening economic conditions and an ineffectual police force.

“It’s not simply about poverty or religion,” she asserts. “It’s cultural norms that support this illicit trade – people believe it is in the best interest of the girls and the families at large. And brokers succeeded in finding common ground with families in order to exploit young girls.”

 
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  • Carroll Price

    Financial arrangement that benefit both parties is impossible to eliminate.

  • Tissa

    I thought this is against Qu’ran

  • Kelley M Gaither

    It is. A girl is not to be married without her consent,but as an adviso,it also says that a girl’s silence can be taken as consent. Often times,the girl’s family pressures her to accept the arrangement.This is a case where culture and hard economic times have trumped what is meant to be a liberation from forced marriages.

  • steven8

    And this is where America is headed as our morals become a hindrance than a standard to more and more individuals living here… It begins in high school where condoms are easily assessable so that fornication can be practiced… We have cheapened something that be practiced between two adults, male and female, within marriage… An agreement between them that was ordained by our Creator in the beginning of our existence…

  • Mahomed Saleem Moorad

    Please remember that just because a muslim does something, even if this muslim is an arab, it does NOT mean its in accordance with the teachings of islam.
    the Shias have something called mu’tah -or temporary marriage, which is just prostitution by another name.
    for the Shias, this is all OK.
    the majority of the muslims worldwide are Sunnis- & this is NOT permissible according to us.

  • John Henderson

    I dont care what religion you are. This is just sad and sick and predominately a muslim or middle eastern issue. Why does no one care about these precious lives?

  • Mahomed Saleem Moorad

    i said that because people tend to very quiclkly say that islam permits all this stuff

  • henry

    Money and delights are the most powerful gods.

  • Abdel Amin Fawaka

    However, you as well, very quickly said this was “all OK” by Shias. Something tells me an average Shia would say it’s not how you pictures it, and you are quick to judge.

  • merdenoire

    Put me down for five. Praise Allah.

  • Larry

    MUTT & HIS WILLIE

    Here then is the modesty of Mohammed, the modesty of a man with a raging phallic complex:

    Al Hadis, Vol. 1, p. 680, No. 44,

    “When one of you comes to the privy, he shall not touch his penis with his right hand.” Reported by Abu Qatada, Attested by agreement.

    In ancient times the custom was to keep the right hand clean because one ate and greeted with it, but the next Hadith shows that, in Mohammed’s case, there was more to this than cultural cleanliness.

    Al Hadis, Same, p. 685, No. 65,

    “Whenever Mohammed passed urine he used to cleanse his penis.”

    Reported by Hakam-b-Sufyan and Attested by Abu Daud and Nisai.

    Al Hadis, Vol 1, p. 688, No. 236,

    Abul Juhaim-b-Hares reported, “I saw the Prophet when he was urinating. I saluted him, but he did not return the salute… He struck it (his penis) with a stick, rubbed his hands on the wall and then his face, and saluted me.”
    Sharhi Sunnat.

    This shows that Mohammed was terrified of touching his organ. Ask any psychologist what this implies.

    When Mohammed relieved himself it was a spiritual event.

    In Al Hadis, Vol. 1, p. 679, When

    Mohammed entered the privy he said, “O Allah, I seek refuge from male and female spirits.” Reported by Anas, attested by agreement.

    We see that Mohammed feared being sexually molested by devils. There are several Hadith where Mohammed discussed male and female devils (incubi and succubi) molesting people in their sleep.

    Regarding wiping one’s bottom in the privy,

    Al Hadis, Vol. 1, p. 680-681,

    “Whoever cleanses (after elimination) with stones or collyrium, he shall use an odd number… and whoever comes to the privy, he shall conceal himself, even using a heap of sand, because the devil plays with the private parts of the children of Adam…” Reported by Abu Hurairah, Attested by Abu Daud and Ibn Majah.

    Remember, to a Muslim, this Hadith is just as authoritative a revelation as the Bible or the Koran. To you who witness to Muslims, this is a good reason for never starting with the “scripture” of Islam to get a Muslim to listen to a Christian witness. Indeed, all over the world, Christian ministers try to witness to Muslims by using both the Koran and the Bible. Only a fool would take the thoughts of Mohammed as a starting point to lead to Jesus Christ and the Gospel.

