Can I ask why you as atheist come to attack Islam in christian forum!?
See this Subject you opened for Muslims, Christians and Jews are not reason to not accept the Message of God send to us by Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) even if the picture is like what you try to promote,
and IF christians and Jews reject prophet Mohamed 's (pbuh) message depending on such thing then they should Reject all Propehts and Messanger of God mentioned in their holy books, I just mentioned this so that we can keep this subject between Me as Muslim and you as Athiest and Christians and Jews can only read what we write to each other!
Concerning age of Aisha when married to Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) this Hadith is right Hundred percent so as you see we USE only SAHIH (RIGHT) Hadith and we dont use those which is Fabricated or inserted and EXPOSED long ago Hadiths, like you and others USE when it SERVE yours and their NEEDS!!
Concerning this matter there is no exception to Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) at all, as this matter is OPEN to Muslims to decide it as Islam gave Contidions and not FIXED age, which gives freedom to humans to choose depending on their conditions which is Kind of Freedom and Mercy given to us from God!
So Islam didnt give fixed age for marriage but made conditions that the Girl should be ready phiscaly and mentaly which for sure differ between one Girl and another!
For example today each country have its own regulations and age of Consent, in SPAIN and Mexico for example Girl should be 12, in some USA states it is 14 and so on, and NOTICE that if the Husband of this Girl is less then 15 then the age of Consent of the Girl in many countires become even less!!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_co ... th_America
http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm
So as we can see each country in PRESENT time differ in its laws and traditions due to their needs!!!
So now we are talking between what happened 1400 Years ago and Present time so in order to understand that we should now return to what were normal at those times and till recent times by the way:
They lived at those times in small tribes everyone knew each other, Boys and Girls didnt have to go to schools or to finish Universities, at those times people didnt live for long times, so they get married early, even when Girl or Boy born parents already agree that the boy and the girl will get married when they grow, thats why due to Hadith also we find that Aisha were engaged to another man before she married Prophet Mohamed (pbuh!
In Present times when 11 years Old girl married from 13 years year boy this is considered ok, but if same Girl married to Old man this is Pedophilia and I and Muslims agree about such laws becuase conditions and life is changed we now live in big cities and numbers of humans became very big and people dont know each other, so how we would know if this man will not use or be bad to those little girls!?
While this were not the case in those small tribes were everyone knew each other since the day they are born!
So with knowing all the above Factors and History and FACTS from Past and present time now lets return to the subject of this Thread:
The Hadith that talks about age of Aisha said by who!?
Answer; By Aisha her self!!
Aisha (pbuh) were one of Most important sources for Hadith for all Muslims!
Comment: so women after all made great rule in Islam!!
If we read all her Hadiths what we can understand!?
Answer:
She loved prophet Mohamed (pbuh) very much during his life time and after!
Who were Aisha!?
Answer:
She were DAUGHTER of ABU Bakr (pbuh) one of highest and strongest people in Quraish before Islam and after and one who embraced Islam from begining and were first Caliphate and were friend and companion of Prophet Mohamed (pbuh)!!
What is opinion of Father and Mother of Aisha (pbuh) about her marriage to prophet Mohamed (pbuh)!?
Answer:
They were very happy and Honored!
Did anyone of Muslims or non Muslims saw anything strange in this marriage:
Answer:
NO, not even western christian countries till recent times!
In case you say:
But Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) should be example that you Muslims should follow!?
Answer:
Yes and we do although this is very hard becuase he were Great Prophet (pbuh), in Islam there is no fixed age not due to Quran or due to Hadith and this were left to Humans to decide, also Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) married woman who were OLD and widowed just to Honor her and to be able to take of her so why you dont mention that example also!?
And tell me which President or Prime minister who will choose Old and widowed woman to Mary her just to Honor and take care of her!?
----------------------------------
Now lets return to present times little:
1- In present times in Muslim countries we have fixed ages for marriages, becuase times are changed and needs are changed and Islam due to Quran and hadith gave us FREEDOM in this matter same like in other matters as Mercy from our creator!
2- In present times those who talk about this matter have no Virgins as their girls are no longer Virigins from ages 08 till 15 MAXIMUM which make us Muslims wonder:
Maybe it is better to you make them get married better then they are like that.......
3- In Islam we know how to protect our Girls becuase Girl come out from her parents house to her Husband house and Her parents opinion is respected and taken in consideration when Husband is choosen for her and they are not left to chance or to be used by others before those others decide to marry her or not, like Maradona who had children before he decided to get married!!!
4- With un Limited freedom you follow you have such problems of pedophelia and no Vrigins, fornication etc..... while we dont have such high rates like you do becuase we follow foot steps of our Prophet Mohamed (pbuh)!
Peace