Muhammad al-Arifi, a Wahhabi religious cleric, is being widely quoted on web sites like Salon as issuing a fatwa that allowed jihadists in Syria fighting the government to enter into “intercourse marriage” that has been taken as authorizing the rape of Syrian women. Al-Arifi is quoted as expressing concern that Saudis fighting with the opposition have not been with a woman in two years and must be allowed to take care of their “sexual problems.” [One supporter has insisted the fatwa was not issued].
I would no sooner believe that Muhammad al-Arifi is representative of all Muslims than I would that Fred Phelps and Todd Akin are representative of all Christians. If nothing else, al-Arifi’s alleged fatwa confirms that Islam’s Wahhabi sect is the Westboro Baptist Church of The Religion of Peace ©.
At least he had the consideration to limit his fatwa to girls over 14. When you haven’t been with a woman in two years because you’ve been too busy fighting a holy war…well, if you consider women the property of men, you’re probably not going to be too concerned about age.
Of course, al-Arifi’s fatwa doesn’t exactly score a lot of PR points for The Religion of Peace © but Phelps and Akin aren’t exactly the poster boys for Christian charity and tolerance, are they?
