Reply To: Female circumcision and Islam

#46422

Elliot N.
Participant

You are making the frequent incorrect assumption that this mutilating operation is associated with Islam. It is primarily a social practice, not a religious one. Female genital mutilation predated Islam. It originated in Africa and remains today a mainly African cultural practice. It is actually more widely practiced in countries where the predominant religion is Christianity: Examples are Ethiopia and Kenya. In multi-faith countries, it is often forced on girls whose families follow all faiths: Animism religions, Christianity, and Islam. For example, it is frequently practiced among both Muslims, Christians and Animists in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, and Sudan. It is also practiced by Ethiopian Jews. It has spread to a few countries in or near Africa (e.g. Egypt) which are mostly Muslim. In Egypt, it was mostly a consequence of immigration from Sudan that started as far as pharoaonic times. Nowadays it is mainly limited to the Egyptian Nubians which are a large poor minority in Egypt. Of note, it is a crime punished by 10 years of firm prison and large fine. Note that it is nonexistent in many other Muslim countries. Examples are Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and all the Maghreb countries of Northwest Africa. It is also very rare in Indonesia, Malaysia and other predominately Muslim countries in Asia. I hope this clears the common misperception that the practice is a religious one. That belief has led to unjustified religious intolerance against Muslims.

User Detail :  

Name : Elliot N., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Muslim, Age : 39, City : Beverly Hills, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Physician, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class,