‘The most exalted standard of moral excellence’

The Prophet Mohammad was faced with enormous opposition from the inception of his mission as a Messenger of Allah, the Almighty the Creator of all. He spent 13 years in Makkah, after receiving his first revelation of the Quran, until he was forced to migrate, with his followers, to another town later called Madinah. Throughout his prophetic life and mission he faced continual threats to himself and to the safety of his community, facing armies and fighting many battles. Indeed, the hostility expressed towards him, Islam and the Muslim community, never stopped during his lifetime.

Never, living as he did in this most hostile of environments, did even the most bitter of his enemies raise questions or doubts about his marriages, nor was he ever accused of being a paedophile. Today, however, there are many anti-Muslims who, without thought, have taken to the internet and other media, to air their biased views and attack the character of the Prophet Muhammad, because they happened to have read or heard, somewhere, false and malicious comments.

As was the case in the past, with prophets like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all the others, Allah bestowed the responsibility of carrying out the mission of delivering His message only on those eminently and morally qualified to carry it out. All the prophets possessed the best of characters that exemplified them in the eyes and minds of their people. This huge responsibility, placed on all the prophets and Messengers of Allah, is something that all Muslims must defend regardless of consequence.

The picture, that is portrayed by the opponents of Islam today, about the Prophet Mohammad and his married life, is completely false and unjustified. He married Khadija, May Allah be pleased with her, when he was only 25 and she was a widow aged 40. She was a successful business woman, who proposed to him, and he never married again during her lifetime. He then married another widow, before marrying Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with all of them.

Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, is the wife that opponents of Islam accuse the prophet of marrying when she was still a child. Ayesha was the youngest daughter of the prophet’s closest friend and companion, who became the first caliph after him. What her age was at the time of her engagement with the Prophet is the subject of some debate, keeping in mind the following considerations:

1-                  Prophet Mohammad had a mission which was his priority. He would not jeopardise his mission of conveying the message of Allah and ruin his ministry, as some Christian friends put it, for a petty motivation. He was receiving his revelation and that was the primary task at hand for him.

2-                  Prophet Mohammad had a certain social status and was well known for his noble character among the people of Makkah. He abhorred indecency and vile acts and was never accused of any such acts, even by his most open and vociferous enemies, in his lifetime.   

3-                  Ayesha was married to Prophet Mohammad with the full consent of her father, family and relatives. Is it feasible that they would have consented to the marriage of an underage child to a man who was about 53 years old?  

4-                  Ayesha was previously engaged with a son of Mut`im ibn Adi, before she was engaged with the Prophet himself. This previous engagement was broken off when her father came to believe in the message of the Prophet Mohammad.

5-                  If there had been any issue relating to child exploitation, surely it would have been used as a subject of attack by non Muslims, who at the time, were engaged in bitterly fought wars against the Prophet. That such an accusation was never broached and never became an issue, must surely indicate that it was not a forced marriage with an adult.

6-                  Two adults at opposite extremes of their adult life have the right to get married, without being accused of anything by unrelated parties, as long as the marriage is socially legal and mutually acceptable.

7-                  In many places, even today, including some American states, the age of consent for girls is twelve.  Does anyone accuse them of paedophilia?

The life of the Prophet Mohammad was a beautiful example to be followed by other people. What he laid down as a foundation for us to follow cannot be wrong. The Quran says: ‘Surely there was a good example for you in the Messenger of Allah, for all those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much’. S33 V21

‘Surely the Quran guides to the way that is the straightest’. S17 V9

The Quran also confirms the good character of the Prophet by saying: ‘and you are certainly on the most exalted standard of moral excellence’. S68 V4

These are some of the Quranic teachings about the character of the Prophet Mohammad. He was well known, both to the believers in his Muslim community and to his opponents in the larger community.  Never, during his lifetime, was he the subject of the accusations and calumnies that are now so freely aired by people who give no honour or dignity to our Prophet.

The world is rapidly becoming a place full of sexual crimes against children, young men and women and of course no religion or decent social order can possibly approve of or condone them. Many of these disgusting crimes are committed by individuals of differing religious and non-religious identities and they should be punished in the most draconian manner. If Muslims commit sexual crimes the same punishment should be imposed on them, but it should not and must not have any adverse bearing on the character of the Prophet or the teachings of Islam. If it is allowed to do so it becomes tantamount to blaming a whole nation for the crime committed by only one of their citizens.

Islam allows a maximum of four marriages in particular circumstances and this is very clearly mentioned in the Quran. This is not a licence for the mistreatment of women. Indeed, a woman must be consulted and give her unequivocal consent before she is married, otherwise the marriage is invalid.

Attacks on the person of the Prophet of Islam, Mohammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, only serve to show the ignorance of the persons indulging in them. Islamic teachings work through a set of guidelines and ingrained principles within the parameters of Quranic revelations. Anyone is entitled to engage in debate about Islamic beliefs, its ways, its solutions to human problems and its statements of morality and ethical perspective. However, abuse, false allegations, name calling and continually displaying animosity towards Muslims, coupled with a total lack of understanding of Islamic values, will never deliver mutual trust and peaceful and harmonious relations.