    Do you see Mohammed’s terror of his own sexuality? On page
    682 in the above source he forbid cleansing oneself with bones because they are the food of devils. The Jinn, or devils, were so impressed with Mohammed’s tender mercies toward them that a group of them converted to Islam. Read about it in Sura 72 of the Koran. Could Satan believe the Koran and become a believer? The answer is, YES, since he is the god of Islam. But, I digress, so
    back to Mohammed’s sexual complex.

    Mohammed feared being seen by men when he was urinating,

    Al Hadis, Vol. 1, p. 685,

    Omar reported that the Prophet saw him standing while urinating and said,

    “O Omar, don’t pass urine while standing, so I never again passed urine while standing.” Attested by Tirmizi.

    Also, No. 69 on the same page, Ayesha reported (after Mohammed’s death)
    “Whoever tells you that the Prophet passed urine while standing is lying to you…” Attested by Ahmed and Tirmizi.

    PEEING LIKE A WOMAN

    (1) Al Hadis, Vol 1, p. 686, no. 74, Abdur Rahman-b-Hasannah reported, “the messenger of Allah came out to the privy with a leather shield in his hand. He put it down, took his seat, and urinated against it. We said, ‘Look, the Prophet urinates just like a woman…’

    (2) The Prophet said, ‘Don’t you know what happened to the ruler of Israel? When urine fell on their garments they used to cut it out with scissors, so the ruler of Israel prohibited them, and God punished him for it…” Attested by Abu Daud, Ibn Majah, and Abu Musa.

    MUTT & HIS BAG

    Al Hadis, Vol. 1, p. 616-617, No. 54, Abu Hurairah reported that the
    Messenger of Allah said, “The perfume of a man is that which has a
    fragrance but it has no color. The perfume of a woman has a color, but it must not have an odor.” Attested by Tirmizi and Nisai, while in the next Hadith, No. 55, Walid-b-Oqbah reported that the Messenger of Allah had a bag he carried from which he perfumed himself. Attested by Abu Daud.

    SHAKING HANDS

    Al Hadis, Vol. 1, No. 38, Anas reported that a man asked the prophet,
    “When a Muslim meets his brother how should he greet him? Should he nod his head?” “No” said the Prophet. “Should he embrace and
    kiss him?”

    “No” said the Prophet. “Should he take his hand and shake it?” “Yes” replied the Prophet. Attested by Tirmizi.

    BALLS NAKED

    Now, that is very clear, but we note that the Prophet Mohammed didn’t keep his own law, as is obvious

    in…..

    Al Hadis, Vol. 1, p. 579,

    No. 42, Ayesha reported, “Zaid-b-Haresah came to Medina while the Messenger of Allah was in my house. When he came to the door, the Prophet stood up with nothing on… and embraced and kissed him.” Attested by Tirmizi. And in the same source, No. 44, Shabi reported that, “the Holy Prophet met Ja`far-b-Abi Taleb, embraced him and kissed him in the place between the eyes.” Attested by Abu Daud.

    MUTT GETS HORNEY IF SOMEONE IS BUTT NAKED

    Mohammed even drew Allah into his personal phobias as he showed in…..

    Al Hadis, Vol 1, p. 706, No. 130,

    Ya`la reported that the Messenger of Allah saw a naked man bathing in a field, so he ascended the pulpit (of the mosque) and said…. “Allah is bashful, keeper of secrets. He loves bashfulness and concealment. So when any of you takes a bath, he shall conceal himself (from Allah).” Attested by Aby Daud and Nisai.

    BASHFUL ALLAH

    This modesty of Allah is better understood as we read…..

    Al Hadis, Vol. 1, p.

    494, No. 255, Abu Sayeed al-Khodri reported that the Messenger of Allah was much more bashful than the virgins within their head-veils. Attested by agreement.

    The God of the Bible, Elohim, created Adam and Eve naked, and God had no problem with their nakedness:

    The Bible, Genesis

    2:25, And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

    They were not ashamed because God, their only friend in the whole earth, was not “bashful” or ashamed of them. Men need to hide only from a lusting god like Allah.

    POLLUTED WATER IS GOOD FOR YOU

    Al Hadis, Vol. 1, p. 390-391, No. 94-95. While he demanded cleansing from human urine and semen, he claimed that animal urine was harmless, and water from polluted wells was all right to use for cleansing ablutions, “Verily, water does not become impure.” Al Hadis, Vol 3, p. 806, No. 206 and Vol.

