Christie,
I will admit that it is possible Aisha was not nine-years-old when her marriage to Muhammad was consummated. On the contrary, it is quite possible that she was only eight years of age, as the Islamic lunar year is 10 - 12 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar.
The mental gymnastics you've resorted to in defending Muhammad are astounding. Did you even bother examining the sources cited on WikiIslam? Clearly not, because had you done so, you would realize that they are Islamic sources.
The question is, what interest do you have in defending Muhammad?
Since you asked so nicely...
I started to learn about Islam after 9/11. There were a lot of anti-Muslim emails, and comments on message boards that were highly critical so I began to check them out. Roughly 90% were half-truths or outright lies. Often the practices under fire were cultural and pre-dated Muhammad. Patriarchal societies. Second-class status of women. Stoning. Religious persecution. Everything that critics attribute to Islam existed as part of the ME culture. Every practice we now hate could be found in all the holy books, Bible, Torah and Qur'an. It's outright dishonest to attribute these facts to Muslims only.
I learned that there was no low critics wouldn't stoop to in order to slander the religion, and my opinion is that it's because of 9/11. Instead of rightfully hating terrorism, people displaced their hatred onto the religion itself, and the millions of innocent Muslims who had nothing to do with the attack. It's not only wrong and unfair, it's illogical. And, it doesn't just apply to Islam but to any practice or belief people denigrate.
What I'm looking for is facts and that means looking at all sides of an issue. You think I'm defending Muhammad but I believe Islam is just the haters' cause du jour. I'd defend peoples' right to believe in Jesus, Buddha or any other religious figure.
You asked if I bothered to read from WikiIslam and I did. All those criticisms have been around for the ten years or so that I've been on forums. Did you ever bother to read sites that were favorable to Islam? Why are you so seemingly hell-bent on believing the worst, and dismissing out of hand anything that clashes with your viewpoint? I find that illogical.
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. (Sahih Bukhari Vol. 5, Book 58, Number 234)
Narrated Hisham's father: Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Medina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he married 'Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consumed that marriage when she was nine years old. (Sahih Bukhari Vol. 5, Book 58, Number 236)
http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/...rces/texts/muslim/hadith/bukhari/058.sbt.html
Narrated 'Ursa: The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with 'Aisha while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old and she remained with him for nine years (i.e. till his death). (Sahih Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 62, Number 88)
http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/...rces/texts/muslim/hadith/bukhari/062.sbt.html
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 Pg. 143, Vol. 13) (Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 151)
http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/...rces/texts/muslim/hadith/bukhari/073.sbt.html
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. (Abu Dawud Book 41, Num. 4915)
http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/...ces/texts/muslim/hadith/abudawud/041.sat.html
Post 57.
"However, there are two points that the reader should keep in mind, while considering these narratives as evidence for the author's opinion: Firstly, none of these narratives expressly state Ayesha's (ra) age at the time of her marriage; and secondly, all of these narratives are also reported by Hisham Ibn Urwah on the authority of his father. Keeping the second point in mind, it should be clear these narratives, reported by the Hisham and Urwah, cannot be presented as support for the narratives, also reported by the same narrators. All the criticisms that I had given on the narrators in my previous responses, obviously, apply to this one as well, as it is reported on the authority primarily of the same individuals.
In view of this fact, it should be clear that the whole issue once again boils down to the lack of any sound reasons to believe that Ayesha (ra) was nine at the time of her marriage, especially when there are other reports, which clearly imply contrary information."
There are a vast number of Islamic sources which reveal Muhammad for who and what he was: a violent thug, a hypocrite, and a morally perverted man.
There are an even greater number that refute your portrayal and I'm betting you didn't read a single one.
In addition to the overwhelming evidence that Aisha was nine years old when he had sex with her...
Overwhelming evidence on critical websites, yet one of my websites says:
"...
the generally held view regarding Ayesha's (ra) age at the time of her marriage with the Prophet (pbuh) is not based upon contradiction-free information."
Does that register with you or will you dismiss it?
...it is also on record that he condoned wife beating (he beat Aisha, too), prostitution, suicide, lying, and murder. Again, all from Islamic sources...
And here is a refutation of all the above, also from an Islamic source.
http://www.systemoflife.com/answering-islamophobes
Muhammad was not a holy man. He may be your prophet, but he is certainly not a prophet of God.
He's not my prophet because I'm a Catholic. But I was taught to respect others' beliefs and separate truth from lies.
