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User:Flynnjed/Sandbox: Difference between revisions
→Christians practice FGM too
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====When the circumcised parts touch each other==== | ====When the circumcised parts touch each other==== | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim|3|684 | {{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.}}To 'sit amidst four parts of a woman' is a euphemism for sexual intercourse. | ||
===Other Evidence in the Hadith=== | ===Other Evidence in the Hadith=== | ||
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{{anchor|equivocation}} | {{anchor|equivocation}} | ||
====FGM is not required by Islam==== | ====FGM is not required by Islam==== | ||
- The Shafi'i school of Islam and some Hanbali scholars have ruled FGM obligatory. | - The Shafi'i school of Islam and some Hanbali scholars have ruled FGM obligatory. | ||
- 'Not obligatory', 'allowed' or 'tolerated' are no more acceptable legal or ethical positions for a practice such as FGM than they would be for murder, child sexual abuse or rape. | - 'Not obligatory', 'allowed' or 'tolerated' are no more acceptable legal or ethical positions for a practice such as FGM than they would be for murder, child sexual abuse or rape. | ||
- Since the 1990s Islamic scholars, clerics and other sources have issued fatwas and statements that appear to criticise, condemn and even forbid FGM. However, a critical reading of these reveals that they virtually all engage in some form of equivocation (deliberate use of ambiguous or equivocal language) in order to appear to be more critical of FGM than they are. Probably the most cited instance of this is a fatwa issued by Dr Ahmed Talib, the former Dean of the Faculty of Sharia at Al-Azhar University, the most prestigious university for Sunni Islamic learning. | - Since the 1990s Islamic scholars, clerics and other sources have issued fatwas and statements that appear to criticise, condemn and even forbid FGM. However, a critical reading of these reveals that they virtually all engage in some form of equivocation (deliberate use of ambiguous or equivocal language) in order to appear to be more critical of FGM than they are. Probably the most cited instance of this is a fatwa issued by Dr Ahmed Talib, the former Dean of the Faculty of Sharia at Al-Azhar University, the most prestigious university for Sunni Islamic learning. | ||
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There are however three countries where FGM appears to be practiced by Christian majorities – Ethiopia, Eritrea and Liberia. The FGM in Liberia is practiced as part of the initiation into secret women's societies. FGM in Ethiopia and Eritrea is due to a combination of historical factors, that surrounding Islamic states for centuries kept them isolated from mainstream Christianity, and that they were the hubs of the Islamic slave trade, where slave girls captured in West Africa were infibulated to guarantee their virginity and thus raise their price, in preparation for the slave markets of the Islamic Middle East. This Islamic practice, associated with slavery, was adopted by the locals, and has persisted. | There are however three countries where FGM appears to be practiced by Christian majorities – Ethiopia, Eritrea and Liberia. The FGM in Liberia is practiced as part of the initiation into secret women's societies. FGM in Ethiopia and Eritrea is due to a combination of historical factors, that surrounding Islamic states for centuries kept them isolated from mainstream Christianity, and that they were the hubs of the Islamic slave trade, where slave girls captured in West Africa were infibulated to guarantee their virginity and thus raise their price, in preparation for the slave markets of the Islamic Middle East. This Islamic practice, associated with slavery, was adopted by the locals, and has persisted. | ||
The following graphs (adapted from graphs found at https://www.28toomany.org/research-resources/) combine rates of decline of FGM practice in a variety of African countries with (in green and red) the proportion of the population that is Muslim. They suggest that the lower the proportion of the nation that is Muslim, | The following graphs (adapted from graphs found at https://www.28toomany.org/research-resources/) combine rates of decline of FGM practice in a variety of African countries with (in green and red) the proportion of the population that is Muslim. They suggest that the lower the proportion of the nation that is Muslim, the steeper rate of decline of FGM-practice. <gallery perrow="10" mode="slideshow" caption="rates of decline of FGM in African countries with (in green and red) the proportion of the population that is Muslim"> | ||