    1, p. 710, (141); p. 715 (159); p. 722 (245).

  • Larry

    A Kingdom Divided: World’s Most Influential Sunni Cleric Calls For Global Jihad Against Non-Sunni Muslims In Syria

    – “Yusef al-Qaradawi, who is based in Qatar and has been a leading voice supporting the Arab Spring, warned that Iranian Shia were trying to ‘eat’ Sunni Muslims, who are a majority in the Muslim world.

    He referred to Alawites, the followers of the Muslim sect to which President Bashar al-Assad of Syria belongs, as being ‘worse infidels than Christians or Jews’. He also used the deliberately contemptuous term ‘Nusayris’ when talking about them.

    He was particularly critical of the roles played by Iran,
    which is largely Shia, and the Lebanon Shia militia Hizbollah whose name translates as Party of God but which he called ‘Party of Satan’, in supporting the Assad regime.

    ‘There is no common ground between the two sides because the Iranians, especially conservatives, want to eat the Sunni people,’ he said.

  • Issy

    Prophet Mohammad did it, he is uswa hasana, so it is permissible for all Muslims.

  • Anthony Clay

    It’s sad, but how many business men from USA, Japan, Europe etc travel to Thailand each year for the same thing. This isn’t a religion issue, this is flawed morality and a situation completely created by poverty and greed. If the innocence of Children isn’t enough for us to seek solutions for the poor throughout this world, then I’m afraid nothing is.

  • Hmeah

    This is not religion this is culture don’t confuse the 2, Islam is perfect, people ain’t

  • Pete

    I am not religious and i think you need to grow a brain. Being a pervert is not limited to any religion.

  • big pete

    This is the problem with you arabs- You even hate other muslims, you kill shias cause they have different rules and then you marry 10 women- seriously man- get over it- Islam was for 2500 years ago,

    Its so stupid that you guys go around and kill other people in the name of whatever you believe in.

  • pete

    common islam is not perfect, i am a muslim and im saying it, No religion is perfect but common islam has some serious issues. Lets look at Syria for example you have all these arabs killing other arabs in the name of god? for what reason/

    Bashar assad is an infidel and is not a suni and lets go and start a war?

    Show me one muslim country where men and women are treated equally? maybe turkey but they are not practicing fundamentalist Islam.

  • http://spikerscorner.blogspot.no/ Trinity

    Human trafficking of children is never ok, but unfortunately it is permitted in islam.
    The difference is that mutah marriages (“temporary marriages”) are justified and permitted by islamic law.Having sex with minors are also permitted by the sunnah (example) of mohammads fullfillment of his marriage to the childbride Aisha.
    http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Contemporary_Pedophilic_Islamic_Marriages

  • http://davelucasmobile.wordpress.com/ DaveLucasNotes

    A very troubling article. But every religion has a degree of corruption attached. The touch of ‘human nature’ perhaps?

  • Goahead

    Even if you believe that Islam allows mutah marriage (which a very small minority of Muslims genuinely do, those who use them are just trying to find a loophole) – the mutah marriage would not allow child marriage. Mutah would be the same as a one night stand in the west – that would not mean that we believe one night stand against children is also allowed.

  • amelia

    From the
    moment that you say that Islam is not perfect then you have nothing to do with
    Islam. You are not a Muslim. You contradict yourself. You are an atheist,
    nothing more or less. What kind of example is this with Syria that you
    gave?. Bashar al Asad is a paganist Alawi. Even the rocks knows that. For what
    reason is there a war in Syria?
    Well you need to educate yourself on what happens in the planet. Bashar is slaughtering
    the Syrian people. Killing women and children and innocent people. There is no
    equality in Islam. Islam is the religion of justice and divine Truth. Take it
    or leave it. Women has their position in society and their rights by Allah.

  • Larry

    Muhammad is Allah

    Muhammad Allah’s first creation, only Muhammad understands Allah, both like perfumes, likes to please Muhammad, Muhammad & Allah’s tongue are the same, Mohammedans must believe in both Muhammad & Allah, must love both, Allah discusses private matters with Muhammad, Allah’s only friend is Muhammad, annoy Muhammad & you annoy Allah.

