[A young Indonesian girl wearing a headscarf. She is not related to this news story]
Outrage as cleric weds girl, 12 By Lucy Williamson BBC News, Jakarta
A Muslim cleric has caused public outrage in Indonesia after marrying a 12-year-old girl.
Pujianto Cahyo Widianto married the girl in the central Java city of Semarang, during an unofficial religious ceremony.
He reportedly chose her from a pool of 20 girls, before flying to Singapore with his new bride, as well as his first wife.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Possible charges
Investigators from Indonesia's child protection agency said Mr Widianto had chosen the girl based on her intelligence, maturity and physical development.
They said Mr Widianto, who runs an Islamic boarding school, had planned to put the child in charge of his second business - a calligraphy workshop.
It is unclear if the marriage has been consummated. If it has, Mr Widianto could face charges under child protection, marriage and labour laws.
He is reported to have justified his actions by saying he was emulating Islam's Prophet Muhammad, and that he would wait until his wife reached puberty before having sex with her. But there has been fierce reaction to the marriage within Indonesia.
A senior member of the prominent Islamic party, PKS, said he thought Mr Widianto was wrong in what he was doing, and wrong in his thinking about Islam.
Police say they have not asked Singapore to extradite the cleric, but are continuing investigations.
Posts: 5454 | From: Holland | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
Sahih Bukhari Narrated Aisha: The Prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six (years). We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Bani-al-Harith bin Khazraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell down. Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Um Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girl friends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me. She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when my breathing became Allright, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said, "Best wishes and Allah's Blessing and a good luck." Then she entrusted me to them and they prepared me (for the marriage). Unexpectedly Allah's Apostle came to me in the forenoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age. Volume 5, Book 58, Number 234 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) Volume 8, Book 73, Number 151 Sahih Muslim
posted
Personally I'm amazed that at that time such a thing could be introduced, acknowledged, discussed and handled in such a rational way. Just like I'm amazed at these temporary marriages even today, which can be a cover for prostitution, but remaining part of religious law. Its really seems about giving people options and more freedom. So there remains legal control by society over these controversial matters.
Posts: 5454 | From: Holland | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Djehuti: ^ This belongs in the religion section of the forum.
And you should be put away in an asylum because you are a con-artist who uses twenty nicks at this forum at the same time in the same threads.
Posts: 5454 | From: Holland | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic