There are many debatable arguments on Prophet Muhammad and his marriages. Some traditional hadith sources state that Aisha was betrothed to Muhammad at 6 or 7; other sources say she was 9 when she had a small marriage ceremony, but both the date and her age at marriage and later consummation with Muhammad in Medina are sources of controversy. Sunni Hadith books documented that the age of Aisha’s age 6 when she married Prophet Muhammad. But the Shia Muslims believe the actual age of Hadrat Ayesha the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (the lady in the discussion of Nupur Sharma) was between 15-18 yrs at the time of her marriage. The Muslims themselves are divided into facts and figures.

Muslims revere Muhammad as the perfect example of all conduct. We are aware that many Muslims have rejected the Islamic sources, specifically, the commentaries of al-Tabari and al-Qurtubi, which is obviously due to how severely embarrassing and humiliating they are to Muhammad’s integrity and prophetic claims. Many early former Muslims such as Ibn al-Rawandi, Al-Ma’arri, and Abu Isa al-Warraq were famous religious sceptics, polymaths, and philosophers that criticized Islam. Muhammad ibn Abdullah was the founder of the world religion of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet, divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.

Then there are arguments that he had many wives that normal men never believe, but many people jump to the wrong conclusion on this topic. 0ut of 11 marriages, two got divorced before even the couple met each other. Therefore, Islam considers the effective marriages were only 9 and not 11. Many do not know that out of 9 wives, 8 were widows. On the contrary Prophet Mohamed had married all those women who had no men in their life, adding Prophet Mohamed’s name they were secured. The widows he had married were of different ages, the highest in age being a 60 years old lady at the time of her marriage to the prophet.

Each religion had contradictions; Hindu deities also got married numerous times. Some had more than 100 wives some had a hundred children, some women had multiple children from more than one man. The era that they lived in was different from the era that we are in. God is human sentiments and personal belief.  Muslims believe that Prophet Mohamed had reason and I strongly believe what Krishna did was the need of that time. When men of the kingdom died fighting demons, most of the women were widows and they needed protection. It is a matter of trust in religious scripture.

Many have arguments on religious books and beliefs, but evoking religious sentiments makes no sense. Why should it make any difference to Hindus how many times the Prophet married and whom and when he married? Similarly, no one should have any arguments with Hindu gods and goddesses; it is none of their business. What one believes is their personal belief. About all your religion should never be the reason for riots. No God loves killing innocents. Responsible citizens of our nation should leave each other’s religions to their own beliefs.

During the wars, there were also some widows captured who were daughters of tribal chiefs. In those days if someone marries outside his tribe (like inter-caste marriage these days), there used to be enmity turning into the friendship between them. Thus by marrying widow daughters of tribal chiefs who were fighting a war against particular communities, the war would come to an end and result in peace and friendship. Marriage was a social event and a way to create a bond between two kings, two entities, two kingdoms and two different sects.

The problem of support for widows was also faced by the western world after WWII, when millions of men & soldiers got killed in the war, leaving behind women widows in millions. The west solved this problem by bringing women into the workforce, as telephone operators, receptionist accountants etc. and at the same time freedom of sexual inter-mingling without marriage was promoted, whereas in religious scriptures they gave the status of wife to widows. Going a few centuries back, we know how widows were ill-treated. In Buddhism, widows had to shave off their heads, in India widows under religious practice were encouraged to jump into the pyre of their husband, widows not being allowed to wear colours except white, widows not being allowed in auspicious functions etc.

I don’t want to get into much argument because I know this will not go well with those communal minds of both sides. For them, religion and religious beliefs are nothing but political tools. I am a staunch Hindu my belief needs to be custodian, and at the same time, I don’t find anyone a hindrance to my beliefs. Responsible citizens and especially public representatives should refrain from hurting religious sentiments by making all unwanted remarks. Nupur Sharma was a part of a debate panel on Times Now, discussing the finding of Shivling in the Gyanvapi complex and the subsequent mockery of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses that followed in the wake of the discovery.

Islamists have claimed that the Shivling discovered inside the wuzukhana of the Gyanvapi disputed structure was not a Shivling but a fountain. Across social media platforms, detractors have been repeating ad nauseam that the Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi premises is a fountain and not an idol of a Hindu God. In response to the contempt and scorn poured over Hindu Gods and Goddesses, which was evident even during the Times Now debate where some of the fellow panellists referred to the Shivling as a fountain, BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma asked them to refrain from insulting Hindu Gods and cited Islamic scriptures and Holy Quran for substantiating her remarks on Prophet Muhammad and Islam.

First of all, calling religious debates and mocking God is not civilised conduct. Gyanvapi is a matter of investigation and the court is doing the needful. What we all need is patience to see what unfolds. Overreactions by both sides are colluding with the peaceful atmosphere of our nation. We need to believe in our PM and his slogan Sabka Saath Sabkaa Vikas and think of the development of this nation.