FGM is sanctioned by Islamic law: “Circumcision is obligatory (for every male and female) (by cutting off the piece of skin on the glans of the penis of the male, but circumcision of the female is by cutting out the bazr ‘clitoris’ [this is called khufaadh ‘female circumcision’]).” — ‘Umdat al-Salik e4.3, translated by Mark Durie, The Third Choice, p. 64
According to Reza Aslan, female genital mutilation is “not an Islamic problem. It’s an African problem….It’s a Central African problem. Eritrea has almost 90 percent female genital mutilation. It’s a Christian country. Ethiopia has 75 percent female genital mutilation. It’s a Christian country. Nowhere else in the Muslim, Muslim-majority states is female genital mutilation an issue.” Aside from his idiotic view that Eritrea and Ethiopia are in Central Africa, Aslan is proven wrong yet again by this piece. Or maybe he thinks that India is in Central Africa as well.
“India’s Dark Secret,” by Harinder Baweja, Hindustan Times, n.d.:
…The cruel practice of female genital cutting or female genital mutilation (FGM) is not happening only in far away Africa. It’s not just being practised in tribal societies. Young girls aged six and seven are regularly being cut right here, in India. Mumbai abounds with untrained midwives who continue to scar young girls from the Bohra community, a Shia sub sect.
For long, FGM or khatna as the Bohras call it remained a well-kept secret, a taboo, a subject never to be discussed. But now a few women – victims at the hands of the Bohra tradition – are choosing to speak out and create awareness. Masooma Ranalvi, a Delhi-based publisher – who has put her name to an online petition against the practice along with 17 other women – has decided it’s time to come out in the open. The pain has become a trigger and the passion to save other girls from being cut have made her and the others fearless.
Masooma was cut 42 years ago but says the day is etched in her mind. She narrates her personal story haltingly but with clarity. “My mum told me come; I’ll take you out and buy you chocolates. I happily went with her. She took me to Bohri mohalla (in Mumbai), a cluster where 90% Bohras live. We went into this dark decrepit building. I remember being taken into a room. The curtains were drawn. She said lie down. Like an obedient child, I lay. My grandmother was holding my hands. An oldish woman pulled down my pants… I started crying. Grandmom said don’t worry, it will be over in a jiffy. I shrieked in pain… I experienced a sharp, shooting pain and she put some black powder there… I came home and cried and cried and cried…”
For a long time, Masooma did not understand what had happened to her or why she had been cut. The realisation that she had been so betrayed shattered her. The reasons why khatna is so common in the community shocked her.
“I experienced a sharp, shooting pain and she put some black powder there…”
Aarefa Johari, a young, articulate journalist is another petitioner. Like most women in the two million-strong Bohra community, Aarefa was cut too. Without consent and without too much thought. Why, she asked herself for a long time. The answer to that question is stark: Tradition is not easy to slay. Slaying young girls is easier.
Masooma and Aarefa were both cut because their mothers were pressured into taking their daughters to Bhindi Bazaar in Mumbai by older women in the family; either by aunts or mothers-in-law. The beliefs that the clitoral head is ‘unwanted skin’, that it is a ‘source of sin’ that will make them ‘stray’ out of their marriages are reasons that lie at the heart of a practice that predates Islam but thrives amongst Bohras. One woman this reporter spoke to referred to the clitoral head as ‘haraam ki boti’ or immoral lump of flesh.
The sad truth to this painful process is the fact that it is a practice being done to women by other women. Most women we spoke with blamed their mothers initially. Till they realised they too were victims of the same mindless tradition. “There was pain and I cried. I was aware that there is a thing called khatna and the main intention is to curb sexual desire… The first target of my anger was my mother,” said Aarefa.Aarefa, like other women, has had long conversations with her mother who now supports her in her fight against FGM. “When I got it done for my daughter, I did it because it was a custom to be followed,’’ says Aarefa’s mother Sophie Johari. She read an article by a Bohra woman some years later and made Aarefa read it too. “It struck me that I should have thought about it more. I’m a science student. I really should have thought about it,’’ says Sophie who now lends support to her daughter’s campaign on Facebook.
“I did it for my daughter because i was told it is a custom. I regret it now.”…
Few will be able to answer a question so relevant because there are no medical norms to determine the cut. Untrained midwives use blades and knives that recently left a seven-year-old bleeding for six days. “She had to use a sanitary pad,’’ an aunt told us on condition of anonymity.
