The Diyanet, or the Directorate of Religious Affairs, called a fatwa declaring that girls can get married and become pregnant as young as 9 years old.
A fatwa is a nonbinding but authoritative legal opinion pertaining to Islamic law.
The official state institution has to “to execute the works concerning the beliefs, worship, and ethics of Islam, enlighten the public about their religion, and administer the sacred worshiping places”.
The fatwa clearly states in no uncertain terms that girls can “marry and get pregnant as early as 9”.
“The Diyanet said that those who entered the age of adulthood could also marry. The Diyanet stated that the lower limit of age for girls was 9 for girls and 12 for boys. Diyanet said that girls could become pregnant at the age of 9, and that men could become fathers when they entered the age of 12,” the fatwa reads.
The latest statement on marriage comes in the wake of a controversy over a new law passed in Turkey that allows Islamic muftis to conduct civil marriage ceremonies. Critics say child marriage will now become commonplace following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamist agenda.
Child marriages are common in Turkey, with 15 per cent of girls married under the age of 18, according to the charity Girls Not Brides.
The example was set by the Prophet Muhammad, who consummated his marriage with Aisha when she was aged only 9. In proclaiming 9-years-old to be the age at which girls can become pregnant, the religious body has followed in his footsteps.
Turkey’s first lady is also known for promoting Islamic principles. Her controversial views have frequently angered Western women. In 2016, she famously praised harems for “preparing women for life”, in a speech in Ankara.
She said: “The harem was a school for members of the Ottoman dynasty, and an educational establishment for preparing women for life.”
Press reports suggest that Emine Erdogan enjoys the high life, drinking white tea from the Rize region on the eastern Black Sea coast of Turkey, which sells about 1,500 euros per kilo.
Emine once closed an entire shopping mall in Brussels in 2015, so she would not be disturbed by other shoppers.