Why female circumcision is a must for the Muslim woman
Dear Editor,
The Barrow government has maintained the criminalisation of female circumcision in The Gambia but it is gaining popularity day by day as Muslim women become aware of its importance.
In the early days of Islam – which were its best days – all Muslim women were circumcised. It was regarded as a fitra duty like male circumcision and treated as such. All fitra duties are applicable to both males and females. This includes shaving our pubic hair, plucking out our armpit hair and clipping our nails. Could anybody in his right mind argue that these are applicable only to males? So it’s clear that circumcision must apply to both males and females”. The Prophet ? said: “Five things are connected to the fitrah: Circumcision, Shaving the pubic hairs, Clipping the nails, Plucking the armpit hairs and Trimming the moustache” (Sahih Al Bukhari & Sahih Muslim).
The term fitrah refers to the inherent and natural qualities and ways of a human-being. The laws of the Shariah are equally applicable to men and women except where there is clear proof stating that women are exempted. The acts of fitrah mentioned in the hadith are general and relates to both male and female. Furthermore, there is no evidence indicating that circumcision is restricted to males only. In fact, female circumcision was the norm and custom of Muslim women and was also endorsed by the Prophet ?. Consider the following hadith of the Prophet ?; “When the circumcised part meets the circumcised part then Ghusl is required” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi) “When a man sits amidst the four parts (arms and legs of his wife) and the circumcised parts touch each other a bath becomes obligatory” (Sahih Muslim) It is narrated in numerous books of ahadith that a sahabiyah by the name of Umm Atiyyah (r.a) used to circumcise females at the time of the Prophet ?. The Prophet ? told Umm Atiyya (r.a) “Oh Umm Atiyya! Circumcise (remove the foreskin), but don’t cut too much (don’t harm the clitoris), for that will be brighter for the face (i.e. satisfying for her) and more pleasing to the husband” (Abu Dawud, Tabarani, Baihaqi) In another Hadith the Prophet ? advises the women of the Ansaar in general regarding circumcision; “Oh women of the Ansaar! Apply henna and circumcise! but do not exaggerate (i.e. remove the foreskin around the clitoris, but don’t harm the clitoris) for it is more pleasing for your women folks when they are with their husbands.” (Mukhtassar zawaid musnad al bazzar, Ibn Hajar)
The aforementioned Ahaadith and others clearly indicate that, not only was circumcision prominent amongst Muslim women but its action was also affirmed and endorsed by the Messenger of Allah ?. There is more. Imam Bukhari is best known for the compilation of the book Saheeh Al Bukhari. But did you know he compiled another book on good manners. It was called Adab Al Mufrad. In this great work, Imam Bukhari records two very important incidents in the days of the sahabah which proves the blessed companions of our beloved Prophet regarded circumcision as necessary for women. Umm Al Muhajir says: “I was captured with some girls from Byzantium. (Caliph) Uthman offered us Islam, but only myself and one other girl accepted Islam. Uthman said: ‘Go and circumcise them and purify them” Umm Alqamah says that when the nieces of Ayisha’s brother were circumcised, ‘A’isha was asked: “Shall we call someone to amuse them?” “Yes” she replied. In later times, some madhhabs regarded it as wajib (obligatory) like the Shafis and the Hanbalis while others like the Malikis saw it as recommended and the Hanafis viewed it as a good thing to do for a Muslim wife. Disagreements whether it was obligatory or not, the reluctance of male scholars to deal with a woman’s issue and the lack of awareness among women of later generations led to its decline in certain parts of the world like in Turkey, Central Asia and India where the Hanafi Madhhab dominated. Since it was thought of as only recommended, the women in these areas conveniently neglected it. But an unbiased mind shows it is a must for females as much as males. Why would Hazrat Ayisha have her nieces circumcised and Caliph Uthman order women who had embraced Islam to be circumcised if it were not obligatory? For this reason, the Jurists of Islam are unanimous on the obligation of female circumcision. with the most reliable view being that it is obligatory. So what must be done in circumcising the girl? Very simple really. All that is required is to remove the bit of dirty skin around her clitoris. This skin is like the foreskin of boys taken off at circumcision and breeds germs and gives out bad smells. So what are its benefits? A lot really. It enhances sexual pleasure, both in terms of better orgasms and sexual satisfaction, which is why even modern American women are going for it under the name hoodectomy. It also confers numerous health benefits, helping keep it clean down there and preventing diseases. It prevents smelly smegma buildup that causes infections and occurrence of urinary tract infections. It also protects your partner, since it prevents transmission of oral cancer-causing HPV to your spouse through oral sex if you ever think of indulging in it.
For more information see: https://www.aljumuah.com/circumcision-for-the-muslim-woman-part-1-of-2/ https://www.aljumuah.com/circumcision-for-the-muslim-woman-part-2-of-2/
Abdul Kadirr Ceeesay
Brusubi
