User:Flynnjed/Sandbox: Difference between revisions

One such practice involves the ''"removal of the clitoral hood or a ritual nick on the external female genitalia"''<ref>[https://femalecircumcision.org/a-problem-of-definition-female-circumcision-vs-fgm/ A Problem of Definition: Female Circumcision vs FGM]</ref>. This is sometimes referred to as 'Sunnah Circumcision' (though this term is also used to denote all forms of FGM other than infibulation<ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233100651_Somali_Women_in_Western_Exile_Reassessing_Female_Circumcision_in_the_Light_of_Islamic_Teachings Somali Women in Western Exile: Reassessing Female Circumcision in the Light of Islamic Teachings] Sara Johnsdotter</ref>). Removal of the clitoral hood is mostly practiced by South Asian Muslims, who belong to the Shafi'i school, which makes FGM obligatory and is also associated with infibulation, the most severe form of FGM. Sunnah circumcision may have been a way of fulfilling this obligation whilst sparing girls the extremities of infibulation. infibulation was an alien practice to South Asian Muslims, since it is associated with the Islamic slave trade, whose main trade routes centered around Africa and Europe.<ref>[https://www.librairie-de-flore.fr/produit/esclavage-lhistoire-a-lendroit/ l'Esclavage: l'Histoire à l'Endroit' by Bernard Lugan (2020)]</ref><ref>[https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Forgotten-Slave-Trade-Hardback/p/18473 The Forgotten Slave Trade - the White European Slaves of Islam] by Simon Webb</ref>  

Granted that 'Sunnah Circumcision' is a ''lesser'' mutilation than full clitoridectomy (or excision or infibulation) it nevertheless remains a mutilation because:  

*it damages the functioning of a vital organ (e.g. it reduces the sensitivity of the exposed clitoris)

*it exposes the child to unnecessary health risks, both short-term and long-term<ref>[https://www.who.int/teams/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-research/areas-of-work/female-genital-mutilation/health-risks-of-female-genital-mutilation Health risks of female genital mutilation (FGM)] WHO</ref>

*though children can not consent to this procedure, they can ''refuse'' consent or ''withdraw'' it (a child struggling to escape the procedure or begging for it to stop is effectively signalling her withdrawal of consent). However this refusal/withdrawal of consent is generally not respected by those carrying out the procedure

The removal of the clitoral prepuce is justified by [[Daleel|Qiyas]] as being analogous to male circumcision. Proponents of this position accuse bodies such as the World Health Organisation of double standards in that they condemn 'Sunnah Circumcision' but not Male Circumcision.  

The failure of such bodies to classify male circumcision as a mutilation is a political and pragmatic decision, not one based on ethics or an objective evaluation of the practice.  

The WHO etc should aspire a consistent position by condemning ''both'' practices, rather than condoning both. Ritual Male Circumcision is no less a form of mutilation than Sunnah Circumcision since it answers to the same criteria as those listed above.  

The argument that 'Sunnah Circumcision' should be allowed because Male Circumcision is allowed is in essence 'evil X is tolerated therefore evil Y should also be tolerated'. 

Given that all Muslim men and boys are subjected to ma

It might be too late to shut the door on MGM - that does mean that we should also let FGM slip through, even in its relatively milder forms.?

No FGM-practicing Muslim will refer to what they do as 'mutilation', not even those who infibulate. This is because the Qur'an contains verses that appear to forbid mutilation ({{Quran|30|30}}, {{Quran|2|195}}). The line which separates ''<nowiki/>'necessary intervention'<nowiki/>'' and ''<nowiki/>'mutilation''' is therefore always set somewhere beyond the practice being defended.