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'Two 8-year-olds or four 4-year-olds': Pak cleric's child bride 'joke' sparks outrage

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Mufti Tariq Masood has repeatedly argued that Islamic law grants parents and guardians full discretion over marriage timing rather than adhering to a statutory minimum age of 18. His sermons claim physical maturity, rather than chronological age, dictates readiness for marriage, even assessing girls as young as nine or ten. Critics also point out that he promotes early marriage to curb male desires while prioritizing a husband's authority over a wife's education. Meanwhile, online access to several of his sermons is increasingly restricted due to takedown requests.

Key points

  • Tariq Masood relies on physical maturity rather than chronological age to determine when…: Tariq Masood relies on physical maturity rather than chronological age to determine when young girls are eligible for marriage.
  • The cleric uses an informal, humorous style on YouTube and Facebook to reach young and ur…: The cleric uses an informal, humorous style on YouTube and Facebook to reach young and urban audiences.
  • Copyright complaints and takedown requests have reportedly limited public access to sermo…: Copyright complaints and takedown requests have reportedly limited public access to sermons containing his controversial statements.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Pakistani Islamic preacher Mufti Tariq Masood, who commands a large following across social media platforms, has faced criticism over a series of sermons and remarks defending child marriage.

In a report published by Daily Mirror Sri Lanka, the influential Deobandi cleric's comments have been reported in detail.

One of the remarks highlighted in the report came from a viral video in which Masood joked that if someone could not find a 16-year-old bride, he could provide “two eight-year-olds” or “four four-year-olds”. The comment drew criticism from people who said it trivialised child marriage and normalised the sexualisation of minors.

The Daily Mirror said the backlash was dismissed by supporters as a misunderstanding, with the remark defended as a joke taken out of context.

The newspaper also pointed to Masood's repeated opposition to statutory minimum marriage-age laws. According to the report, he has argued that Islamic jurisprudence does not prescribe a universal minimum age of 18 and that parents or guardians should retain discretion over when a girl marries.

A recurring theme in his sermons, the newspaper said, is the emphasis…

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