ByRabbi
Allen S. Maller
Eleven
years ago, one community in Muslim Sudan decided to follow WHO recommendations
and abandon the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). Since then, Tuti
Island, a community of 21,000 residents located where the White Nile and Blue
Nile rivers merge, has set the example for more than 1000 communities in Sudan
that have abandoned FGM, which has no health benefits and violates the human
rights of 200 million women and girls in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
“FGM
contravenes the essence and the objectives of Islamic law, which are to protect
the welfare of the family, dignity, wealth, health and mental capability of
individuals and the community,” said Sheikh Rashid Ali Omar, Kenya
FGM has
been legally banned in Kenya Africa .
Just this week police in Egypt
FGM was
banned in Egypt Egypt
FGM,
although widespread in limited geographic areas, is opposed by the majority of
Muslim scholars (ulema). Of the four schools of Sha'aria only the Shafii school
of law, declares FGM wajib, or obligatory. In contrast, the other three Sunni
schools, plus the Shia schools, consider FGM sunnah-recommended but not
required.
FGM is not
circumcision, but it is rather female genital mutilation, and comparing it to
circumcision is a slander of both Islam and Judaism.
Christianity,
Islam and Judaism all teach that circumcision was practiced by Prophet Abraham,
who is revered by Christians, Jews and Muslims to this day.
However,
Christians do not believe circumcision is still a required observance. But,
even during Medieval times, Christian governments never prohibited ritual
circumcision for Jews and Muslims living under their rule.
Equally,
Jews and Muslims never tried to force Christians to circumcise their children.
Only pagan governments like the Greeks and the Romans, or anti-religious
secular governments like Communist Russia, have forbidden ritual circumcision
of males. These governments are led by people who believe that their own
humanistic, rational philosophy is on a much higher level than what has been
taught by traditional religions, which they do not believe in.
This is
part of a larger dilemma facing left-wing parties in Europe ,
which often struggle to balance their stated commitment to minority rights,
with a pushy, self-righteous, secularist agenda that is perceived as intolerant
by most members of minority religious groups.
It is
totally false to compare the custom of female genital mutilation to the
religious practice of male circumcision. First, while there are great medical
benefits from removal of the foreskin of a male, especially in reducing the
spread of HIV and other sexually spread diseases, there is no medical benefit
at all to a female from the removal of her clitoris and labia.
In Africa , Jewish and Muslim men have much lower rates of
AIDS than uncircumcised Christian men. A recent discovery is that uncircumcised
men harbor more bacteria around the head of the penis than do circumcised men,
and the mix of microbial species is decidedly different in the two groups.
These changes in microbial numbers and diversity may explain why circumcised
men are less likely to get infected with HIV.
Second,
there is no evidence that female genital mutilation promotes chastity and
preserves a woman's virtue. Having a considerate, loving and faithful husband
does much more to promote a woman's virtue than female genital mutilation.
Third, male
circumcision is a religious requirement. Female genital mutilation is only a
tribal custom, originating in sub Sahara Africa, which is now being spread by
Muslim religious extremists to Asia and the
West as part of a reaction against the rising rate of girls going to high
school and woman going to work outside the home.
Finally,
and most important of all, male circumcision is derived from the God inspired
practice of Prophet Abraham and Prophet Muhammad. “Abu al- Malih ibn Usama’s
father relates that the Prophet said: ‘Circumcision is a law for men and a
preservation of honor for women.’” (Ahmad Ibn Hanbal 5:75)
And God
said to Abraham (Genesis 17:7): “I will establish my covenant between me and
you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an
everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you...
(8-12)
“And I will
give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an
alien, all the land
of Canaan
“You shall
circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant
between me and you. Throughout your generations every male among you shall be
circumcised when he is eight days old,” (Genesis 17: 7-12a)
And Allah
ordered Prophet Muhammad to follow the religion of Abraham/Ibrahim. When Allah
said (Qur'an 16:123) "Then We inspired you: 'Follow the religion of Ibrahim,
the upright in Faith'."
And part of
the religion of Ibrahim is, as is evident from the verses cited above, to
practice circumcision. Abraham was an old man when he circumcised himself, thus
becoming a good example that one is never to old to do God's will.
According
to a Hadith, Prophet Muhammad said: "Prophet Ibrahim circumcised himself
when he was eighty years old and he circumcised himself with an axe." (Related
by Bukhari, Muslim & Ahmad)
Prophet
Muhammad himself selected the 7th day after birth to circumcise his own
grandsons. Abdullah Ibn Jabir and Aisha both said: "The Prophet performed
the Aqiqah of al-Hasan and al-Hussein (the prophets grandsons) circumcising
them on the 7th. Day." (Al-Bayhaq & Tabarani)
Thus, for
Jews circumcision is a sign of the covenant that God made with Abraham and his
sons Ishmael and Isaac and their descendants for all future generations.
For Muslims
it is a sign of their close connection to Abraham which is also celebrated each
year during the annual Hajj ceremonies. For both Muslims and Jews circumcision
is a sign that one who submits to God's commandments and covenant cannot expect
a life without some pain and suffering. But when endured for the right reasons
pain and suffering always lead eventually to great spiritual benefits.
Female
genital mutilation is the exact opposite of circumcision both medically and
religiously.