Policy document
Recommendation to Prohibit, Un-Islamic and Harmful Cultural Custom of Female Genital Mutilation
Najia Almas, Muhammad Khan Sangi, Prof. Dr. Rafiq Ahmed Memon ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This document argues for prohibiting female genital mutilation (FGM) in Muslim communities, clarifying that FGM is a cultural rather than religious practice without support in Islamic scripture. The author distinguishes FGM from female circumcision and notes that Islamic scholars prohibit the procedure. The document emphasizes that FGM causes serious gynecological, psychological, and mental health complications with no health benefits.
Key points
- FGM is practiced in certain parts of the world, particularly in African Arab countries, by Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities
- There is no Quranic verse supporting female circumcision or FGM, only weak hadiths
- Islamic Shariah scholars prohibit FGM after careful analysis of relevant hadiths
- FGM causes gynecological, psychological, emotional and mental complications
- FGM should be distinguished from female circumcision, which are different procedures
Limitations
This is a position paper rather than an empirical study, so it provides no data on prevalence, outcomes of interventions, or evidence of the health complications described. It does not specify the extent of FGM practice in Pakistan or evaluate any prevention programmes.
Abstract
Female genital mutilation and female genital cutting that undertakes partial or complete removal of female genital organ, is practiced in certain parts of the world in general and in African Arab countries particularly. This is not religious but cultural and Muslim, Christian and to some extent by Jew communities are involved in this custom of circumcising the girls and women prior to their marriages. On the other hand, female circumcision involves the removal of prepuce which should not be confused with FGM (female genital mutilation), for they are completely two different procedures. However, Keeping the circle of the discussion to Muslims, it is very important to mention that there is no Ayat/verse in Al-Quran which even refers to female circumcision, which is also called as Islamic Circumcision. Only weak hadiths are found to support the procedure. However, these hadiths compl-etely forbid FGM as well as Islamic Shariah scholars prohibit this procedure after in carefully conclusive analysis of the said hadiths to be performed on women. FGM dosn’t has any health benefits instead this is very harmful and leads such victims to many gynecological, psychological, emotional and mental complications.