Islam and female circumcision.?

Question

Muslims tell me here in the middle east that mohamed commanded that females be circumcised. ALL muslim women are circumcised here (the clatoris is removed).
Fatwas published:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/fem_cirm.htm
Fatwas are published opinions by Muslim religious scholars. They are non-binding in law. But Muslim believers are expected to follow them. In Egypt, a number of Fatwas have been issued by the influential Egyptian Fatwa Committee on FGM:
bullet 1949-MAY-28: They decided that it is not a sin to reject female circumcision.
bullet 1951-JUN-23: They stated that female circumcision is desirable because it curbs "nature" (i.e. sexual drive among women). It stated that medical concerns over the practice are irrelevant.
bullet 1981-JAN-29: The Great Sheikh of Al-Azhar (the most famous University of the Islamic World) stated that parents must follow the lessons of Mohammed and not listen to medical authorities because the latter often change their minds. Parents must do their

apparently, mohamed didn't require this, but then why are islamic leaders requiring it?

"Circumcision is a commedable act for men (Sunnah) and is an honorable thing for women (Makromah)." [5] This is the hadith that it comes from.

Apparently it was mohamed who introduced the partial circumsicion where they removed a piece of the clatoris. UGH.

A woman used to perform circumcision in Medina [Madîna]. 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.'–Sunan Abu Dawûd, Book 41, #5251.

Answer 1

This is my first post where I have to agree with something negative about Islam. This seems a nasty custom.

Sex is too nice for all of us to support this practice.

Answer 2

Practise of female cuircumsion is called "sunnah" - tradition, and is not required by Qu'ran. There are w few sayings of the Prophet Muhammad that indicate that practise among muslims in his times, but these sayings rather - advise not to go into extremes in curcumsion. Worth to add that there is a different status of sayings of the Prophet. Some are authentic and verified by scholars of 'hadith' (tradition), some are weak (cannot be used as an evident proof). The female cuircumsion is NOT OBLIGATORY in islam and women refusing it, cannot be forced into this practise. It is also not true that all muslim women are cuircumcised. Female cuircumcision is a very rare practise, mostly among uneducated people in rural areas (esp. Africa).

Answer 3

No....... There is nothing like that in Islam with women. Yes.. Male circumcision is essential.... What is the reason behind that..... 1-At the time of Muhammad(pbuh) .. the OLD jews dont do the circumcision for male. So Muhammad said to be different from jews muslims will now do male circumcision. 2-The most logical reason is that ... every thing that is intended to catch the dirty thing should be cut of. For example the Hair arounds pennis.. and the **** hole.(male/female)..., The knails..... etc etc. because by not cutting them person remain in unwanted state by which he or she cant offer pray or wordship. Same as for male circumcision .. that it catches the drops of pee which still remain in it even some one take bath. So hegeneic wise it is also good. so all thing clear that nothing is like that for woman but essential for mulsim males. I think that asnwers the question.

Answer 4

It is supported by some islamic texts which I think are not in the koran, but a different book. Still, I don't know, as I cannot remember now.

And yes, there are a helluvalot of muslims worldwide who are evil enough to either do this to their girl children, or support the 'right' of other parents to do it to their kids.

Answer 5

No female circumcision is not allowed. And although islam does not allow sex outside of marriage, it does give importance to it after marriage. It is the woman's right according to islam to be satisfied by her husband and if he doesn't care about her satisfaction he is doing something against islam. I could look up the hadith if you want to see it. Circumcision practices are not common in muslim countries and I didn't even know about it before. It is a cultural problem and was not started by islam.

Most islamic leaders do not require it. But the ones who do are just stupid men who dont know anything. They anger me and whats worst is people look at them and think islam is a male dominant religion that oppresses women. I'm a feminist and if I felt that islam was not giving me full rights why would I be a muslim?

the hadith are not authentic!! there are other authentic hadith that conflict with this! wth are the thumbs down for grrrr

Answer 6

How barbaric! I hope this is not practiced by mainstream Muslims. it is appalling that the religious leaders are all but endorsing this practice.

