Child Brides Have Nothing To Do With Islam?

• Husband says he’s done ‘nothing wrong’ in marrying 12-year-old
• Given strict conditional bail
• Claims culture in northern Lebanon starkly different
• Girl’s father and imam also charged

A (Musel-)MAN accused of marrying a 12-year-old girl in a religious ceremony has been granted bail despite telling authorities he is keen to see his “wife’’ again and insisting he has done nothing wrong.

Do I believe Eman Sharobeem?

There are at least 60 child brides living in south-western Sydney, and many more girls are destined to be forced into under-age marriage, according to the head of a women’s health centre…

Dr Sharobeem, who is the manager of the Immigrant Women’s Health Service in Fairfield, said under-age marriage was carried out by many cultures across Asia, India and the Middle East and had nothing to do with religion.

Or do I believe Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia?:

We derive our morals, values and laws from Islam…

It may well be deemed by fathers or imams that given modern realities girls should not be married before they reach a certain age, notwithstanding Sharia permissibility for them to marry on reaching puberty. This is perfectly fine. However, this cannot be imposed universally and neither can the Sharia permissibility be generally prohibited…

Media reaction and commentary on this matter is predictable. As is the case with all matters Islamic or Muslim the reporting is sensational and ideologically antagonistic. Criticism on this case – whatever the reality of it as morally acceptable or otherwise – is based in the same racist, Islamophobic narrative in which criticism of the hijab, niqab, halal food, polygyny and so many Islamic beliefs and practices are the subject of mindless attacks and sensational innuendo. In this case, it is the sacred institution of marriage that is being denigrated by disingenuously linking it to sexual deviancy and child abuse.