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Female Genital Mutilation in Islam: Difference between revisions
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'''Female Genital Mutilation''' (Arabic: ختان المرأة) is the practice of cutting away and altering the external female genitalia for ritual or religious purposes. It can involve both or either '''Clitoridectomy''' and '''Excision.''' Clitoridectomy is the amputation of part or all of the clitoris (or the removal of the clitoral prepuce). Excision is the cutting away of either or both the inner or outer labia. A third practice, '''Infibulation''' (or Pharaonic circumcision), is the paring back of the outer labia, whose cut edges are then stitched together to form, once healed, a seal that covers both the openings of the vagina and the urethra. Infibulation usually includes clitoridectomy. | '''Female Genital Mutilation''' (Arabic: ختان المرأة) is the practice of cutting away and altering the external female genitalia for ritual or religious purposes. It can involve both or either '''Clitoridectomy''' and '''Excision.''' Clitoridectomy is the amputation of part or all of the clitoris (or the removal of the clitoral prepuce). Excision is the cutting away of either or both the inner or outer labia. A third practice, '''Infibulation''' (or Pharaonic circumcision), is the paring back of the outer labia, whose cut edges are then stitched together to form, once healed, a seal that covers both the openings of the vagina and the urethra. Infibulation usually includes clitoridectomy. | ||
UNICEF's 2016 report into FGM estimates that in the 30 countries surveyed at least 200 million girls and women have undergone FGM.<ref>UNICEF [https://web.archive.org/web/20220224134221/https://data.unicef.org/resources/female-genital-mutilationcutting-global-concern/ Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: a Global Concern (2016)]</ref> Assuming a world population of 7.9 billion, this means that about one in twenty girls or women world-wide have undergone FGM. | UNICEF's 2016 report into FGM estimates that in the 30 countries surveyed at least 200 million girls and women have undergone FGM.<ref>UNICEF [https://web.archive.org/web/20220224134221/https://data.unicef.org/resources/female-genital-mutilationcutting-global-concern/ Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: a Global Concern (2016)]</ref> Assuming a world population of 7.9 billion, half of them female, this means that about one in twenty girls or women world-wide have undergone FGM. | ||
About 80% of this FGM is attributable to Muslims.<ref name=":2">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220220090423/https://fgmtruth.wordpress.com/what-percentage-of-global-fgm-are-moslems-responsible-for/ What Percentage of Global FGM is done by Moslems ?]</ref> And assuming a world population of Muslims of 1.7 billion, this means that | About 80% of this FGM is attributable to Muslims.<ref name=":2">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220220090423/https://fgmtruth.wordpress.com/what-percentage-of-global-fgm-are-moslems-responsible-for/ What Percentage of Global FGM is done by Moslems ?]</ref> And assuming a world population of Muslims of 1.7 billion, half of them female, this means that around one in five (20%) Muslim women is mutilated. | ||
FGM is found only in or adjacent to Islamic groups.<ref name=":0" /> The 20% of FGM attributable to non-Muslims occurs in communities living in FGM-practicing Islamic societies (e.g. the Egyptian Copts<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220220090640/https://copticliterature.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/prevalence-of-and-support-for-female-genital-mutilation-within-the-copts-of-egypt-unicef-report-2013/ Prevalence of and Support for Female Genital Mutilation within the Copts of Egypt: Unicef Report (2013)]</ref>), or to non-Islamic societies that have been hubs of the Islamic slave trade (e.g. Ethiopia and Eritrea<ref>[https://data.unicef.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/A-Profile-of-FGM-in-Ethiopia_2020.pdf A Profile of Female Genital Mutilation in Ethiopia]</ref>). | FGM is found only in or adjacent to Islamic groups.<ref name=":0" /> The 20% of FGM attributable to non-Muslims occurs in communities living in FGM-practicing Islamic societies (e.g. the Egyptian Copts<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220220090640/https://copticliterature.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/prevalence-of-and-support-for-female-genital-mutilation-within-the-copts-of-egypt-unicef-report-2013/ Prevalence of and Support for Female Genital Mutilation within the Copts of Egypt: Unicef Report (2013)]</ref>), or to non-Islamic societies that have been hubs of the Islamic slave trade (e.g. Ethiopia and Eritrea<ref>[https://data.unicef.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/A-Profile-of-FGM-in-Ethiopia_2020.pdf A Profile of Female Genital Mutilation in Ethiopia]</ref>). This 20% suggest around one in eighty (1.28%) non-Muslim women are genitally mutilated world-wide. [[File:Fgmmuslimmap.jpg|alt=World maps comparing distributions of FGM and of Muslims|thumb|World maps comparing distributions of FGM and of Muslims|left|350x350px]] | ||