Answer 7

thats bull****! im muslim and theres not such thing. it was probably a custom back then but prophet mohammed never commanded that all females must be circumcised.

Answer 8

This is so cruel and barbaric!!!! I don't think the religion requires it...I have a few muslim friends but never heard of this.

Answer 9

It says not to cut too severely. Maybe they were really big then so they had to. My husband and family are Palastinian muslims and I never heard of this practice. I think its probably some old tradition. ??????

Answer 10

Hadiths on Female Circumcision:

In Madeenah there was a woman who circumcised women and the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said to her: “Do not go to the extreme in cutting; that is better for the woman and more liked by the husband.” (narrated by Abu Dawood, classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani.)

The Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is also reported to have said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs of his wife) and the two circumcised parts meet, then ghusl is obligatory.” (That is narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim.) The Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) mentioned the two circumcised parts, the circumcised part of the husband and the circumcised part of the wife, which indicates that a woman may be circumcised just like a man.



What did the scholars say?

An-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’ (1/367): Circumcision is obligatory for both men and women in our view. This is the view of many of the Salaf, as was narrated by al-Khattaabi. Among those who regarded it as obligatory is Ahmad… it is the correct view that is well known and was stated by al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him), and the majority stated definitively that it is obligatory for both men and women. (See also Fath al-Baari, 10/340; Kishshaaf al-Qinaa’, 1/80)

Ibn Qudamah said, in his book al-Mughni: "Circumcision is obligatory for men, and it is an honour for women, but it is not obligatory for them. This is the opinion of many scholars. (Imam) Ahmad said: For men it is more strictly required, but for women it is less strictly required."

Ibn al-Qayyim said: "Abu’l-Barakaat said in his book al-Ghaayah: It is mustahabb to circumcise females provided that is not done in an extreme manner. It was narrated that ‘Umar said to a woman who circumcised females, 'Leave some of it if you circumcise (a girl).'”

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked about whether women should be circumcised or not. He replied in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 21/114: "Praise be to Allaah. Yes, they should be circumcised, i.e., the top of the piece of skin that looks like a rooster’s comb should be cut. The Messenger of Allaah (S) said to the woman who did circumcisions: 'Leave something sticking out and do not go to extremes in cutting. That makes her face look brighter and is more pleasing to her husband.' That is because the purpose of circumcising a man is to make him clean from the impurity that may collect beneath the foreskin. But the purpose of circumcising women is to regulate their desire, because if a woman is not circumcised her desire will be strong. Hence the words 'O son of an uncircumcised woman' are used as an insult, because the uncircumcised woman has stronger desire. Hence immoral actions are more common among the women of the Tatars and the Franks, that are not found among the Muslim women. If the circumcision is too severe, the desire is weakened altogether, which is unpleasing for men; but if it is cut without going to extremes in that, the purpose will be achieved, which is moderating desire. And Allaah knows best."

The Permanent Committee has also stated in Fatwa (5/223): "Circumcision is one of the Sunnahs of the fitrah, and it is for both males and females, except that is it obligatory for males and Sunnah and good in the case of women." And in Fatwa (5/120): "Circumcising females is Sunnah; it is neither a bad practice or harmful, if it is done within moderation. When extreme forms of female circumcision are carried out, harm may result."

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: "The most correct view is that it is obligatory in the case of men and Sunnah in the case of women. The difference between them is that in the case of men, it serves an interest which has to do with one of the conditions of prayer, namely purity (tahaarah), because if the foreskin remains, when the urine comes out of the urethra, some of it will collect there, and this causes burning and infection every time the person moves, and every time the foreskin is squeezed, some drops of urine come out, thus causing najaasah (impurity). In the case of women, it serves a useful purpose which is to reduce desire. This is seeking perfection, not removing something harmful." (Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 1/133-134)