Seems reasonable.

Now that's traditional marriage for ya: a dowry, a contract, and a young girl paired off with an old man from whom she cannot currently escape.

"Of the billions of women in the world, how many must face an unjust life with few opportunities to control their destinies?"

Far too many, and it's heartbreaking.

Well this is pretty sick. She isn't old enough to get divorced, but she is old enough to get married? Makes sense.

"Of the billions of women in the world, how many must face an unjust life with few opportunities to control their destinies?"

Anyone wanna swap a few words out?

well Roarman, they are just following their Sharia Laws. You can get married anytime.

If people still followed their religious teaching as strictly as many on Muslim states, women would virtually have no say what so ever in their future.

Liberty you should post the story of the woman who was kidnapped, drugged, and married against her will in Bangladesh.

I'm glad we are blessed enough to live in a society where this isn't legal. I would like to spread that freedom to other countries, since it's in the women's best interest to be free.

...unless she's gay.

hmmm, I think you're free to be gay here.

I think this action is twisted. I understand that we all have our own religions/beliefs, but children's well being should never be involved in this manner. This is bothering this childs health mentally and physically. And a grown ass man at 58 years old should know better than to marry a darn child, and then to not let her go makes him look even more mentally sick.

That child deserves and has the right as a human being to be released ASAP!

PinkNc, unfortunately Saudia Arabia follow Sharia Laws very strictly. They are basically archaic in their beliefs and practices. Women's right? Men not marrying children?, father's giving their daughter's way for money? and of course honor killings.

This isn't Sharia law - this is tribal law.

Consent of the WOMAN (not child) is absolutely necessary in Islamic law, any marriage without that consent is illegal and the husband and father in this case would be liable for rape among other things. If anything, Islamic law would require the public to execute the father and husband in such a situation.

According to one of the most prominent Islamic clerics, Fadlallah "No one can impose on women any husbands they do not want. And any contract convened without their consent is considered null and void."

But tribal laws and weird ancient laws have become more important in too many villages and towns, this happens to too many girls, but it is not mainstream.

Gays are free with restrictions, which is only kind of free or not free.
The Saudis can do as they please -- but what I will never understand is why women around the world put up with this crap? Any woman of any major religion has to accept a lesser status no matter where in the world she lives.

What do you think the old traditionalist man will want to do with the little girl he just bought for $8000? It disturbs me to think of it.

There was a girl in Yemen who was able to divorce her husband in a case like this (she was 13, I don't remember his age), but I think she had been abused and that was the reason the divorce was granted. Good that at least SOME of her rights were recognized; bad that it took her being abused for a divorce to be granted.

I always forget that Saudi Arabia is so conservative; I think it's all the rich sheiks that make me think it's more liberated.

I'm ok with the ruling, since the girl will be 13 when she reaches puberty. I'm concerned what the guy (who paid the $7,000+) is going to want in order to grant the divorce, but the girl shouldn't be forced to have "relations" with the guy before.

Unfortunately this is how it is in Saudi Arabia... dowry, contract, marriage. Once upon a time, all women were treated this way. I don't like it, but that's their law. At least there is the part in the marriage contract that the marriage cannot be consumated for another 10 years. Granted that doesn't stop some people, but I think the Saudi laws are pretty strict about things like that.

I wonder what age is considered puberty in Saudi Arabia...

Bought and sold. Gross.

This is why we shouldn't support them with our dollars for oil and need to drill here at home then focus on alternative sources of fuel. The sooner they get no money, the sooner they will wake up and realize.

"I'm ok with the ruling, since the girl will be 13 when she reaches puberty. I'm concerned what the guy (who paid the $7,000+) is going to want in order to grant the divorce, but the girl shouldn't be forced to have "relations" with the guy before."

Dave, am I reading you wrong, or are you really saying that a) it's okay for the eight-year-old girl to stay married to the fifty-eight-year-old guy now, and b) that it would be okay for the girl to be forced to have "relations" with the guy once she turns thirteen?

*Or that she can be forced to have "relations" with the guy at any time as long as she's been through puberty?

I hope I'm reading that comment wrong as well.

Yes Dave, please explain. Since you have a young daughter, I know that can't be what you meant. I hope it isn't what you meant.

I think he means (correct me if I'm wrong, but this is how i understood it) that at least she will be 13 and hit puberty and therefore able to get the divorce before the 10yrs when the marriage can be consummated. And since she lives with her mom until the 10yrs are up, the harm done can be minimized - as opposed to the court telling her no divorce period or divorce only after the 10yrs and the consummation.

I certainly hope so, zeze, because it sounded very, very bad.

But who's to say she'll even be granted the divorce?

there not Saudis there from Yamen ! get ur info right sugar
its illegal to get married before the age of 16 in saudi arabia

relations would not take place for 10 years. That is far from the 13 she has to wait until. I don't like the situation, but I guess it is their country. And I'm with Dave, at least they will give the option when she hits puberty. I'm thinking the court thinks she might change her mind, or herself be able to make that decision instead of her mother. Either way it's twisted.

The fact that she has to be married (with relations or not) at 13 to a 50 year old is disgusting.
Im shocked at some comments on here.
Im so happy I live here where I don't have to be worried about my daughter being in those kinds of situations.

How is there anyway to tell if the man has been following the rules of the contract? If you are allowed to treat your wife like your property, who would know if he started having relations with her before puberty?

Poor girl. I can't imagine having to snuggle up against a 58 year old man, and I am much older than 10.

Jillness, ever heard of female circumcision? That's a surefire way to make sure a girl is a virgin.

"An eight-year-old Saudi girl will not be able to divorce her 58-year-old husband until she reaches puberty. "

This first sentence tells me that she can't divorce the guy until she is around 13 (When she hits puberty). Since she won't have relations with the old geezer until she is 18, that gives her 5 years to divorce him. Does that help you out?

Sadly, gooniette, I have heard of female circumcision. Tragic procedure, and I am hoping that this girl didn't have to endure that.

But ultimately, knowing that he violated the contract would mean that someone would have to examine the girl.

The agreement not to consummate the marriage is not in the marriage contract. It was verbal. The fact that it is not in the contract is significant. There is no hope here. The mother did her best by forcing the issue and a public acknowledgement that there was a so-called verbal agreement of no consummation. She knew the rules and she knew what to do. It is her culture.

The following video is about the 8-year-old being married in Saudi Arabia
http://www.lemondrop.com/2009/02/10/8-year-old-married-off-to-47-year-ol...
This one is about the Yemeni 8-year-old who was married and divorced but whose marriage was consumated "but I did not beat her." said the 28 year-old husband.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23548125-5006003,00....

Have we all not forgotten that it was this girl's father who got them in this mess. Where is the story about what he needed $7500 for??? Where they going to get evicted or simply was he gambler and needed to pay off his debt? Either way he needs to be stoned that he would stoop that low to sell his eight yr.old daughter. What a Mess! What his daughter needs to do is find out what are the consequences for her dad if she doesn't live up to the agreement and then carry that out at 18. Trust me when I say we are going to be reading about this story again in ten yrs because this girl is going to fall in love with someone else and this Dad's head is going to be asked for. GOOD!

well basically i think its sick!
and im also guessing she's not a virgin anymore....cos lets face it people, the only reason that they "buy" women or should i say little girls is to have sex and then get rid before they hit puberty or shout i say before they start their periods!
its pathetic how twisted the world can be with all these foreigners about, from my own mouth i say... these foreigners who buy children to marry are paedophiles!!