    MUHAMMAD= ALLAH

    Muhammad was Allah’s first creation

    To establish his absolute association with Allah Muhammad propagated that he was the first of mankind in creation and the last of the prophets to be raised. Ibn Sa’d, Muhammad’s biographer writes:

    ‘Abd al–Wahhab Ibn ‘Ata informed us on the authority of Sa’id Ibn Abi ‘Arubah, he on the authority of Qatadah; (second chain) he (Ibn Sa’d) said: ‘Umar Ibn ‘Asim al–Kilabi informed us: Abu Hilal informed us on the authority of Qatadah: he said: The apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, said: I was the first of mankind in creation and last of (Prophets) to be raised (Ibn Sa’d, Tr. S. Moinul Haq, 1972 p1.170).

    We may turn the table the other way and could easily say: Muhammad created Allah and not the other way round.
    Obviously, this Allah of Muhammad was nothing new to the pagans except that this newly created Allah only loved Muhammad and despised those who refused to accede to his demands for submission to his whims and fancies. In a way, this was certainly a first creation of the type of Allah Muhammad wanted to advance his agenda.

    Only Muhammad understood Allah, others could not.

    Muhammad’s relationship with Allah was very special indeed. Muhammad was the only person (or Prophet) who could fully understand Allah. In a hadith in Sahih Muslim we read:

    Muhammad had the best knowledge of Allah and he feared Allah the most amongst his companions…
    (Sahih Muslim, 30.5814).

    Here is the hadith which declares Muhammad’s special relationship with Allah.

    Sahih Muslim, Book 030, Number 5814:

    ‘A’isha reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) did an act, and held it to be valid. This news reached some persons amongst his Companions (and it was felt) that they did not approve of it and avoided (it). This reaction of theirs was conveyed to him. He stood to deliver an address; and said: What has happened to the people to whom there was conveyed on my behalf a matter for which I granted permission and they disapproved it and avoided it? By Allah, I have the best knowledge of Allah amongst them, and I fear Him most amongst
    them.

    Here is another hadith from Sahih Bukhari which says only Muhammad who best knew Allah.

    Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 19: Narrated ‘Aisha:

    Whenever Allah’s Apostle ordered the Muslims to do something, he used to order them deeds which were easy for them to do, (according to their strength endurance).
    They said, “O Allah’s Apostle! We are not like you. Allah has forgiven
    your past and future sins.” So Allah’s Apostle became angry and it was
    apparent on his face. He said, “I am the most Allah fearing, and know
    Allah better than all of you do.”

    THIS IS SHIRK!

    THIS IS DUALISM.

    THIS IS PAGANISM.

    MOHAMMEDANISM IS A JOKE!

    MONOTHEISM MY BUM!

    MORE LIKE MOON-ATHEISM!

  • Larry

    YOU ARE AN APOSTATE!

    ACCORDING TO MO & GABBY, MOHAMMEDANISM IS A PERFECT RELIGION.

    A COPY OF THE “HARRY POTTER” QURAN IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN HEAVEN.

    AND MOHAMMEDANS ARE INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE ALL NON MOHAMMEDAN COUNTRIES FROM DAR AL-HARB TO DAR AL-ISLAM & THEN THE WORLD WILL HAVE PEACE – YEAH, GRAVEYARD PEACE.

    MOHAMMEDANS LOVE MURDERING EACH OTHER!

  • AA

    It’s interesting how most of those commenting have automatically tied these actions to Islam, and the middle east. However, I think that the problem is way broader, the far east is also another example where prostitution of underage girls is also common place. Similar practices are not probably that hard to find in Europe and the US. What’s the difference then and why is this case unique. I think the fact that the society is tied to religion makes it somewhat more interesting, even though this religious cover is extremely unreal. In Egypt, you can find a variety of other examples, drug trade, gay prostitution (for men who are not actually gay), people selling their organs for less than 100$, People selling their children to US and European citizens, …etc., that like in other under developed in Africa and Asia, are related to poverty and have nothing to do with religion.

    I think instead of discussing religion, which is completely useless, or fighting it, which would even removes a barrier to involve in these practices to some people, we’d rather discuss poverty, and how to help these countries develop and distribute wealth in a fair manner. The shortest way to rid societies of abuse of their weakest, is to rid societies of abuse, because abuse at the end of the day is similar to energy; once exists will just have to be transferred from one for to another.

    But I guess that’s not an important issue, we’d rather just sit there and find some fake reason and fight it forever!

