Re: Islamic Marriages: What is their point?
I think there are certain differences in todays society and the one centuries ago. Back then females did not have much to do in terms of education as today and ones options were limited to few ways to earn a living meaning education was emphasized but not as complicated as today. Trade was the main source of income.
Maturity comes from the environment you live in and the society you move around in. Back then women were better prepared for marriage even at younger ages provided they reached puberty in woman terms meaning if you start menstruate then you can bare children. In a womans life education was definitely not the number one priority or the fact they may even end up being an earning member of the household (there are exceptions, our very own Hazrat Khadija is one).
Today society has changed and the norms of society have changed and so has the earning structure of a family to some extent. There is nothing wrong with early teen marriages if the teenagers are prepared for committing to it and understanding all that is involved in a married life. Look at societies or households where education is not number priority and you can find many successful examples of young age marriages. There are some where education is just as important and I have seen many teenage mothers pursue their careers even after having kids i.e. though this happens out of necessity or academic inclination or parental development so you can better educate your kids and understand what they will go through when they are pushed into their early careers.
I don't think there is any Islamic debate about teenage marriages. Our prophets SAW marriage to Hazrat Aisha should not taken as a sunah in the way that it should be practiced but it is a sunnah that demonstrates that Islam does not prohibit teen marriages if it there is some good in it. And please do not be confusing Aisha's young age marriage to it being consumated at that age as well. Infact there are many scholars and Islamic researchers who have proved this hadith to be wrong.
Like I said if it can be managed then there is no harm in it. For the western society there society has developed in such a way that they are not able to cope with early marriages because of the way their legal system treats minors. It is not discouraged because the teenagers are not sexually active but because they think marriage is only about sex and sex and pleasure. Westerners are not even ready for marriage after living half their lives, which is why they keep decrying teenage marriages. Their insurance systems and financial structure ends up in havoc when such things happen. There are really no moral grounds to prevent this because whats the sense of reaching puberty if you are not ready bodily for sex. The western society has failed to upbring their younger generation morally and mentally with the growth of their body. Their solution is introduce sex education than rather correct the morals of their people as described in religion. Sex education teaches biological facts not morale or mentally develops you for marriage. Infact there is every tool needed in western society to prevent child birth so free lance sex can run free without having to bare the burden of any moral or mental responsibility that comes with it. Like animals, just have intercourse, eat, sleep and live.