The aunt, like Zehra, fails to understand the dichotomy between the regressive practice in an otherwise progressive community. Bohra girls are educated and have travelled the world. Shaheeda Kirtane, a researcher in public health and policy, was protected by her mother, Dilshad Tavawalla, afamily and child protection lawyer based in Canada.
She was lucky to escape being put under the knife and has joined the fight against FGM to try and stop her community from betraying its daughters. “I’m not able to explain to myself. It’s so ingrained in culture. They unquestioningly do it to be part of the community. If you openly declare you won’t do it, the backlash is considerable and many just won’t do business with you,’’ she says….
The abuse leaves women physically, psychologically and sexually damaged. Boston-based Mariya Taher is pursuing a career in social work and domestic violence because of her own personal experience. Is she emotionally damaged? “It’s something I had to come to terms with. It took a long time for me to be okay. It is something that has affected me; it’s affected the kind of work I do. I am a social worker and my work revolves around gender violence. It’s made me the kind of person that I am.”…
They are analysing the results of an online survey in which 80% of 400 respondents said they had been cut. Non-Bohra women are joining the fight too. Priya Goswami, director of a documentary titled ‘A pinch of skin’ is one of them. “When I saw the film on the big screen, I realised I couldn’t move away from it. It’s great that we have formed a coalition of sorts to try and end khatna.”…

Walter Sieruk says
The Greek philosopher Plato is one of the contributors to Western Civilization. He may shed some light into the subject of those people who are shackled in the chains and darkness of Islamic thought. In Plato’s REPUBLIC he gave an allegory of a cave where “the condition of men living in a sort of cavernous chamber…Here they have been from childhood, chained by leg and also by the neck, so that they cannot move and see only what is in front of them.” This can fit into what the Imams do in the mosques and how they brainwash the young people in the madrassa’s by always programming Islamic doctrine into their victims and not exposing them to other worldviews. Furthermore, even in Islamic tradition when Muslims have their newborn child the father whispers words of the Quran into the infants ear so that that Quran verses are the first thing the newborn person hears. This programming process takes place all their lives. These are some of the chains that keep them bound in a mosque [cave]. The chains do not let them reach out for dialectic reasoning and let them examine the evidence both for as well as against, or even question whether Muhammad was a true prophet of God or not, and if the Quran is a hoax or not. As the chains and darkness of the cave blinds and holds the prisoners back from reality, so Islamic propaganda holds back the cognition to reason with the question if Islam is true or not. They are forbidden from even thinking to question Islam. Furthermore, if a Muslim by some miracle wakes up to the truth about Islam, it would be like the man in Plato’s cave allegory who was released from his chains and taken outside to the real world. At first direct light would be painful and disorienting, it would take some time for him to understand what the truth is all about, he even might cling to the shadows and still for a time believe some of the illusions to be real. But he would finally come to know “what he had formerly seen was meaningless illusion.” And that was “what passed for wisdom in his former dewelling-place.”And that the other cave prisoners also needed to see the light [the truth] for he “was sorry for them.” and he would re-enter the cave just to rescue them. Nevertheless, the cave prisoners wouldn’t understand and “if they could lay hand on the man who was trying to set them free.” And if they could “they would kill him.” Likewise, when someone escapes from the shackles of Islam, those still in the darkness of this religion would not understand and if possible kill him for leaving Islam, and even more so if he were to try to enlighten them about the truth about Islam. For these people in Islam are chained to an empty imitation of truth and godliness.
Walter Sieruk says
What the word Islam really means
The Bible reads in Proverbs 15: 15 “A simple man believes every word he hears; a clever man understands the need of proof.” [NEB]. Likewise, It’s a good idea not to take at face value the claim that the word Islam means “peace.” For example, the ENCARTA WORLD ENGLISH DICTIONARY copyright 1999 defines Islam as “submission” based on the word “aslama” meaning “he surrendered.” Given the definition it’s an odd phenomenon that after about fourteen hundred years starting on September 12, 2001 the meaning changed from “submission” to “peace.” It’s very well known that if the police are questioning someone and he changes his story something is wrong. Nevertheless, when it comes to Islam no one gets suspicious of the change. The jihadists brag that they will win the war against the West by using the Western ignorance and naive gullible mindset on the subject of Islam against us. It seems that they do have some basis in that claim since so many Westerners are beguiled by the Muslim disinformation campaign.
