Religious rationales for fgm are attributed to islam. As for the opinions of doctors who say that female circumcision is harmful, these are individual opinions which are not derived from any agreed scientific basis. Religious views on female genital mutilation wikipedia. Religious minority communities demand the right to practice their faith, while medical opinion in britain has historically derided religious circumcision on the grounds that there is at best, no good evidence that the procedure is of benefit, and at worst. Somalia is a predominantly muslim country and fgm is practiced there. Abstract a collection of three brief scholarly treatises on male and female circumcision as viewed in the body of islamic law. Pdf facts and controversies on female genital mutilation and islam. While fgm is not necessarily a requirement of islam, many islamic communities practice it. Pdf female circumcision is it prescribed by islam shahid aziz. Five things including nature fitrah is shaving the pubic hair, circumcision, shaving the mustache, plucking the hair under armpits and clipping the nails. The most radical form of female circumcision infibulation is known as the pharaonic procedure.
Religious doctrine specific to female genital cutting may contribute to differences in circumcision practices, but the determination of religious doctrine is not always straightforward. It claims to represent the views of nearly 75,000 women who are followers of mufaddal saifuddin. Pdf female genital mutilation fgm is a very ancient traditional and cultural ritual. This fact sheet has been updated to include the most current and commonly used terms for female genital cutting fgc. This may signify that it may have been practiced long before the rise of islam, christianity and possibly judaism. In an effort, however, to clarify the islamic worldview and dispel a number of misconceptions surrounding islam s position on women, the remainder of this paper discusses in detail the common objections leveled against islam regarding the issue of female genital mutilation fgm. Islam, however, is a religion which recognizes the equal status of men and women in the eyes of god, as is attested by numerous passages in the. Sep 08, 2018 thus it is clear that female circumcision is prescribed in islam, and that it is one of the sunnahs of the fitrah and it has a good effect of moderating the individuals behaviour. One such horrifying practice erroneously associated with the religion of islam is female circumcision.
Circumcision on female has sociologically been practiced since long time ago. But the discussion and explanation of the female circumcision according to islamic scholars and medical are rarely found. Female circumcision is a religious rite and is not harmful. Female circumcision is a very important health problem affecting about 140 million people all around the world. The various types of female genital cutting fgc, its geography, and the different reasons it was performed in various societies. Followers of most religions in africa practice fgm but it is generally described as an islamic practice. Islam, however, is a religion which recognizes the equal status of men and. Female genital mutilationcutting fgmc currently affects.
Medical benefits of female circumcision i2 research hub. Female genital mutilation fgm is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed, but theres no medical reason for this to be. With regard to the wisdom behind the circumcision of women, it is to regulate their desire so it will be moderate. Women suffering complications years later in san diego duration.
Female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation fgm or female genital cutting. He states that the arabic for the two circumcision organs is a single word used to connote two forms of circumcision. A clear example of this is that that one of the various groups in kenya who do not practice fgm are the. Male circumcision is widespread in the muslim world, and accepted as an established practice by all islamic schools of jurisprudence. This publication is made possible by the generous support of the american people through the united states agency for international development usaid. Dbwrf was established in may 2017 by six bohra women to support their beliefs, customs, culture and religious rights.
Minaret of freedom institute the mfi pamphlet series, initiated by the minaret of freedom institute aims to make widely available, at a minimal cost, a summary of authentic islamic positions on important issues of the day. In islamic law, preservation of the person the life and. What is striking in this new discourse is the way in which it puts women against men in a continuous struggle and state of competition. The female gynaecologist sitt albanaat khaalid says in an article entitled khitaan albanaat ruyah sihhiyyah female circumcision from a health point of view. Controversial or egregious practices such as female circumcision, polygamy, early marriage, and honor killings are not limited to muslim populations, and among muslims such practices are geographically specific or otherwise. The practice is found in africa, asia and the middle east, and within communities from countries in which fgm is common. There is a widespread view among practitioners of female genital mutilation fgm that it is a religious requirement, although prevalence rates often vary. Female genital mutilation is not an islamic problem, its a central african problem, by linking to this politifacts research piece which rated aslans statement as mostly true. While many people who hear of the term automatically are disgusted and believe the practice is barbaric, there are some cultures and societies where fgm is practiced and even considered a. Female circumcisiongenital mutilation and ethical relatvism blog prompt. It is widely perceived and quoted in the literature that female genital mutilation is a religious requirement of muslims. While the exact origin of female circumcision is not known, it preceded christianity and islam.
It may be called female circumcision in certain parts of the world. Islamic ruling on circumcision someone asked me about circumcision, the ruling on it in the case of both. Nov 21, 2016 i recently got into a discussion with a friend who commented on my piece about islam and the discourse around it. Fgmc and islam, arguing that there is no religious. Female genital mutilation or cutting fgmc means piercing, cutting, removing, or sewing closed all or part of a girls or womans external genitals for no medical reason. This is evident from the fact that circumcision is increase their sexual power and virility. While the female form is used to denote both male and female genitalia, it should be considered to refer only to the male circumcised organ. Khitaan is a noun describing the action of the circumciser khaatin.
