Female Genital Mutilation in Islamic Law: Difference between revisions

{{Quote|1=[https://archive.ph/SJmql#selection-283.0-287.152 Grand Ayatollah Fadlalllah's remarks on the circumcision of women (2010)]|2='''Islam did not forbid [FGM] at that time because it was not possible to suddenly forbid a ritual with strong roots in Arabic culture'''; rather it preferred to gradually express its negative opinions. This is how Islam treated slavery as well, (gradual preparation of the society for the final forbiddance of slavery) [...]The Prophet had prevented people several times from circumcising women}}The evidence that Muhammad wished FGM to be abolished appears to be the following hadith (or a variant of it):{{Quote|1={{Abu Dawud|41|5251}}|2=Narrated Umm Atiyyah al-Ansariyyah: A woman used to perform '''circumcision''' [الْخِتَانُ - khitan] in Medina. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to her: "Do not cut severely as that is better for a woman and more desirable for a husband".}}Critics of this argument note that this hadith, when proposed as evidence that Muhammad approved of FGM, is treated as ''daif'' (weak). However, when proposed as evidence that he wanted to moderate the practice it is treated as ''sahih'' (authentic). Regardless of its level of authority this hadith is a textbook example of a tacit approval.

However Muhammad's words are more advice than criticism. An analogy might be a consultant surgeon advising a junior surgeon to ''"not make too deep an incision in case you cut an artery"''. Such a statement does not imply that the consultant surgeon is against or critical of the surgical procedure in question.

Furthermore, Muhammad affirmed the practices that ''cause'' FGM: polygyny and sex-slavery. He also affirmed practices that emerge from the same causes, and that create a normative, legal and institutional structure that support, justifiy and normalize FGM, such as male circumcision, child marriage, bride-price and gender segregation.

One of the major attractions of Mohammed’s new religion was that it overturned and rejected the established practices of pre-Islamic Arabian polytheism. Mohammed suddenly forbade many things that would have been dear to the people he ruled over - [[Intoxicants and Recreation in Islamic Law|pork products,]] [[Intoxicants and Recreation in Islamic Law|alcohol, gambling]], [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Music|instrumental music, singing]], art depicting the human form, the easy fraternisation of men and women, interest in debt, and the public display of women’s faces. He also imposed on his followers such new practices as male circumcision, ritual ablutions and praying 5 times a day.

His followers obeyed these new rules. How much more willingly would his followers have abandoned a practice that is harmful, and that must be distressing for loving parents to perform and witness?

One can speculate how things would be different if in the Qur'an Muhammad had forbidden FGM with the same force he did alcohol, instead of approving of it in his words and deeds in the Hadith.{{Quote|1=[http://archive.today/2021.04.10-062324/https://islamqa.info/en/answers/6682/selling-alcohol-to-kaafirs Selling alcohol to kaafirs Islam Q&A 2000]|2=“[Mohammed] cursed alcohol and the one who drinks it, the one who sells it, the one who buys it, the one who carries it, the one to whom it is carried, the one who consumes its price, the one who squeezes the grapes and the one for whom they are squeezed.”}}

===Would Islam have allowed its followers to practice FGM for 1400 years? And would the Islamic world be as rife with FGM as it is today?See Also===