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Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Female Genital Mutilation: Difference between revisions
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Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Female Genital Mutilation (view source)
Revision as of 16:49, 14 March 2021
, 14 March 2021added a section on hadith from al-adab al-mufrad
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{{Quote|{{Muslim|3|684}}|Abu Musa reported: There cropped up a difference of opinion between a group of Muhajirs (Emigrants and a group of Ansar (Helpers) (and the point of dispute was) that the Ansar said: The bath (because of sexual intercourse) becomes obligatory only-when the semen spurts out or ejaculates. But the Muhajirs said: When a man has sexual intercourse (with the woman), a bath becomes obligatory (no matter whether or not there is seminal emission or ejaculation). Abu Musa said: Well, I satisfy you on this (issue). He (Abu Musa, the narrator) said: I got up (and went) to 'A'isha and sought her permission and it was granted, and I said to her: 0 Mother, or Mother of the Faithful, I want to ask you about a matter on which I feel shy. She said: Don't feel shy of asking me about a thing which you can ask your mother, who gave you birth, for I am too your mother. Upon this I said: What makes a bath obligatory for a person? She replied: You have come across one well informed! The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When anyone sits amidst four parts (of the woman) '''and the ''circumcised parts'' touch each other''' a bath becomes obligatory.}} | {{Quote|{{Muslim|3|684}}|Abu Musa reported: There cropped up a difference of opinion between a group of Muhajirs (Emigrants and a group of Ansar (Helpers) (and the point of dispute was) that the Ansar said: The bath (because of sexual intercourse) becomes obligatory only-when the semen spurts out or ejaculates. But the Muhajirs said: When a man has sexual intercourse (with the woman), a bath becomes obligatory (no matter whether or not there is seminal emission or ejaculation). Abu Musa said: Well, I satisfy you on this (issue). He (Abu Musa, the narrator) said: I got up (and went) to 'A'isha and sought her permission and it was granted, and I said to her: 0 Mother, or Mother of the Faithful, I want to ask you about a matter on which I feel shy. She said: Don't feel shy of asking me about a thing which you can ask your mother, who gave you birth, for I am too your mother. Upon this I said: What makes a bath obligatory for a person? She replied: You have come across one well informed! The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When anyone sits amidst four parts (of the woman) '''and the ''circumcised parts'' touch each other''' a bath becomes obligatory.}} | ||
=== One Who Circumcises Other Ladies === | |||
{{Quote|Bukhari 64:17|“[…] I went out with the people for the battle. When the army aligned for the fight, Siba’ came out and said, ‘Is there any (Muslim) to accept my challenge to a duel?’ Hamza bin `Abdul Muttalib came out and said, ‘O Siba’. O Ibn Um Anmar, the one who circumcises other ladies! Do you challenge Allah and His Apostle?’ […]”}} | |||
This hadith depicts an exchange of insults prior to the [[Battle of Uhud|battle of Uhud]] (which took place about 3 years after the migration of Muhammad and his companions to Medina). Hamza, a companion of Muhammad, taunts Siba', a Meccan warrior from Muhammad's native tribe - the Banu Quraysh. Hamza compares Siba' to a notorious 'circumciser' of girls - Ibn Um Anmar. | |||
Hamza uses the phrase '''muqteh al-basr‘'' – ‘one who cuts clitorises' - rather than the usual ''khitan''. From this we can deduce that clitoridectomy was probably practiced by the Banu Qaraysh, and that this practice was traditional i.e. it existed long before Muhammad's birth. The fact that a circumciser of women could be famous (or notorious) also suggests that it was an established practice with the Meccan Quraysh. | |||
The taunt could only be effective if it humiliated Siba' in the eyes of both his fellow Meccan warriors and the Muslim warriors. Thus its use implies that members of both camps had knowledge of the practice and a shared culture of clitoridectomy. | |||
== From Al-Adab Al-Mufrad == | |||
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad is a collection of hadith about the manners of Muhammad and his companions. It contains 1,322 hadiths, compiled by the Islamic scholar [[al-Bukhari]]. Many of the hadith focus on Muhammad's companions rather than Muhammad himself - and are therefore less important doctrinally than hadith focusing on Muhammad's words, deeds and approvals. However, they are a rich source of sociological, anthropologic and linguistic information. | |||
Al-Bukhari's evaluation of the hadiths within ''al-Adab al-Mufrad'' was not as rigorous as for his best-known collection - ''[[Al-Jami' al-Sahih|al-Jami' al-Sahih]]''. However, scholars have ruled most of the hadith it contains as being ''sahih'' (authentic) or ''hasan'' (sound). | |||