File:Somaliland-1.jpg|Somaliland | File:Somaliland-1.jpg|Somaliland | ||
File:Sudan prevalence graph-1.jpg|Sudan | File:Sudan prevalence graph-1.jpg|Sudan | ||
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====Not all Muslims practice FGM==== | ====Not all Muslims practice FGM==== | ||
The underlying assumption of this argument is that ''only those practices which all Muslims engage in can be Islamic.'' | The underlying assumption of this argument is that ''only those practices which all Muslims engage in can be Islamic.'' | ||
Not all Islamic practices are obligatory: whilst a Muslim must complete 5 prayers a day, there are optional (nawafil) prayers which confer additional rewards. Fasting outside of the month of Ramadhan, or giving sadaqah (voluntary charity) are also optional. The Maliki school recommends FGM, and the Hanafi school allows it. | |||
Islamic doctrine can not forbid FGM. This is no more an ethically acceptable position for a religion to take - than to 'not forbid' murder, child sexual abuse or rape. | Islamic doctrine can not forbid FGM. This is no more an ethically acceptable position for a religion to take - than to 'not forbid' murder, child sexual abuse or rape. | ||
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This argument also assumes that what is 'Islamic' consists solely of that which is either obligatory or forbidden. But religions are also defined by what they encourage and discourage, by what they allow and tolerate. For example, no one would question that the Eucharist (Holy Communion) is Christian, but it is recommended, not obligatory. | This argument also assumes that what is 'Islamic' consists solely of that which is either obligatory or forbidden. But religions are also defined by what they encourage and discourage, by what they allow and tolerate. For example, no one would question that the Eucharist (Holy Communion) is Christian, but it is recommended, not obligatory. | ||
This obfuscation arises because different schools of Islam take slightly different stances on FGM: the shaafi making it mandatory. The Hanbali and some branches of Maliki islam seem to highly recommend it. Hafani Islam seems to merely recommend or allow it. | |||
The schools' different levels of obligation are reflected in the incidence of FGM. And where it is merely 'allowed' or 'tolerated' are we surprised that parents abstain from an act that goes against parents deepest instincts? | The schools' different levels of obligation are reflected in the incidence of FGM. And where it is merely 'allowed' or 'tolerated' are we surprised that parents abstain from an act that goes against parents deepest instincts? | ||
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We're not talking about an ethically neutral act, such as the Eucharist - swallowing a wafer - or Baptism - sprinkling water on a baby's head - we're talking about a serious crime, an act of mutilation and torture carried out on a child, a grave violation of the child's human rights. | We're not talking about an ethically neutral act, such as the Eucharist - swallowing a wafer - or Baptism - sprinkling water on a baby's head - we're talking about a serious crime, an act of mutilation and torture carried out on a child, a grave violation of the child's human rights. | ||
'Allowing' is no more the appropriate base-line for such an act than it would be for murder of | 'Allowing' is no more the appropriate base-line for such an act than it would be for murder of Child sexual abuse. | ||
Imagine a religion that has three different schools - one school merely tolerates CSA , another recommends it and another makes it mandatory | Imagine a religion that has three different schools - one school merely tolerates CSA , another recommends it and another makes it mandatory | ||
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====The FGM Hadith are weak==== | ====The FGM Hadith are weak==== | ||
There are seven hadith that touch upon FGM. Four report Muhammad allowing or recommending FGM. Two of these ('[[User:Flynnjed/Sandbox#The fitrah is five things.2C including circumcision|The fitrah is five things]]' and '[[User:Flynnjed/Sandbox#When the circumcised parts touch each other|When the circumcised parts touch]]') are from sahih Bukhari and/or sahih Muslim - the two most authoritative compilations of hadith. Not only this, but thes | |||
weak hadith can be used if supported by stronger hadith | weak hadith can be used if supported by stronger hadith | ||