FGM predates Islam. The [[Banu Qurayza|Banu Quraysh]], Muhammad's native tribe, appear to have engaged in the practice. FGM is not mentioned in the Quran, but is mentioned in several hadith. One which is graded sahih records Muhammad incidentally | FGM predates Islam. The [[Banu Qurayza|Banu Quraysh]], Muhammad's native tribe, appear to have engaged in the practice. FGM is not mentioned in the Quran, but is mentioned in several hadith. One which is graded sahih records Muhammad incidentally assuming the circumcised status of men and women; in a similar one Aisha incidentally reveals that both she and Muhammad were circumcised; and in another three hadiths Muhammad endorses FGM, though those have been graded da'if (weak) yet are still used by proponents of the practice who differ on the grading. Two hadith record the [[sahabah]] (Companions of Mohammed) engaging in FGM. | ||
The FGM hadith give very few clues as to ''the nature'' of the practice they approve. Hence the nature, incidence and distribution of FGM varies between countries and communities. The most significant determining factor appears to be the presiding school of Islam ([[Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)|fiqh]]). Other factors include the culture's level of anxiety around female sexuality, its proximity to Islamic slave-trade routes (Infibulation is associated with the transportation of slaves), and the nature and degree of Christian influence ( see [https://wikiislam.net/index.php?title=Female_Genital_Mutilation_in_Islam&stable=0#FGM_in_Islamic_Law FGM in Islamic law]). | The FGM hadith give very few clues as to ''the nature'' of the practice they approve. Hence the nature, incidence and distribution of FGM varies between countries and communities. The most significant determining factor appears to be the presiding school of Islam ([[Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)|fiqh]]). Other factors include the culture's level of anxiety around female sexuality, its proximity to Islamic slave-trade routes (Infibulation is associated with the transportation of slaves), and the nature and degree of Christian influence ( see [https://wikiislam.net/index.php?title=Female_Genital_Mutilation_in_Islam&stable=0#FGM_in_Islamic_Law FGM in Islamic law]). | ||
While the majors schools of Islamic law either [[Female_Genital_Mutilation_in_Islamic_Law|oblige, recommend or allow FGM]], and many modern fatwas favour or defend FGM, there has been, over the past half century, a growing unease in the Islamic world concerning the practice (due to a growing concern on the part of organisations such as the UN and UNICEF). This has resulted in some fatwas critical of FGM. It appears that the earliest fatwa clearly critical of FGM was issued in 1984.<ref name=":12">p54 [https://books.google.fr/books?id=qof6J4n1860C&pg=PA54&lpg=PA54&dq=Sheikh+Abu-Sabib+1984&source=bl&ots=-apLOOha6B&sig=dpINFFLI-N9KO8_FmEET-MDFKbI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiXh5Gi5OfcAhVOyoUKHeSgDWUQ6AEwC3oECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=Sheikh%20Abu-Sabib%201984&f=false "Sexual Mutilations: A Human Tragedy" By International Symposium On Sexual Mutiliations 1996]</ref> (see [https://wikiislam.net/index.php?title=Female_Genital_Mutilation_in_Islam&stable=0#Modern_Fatwas Modern Fatwas] and [https://wikiislam.net/index.php?title=Female_Genital_Mutilation_in_Islam&stable=0#FGM_as_Un-Islamic FGM as Un-Islamic]) | |||
The discussion, debate and analysis of FGM tends to focus exclusively on the question of whether it is Islamic or not. This is not surprising. It arises partly because the majority of Muslim don't practice FGM and have, over the past half century, become troubled by the sizeable minority of Muslims that ''do'' practice it. The focus on the doctrinal issue may also be in part, because it offer a shortcut to explaining the existence of FGM in the Islamic world: if a mother cites her religion as the reason for having her daughter mutilated, and that mother's imam decree the practice as required by Islam, then it feels that something has been demonstrated and proved. | The discussion, debate and analysis of FGM tends to focus exclusively on the question of whether it is Islamic or not. This is not surprising. It arises partly because the majority of Muslim don't practice FGM and have, over the past half century, become troubled by the sizeable minority of Muslims that ''do'' practice it. The focus on the doctrinal issue may also be in part, because it offer a shortcut to explaining the existence of FGM in the Islamic world: if a mother cites her religion as the reason for having her daughter mutilated, and that mother's imam decree the practice as required by Islam, then it feels that something has been demonstrated and proved. | ||
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{{anchor|hadith}} | {{anchor|hadith}} | ||
FGM is mentioned in (at least) eight Hadith. In two sahih reports Muhammad and Aisha respectively are reported to have incidentally mentioned male and female circumcision (in the latter case, that the two of them were both circumcised), and Muhammad endorses the practice in three others, though those are graded as da'if (weak) authenticity. Two report [[Sahabah]] (Muhammad's companions) participating in FGM. The remaining hadith has little import doctrinally, but is of linguistic, historical and sociological interest in that it quotes a Meccan warrior being mocked for being one who performs FGM. | FGM is mentioned in (at least) eight Hadith, most of which are still used by proponents of the practice in modern times.<ref>[https://m.islamqa.info/en/answers/60314/circumcision-of-girls-and-some-doctors-criticism-thereof Circumcision of girls and some doctors' criticism thereof] - islamqa.info website - 23 August 2005</ref> In two sahih reports Muhammad and Aisha respectively are reported to have incidentally mentioned male and female circumcision (in the latter case, that the two of them were both circumcised), and Muhammad endorses the practice in three others, though those are graded as da'if (weak) authenticity by some scholars. Two report [[Sahabah]] (Muhammad's companions) participating in FGM. The remaining hadith has little import doctrinally, but is of linguistic, historical and sociological interest in that it quotes a Meccan warrior being mocked for being one who performs FGM. | ||