Westman says
It appears there is a typo and the reference should be Proverbs 14:15.
rara says
Indonesia is also not in Africa,
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/05/health/indonesia-female-genital-cutting-circumcision-unicef.html?_r=0
“United Nations Children’s Fund estimated Thursday that 60 million women and girls there have been cut based on national survey data collected by the Indonesian government. The addition of Indonesia is largely responsible for raising the global tally of women and girls who have undergone the practice to 200 million from 130 million”
What caused that:
http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/despite-ban-female-genital-mutilation-widespread-indonesia/
“a 2008 Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) fatwa challenging a ban on FGM issued by Indonesia’s Health Ministry in 2006, and at the effects of a 2010 guideline issued by the ministry that overturned its own ban and instead explained in detail how the procedure should be carried out.
The 2010 ministerial guideline was withdrawn last year, meaning that the 2006 ban now stands. But the practice continues”
mortimer says
What? Reza Aslan is off his count by ‘only’ 60 million in Indonesia?
He’s also off his count for the following countries, showing FGM is an ISLAM-WIDE problem, contrary to what his LIES about are.
Iran between 40% to 85% depending on region; Iraq 59%; Kuwait 38%; Oman 90%; United Arab Emirates 31%; Yemen 30%; India 90% of Ismaili Shia Bohra community; Indonesia 97.5%; Malaysia 57%;
UNICEF claimed this year that there are an additional 70 million cases of FGM to what there were in 2014.
Reza Aslan is in a rush and doesn’t check facts, so that makes him a PROPAGANDIST, doesn’t it? Does his university want to continue to employee someone who is not a real scholar?
sidney penny says
watch the video to the article.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/static/fgm-indias-dark-secret/index.html
billybob says
That is just so sad. Encouraging to see that their petition has gained 40,000 signatures there in India.
Mazo says
Umdat al-Salik is a Shafi’i Madhhab Sunni Fiqh book.
Female circumcision is mandated by the Shafi’i Madhhab but it is not mandatory in the three other Sunni Madhahib. Female circumcision is practiced mainly in Shafi’i countries in SEAsia, and Shafi’i areas of the Middle East and Africa. Many laymen among the other Sunni Madhahib will have no idea what you are talking about if you ask them about female corcumcison. Only scholars will know. Its not practiced among Hanadi Madhhab which is the most common Sunni Madhhab from China to Europe,
Dawoodi Bohra’s are Ismaili Shia so why a Shafi’i Sunni text is being quoted here is a complete mystery to people who actually know what they are talking about.
Mainstream Twelver Shia and Nizari Ismaili Shia don’t do female circumcision. In fact Nizari Ismailis don’t practice much of their religion anymore like prayer and fasting.
Dawoodi Bohra do female circumcision but they keep to themselves. They are westerners ultimate fantasty, they don’t bother outsiders, don’t associate with non-Dawoodi Bohra, don’t try to convert you and mind their own business. Many of them voted for the Hindu nationalist leader Modi.
Mazo says
*Hanafi Madhhab
Angemon says
Gesundheit.
Jay Boo says
Mazo
I must admit; you float a very impressive balloon. It hardly seems possible for such lofty thoughts to ever remain tethered to the ground. I hope you will not mind if I poke and nudge the ultra-thin surface of that comment with my reality stick to see if if amythimg of substance fills the void within other than hot air.
I am not denying your finer points and certainly not all Muslims practice FGM.
It evades the bigger issue.
FGM is prevalent and in the Muslim world.
rara says
How come? According to the Wikipedia’s distribution of Shafi’i,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shafi'i#/media/File:Madhhab_Map3.png
FGM shouldn’t exist in a lot of mainly Islam countries where it’s proven there’s a lot of cases?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prevalence_of_female_genital_mutilation_by_country
Note also that Wikipedia map is too old for what’s acknowledged today (too small).
Mazo says
The map also shows areas in Africa where it is practiced by non-Muslims and not everyone in Southeast Asia does it at the rates of Africa although it is very widespread there.
gravenimage says
The meretricious Mazo wrote:
Dawoodi Bohra’s are Ismaili Shia so why a Shafi’i Sunni text is being quoted here is a complete mystery to people who actually know what they are talking about.
