To the editor,
New Age Islam-Delhi
In reference to Mr. Chaoudhry’s article (in NEW AGE ISLAM) which try to discuss and debate M’utah (concept of temporary marriage in Islam) and its validity. Mu’tah is actually a result of Shiite jurisprudence in Islam and on the other hand we can find equally debatable concept i.e. age of marriage. The number of age is significant, i.e. nine years and in both cases it’s related to Prophet and his wife Ayesha whom he supposedly married when she was six year old and had sex with her when she was nine year old.
My take is that various teaching and practice of Islam were based upon the wisdom of that period and we hardly give it rational thoughts that Islamic jurisprudence came into being during the period of Abbasid which is divided in various school of thoughts and Imamat. Each had its own significance and relevance and vested interest at the time of creation. Actually Islam did not ever imagined that its tenets will be debated some other day from every corner of the planet, it was beyond its imagination and comprehension of the world. Same problem is with every religion as the globe is getting shrinked with the prevalence and practice of technology. The age of black ignorance and so-called renaissance is over and they are no more in a situation to keep hold on to the truth. The theory of absolutism and finalism is really on the real test now onward.
The problem of Islam in particular is that it believes and professes on a certain book and idolize a certain character to propagate its message, more and more we peep into its past and its practice, it seems to be coming under clouds, for example, the question of marriage and having sex with a nine year old girl constitute to be a heinous crime in modern society. I am sure neither Manzur ul Haq nor Me or Shahin Shahib would allow their own daughter to be married off at such age and in case, under any situation it happens will definitely report this case to the authority to book the culprit. WHY? Because modern science told us the tender female body is not well prepared to have such encounter, medically and scientifically. We all know that human physiology was same 1400 years ago too and those who allowed such practice were not well informed.
This could be a model case to test the validity and acceptance of old practice of Islam, if this norm could be challenged how other could be accepted without giving a second thought? This is the problem for Islam and its proponents why they can’t reject the practice of Prophet? Is they does so, will amount that he was not a complete person? If it does so, will put more question on its book like many intellectual has already started demanding abrogation of certain Quranic verses (like jihad/Kafir etc) under changed situation. This is the dilemma before Islamic intellectuals what to accept and what to reject? If they allow any amendment in their book, then it will not remain a divine book anymore. They are simply caught between modernity and ancient practice.
Do we have any way out? Frankly speaking..there is no way..this is end of the dead road. Era of ignorance and iron fist is over, we are really moving into the era of knowledge where divine intellect hardly matches with practical empirical methods of knowledge. This is end of enforced religion and its tyranny for sure, sooner or later they will have to concede defeat. This is end of final theory and absolutism of Islam or any other religion.
Sincere regards
