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New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India passed a historic judgement on Wednesday when it stated that sexual intercourse with a minor wife aged between 15 to 18 years will be considered rape,

While most of the citizens hailed the landmark verdict as it is likely to serve as a deterrent to child marriages, a few Muslim clerics in the country think otherwise and continue to support the patriarchal "tradition" of child marriage.

Speaking on the Newshour, political analyst Majid Hyderi proclaimed that the Supreme Court's order "was not above Sharia for Muslims".

Supreme Court law is not above Sharia for Muslims: Majid Hyderi #ClericsForChildMarriage — TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) October 11, 2017

Sharia law is considered as Islam's legal system.

Hyderi further said, "Muslims have no binding to abide by the Supreme Court law".

Supporting the argument, Islamic Scholar Sajjid Rashidi said, "Sharia law says that a girl is of marriageable age when she reaches puberty". However he added that the girl has the right to decide at what age she wants to get married.

Sajjid Rashidi, Islamic Scholar gives his views on #ClericsForChildMarriage pic.twitter.com/tQ9KfDWvi8 — TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) October 11, 2017

Meanwhile, Dr Zeenat Shaukat Ali, Islamic Scholar, another panelist on the debate welcomed the judgement and added that Islam did not permit child marriages.

On Wednesday, the apex court said that the age of consent cannot be lowered to 15 years from 18 years.

The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur also said that complaint in such a case must be filed within a year.

The judgment came on a plea that had challenged the validity of an exception clause in the rape law that permits intercourse or sexual act by a man with his wife, not below 15 years.

Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which defines the offence of rape, has an exception clause that says intercourse or sexual act by a man with his wife, not below 15 years, is not rape.

However, the age of consent is 18 years.

Watch the Newshour for the complete debate.