Copeland makes a distinction between types of relativism. It has been documented in 28 african countries and in some countries in asia and the middle east, but due to increasing immigration from these countries to the western world, fgm has become a worldwide human rights and health issue. Musnad ahmad from this narration, the scholars of islam understand the. There is a misconception that fgm is required by islam and is an obligatory duty. The history of female genital cutting fgc and its types description. Female circumcision is prohibited, regardless of whether it is performed in a hospital or a public or private health clinic. Its bad, its vile, its abusive, its barbaric, its an oppression of women. Such prohibitions are consistent with the hadithic warning against severity in female circumcision.
Gender includes a range of physical, biological and behavioural characteristics. In developing countries, violent practices such as wife beating, honour killing, widow burning, female genital mutilation, preference of male children are recognized and strongly defended as tradition. The islamic view on female circumcision article pdf available in african journal of urology 193. Islamic law and the issue of male and female circumcision. The immediate reaction to its mention is to evoke revulsion. Abstract in this paper i want to explore discrimination faced by women in the world because of their gender. The history, the current prevalence and the approach to a patient jewel llamas april 2017 introduction female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation fgm or female genital cutting fgc, is practiced in many countries spanning. Fgm is one of the harmful traditional practices that is widely practiced in at. The dbwrf states that female circumcision is a harmless procedure and not mutilation. In the case of female genital mutilation fgm, an esti mated million girls and women, mostly african, are af.
In addition, the liwa alislam journal of june 1951 surveyed the opinions of senior muslim scholars on this issue, including. The presence of that practice in egypt an nubia up to this day is just a continuation of a practice that has been around since the time of the pharaohs. Female genital mutilation fgm is a practice involving the removal of all or parts of the female external genitalia. Only in the hanafi school is there considerable ambiguity, where some jurists hold that female circumcision is preferred, and others resist a religious prescription and. Female circumcision the hidden truth how misogynists and feminists are feeding upon each other to denigrate an islamic practice that brings untold benefits to women by asiff hussein the inspiration for writing on this touchy topic arose at a recent weeklong workshop. Or at least in three of the four branches of sunni islam.
However, these are issues which are possible to resolve and do not prescribe or justify a blanket prohibition against rigorous and comprehensive education for girls. Delinking female genital mutilationcutting from islam. By published on nov 2006 last modified on 19 nov 2006. The first, as the term suggests, is the removal of the clitoris shandaal, 1967, the second usually involves. While many people who hear of the term automatically are disgusted and believe the practice is barbaric, there are some cultures and societies where fgm is practiced and even considered a source of honor. One of the intentions is that it is as an evidence of sacrifice of the circumcised person to get close to god. Circumcision is sunnah for men and an honorable thing for women. Secret practice in india suraiya nazeer department central of central asian studies, of kashmir. The scholars of islam who state that circumcision is a commendable act mainly do so due to a hadeeth in which the prophet, may the mercy and blessings of god be upon him, said. It is also used to describe the site of the circumcision, as in the hadeeth, when the two circumcised parts alkhitaanaan meet, ghusl become obligatory. A women s rights group based in kuala lumpur called sisters of islam told the abc that female circumcision is widely accepted in malaysia because of a rising conservative movement. There may be discussion and debate over the content of secular education, the separation of boys and girls in school, and other genderrelated matters.
A case study using female genital mutilation kirsten moore, ba, kate randolph, ma, nahid toubia, md and. Researchers estimate more than 5,000 girls and women in the u. Noting the many risks involved in female circumcision, the scholar concludes that the practice cannot be legitimate under islamic law, and further concludes. Original islamic jurisprudence literature endorses only male circumcision and regards female circumcision as not being. Female genital mutilation, cultural values and ethics kluge. In the shafii school its obligatory, and in the maliki and hanbali schools its recommended. Religious circumcision and the human rights act archives. However, male and female circumcision are explicitly prescribed by the prophet in the sunnah prophetic traditions, and laid down in the books of religious practice or jurisprudence. However, many people automatically associate female genital mutilation with islam, because islam tends to focus more on feminine chastity and seclusion than other religions do. Buff, in his letter to the editor, states that any form of female circumcision would be considered bodily mutilation and forbidden under jewish law. Fgmc refers to cutting and other procedures that injure the female genital organs for nonmedical reasons.
