The Perspective of an Ex-Muslim Atheist Woman
My Biggest Problems with Mohammad the “Prophet” of Islam. A Polygamist and Pedophile.
Where do I start?… There are just so many things wrong with what Mohammad practiced and preached. Muslims believe him to be a great prophet that is wise and pure, but if a man like that existed today, many people would have a really big problem.
Polygyny
First of all, if you didn’t know, polygyny is allowed in Islam. Men (and only men) are allowed to have up to FOUR wives as long as they treat them “equally” (like that is really possible). This practice still happens today in many Muslim countries. I know many husbands and fathers who decided to marry a second and third wife just because they can. It has broken many homes and caused problems with their children. Many men even marry without the knowledge of their first wife and kids. Yes, that really happens. The families eventually find out, but by then it’s too late.
As a woman in an Islamic country, I definitely had a problem with this practice. I also know that most Arab women had a problem with it as well, but had to accept it just because their god said it was OK. That is the same reason why many women do not argue about wearing a burqa or a scarf over their head. They feel that it is their duty to do as their religion says, even if it doesn’t seem fair.
Mohammad, of course, is the main reason why polygamy is accepted throughout Islamic countries. He even had his own set of rules that applied only to him. Since he was “special”, he was actually allowed to have 9 wives at once (there were others at different times). This also doesn’t include any of the slaves that he took as wives (a common practice during his time).
Of course, there were excuses and explanations for this. They said that Mohammad’s mission from god was to spread Islam. One way to do that was to build ties with different tribes, so he married daughters of important people. That’s why he needed so many wives…. To build his Muslim empire.
Child Brides
Even today, marrying really young girls is widely accepted in many Muslim countries. The reason why they think it is ok is because their prophet did just that. He married a 7 year old girl when he was over 50.
No matter what excuses people give me, I just can’t find this acceptable. I remember learning about this in elementary school and wondering how someone younger than me would already be married. At that time, my biggest concerns were things like playing outside after school & finishing my homework. I felt so lucky that my parents were more educated than that, and I knew that they would never allow that to happen to me. However, I also knew many teenage girls that married older men because their fathers decided it was a good idea. Sometimes they do it because they are poor, and if they marry their young daughters to rich men, they can help support the whole family.
It is really sad that in this day and age, ancient traditions are still practiced in some countries. These are only some of the examples of the harm caused by religion. If a person like Mohammad existed today in a western country, he would be put in jail for sex crimes.
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#2 written by Sarah A. 1 year ago
Thank you FreeThinker. I made the correction in my post. I just wasn’t familiar with the English term Polygyny.
Yes, I agree that if consenting adults can ALL AGREE to have multiple spouses/partners, that is fine. If they can make it work, good for them! But in Islam, only men are allowed that option and women don’t get the same right. And even though Muslims say that the wife has to agree, it usually happens whether she likes it or not. The women oppose the idea but they feel obligated to agree because it is their “religious duty”. And in Islam, you must obey your husband or he is allowed to discipline you as he sees fit (including beating if necessary). Women are also afraid to end up divorced because that is frowned upon and no one wants to be with a divorced woman. It is legal, but made a lot more difficult for the woman in most cases. That’s why they feel that it is easier just to do as their husband wishes.
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Just FYI: the specific form of polygamy practiced by the Muslims is called polygyny: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygyny.
Though I’ll agree with you that polygamy may cause problems for those involved, I do not see it as inherently evil. For example, say there was a situation wherein a plurality of spouses was workable among consenting adults, then that should be fine. As long as pleasure is maximized and pain is minimize, then such an arrangement should probably be considered good.
Personally, I think marriage should be eliminated as a legal concept. It would be best if governments just got out of the marriage business. It’s a religious rite, after all — so, just let the churches handle it. If your church says you can be married to a chair, then have at it. (Of course, we would still protect those that need protecting, like children.) All those “benefits” of being married (e.g. tax breaks, medical decisions) could be obtained, extended via other means.
This would also alleviate the issue of gay marriage. If your church doesn’t allow gay marriage, then so be it. You can’t be gay and be married in your church — but at least it’s no longer the government denying equality.
Great job on this blog. Keep it up!