……………………..
What absolute crap from vicious Muslim apologist Mazo.
The point is that FGM is widespread in Islam–not that Shia specifically follow Sunni texts.
As usual, Mazo hopes that if he can get readers here to believe that anyone has made a mistake re Islam that they will assume that the whole site is discredited, and that ergo Muslim atrocities like mutilating girls is somehow just fine.
Falsafa says
continue to believe your stories gravenimage, spin these stories as much as you like to suit your agenda. Fact: FMG has nothing to do with maintream Islam. those tribal fringes that do practice it must be stopped through education and by simply making it illegal throughout the world. through education thing these remnants of backward tribalism should be eradicated. In the meantime knock yourselves with your anti Islam spin…nothing will stop that.
Angemon says
Falsafa posted:
“Fact: FMG has nothing to do with maintream Islam.”
Good to know that, Falsafa. Now how about you go up to the clerics in Al-Azhar University, the most renowned sunni institution (sunnis compose 80-85% of muslims worldwide) and explain them how FGM has nothing to do with islam and why they should stop endorsing it?
mortimer says
Reza Aslan is a preposterous, professional prevaricator about FGM. He can only get away with such WHOPPERS because there is profound LACUNA regarding Islam among Western journalists who tend to give any Muslim apologist a FREE RIDE to say any nonsense that comes into their head when cornered…and they are cornered often because Islam has so many problems that make it IRRECONCILABLE with modernity… things such as: FGM…as well as…
1 No Golden Rule 2 No free speech 3 No democracy 4 Jihad – holy war of world conquest 5 Honour killings 6 Taqiyya – sacred lying 7 Taqlid – group think 8 Misogyny – repression of women 9 Rape of kafirs as jihad prizes 10 Genocide 11 Ethnic cleansing 12 Anti-Semitism 13 Al-Walaa wal-Baraa – Islamic apartheid 14 Torture 15 Plundering 16 Cruel and unusual punishments 17 Backwardness – stagnation 18 Violence against women 19 Slavery 20 Discriminatory Sharia law 21 Hatred of the arts 22 Pedophilia disguised as child marriage 23 Fifty generations of cousin marriage and genetic defects 24 Cruelty to animals 25 Extortion tax to humiliate disbelievers 26 No historic basis 27 Obscurantist rejection of reason 28 FGM 29 Arab racism 30 Theocratic totalitarianism 31 Vigilantism 32 Supremacism
FGM is required by the Sharia law manual, so it is normative Islam, rather than an aberration.
Westman says
You must admit that Islam is the most consistent religion when it comes to cheating women out of status, inheritance, education, political representation, and sexual pleasure. But what more can one expect of a religion that considers itself to be the master while the adherent is a slave?
Imagine, as a woman, you are property to be owned and traded by your father to someone as his baby factory; likely to have your first sexual experience without love and, if circumcised, without pleasure. For women, FGM turns Islam into a total cheat.
Angemon says
India, eh? Let’s not be disingenuous – we’re not talking about Hindus or Sikhs here…
Jay Boo says
In fairness to Muslim men, they’re actions in support of FGM do however appear to be motivated by the most honorable of intentions .
Muslim men the whole world over indulge in the traditional Islamic pig bath before prayers thereby purifying their intentions and deeds no matter how vile, all in the name of Muhammad’s puppet named Allah.
Carolyne says
Honorable and Muslim men cannot correctly be used in the same sentence. In fact, not even on the same planet.
Jaz Smithton says
All forms of genital cutting are wrong.
HIS body – HIS choice = HER body – HER choice
FGM only ever occurs in societies where males are also circumcised and it never occurs in societies where men are left intact.
Cut people, sadly cut their kids. But intact adults happen to leave their children intact.
islam is the problem for genital cutting, but I think on this topic we should not throw stones unless we are intactivists because of you believe it is okay for men, but not okay for women… You are living in a hypocritical glass house.
gravenimage says
India’s dark secret: Female genital mutilation is common among Shi’ite Bohra Muslims there
…………………………..
And yet this sect is eager to spread Taqiyya about their supposed egalitarianism. Here’s Professor Zainab Bano:
“Dawoodi Bohras are out of the Muslim mainstream, but part of the national mainstream. There is gender equality and women’s empowerment.”