You know I've always had a problem with the characterization of Muhammad as a "pedophile", not that I have any special love for him, but I just think these claims are flimsy and inaccurate, so I will give my reasons. Sorry for going topic, but I need to get this off my chest.
First off, when I hear of the word "pedophile" what comes to mind is a creepy old white dude that has some kind of sexual predisposition to like little boys/girls, and is always preying on them etc. If you look at the definition of the word pedophile:
" a psychiatric disorder in persons 16 years of age or older typically characterized by a
primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children" or a "disorder of adult personality and behaviour in which there is a sexual
preference for children of prepubertal or early pubertal age."
Now, does what we know about Muhammad indicate to us he has a sexual preference for little girls?
1. Muhammad was married to , and only to Khadiha (who was about 40), for 25 years. He wasn't married for years later.
2. The marriage of Aisha was a result of Abu Bakr's suggestion/insistence. Muhammad did not seek the marriage. Most agree this marriage happened so they could solidify family/political ties, as was common in the time. Nothing I know seems to indicate he had a particular urge for little girls.
Now say, would Muhammad have married Aisha if Abu Bakr did not have six year old daughter? I don't think there's any reason to believe so.
As said, a pedophile has sexual fantasies about little children and/or has a preference for them. Many of you will say he was a warlord/dictator etc, why then didn't he get himself more child brides? Or got another child wife once Aisha passed puberty? He certainly was in the position and could have if he wanted to. I don't think there's any reason other than mere circumstance that Muhammad got into a relationship with Aisha. You may at the very best call Muhammad's alleged sex with a six year old "pedophillic behavior" but that doesn't really meet the definition of a real pedophile.
Now, this all is of course assuming the selective hadiths that tell us this story are accurate. But again, hadiths as know often contradictory and/or unreliable/forgeries. What would you say to the Muslim that invokes "scientific scrutiny" of the hadith to disprove it/claim it unreliable? There seems to be a good case made here if you read below:
http://www.ilaam.net/Articles/Ayesha.htmly