  • Muhammad Waloora

    Islam is evil

  • Nathan Warszawski

    As a nonbeliever: Am I also entiteled to buy a 13 year old girl for 4 to 8 weaks?

  • Andy

    LoL if islam is perfect then why isn’t there a single islamic country worth living in? Why are they ALL messed up beyond repair?

    Please take your perfect religion and use it to make a perfect country. Afterwards take all the MILLIONS of muslim immigrants in Europe who have traveled around the world to live in countries that are safe and sane. We don’t want them here. We didn’t ask for them. They came because the islamic world is messed up.

  • Andy

    Sure. Some people will always try to find an excuse to behave like crap.
    But ask yourself why in 9 out of 10 cases the fucked-up-ness is related to islam: Child marriages, temporary marriages, stoning, severing of limbs, whipping, suicide bombing, genital mutilation, killing of gays, beating and oppressing women, destroying buddhist historical artifacts, decapitation of enemies, etcetera. It’s all islam and it’s happening EVERY SINGLE FREAKING DAY. It is not just a coincidence and it is not something that applies to all religions in the same degree. Islam is a special case.

  • Andy

    No, but islam sure allows for much more perversion than other religions: Child marriages, temporary marriages, stoning, severing of limbs, whipping, suicide bombing, genital mutilation, killing of gays, beating and oppressing women, killing of apostates, decapitation of enemies, etcetera. You know it’s perverted, and you know it’s islam. Don’t deny it.

  • Andy

    Wrong. Islam does not give a specific age for marriage, either for the husband or for the wife. Mohammad married a 6 year old. In some islamic states they say “whenever the girl feels ready”. In other states they say “when she reaches puberty”. And in yet other states they say “when she’s 15”.

    However Quran (65:4) very clearly states rules for married girls WHO HAVE NOT YET HAD A MENSTRUATION. That means that Allah does NOT rule out marriage with children. Hence it is NOT against islam to marry a 6 year old like Mohammad did.

  • Andy

    There is a difference between people being criminal perverts and people following a prophet who allowed such “temporary marriages” as we can read in Sahih Muslim.

  • Andy

    It would be a lot easier if islam didn’t allow it.

  • Andy

    No, you cannot enter into a muslim marriage without being a muslim.

  • http://spikerscorner.blogspot.no/ Ei Saa Peittää

    Islam not only ALLOWS mutah, islam also offers specific guidelines on “temporary marriages” mutah: http://www.al-islam.org/al-serat/muta/

  • thani

    If your countries are so perfect why do you brits flock to dubai and other emirates. You people leave uk and run to tax havens like uae qatar, kuwait and oman. As for muslim countries you havent heard of brunei, malaysia, uae, oman, qatar etc. And talking about your European countries your economy is dead.

  • thani

    If muslim countries are a problem who is asking you to come here. Lets not talk about your western culture. A bunch of morally bankrupt people with no culture will talk like this. All you have is one night stands single mothers whose husbands easily avoid them once pregnant. Isnt this exploitation of women. Oh I forgot. This will be called freedom in the western world. But if the same happened in a muslim country it would be called regressive. So dont give me your crap. Keep your garbage with yourself.

  • One Nation

    Religion is a personal thing, as personal as sexual preferences are.

    However, protection of innocence of children, women rights, human rights, protection of freedom should be a LAW and ORDER issue, and this law and order has to be common throughout the world.

  • Ryan Muhammad

    Kelley, you just contradicted yourself in your first line. The second part of your statement is correct, the first part is wrong. Let’s look at the authoritative Muslim source of Sahih al-Bukhari, the most authoritative book after the Qur’an for over a billion Muslims:

    Narrated by Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “A virgin should not be married till she is asked for her consent; and the matron should not be married till she is asked whether she agrees to marry or not.” It was asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! How will she(the virgin) express her consent?” He said, “By keeping silent.” Some people said, “If a virgin is not asked for her consent and she is not married, and then a man, by playing a trick presents two false witnesses that he has married her with her consent and the judge confirms his marriage as a true one, and the husband knows that the witnesses were false ones, then there is no harm for him to consummate his marriage with her and the marriage is regarded as valid.” – Sahih Bukhari Vol. 9, Bk 86, No. 98

    Narrated by Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “A lady slave should not be given in marriage until she is consulted, and a virgin should not be given in marriage until her permission is granted.” The people said, “How will she express her permission?” The Prophet said, “By keeping silent (when asked her consent).” Some people said, “If a man, by playing a trick, presents two false witnesses before the judge to testify that he has married a matron with her consent and the judge confirms his marriage, and the husband is sure that he has never married her (before), then such a marriage will be considered as a legal one and he may live with her as husband.” – Bukhari Vol. 9, Bk 86, No. 100

    This is 100% absolutely disgusting, and this is 100% absolutely Islam.