Many cultural practices associated with islam and criticized as oppressive to women are misidentified as islamic. In this paper, i show that fgm is not an islamic practice. In indonesia, the practice of female circumcision has long existed, but information. The islamic view on female circumcision sciencedirect. We find that not only is female circumcision not practiced in most of muslim majority. By redrawing the line to separate the harmless and atrocious a solution can be achieved by focusing on the types that cause longterm harm and permitting the rest, if carried out by medical personnel. If you believe you are at risk of fgmc, know of someone at risk of fgmc, have questions about fgmc, or have undergone fgmc and need help or further. What are the shared methods of discovery, evaluation, and explanation that kopelman identifies. Pdf female circumcision is it prescribed by islam shahid. Noting the lack of doubt that male circumcision is a legitimate practice, the papers largely address common misunderstandings about the islamic ruling in the case of daughters. Neither male nor female circumcision is mentioned in the quran. Since it is not found in the holy quran, or hadiths, we believe that female genital mutilation or circumcision has any place in islam.
If the islamic law does not mandate female genital mutilation and tolerates only the most mild form of circumcision and that only if it produces no adverse effects in the child, then how does it come about that so many people from certain. Do you agree that these methods allow cross cultural judgments. Delinking female genital mutilation cutting from islam unfpa. With regard to islam, for instance, some readings of the hadith suggest that islam requires female genital cutting. Fgm the problem of female genital mutilation in islam. More than 200 million women have undergone female genital mutilation fgm with 3 million more at risk every single year. Female genital mutilation, also referred to as fgm, is one of the biggest problems many women worldwide face. Translation amharic pdf translation arabic pdf translation bahasa pdf english pdf. The jewish and christian view on female genital mutilation. An analysis of female circumcision according to islamic law.
In order to gather more information about the procedures in indonesia, a relatively large study of female circumcision covering several major ethnic groups from the western to the eastern parts of. There is a widespread view among practitioners of female genital mutilation fgm that it is a religious requirement, although prevalence rates often vary according to geography and ethnic group. Pdf the history of islam had not itself been previously confronted with what is now called womens issues, despite the great diversity in. Female circumcision, describe by the who as fgm, is a common practice in africa. For us in the muslim world female circumcision is, above all else, obedience to islam, which means acting in accordance with the fitrah and following the sunnah which encourages it. Noone said it is makrooh disliked or haram forbidden part 5. Pdf female circumcision is a very important health problem affecting about 140 million people all around the world. Female genital mutilation is it an islamic problem. There is an ongoing debate about the extent to which the practices continuation is influenced by custom, social pressure, lack of healthcare information, and the position of women in society.
Shaykh al islam ibn taymiyah may allaah have mercy on him was asked about whether women should be circumcised or not. Oct 12, 2016 through this animation, al jazeera takes the reader on a journey to understand how the cycle of female genital mutilation fgm continues. We are updating the title of this fact sheet and the way we refer to fgc by using the term female genital mutilation or cutting fgmc. An analysis of female circumcision according to islamic law al islam. The history, the current prevalence and the approach to a patient jewel llamas april 2017 introduction female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation fgm or female genital cutting fgc, is practiced in many countries spanning parts of africa, the middle east and southeast asia. Pdf the islamic view on female circumcision researchgate. In indonesia, the practice of female circumcision has long existed, but information concerning exactly where and how it is carried out has been limited. Despite the comparatively low visibility of political muslim identity in burkina faso, the prevalence of female circumcision is higher among burkinabe muslims. So little was known, until recently, about the secretive practice of fgm in a small muslim community that india is. From these last two parts it can be deduced that the 5 schools of islamic jurisprudence unanimously agreed that female genital mutilation is prescribed in islam, with a plurality saying it is obligatory. The perceived islamic requirement is a major justification for fgmc in practicing muslim communities such as the somali. Yet, a jewish minority group living in ethiopia, the socalled falashas or beta israel, practice ritual female genital surgery.
Female genital mutilation or cutting fgmc, also known as fgmc, is practiced in at least 28 countries of subsaharan africa, a few countries in the middle east and asia, and among immigrant populations from these countries in europe, north america, and australia. Delinking female genital mutilation cutting from islam. Female circumcision between view of islamic scholars and. Female circumcision the hidden truth muslims in calgary. Female circumcision is a phrase that loosely refers to three related but distinct practices. Female genital mutilation fgm, also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is the ritual cutting or removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. Put stop to female circumcision, sis urges govt female genital mutilation approximately 1 in 4 survivors of female genital mutilation were cut by a health care provider delinking female genital mutilationcutting from islam sisters in islam gesa amalan bersunat diharamkan female genital mutilation fgm is on the rise, especially among the. The practice has no health benefits and can lead to a range of physical and mental health problems. The united states is committed to ending female genital mutilation or cutting fgmc. As will be shown in this article, there is no concept of female circumcision in islam and therefore it can only be suitably defined as female genital mutilation fgm. Feb 26, 2018 more than 200 million women have undergone female genital mutilation fgm with 3 million more at risk every single year. Islamic ruling on male and female circumcision subsections female gential mutilation fgm news circumcision on islam awareness blog latest circumcision news on islamic news updates 02062014 bacteria living in mens penises could be promoting sexuallytransmitted infections, scientists warn independent, uk 06052014. Women circumcision in islam circumcision is sunnah by the prophet saw, and it is mentioned in the hadeeth narrated from abu hurairoh.
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