The following hadith mentions circumcision (''khitan''), though is ambiguous as to whether male, female or both is intended. The concept of fitra in this hadith physically distinguished believers by various means from non-believers. The other concept of fitra that emerged in early Islam (and a closer match to how the word appears in {{Quran|30|30}}) is that every child is born upon fitrah, and then his parents make him Jew or Christian (see for example {{Muwatta|16||53}} or {{Bukhari|2|23|467}}. | The following hadith mentions circumcision (''khitan''), though is ambiguous as to whether male, female or both is intended (FGM proponents assume both). The concept of fitra in this hadith physically distinguished believers by various means from non-believers. The other concept of fitra that emerged in early Islam (and a closer match to how the word appears in {{Quran|30|30}}) is that every child is born upon fitrah, and then his parents make him Jew or Christian (see for example {{Muwatta|16||53}} or {{Bukhari|2|23|467}}. | ||
{{Quote|1={{Bukhari|7|72|777}}; See also {{Muslim|2|495}}|2=Abu Hurayrah said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “The fitrah is five things – or five things are part of the fitrah – '''circumcision''' [الْخِتَانُ - khitan], shaving the pubes, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails and plucking the armpit hairs.”}} | {{Quote|1={{Bukhari|7|72|777}}; See also {{Muslim|2|495}}|2=Abu Hurayrah said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “The fitrah is five things – or five things are part of the fitrah – '''circumcision''' [الْخِتَانُ - khitan], shaving the pubes, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails and plucking the armpit hairs.”}} | ||
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{{Quote|1=Ahmad Ibn Hanbal 20:719; Al-Baihaqqy 8:324|2=Abu al- Malih ibn `Usama's father relates that the Prophet said: "'''Circumcision''' [الْخِتَانُ - khitan] is a law for men and a preservation of honour for women'."}} | {{Quote|1=Ahmad Ibn Hanbal 20:719; Al-Baihaqqy 8:324|2=Abu al- Malih ibn `Usama's father relates that the Prophet said: "'''Circumcision''' [الْخِتَانُ - khitan] is a law for men and a preservation of honour for women'."}} | ||
This one is weak according to Abu Dawud himself and classical scholars such as Ibn Hajah (though sahih according to al-Albani): | This one is weak according to Abu Dawud himself and classical scholars such as Ibn Hajah (though sahih according to al-Albani and was considered sahih by the Shafi'i and Hanbali scholars, mursal or daif by Hanafis and Malikis): | ||
{{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". | {{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". | ||
Abu Dawud said: It has been transmitted by 'Ubaid Allah b. 'Amr from 'Abd al-Malik to the same effect through a different chain. | Abu Dawud said: It has been transmitted by 'Ubaid Allah b. 'Amr from 'Abd al-Malik to the same effect through a different chain. | ||
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{{Main|Female Genital Mutilation in Islamic Law}} | {{Main|Female Genital Mutilation in Islamic Law}} | ||
[[File:Madhhabplusfgm.jpeg|thumb|Maps showing distribution of madhabs and prevalence of FGM]] | [[File:Madhhabplusfgm.jpeg|thumb|Maps showing distribution of madhabs and prevalence of FGM]] | ||
Only one school of Islam - the Shafi'i - makes FGM universally obligatory. The other schools of | Only one school of Islam - the Shafi'i - makes FGM universally obligatory. The other schools of Islamic law permit, recommend or oblige it with differing levels. No school of Islam forbids FGM since nothing that Muhammad allowed can be prohibited. | ||
===Sunni Islam=== | ===Sunni Islam=== | ||
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*The Maliki school recommends FGM, but does not decree it as obligatory. | *The Maliki school recommends FGM, but does not decree it as obligatory. | ||
*The Hanafi school decrees FGM to be optional. The Hanafi is the school of fiqh which least favours FGM and Hanafi communities generally don't practice FGM. | *The Hanafi school decrees FGM to be optional. The Hanafi is the school of fiqh which least favours FGM and Hanafi communities generally don't practice FGM. | ||
*The Shafi'i school decrees FGM to be obligatory. Shafi'i countries | *The Shafi'i school decrees FGM to be obligatory. Shafi'i countries generally have +90% FGM-rates. Infibulation, the most severe form of FGM practiced under Islam, is almost entirely attributable to followers of the Shafi'i school. | ||
*The Hanbali school has have two opinions concerning FGM: some scholars decree it obligatory, other as 'honourable' and therefore recommended. | *The Hanbali school has have two opinions concerning FGM: some scholars decree it obligatory, other as 'honourable' and therefore recommended. | ||