    Furthermore, Prophet “perfect example” Muhammad wrote the marriage contract with Aisha when she was 6 and he was 51, then stuck his penis inside her when she was 9 and he was 54. How does one expect a 6 year old to enter into a binding agreement? The sources don’t say he wrote the contract with her dad Abu Bakr, it says he wrote it with her:

    Narrated ‘Ursa:
    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). Sahih Bukhari 7.88

    Narrated ‘Ursa:
    The Prophet asked Abu Bakr for ‘Aisha’s hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said “But I am your brother.” The Prophet said, “You are my brother in Allah’s religion and His Book, but she (Aisha) is lawful for me to marry.” Sahih Bukhari 7.18

    Narrated ‘Aisha:
    I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah’s Apostle used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me. (The playing with the dolls and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for ‘Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty.) (Fateh-al-Bari page 143, Vol.13) Sahih Bukhari 8.151

    Narrated ‘Aisha:
    Allah’s Apostle said to me, “You were shown to me twice (in my dream) before I married you. I saw an angel carrying you in a silken piece of cloth, and I said to him, ‘Uncover (her),’ and behold, it was you. I said (to myself), ‘If this is from Allah, then it must happen.’ Then you were shown to me, the angel carrying you in a silken piece of cloth, and I said (to him), ‘Uncover (her), and behold, it was you. I said (to myself), ‘If this is from Allah, then it must happen.’ ” Sahih Bukhari 9.140. THIS MEANS, AS IF AISHA BEING AGE 6 IS NOT YOUNG ENOUGH, MUHAMMAD TWICE LUSTED AFTER HER WHEN SHE WAS EVEN YOUNGER!

    This is 100% absolutely disgusting, and this is 100% absolutely Islam.

  • Ryan Muhammad

    Stop blaming this on Shi’a alone and accept that it is Sunna. Misyar “marriage”, which this article mentions, is a Sunni practice. Muhammad allowed the practice of Muta. As a Sunni, do you disagree with Muhammad?

  • Ryan Muhammad

    “Please remember that just because a muslim does something, even if this muslim is an arab, it does NOT mean its in accordance with the teachings of islam.” I agree with your statement, but not in the way you mean it.

    When a Muslim is genuinely peaceful, has morals, considers everyone equal, he / she is NOT acting in accordance with the teachings of Islam.

  • Syrena

    Wrong. The only difference is that muslim criminal perverts use their pervert religion to justify their perversity. It is SICK.

  • Mark Van

    How many highschoolers are 6 years old?

  • Mark Van

    6…years….old!

  • Mark Van

    6…years…old!

  • Mark Van

    6…years…old…child? What a monster

  • Mark Van

    The article says 90 percent are Saudi..they are shia?

  • Mark Van

    6 year old child…really? I no longer regret preadtor drone strikes on civilians in that case.. we are just putting them out of their misery.

  • Mark Van

    A six year old? monstrous!

  • Mid_Century_Modern

    Islam: Perfect?

    You’re as delusional as the so-called prophet. Islam is a retro-grade cult. Wherever Islam is allowed to exist misery, sickness and death prevail.

    This is evident all over the planet and has been for 1400 years.

  • Mid_Century_Modern

    No culture in the West?!!! You are seriously delusional.

    If any culture is devoid of “culture” it is Islam! Where is the music in Islam? Where is the art, poetry, architecture, science, philanthropy, humanity, research in medicine. And do not reply about algebra, and the compass etc. These inventions were stolen by Muslims as they have always done.

    Thieves, rapists, murderers, pedophiles. History proves it as does the Quran, Hadiths and all Islamic scriptures.

  • Omar

    Islam doesn’t permit child marriage? You’re kidding, right? Ever heard of Ayshia, or Q 65:4 in which “Allah” gives the waiting period for divorce for PREPUBESCENT GIRLS as three months?

    There’s a reason why “Najood” the 8 year old divorcee was from Yemen.

  • sam

    Poor allah, he is stuck in all crimes and animal behavior!!!

