Islam against FGM – the new Publication of ProMosaik
by Milena Rampoldi, ProMosaik.
In
this book, I would like to stress the importance of Muslim feminism and
official Islam in the struggle against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Female
Genital Mutilation or Female Genital Cutting is a practice still perpetuated in
many countries of the Muslim world to control women’s sexual life, oppress
them, deprive them of their dignity, and avoid their sexual satisfaction.
this book, I would like to stress the importance of Muslim feminism and
official Islam in the struggle against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Female
Genital Mutilation or Female Genital Cutting is a practice still perpetuated in
many countries of the Muslim world to control women’s sexual life, oppress
them, deprive them of their dignity, and avoid their sexual satisfaction.
Our video about the book:
Opposing
this horrible tradition, true Islam guarantees sexual rights to women. Women in
Islam have the right to be sexually satisfied. Therefore, as a logical
consequence, FGM is anti-Islamic, because anything that opposes women and their
dignity is anti-Islamic in its core message.
this horrible tradition, true Islam guarantees sexual rights to women. Women in
Islam have the right to be sexually satisfied. Therefore, as a logical
consequence, FGM is anti-Islamic, because anything that opposes women and their
dignity is anti-Islamic in its core message.
According
to the Quranic message, men and women were created in the best form (Quran 95:4
reads: “We have created the human being in the best form”). Regarding marriage
and relationships between women and men as Allah’s creatures, Quran 30:21
reads:
to the Quranic message, men and women were created in the best form (Quran 95:4
reads: “We have created the human being in the best form”). Regarding marriage
and relationships between women and men as Allah’s creatures, Quran 30:21
reads:
“And
of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find
tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in
that are signs for a people who give thought.”
of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find
tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in
that are signs for a people who give thought.”
If
Islamic marriage is based on affection and mercy between wife and husband, how
can FGM be accepted in an Islamic environment, which supports sexual
satisfaction as a means of familiar and social peace and tranquillity?
Islamic marriage is based on affection and mercy between wife and husband, how
can FGM be accepted in an Islamic environment, which supports sexual
satisfaction as a means of familiar and social peace and tranquillity?
Many
Muslims oppose FGM in the name of Islam, but they are too few, and their voices
are not heard. Many prefer to ignore the problem or are afraid of talking about
this taboo issue in their communities because the sexual and intimate life of
women is a very private affair, not to be discussed in public. However, the
fact that the lives of these women is destroyed since their childhood by a
horrifying tradition like FGM means that this is not a private matter, but
something we have to fight against as a Muslim community, society, and ummah
as a whole, women and men.
Muslims oppose FGM in the name of Islam, but they are too few, and their voices
are not heard. Many prefer to ignore the problem or are afraid of talking about
this taboo issue in their communities because the sexual and intimate life of
women is a very private affair, not to be discussed in public. However, the
fact that the lives of these women is destroyed since their childhood by a
horrifying tradition like FGM means that this is not a private matter, but
something we have to fight against as a Muslim community, society, and ummah
as a whole, women and men.
The
paradox of FGM is that women themselves perpetuate this crime. FGM is practised
by the older women of a society on small girls to achieve their so-called
“purity”; it is a rite of passage to make them “fit for marriage”. It is
violence by women against women.
paradox of FGM is that women themselves perpetuate this crime. FGM is practised
by the older women of a society on small girls to achieve their so-called
“purity”; it is a rite of passage to make them “fit for marriage”. It is
violence by women against women.
However,
in the end FGM destroys the entire society, as women are the pillar of Muslim
societies, and according to the Prophet of Islam “Paradise is at
the feet of the mother”. The mother has extreme responsibility
towards her children and the entire society. Thus, FGM opposes this
responsibility because it destroys the life of the following generation of
women.
in the end FGM destroys the entire society, as women are the pillar of Muslim
societies, and according to the Prophet of Islam “Paradise is at
the feet of the mother”. The mother has extreme responsibility
towards her children and the entire society. Thus, FGM opposes this
responsibility because it destroys the life of the following generation of
women.
Therefore,
my question is: How to struggle against FGM in the name of Islam?
my question is: How to struggle against FGM in the name of Islam?
First,
we have to prove, using sources from the Quran and Sunna, that Islam is a
Creation-oriented faith and belief, which opposes physical mutilation in
general because Allah’s creation is perfect.
we have to prove, using sources from the Quran and Sunna, that Islam is a
Creation-oriented faith and belief, which opposes physical mutilation in
general because Allah’s creation is perfect.
Secondly,
we have to struggle against all traditions opposing the dignity, the rights and
the protection granted to women by Islam.
we have to struggle against all traditions opposing the dignity, the rights and
the protection granted to women by Islam.
Thirdly,
the importance of sexual life in Islam should be highlighted, to remove taboos
and to speak out about the violations of female sexual rights in society.
Sexual needs are fundamental needs for promoting peace and tranquillity in
Muslim families and societies.
the importance of sexual life in Islam should be highlighted, to remove taboos
and to speak out about the violations of female sexual rights in society.
Sexual needs are fundamental needs for promoting peace and tranquillity in
Muslim families and societies.
Fourthly,
men must be involved in the struggle against FGM in Muslim societies. Men must
be educated to respect women and to ban their mutilation in the name of Islam.
FGM must be fought against to save marital relationships, which are ultimately
important in Islam. Moreover, FGM destroys sexual life for both men and women
even if it is of course women that suffer more from it on all levels in
comparison to men.
men must be involved in the struggle against FGM in Muslim societies. Men must
be educated to respect women and to ban their mutilation in the name of Islam.
FGM must be fought against to save marital relationships, which are ultimately
important in Islam. Moreover, FGM destroys sexual life for both men and women
even if it is of course women that suffer more from it on all levels in
comparison to men.
Fifthly,
women must be educated as regards their self-conscience, their dignity and
their self-value. They have to be empowered as women, mothers, daughters,
sisters in the name of Islam, because as Zaynab al-Ghazali said:
women must be educated as regards their self-conscience, their dignity and
their self-value. They have to be empowered as women, mothers, daughters,
sisters in the name of Islam, because as Zaynab al-Ghazali said:
“If
women are the sisters of men as one hadith suggests, then the Islamist
occupation with the question of difference and the (secular) feminist claim
that Muslim women have a gender-specific concern miss the point”.
women are the sisters of men as one hadith suggests, then the Islamist
occupation with the question of difference and the (secular) feminist claim
that Muslim women have a gender-specific concern miss the point”.