The first of the following adabs shows Aisha, Muhammad's favourite wife, participating in the 'circumcision' of her nieces. The second appears to show [[Uthman ibn Affan|Uthman]], one of Muhammad's closest companions, using 'circumcision' as part of the initiation of new female converts into Islam. It is unlikely that Muhammad's closest companions were engaging in 'circumcision' against Muhammad's wishes, nor is there anything furtive or secretive in the way the 'circumcision' is being performed in these adabs. It appears that the 'circumcision' was being done with Muhammad's approval. | |||
===Someone to Amuse Them=== | ===Someone to Amuse Them=== | ||
{{Quote|Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 53:1247|“Umm ‘Alqama related that when the daughters of ‘A’isha’s brother were circumcised, ‘A’isha was asked, “Shall we call someone to amuse them?” “Yes,” she replied. ‘Adi was sent for and he came to them. ‘A’isha passed by the room and saw him singing and shaking his head in rapture – and he had a large head of hair. ‘Uff!’ she exclaimed, ‘A shaytan! Get him out! Get him out!'””}} | {{Quote|Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 53:1247|“Umm ‘Alqama related that when the daughters of ‘A’isha’s brother were circumcised, ‘A’isha was asked, “Shall we call someone to amuse them?” “Yes,” she replied. ‘Adi was sent for and he came to them. ‘A’isha passed by the room and saw him singing and shaking his head in rapture – and he had a large head of hair. ‘Uff!’ she exclaimed, ‘A shaytan! Get him out! Get him out!'””}}The word used for 'circumcised' uses the root ''khitan.'' | ||
===Go and Circumcise Them and Purify Them=== | ===Go and Circumcise Them and Purify Them=== | ||
{{Quote|Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 53:1245|An old woman from Kufa, the grandmother of 'Ali ibn Ghurab, reported that Umm al-Muhajir said, "I was captured with some girls from Byzantium. 'Uthman offered us Islam, but only myself and one other girl accepted Islam. 'Uthman said, 'Go and circumcise them and purify them.'"}} | {{Quote|Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 53:1245|An old woman from Kufa, the grandmother of 'Ali ibn Ghurab, reported that Umm al-Muhajir said, "I was captured with some girls from Byzantium. 'Uthman offered us Islam, but only myself and one other girl accepted Islam. 'Uthman said, 'Go and circumcise them and purify them.'"}} | ||
The word used for 'circumcise' in this hadith is 'khaffad', not 'khitan'. | The word used for 'circumcise' in this hadith is ''khaffad'', not ''khitan''. ''Khaffad'' translates as 'trim them' or 'reduce them'. | ||
==Qur'an== | ==Qur'an== | ||
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However, the following Qur'anic verse exhorts Muslims to ''<nowiki/>'adhere to the fitrah'''. This is the only appearane of the word [[fitrah]] in the Qur'an, which is therefore left unexplained and undefined. | However, the following Qur'anic verse exhorts Muslims to ''<nowiki/>'adhere to the fitrah'''. This is the only appearane of the word [[fitrah]] in the Qur'an, which is therefore left unexplained and undefined. | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran|30|30}}|So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah (فطرة or فطرت) of Allah upon which He has created (فطر) [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah . That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.}}The word 'fitrah' is used in several hadith. The hadith which gives the clearest explanation is the one mentioned above ('The fitrah is five things, including circumcision'). The arabic word used for 'circumcision' in this hadith is ''khitan''. The other hadith above demonstrate that '<nowiki/>''khitan''' originally referred to both Female Genital Mutilation and (male) circumcision (though contemporary Muslims that don't practice FGM generally use it only for male circumcision). | {{Quote|{{Quran|30|30}}|So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah (فطرة or فطرت) of Allah upon which He has created (فطر) [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah . That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.}}The word 'fitrah' is used in several hadith. The hadith which gives the clearest explanation is the one mentioned above ('The fitrah is five things, including circumcision'). The arabic word used for 'circumcision' in this hadith is ''khitan''. The other hadith above demonstrate that '<nowiki/>''khitan''' originally referred to both Female Genital Mutilation and (male) circumcision (though contemporary Muslims that don't practice FGM generally use it only for male circumcision). | ||
Thus, in exhorting Muslims to ''<nowiki/>'adhere to the fitrah''' the Qur'an is indirectly advocating FGM. | Thus, in exhorting Muslims to ''<nowiki/>'adhere to the fitrah''' the Qur'an is indirectly advocating FGM. | ||