  • Ryan Muhammad

    Saudis are Sunni. They don’t like Shi’a.

  • Ryan Muhammad

    Islam is the only one in which this is legal.

  • Ryan Muhammad

    Indeed. According to Muslim scholars, a Muslim man can contract marriage with even a one day old baby. Technically he is not to have vaginal sex with her, but can molest her in other way since he is a “wife.” Even if he is not married he can simply get a sex slave, which he can rape at any age. Islam is 100% disgusting.

  • hi

    15 year old boy and girl having sex is different from 11 year old girl having sex with 80 year old male

  • Petra Thompson

    That’s rubbish. Muslim men can marry non-muslim women in islamic marriages (the opposite is not true). http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=2267&CATE=10 Under islamic law, children born into such a marriage are automatically considered muslim. Should the parents divorce, then under islamic law the children after the age of 7 are given into the custody of the father (so that they can be brought up as muslims).

  • Petra Thompson

    This “corruption” is based on muslims emulating the “prophet” Mohammed, who married a 6 yo girl, having sex with her when she was 9yo. All over the islamic world there are countries which make such paedophile marriages legal.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1213168/Fawziya-Abdullah-Youssef-dies-labour-Child-bride-12-dies-Yemen-struggling-birth-THREE-days.html

    They are even happening in London, although the nationla media in Britain refuse to discuss them.
    http://www.islingtontribune.com/news/2012/jan/islington-girls-forced-marriage-age-nine

  • Petra Thompson

    Perhaps you do not realise that, through the OIC (the pan-national muslim organisation at the UN), the islamic world has rejected the UN Declaration of Human Rights, substituting in place of it The Cairo Declaration, under which all human rights are subservient to sharia law.

    In sharia law child marriage is legal (including sex with pre-pubescent girls), as is slavery.

  • Petra Thompson

    The classic manual of sharia law Reliance of the Traveller (which covers all 4 schools of sharia law, showing divergences when they occur) states the waiting period of 3 months when a man has had sex with his bride, even if she is a pre-pubescent child. This waiting period is to see if the bride has become pregnant (she may have become menstrual even though she was pre-menstrual when the copulation/marriage began).

  • Petra Thompson

    “why do you brits flock to dubai and other emirates.”

    We don’t. There are far more muslims in Britain than their indigenous Brits living in muslim countries. Some muslim academics estimate that the UK muslim population is between 5% and 12%, roughly 6 million people. How many Brits are there living in muslim countries?

    As every year goes by, and people find out the truth about the barbarism of islam and islamic countries, fewer Brits even contemplate going to an islamic country for a holiday.

  • Petra Thompson

    Lies. Go and read The Reliance of the Traveller, a manual of sharia law approved by Al Azhar University in Cairo. That book contains instructions on divorcing a pre-pubescent child.

    There’s lots of information about these child marriages, and they most certainly are not confined to shia muslims. http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Contemporary_Pedophilic_Islamic_Marriages

    And this kind of child abuse even happens amongst muslims in London.
    http://www.islingtontribune.com/news/2012/jan/islington-girls-forced-marriage-age-nine

  • anon

    Maybe they’re emulating your royal family. Go back through history and see how old the girls (and boys sometimes) were when they were married off for political reasons. They were toddlers sometimes.

  • anon

    Temporary marriages are not allowed in Sunni Islam.

  • anon

    Yes, it’s horrible that a drunk couple – who just met at an office party – cant have sex in broad daylight in a public place with families walking by. What a barbaric place…

  • anon

    This practice is very wrong, but the article would benefit from having some actual facts or statistics.

  • anon

    ‘Islamic law’ does not say that children after the age of 7 go to their fathers after a divorce. It’s interesting that every time you purport to inform us about Islamic law, you pick and choose from various books and websites to find the ruling you like best in each case. In this case, Reliance of the Traveller (a book of Shafii law) doesn’t suit your purposes? Because it says that at the age is 7 (indicating the age of reason; practically speaking, many courts use the time a child reaches puberty), the child is old enough to choose for himself or herself which parent to live with – not that the child is taken away from the mother.

  • Michael Stewart

    I think the US needs to mind US business. Who is an American to think they should tell Egypt how to make their laws. If you do not agree with this policy than do not engage in it. Unless you are from egypt STFU.

