The Prophet's child marriage NOT justification

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/world/middleeast/29marriage.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

snip

“This is the first shout,” said Shada Nasser, a human rights lawyer who met Nujood, the 10-year-old, after she arrived at the courthouse to demand a divorce. Ms. Nasser decided instantly to take her case. “All other early marriage cases have been dealt with by tribal sheiks, and the girl never had any choice.”

But despite a rising tide of outrage, the fight against the practice is not easy. Hard-line Islamic conservatives, whose influence has grown enormously in the past two decades, defend it, pointing to the Prophet Muhammad’s marriage to a 9-year-old. Child marriage is deeply rooted in local custom here, and even enshrined in an old tribal expression: “Give me a girl of 8, and I can give you a guarantee” for a good marriage.

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It is an outrageous insult to the Prophet (PBUH) that raping ignorant louts who marry children, raping and beating them, should DARE compare themselves to the Prophet (PBUH) and how he treated his wives.

I would think that such men, their tribes and their families would cover their heads in shame over THAT. First of all, the Prophet (PBUH) married someone of a correct age for many years and treated her with glory. He did not "start out" with a child bride. Second, the Prophet had the mercy and justice of God within him. He never treated anyone, not even the poorest servent or his worst enemy, the way the "men" in this article treat these children, stripping and raping them as tiny youngsters. It is disgusting to me and to God that anyone should even say the words of the Prophet (PBUH) on their stinking breath as justification for their cruel, disgusting, ignorant and infidel ways.

God bless the good judges who acted so promptly, and those who fight this cursed behavior.