WASHINGTON, June 15 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - A Florida minister from the Southern Baptist Church sparked anger in the U.S. Muslim community earlier this week with derogatory remarks concerning the Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Reverend Jerry Vines, speaking at an annual church conference in Saint Louis, Missouri, attacked Prophet Mohammed and said that the “the man who founded Islam had 12 wives, the last of which was a nine-year-old girl.”

Vines claimed in the speech that many of America’s problems could be blamed on religious pluralism.

Pluralists "would have us to believe that Islam is just as good as Christianity, but I'm here to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that Islam is not just as good as Christianity," said Vines.

“And I will tell you Allah is not Jehovah either. Jehovah's not going to turn you into a terrorist that'll try to bomb people and take the lives of thousands and thousands of people," he continued.

During Vines’ address missionaries handed out green ribbons to encourage Baptists to pray for Muslims' conversion to Christianity.

Speaking on the issue of the Prophet’s marriages, prominent Muslim Scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al Qaradawi said that before the advent of Islam, it had been the habit of men to marry an unlimited number of women. The Old Testament states that David had 100 wives and Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. However, Islam nullified marriage to more than four women.

“Allah Almighty granted Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, something that is not allowed to any other Muslims. He Almighty allowed him to keep the wives that he had married and did not order him to divorce, replace any of them, or to marry anymore women,” he said.

“This is because the wives of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, have a special status: they are mentioned in the Qur`an as Mothers of the Believers. Allah Almighty says, " “The Prophet is closer to the believers than their selves, and his wives are (as) their mothers.” (Al-Ahzaab: 6).

“Due to this honorable position, they were forbidden to remarry after the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Allah Almighty says, “And it is not for you to cause annoyance to the Messenger of Allah, nor that ye should ever marry his wives after him.” (Al-Ahzaab: 53)

As to why the Prophet married nine women in the first place, Sheikh Al Qaradawi said that he did not marry any of them for the reasons that the orientalists falsely claim.

“It was not carnal desires, which made the Prophet marry any of his wives. If he were as they claim, he wouldn’t have been the young man married to a woman 15 years his senior. He was 25 when he married Khadijah who had been married twice before and had many children.

“The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, lived all his youth with her in happiness. When she died, he called that year " The year of grief." He loved, respected and kept praising her so much even after her death.

“He did not marry any of his wives for lust or worldly desires, but for the good of Islam in order to strengthen the ties between the people and the new religion, especially because kinship and blood relations were well respected among the Arabs.

“In conclusion, by marrying those women, the Prophet aimed at unifying the Arabs and solving many problems. His wives became the Mothers of the Believers, teachers of the Muslim Ummah in family and women’s affairs, and related a lot about his family life even in the most private situations,” said Al Qaradawi.

Another Muslim Scholar, Muhammad Ali Al-Hanooti said that the marriage of A'isha was Allah's plan for the Prophet.

“Allah usually is not the one who we are allowed to argue with for any ordinance or commandment. The Qur'an says, "He is not questioned for what He does, but they (people) are questioned for what they do."

”A'isha got married when she was 9, when the Prophet (SAAWS) died, she was 19. Her 10 years were of the life of a fully dedicated deciple, trainee and scholarly student with the Prophet (SAAWS). She was the source of knowledge for almost every companion. She was of the main sources for revealing knowledge and information of the private life of the Prophet (SAAWS). She was a big celebrity in politics and the best example of generosity. Her life is a token of a person who lived on earth, but never liked anything of dunya. She was always looking forward to joining the Prophet (SAAWS) in heaven. What is wrong in her marriage of six or nine or whatsoever?,” said Al Hanooti

In response to Vines’ comments, an indignant Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on U.S. President George W. Bush, Christian and Jewish leaders to condemn the minister's "reckless, Islamophobic statements."

"Reckless Islamophobic statements from individuals regarded as leaders in their faith community will harm America's image and interests worldwide and will serve to divide Americans at this time of national crisis," said CAIR president Omar Ahmad.

He said that such rhetoric from "respected leaders" could motivate hate crimes against some of the seven million Muslims living in the United States.

Eric Erfan Vickers, executive director for the American Muslim Council (AMC), in a statement noted the Southern Baptist Church’s historical legacy of supporting segregation between whites and blacks, said, Vines’ remarks “not only reflect unpardonable ignorance, but also indicate at a growing climate of religious prejudice in America.”

“Any failure by our nation’s political and religious leaders to condemn Vines’ bigotry will only give license to other hatemongers,” Vickers asserted.

Shakur Bolden, president of the Islamic Center of Northeast Florida, called Vines' comments misinformed and said they unfairly painted Muslims as if they were all religious extremists.

"We don't let the bad eggs define our way of life," Bolden said to the Florida Times-Union, "just as he would not let the Ku Klux Klan or the IRA [Irish Republican Army] or other fanatic Christian organizations define mainstream Christianity."

"It's really unfortunate that a top leader in a mainstream Christian church ... would use such hate-filled and bigoted language in describing the faith of one-fifth of the world's population," said CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper.

"This is the level of bigotry that requires a clear statement from the top leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention," he added.

A spokesman for the Southern Baptist Committee executive committee said it was not the organization's place to comment.

"The Southern Baptist Convention does not by habit renounce things as said in pastors conferences," said William Merrell to the Times-Union. However, he said he did not ''want to give the sense that we are not sensitive or caring about this issue.''

However, the newly elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Rev. Jack Graham, seemed to back Vines' comments.

"His statement is actually a statement that can be confirmed," said Graham, a Texas pastor. "I believe the statement is an accurate statement."

Graham went on to say people should be careful about "who you are following and what you believe."

"The God they worship is a God of works and a God of fear. The God we worship is a God of hope and grace and love and mercy," Merritt continued.

However, in St. Louis, where the Southern Baptists were meeting, religious leaders distanced themselves from Vines.

"In the name of God, we condemn the hateful statement made in our city about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad," said Episcopal Bishop George Wayne Smith.

"We are to be about the business of tearing down walls, rather than building up walls," said Baptist minister Rev. Scott Shavers.

American Jewish leaders also condemned Vines’ statements.

In a statement released by the Anti-Defamation League, national director Abraham H. Foxman, commenting on Vines’ remarks said that “offensive, demeaning, and damaging to the American ideals of religious diversity and intergroup civility. They strike a troubling note of discord at a time when Americans of all faiths are striving for unity based on shared values and mutual respect.”

"We call on the current leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention to publicly reject Rev. Vines' remarks about Islam," said Foxman.