Why do muslims marry children

1. Historical and legal roots: religious texts, schools and interpretation

Classical Islamic jurisprudence accepted parental contracting of marriages and tied maturity to puberty, which allowed minority or pre‑pubescent betrothals in many legal schools; modern summaries note that “jurists agreed that a pre‑pubescent child could be contracted in marriage by his or her father” ^[4]. Reformers argue these rulings reflect historical human understandings, not immutable prescriptions, and say Muslim family laws can be reinterpreted to set 18 as the minimum age ^[2].

2. Where and how common is child marriage in Muslim‑majority areas

Child marriage is not unique to Muslims or to one region, but prevalence is concentrated in parts of Africa, South Asia and the Middle East; UNICEF and regional partners estimate 40 million child brides in MENA and report 700,000 girls forced into child marriage annually in that region, while globally 650 million women were first married as children ^[1]. International monitoring groups like Girls Not Brides compile national surveys showing wide variation within and across countries ^[5].

3. Social, economic and customary drivers — not a single religious motive

Research and advocacy documents emphasise poverty, family honour, weak law enforcement and customary practices as principal drivers; child marriage often persists where traditions and economic pressures reward early unions, regardless of religion ^{[4] [6]}. The Council on Foreign Relations notes that in many contexts conservative interpretations of religious texts coexist with non‑religious incentives like poverty and limited education ^[6].

4. Disagreement within Muslim communities and official voices calling for reform

There is clear debate: some conservative scholars point to historical precedents (for example citing puberty‑based maturity), while reforming voices — including prominent religious leaders and movements — argue Islam requires consent and protection of children and endorse raising the minimum marriage age to 18 ^{[7] [2] [3]}. Al‑Azhar’s deputy Grand Imam and projects in Mauritania mobilizing imams to say child marriage is “haram” illustrate explicit religious opposition alongside legal reform campaigns ^{[4] [3]}.

5. International and civil‑society responses pushing legal change

Organizations such as Musawah, UN Women and UNICEF frame child marriage as harmful and press for equal minimum ages of 18 for boys and girls; policy briefs and legal advocacy make the case that Muslim family laws can and should be reformed to protect children ^{[8] [9] [2]}. Girls Not Brides and UNICEF maintain data atlases and country monitoring to target interventions ^{[5] [1]}.

6. Misconceptions to avoid and what the sources do not claim

It is incorrect to say “Muslims” monolithically endorse child marriage; many Muslims and Islamic authorities oppose it and support legal minimums of 18 ^{[6] [3]}. Available sources do not claim that all instances of child marriage in the world are caused by Islam — they show the practice occurs across religious groups and is sustained by socioeconomic and customary factors ^{[4] [6]}. Sources also do not provide a single global number for current under‑age marriages exclusively among Muslims; regional estimates are provided instead ^[1].

7. Practical implications and contested agendas

Advocacy groups present child marriage as a human‑rights and public‑health crisis, emphasizing harms to education and maternal health and pressing states to raise legal ages to 18 ^{[9] [2] [1]}. Some opponents of reform frame changes as external interference in religious law; reformers counter that Muslim family laws are human constructions that can be aligned with contemporary protections for children ^[2]. Watch for hidden agendas: some political actors may use religious language to defend customary practices, while some international donors prioritise quick legal fixes over longer social‑change work ^{[2] [6]}.

8. Bottom line for readers

Child marriage in some Muslim contexts is a documented problem driven by law, custom and poverty rather than a single doctrinal mandate; many Muslim scholars and organisations advocate ending the practice and raising the minimum marriage age to 18, and international bodies document substantial regional burdens — for example 40 million child brides in MENA and 700,000 new cases per year there — while campaigns work with religious leaders to change norms ^{[1] [9] [3]}.