Too Young

11-year-old Ayu was married to 41-year-old Che Abdul Karim Che Hamid on the banks of the Golan River, in a small pink mosque. Suna was married as a young child to an older imam (Muslim priest) with her parent’s permission. It honored the family that their daughter was chosen. What they didn’t know was that she was the fourth wife. But even if they had been told, they might have given their blessing. Polygamy is normal in these settings too.

In most cases there are several things that dovetail. First of all, this is rooted in s religion, giving a permission which adds an aura of permission to abuse. Because emulating the religion’s founder is a sign of faithfulness, doing as he did is a life goal. Because men should not control their ‘urges’ or they will become ‘sick’, boys can be taken to prostitutes at puberty. But if girls are found to not be virgins at marriage, they are to be killed. All of these things are nearly solved by marrying off the potential female offender young, and making sure that all males have as many females as they can afford. Beyond this, marital advise includes keeping the wives in order.

These dictates cause societal chaos. They have to. They are not built on God’s law. They allow for men to harvest women, to foment jihad so that more infidels can be harvested, thus eliminating the infidel men. It’s simple. It’s’ a ‘theology of rape.’

I look at my sweet daughter and pray that day never comes for her. I look at the advance of and tolerance of this religion in my region, and my prayers are sincere indeed.