Are wearing of the veil and female circumcision linked by a common attitude to female chastity?

Question

Is it true that female circumcision is a predominantly Islamic phenomenon? Is there any connection with the practice of wearing the full facial veil which also seems to be motivated by a concern to preserve female chastity? Likewise honour killings also seem to be motivated by this same attitude. I also believe that sharia law permits the stoning to death of individuals accused of adultery. Again highlighting an obsession with female chastity. I live in Bradford where it is not uncommon to see women walking around in what appears to be a complete body tent several paces behind her husband on the street. I personally regard all these practices to be mediaeval and oppressive. Am I wrong to link them to the Islamic culture when instead it is just coincidental that such practices occur in Islamic society?

Answer 1

There is no obsession with female chastity in Islam. True you are to remain a virgin till you are married but that is for men and women. There are several reasons for this, but Islam is not the only religion that promotes staying a virgin till marriage. And as for walking several paces behind there husbands this is a cultural thing, I bet the people you see doing it are either Indian or Pakistani Muslims (not that im saying all are like that ). I walk with my husband taking his arm or holding his hand. I'm a British Muslim, and my husband is an Arab. There are many women out there oppressed and in abusive marriages, that aren't aloud to leave the house without there husband, who are beaten, who are prisoners in there own homes and they are not of any religious denomination at all. So yes you are wrong to link them to Islamic culture, but they do occur in Islam just like in christian, Jewish, Catholic, Protestant and atheist homes and men who are bullies and women oppressors come from all walks of life, all religions, all countries, all cultures. In Islam women are repected and treated like gold by there husbands, in our homes its the husbands islamic dutie to help 50/50. I for one have never felt more safe and respected. Full face veils are worn by choice there is nothing in Islam that says you have to cover your face and the small percentage of women who do, do so by choice, they do it for God not there husbands.

Answer 2

According to my humble knowledge all the numbers by most organizations are completely away from the real facts. This tradition is practiced in rural areas and villages. It's very low in big cities and the capital which means very low practiced among more than 20% of population, so you can imagine that 97% is away from the truth. In most areas and cases of circumcision physical checking is not available unless there is a problem. The 97% is a result of samples which is not really representing the real percentage. The non accurate numbers and percentages in each area is part of the problem in the villages and rural areas, that's why most plans are not working well. It's all theoratical plans. This nature of this very old tradition is coming from the nature of humans in rural areas and deep in Africa or Asia where you can find many cases of bigger organs. That means bigger than usual and it's the cuase of other problems. With time and people living in the rural areas moved, this tradition moved and they try to apply it on all females. May be it's not the only reason, but this is what I found about it. In case some people can't accept this information, they may keep stuck to their one way source, it's more easy. Edit : A better idea to know how common is to ask females here if they are circumcised or not. When you get the results, please let me know the percentage.

Answer 3

Maybe. I thought female circumcision was an African tradition.

Even the Bible though, has incidents where women were stoned for adultery. Just because it happened long ago does not mean it should continue, holy doctrine or not.

These things are meant to oppress women either way. Covering a woman so a man won't sin? Why don't they just show some respect and self control? This is the same logic that lead to witch hunts, the Spanish Inquisition in Christianity.

So you are right, it is in Islam, but is in Christianity as well. Sure looks like a "man" thing, rather than a religious thing though.

Answer 4

Male control of the female body has been commonplace in Christian Europe and the U.S. for centuries as well. There used to be tons of laws limiting women's rights to own property, work, vote, decide whether or not to have a child, etc. Now there are fewer and the control has taken a different form.

Look at how so many western women dress. The vast economic resources they spend on clothes, cosmetics and surgery. The hours that go into it. The stress and insecurities that accompany 'bad hair days' and aging. Muslim society controls the women by telling them to cover themselves; western society control us by telling us to walk around naked, centering our perceived worth in our physical attractiveness.

Germaine Greer put it very well: The result of the feminist movement in the 70s is that now we're supposed to enjoy our exploitation.

We need to look at what's going on in our own culture. Then maybe we'll have a better understanding of why some women feel more comfortable in the hijab.

Answer 5

Wearing of the veil is indorsed by Islam. It is found in the Quran as well. The term used (if i'm correct) is hijab.

Female circumcision is NOT endorsed by Islam. If some Muslims do it, than it is not the fault of Islam. If my information is correct, they do it in the african continent. I have heard that even the other religions do it there. But I'm not sure so that is disregarded. But I repeat, Female circumcision is NOT there in Islam.

There is no such thing as 'honour killing'. Yes, it happens in countries like Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, PAkistan, Palestine. But stoning to death is not in Ahadith. People accused of adultry are tortured with 100 lashes.

Ladies are allowed to walk with husbands. For goodness sake, her husband is lawful to her. As far as I know, in the times of Mughals, ladies were soooo shy that they didn't use to even call their husbands by his name. Appearently, this shyness have been handed down generation to generation.

Islam dosn't do such medival things. If muslims do it, is it Islam's fault??

Answer 6

you are completely right. there is no connection between religion Islam.
a) Female circumcision is only in Egypt and come other arab country.
b) Wearing of veil is again in some parts of the muslims countries.
c) Honor killing, completly disgusting and have no connection at all to religion
d) muslims still want to live in that mediaeval era and they dont want to face to realities of modern world of 2006

All above acts are belong to ,local custome and not to religion. Muslims mix their local custom to their religion.

Now answer to ur questiuon is YES in some parts of muslim world, wearing a veil do link to chastity

Answer 7

The problem lies within the minds of men. Being that men are in control of religion, their problems are manifested on women. Women want to be women and they would never invoke cutting off very personal parts of their bodies for cultural or religious purposes. Again females who are allowed to be women enjoy flattering their faces, not hiding them. The problem is within the minds of men.

Answer 8

No it isn't chastity so much as power. Islam works by creating a power structure that leaves women as something less than human.

Answer 9

so true a totally barbaric and outdated thing mutilating women for the sake of religion. Those little bits and pieces that us ladies have are there for a reason

Answer 10

you are correct, while female genital mutilation isn't described in the koran, the mind set of how Muslims treat women ensure that it is and will remain popular mostly among Muslims

it is very sad that some seek to throw humanity back to aworld of barbarism from 1300 years ago