I converted to Islam AMA.

[Mvslimah]

10 years ago and not for a man

AMA all the difficult questions, I got some time to kill

What was it that drew you to Islam in the first place op and what were your first exposures to the religion?

First exposure would have been family holidays to the ME and then living in ME for a short period. Whilst living there I learned a lot about the religion and I wish I could give a sort of defining moment but there isn’t one, over time it just made more and more sense to me and things that I previously didn’t agree with or maybe thought were strict just started to make sense, like I could see a wisdom behind it. No one did dawah to me to really or pressured me

I know a 5 year old who wears it because she finds it pretty and wants to me like mummy and her sisters. It's not always parents forcing ya know.

This. My niece is wearing it because of keeps your ears nice and warm, she is 5.

Exactly! There are 1001 reasons why a child might wear it, copying, dress up, emulating, parents encouraging, going to madrasah, keeping ears warm, it’s a pretty pattern etc people seem to be very triggered by young girls wearing a scarf saying it’s sexualising young girls, but there a tons of shops that sell bikinis for kids

No that was the wrong emoji I sent I didn't realise it was ment to be 😑 but I've made my point...it was the norm in that society. And the biggest this was, Aisha consented to the marriage, in Islam you can't marry someone against their wish. Holy prophets (pbuh) own daughter was married around mid-late teens. The biggest enemies of the Prophet at the time : the quraish never raised an objection regarding his marriage.. because it was the NORM for that society. It's not the norm to our society that's why we don't do that here.

A 12 year old cannot consent to marriage or to sex.

Have you made your Hajj yet?

I'm talking about Aisha ...she wasn't 12. She was 14-15 or 18-19.

My grandmother - no idea.

And just for clarification a 12year old cannot consent...according to UK law.

A 12 year old cannot consent according to UK law...in this day and age.
Very different to the UK law about 60-70 years ago.

No I haven’t, I’m not really in a position too, my children are quite young and unfortunately it’s really expensive and with COL as it is, unlikely I will for a while

Not by present day standards and no Muslim country has 12 as the age for consent and marriage, saudi (known as the most conservative Muslim country) has the age for marriage as 18.

BUT historically calendar age wasn’t calculated, puberty was the deciding factor if an individual was ready for marriage. Historians agree that Mary was likely between 12-14 when Jesus was born (sorry said 11 upthread but I remembered incorrectly it was 12 I was thinking of) below is Christian source.
Shakespeare’s Juliet was 13. I’m not saying this as hey this is brilliant, let it carry on but that historically it was more common than we might think

www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/how-old-was-mary-when-she-had-jesus.html

The age of consent in the UK fifty years ago was 16, except for Ireland where it was 17, and for gay men for whom sex was illegal.

I'm not just talking about the law though. I don't see how morally a 12 year old child can consent to sex or marriage, especially to an adult.

That should've said seventy years ago sorry. But you get my point.

No one on this thread is saying a 12 year old can consent to sex.
literally no one

The poster I was replying to seemed to be. Hopefully she'll correct me if I'm wrong.

Thankyou.
As you say you may look into Sufism, and that the salafi consensus is of innovation, what are your thoughts on rumi, Abdul qadir jilani, shamz etc?

I’m not familiar with shamz, but some of Rumi’s poetry and sayings are quite moving. Jilani is considered the founder of Sufism right?
in truth my exposure to mysticism is pretty limited because the mosques that tend to be the most open to converts are the more no frills sort if that makes sense. I wish I’d done a few modules on it at uni tbh seems interesting

I think you’re wilfully misinterpreting what she said…

If I'm misinterpreting anything is not willful and I apologise. But that's how I read it.

You mentioned your UG being in theology. Are your other degrees in Theology?

I ask because I love education and am curious about how people decide on their degrees.

I'm enjoying your thread.

No one said that they can. What exactly do you want the OP to say?

No my first masters was in philosophy and then my second one was done through work in industry :)

i just chose my degree probably like many, wasn’t sure what I wanted to study and did it for a level and got a good mark so went with that

It’s getting a bit ridiculous, as no one on the thread as said 12 years old was either Aisha’s age or an acceptable age for marriage in the present day yet that poster seems fixated on it.

this thread shows how rife Islamaphobia and anti Muslim hatred is in the UK. Because I’ve not given answers they like they’ve taken it as a n assault on Christianity or wishy washy answers. I think it also goes a long way to show how toxic the narrative around Muslim women is too.

This wasnt directed to the OP...but to someone else.