  • One Nation

    One cannot bring about reform by bombing nations… so whats next? A clash of civilizations? But the pro-minority governments will never let that happen, afterall, when in minority, the muslims talk about being “targeted” and when in majority, they want the caliphate.

    We are back to the dark ages.

  • Zm2m

    Not prepubescent, premenstrual.
    Menstruation is just one indication of puberty, some people start as late as 17/18.

  • Petra Thompson

    You are a liar. Section m13.5 of Reliance of the Traveller says EXACTLY what I said.

    If the mother is non-muslim, the child goes to the father, regardless of what the child wants. m13.2(c) says “and if the child is Muslim, it is a necessary condition that the person with custody be a Muslim”

  • Petra Thompson

    That may be so. Societies change. But islamic law does not. So, Mohammed stopped infanticide. But he did not stop slavery. Which is why slavery continued in the islamic world right up to the 1970s (and still goes on in muslim Sudan and Mauritania to this day).

    If the values in the west did not change, then there would be no muslims in the west at all these days. Islam was considered heresy, and muslims would be burned at the stake.

    Muslims use our changing values, tolerance and liberalism to advocate their own Bronze Age unchanging values.

  • Din

    Well, Islam also is to be seen in the temporal context, look at Europe in the Middle Ages. People married earlier, as well. In addition, in Islam it says that the community interest should be a guiding principle, i.e. nowadays not to marry off girls when they are still too young. This is also reflected in the current family laws in many Arab countries. As is the case everywhere, law and practice are two different things.

  • Dwain

    Why is nothing done by these people to limit family size??It is so stupid of all these care organizations to try and feed this type people but do nothing to slow the birth rate!! If You can not afford kids do not have them!!

  • MG

    For all of you who have wronged Islam, you should all be ashamed of yourselves, All of you people who actually believe in god or have a religion what so ever should know that not only is it wrong to disgrace others religion but prohibited. Go educate yourself about Islam first and true Islamic countries might have many problems but atleast they have faith and something to believe in. For all those who have wronged Islam, go ahead no one will ever stop you, but believe me there will come a day where you will wish you had never been born. The problem with most of you people is that you think you have great economies and bla bla bla but you lie when saying that you are democrats, because the only people you accept are yourselves and disapprove of different cultures.. The media has gotten to your head just like a scarab. You should be ashamed of your “educated” selves.

  • Anto de Chav

    But child marriage is…

  • anon

    Sunni Islam does not allow mutah. You’re quoting from a Shia website.

  • anon

    Europe certainly did ask for those workers.

  • Zeina

    I DARE YOU TO GET PROOF THAT ISLAM MAKES PEOPLE KILL EACH OTHER OR DO WHATEVER BAD PEOPLE DO. IT IS NOT ISLAM’S PROBLEM THAT THERE ARE THIEVES AND CRIMINALS WHO FIGHT FOR IT. IF YOU SAY THAT ISLAM IS BAD THEN WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CHRISTANITY OR EVEN JUDAISM DO YOU NOT BELIEVE IN THEM TOO. DO YOU NOT BELIEVE IN GOD? STOP SAYING THAT ISLAM IS THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN ISLAM AND THINK THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO SO AND THEY DO NOT EVEN RELATE TO ISLAM’S FORGIVNESS AND PURIETY.

  • iqbal

    …islam is the only religion of the universe ….which provide peace, love, and the of life…plz thing about it…and you must study quraan ,

  • 1LTLos

    Who or why give a hell about muslim nations and their backward traditions? Goes to show that the UN needs to find a new headquarter in the Sahara desert somewhere and whither to dust – screw shariah law

  • Hakim

    But the difference is that the Saudis use religion to justify their misdeeds; that’s the rub. So, we should not conveniently hide behind the common refrain: “Oh it’s not religion, it’s culture.” That’s hogwash.

  • Mominator

    My Coptic Christian friend in Egypt is more horrified by you commentors than he is by the old news that moslems rape children under the protection of “law.” To even consider for a second that children should be treated like this is disgusting and obscene. Children die from this kind to treatment you sick turds!! YOU ALL OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED!!!! This is a totalitarian governmental system using religion to justify its sick abuse of the weak.

  • Tina Stachura Newby

    Community interest should be a guiding principle? Why not then, the whole village could eat for a year for the price of one little girl.

  • Donathan Wynne

    As long as it happen out side of the US, it is not our problem. They are not our people and are worthless.

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