DISCUSSION

One of the coming of age rituals in almost all communities of the world is circumcision of both male and female children Today female .circumcision is termed Genital Mutilation (GM) and has been banned and criminalized by many governments. According to some medical experts, circumcision is the surgical removal of the skin or hood surrounding the

J3JMrsOlorode, interviewand e-mail,

134Dr. Lateef Sanni, e-mail-interview,

I3SImamTaofeeqAzeez, e-mail-interview.

136NosiruOnibon, e-rnail-interview.

137Abdul-waheed Badmus, e-rnail-interview.

138Dhikrullah Abdul Ganiyyu,e-mail-interview,

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head of the male's penis called ~repuce and the tip of the extra.skin above the female's clitoris or vagina. 13Some experts have described the latter as the mildest form of female circumcision that does not connote genital mutilation.

Other forms of female circumcision is what is known in medical term as clitoridectomy, which refers to the removal of the entire cl-toris along with part of the adjacent labia minora, which is sutured together leaving an opening. This according to medical experts is a form of mutilation and is probably the most common form of circumcision in the world. There is also, what is referred to as pharaohnic circumcision orInfibulation which isthe removal of the entire clitoris, adjacent labia minora and medial part of the labia majora, with both sides of the female organ or vulva stitched together leaving only a small opening. This procedure requires tying together the child's legs for nearly three weeks. Medical expertssay this Pharaohnic procedure actually connotes total mutilation or Genital Mutilation (GM).140 It is usually followed by bleeding and scars that are so painful especially during intercourse, causing difficulty to achieve sexual fulfillment. This difficulty may eventually lead to chronic pain, reduce chances of pregnancy, cause infertility in some instances, and induce chronic pelvic infection, urinary tract infection as well as lead to many psychological problems.i"

According to physicians, since the clitoris of the woman isquite tiny, even tinier in younger girls; it is very difficult to perform even the first form of circumcision properly except by a specialist physician. Hence, female circumcision is illegal in Britain and other European countries through the passage of the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act of 1985. In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of Egypt WSIS reported to have banned female circumcision and the country Ministry of Health welcomed the development. 142

Unfortunately, many of those, who practice female circumcision, do so based on the superstitious belief or precept saying that only acircumcised woman is fit for marriage and that an uncircumcised woman islikely to be promiscuous, sexually insatiable and flirting. It is due to these md similar

139 Haqa'iq 'llmiyyan Hawla Khitan Al-Inuath, (Cairo: Jam'iyyat Tanzim AI-Usrah, 1983) 7-8 and Stewart, Rosemary, "Female Circumcision: Irnpl.cations for North American Nurses," in Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, vol 35, no. 4, (1997): 35-38.

140 Rosemary Stewart, "Female Circumcision: Implications for North American Nurses," JournalofPsychological Nursing,35,no. 4,(1997): 35-36.

141Ibid.

142 TIME,12January 1998.

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baseless reasons behind genital mutilation that the prominent Egyptian doctor and feminist, Nawal El-Sadawi argue that experienced and intelligent women are a menace to the patriarchal class structure. Itseems most men fear such women would expose their unreal masculinity. Hence, according to her, such men would prefer to marry a young virgin, inexperienced, childish and simple girl or in other words "a naive pussy cat with no notion of her rights and sexual desires as a woman" .143To Nawal El- Sadawi, women are still slaves and oppressed throughout the world by men not because they are living in Eastern, Arab or Muslim societies but because of the patriarchal system that has dominated the world, which afforded men special privileges especially in the sexual sphere.

In this respect, according to a view, the Arab and indeed Muslim societies live in better position since men openly admit and legalize their promiscuity and lust for women through marriage thereby making them·

responsible and accountable legally in comparision to western societies, where the practise by men isthe same in secret and in a disguise of puritan morality. 1(4

The problem of genital mutilation is very n:iuch with us in Nigeria.

Many women, most of who are in the Muslim dominated Northern region have suffered from the predicament of not only Genital Mutilation but also Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF). VVF is another related ailment that has turned its female victims into outcasts, once they become mothers. In northern Nigeria, the pelvises of many women are sown during circumcision into so small size that delivering babies becomes practically impossible. They are rather left with dead babies, while draining urine and stool continuously. They develop sores on their skins and emit a terrible odor from their constant flow of urine and stool. It is estimated by a Christian evangelical group that is converting most of these women through medical assistance that more than 200,000 women in northern Nigeria alone suffer from VVF. Since 1992, over 400 of these women have undergone medical ogeration at Evangel, the hospital of this

.Christian evangelical group.I 5

143Nawal EI- SadawiThe Hiddenface of Eve: Women in the Arab World,Trans. S.

Hetata (London: Zed Press, 1980),77-8.

144 Barbara Stowasser, "Women's Issues in Modem Islamic Thought," in Judith Tucker ed. Arab Women:Old Boudaries, New Frontiers, (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1993, xv, 98.

145 "Outcasts are restored in Jos, Nigeria" at Evangel Hospital VVF Ministry,

<http://missionary.sim.org.lblyth/evangeV.htm>.

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With the considerable number of Muslim women inNorthern Nigeria that have suffered from the predicament of Genital Mutilation and VVF, to examine the malaise in this research work is therefore proper. It was therefore considered necessary in the light of the current malaise of Genital Mutilation and VVF in Nigeria as well as global campaign against all harmful practices against women to seek the views of the respondents and participants on the issue. They were therefore questioned on the use of such practice as female circumcision by various cultures and religions to curtail women's sexual urge, since women's libido is traditionally believed to be far stronger than that of men and consequently make women more susceptible to sexual infidelity. According to all the respondents and participants, the claim that women are more sexually free than men is based on mere superstitions and therefore baseless. Lateef Sanni while responding.!" notes that the deliberate genital mutilation of anybody whether male of female is barbaric, dehumanizing and baseless. He does riot observe any correlation between this practice and other similar practices such as the segregation of women and the sexual norms of Muslim women in Nigeria.

Similarly, Imam Taofeeq Azeez147 does not take stand against circumcision, but rejects genital mutilation. According to him, this form of practice and equally others, such as segregation of women, meant to curb women sexual behavior are idle, miserable, and cowardly, as they have never served any progressive interest in the Muslim community. In Mrs Olorode's opinion, genital mutilation and absolute segregation of women should be condemned, as the prophet was completely against any harmful practice to Muslim women. In regards to moderate circumcision in line with the Sunnah, there is no predicament in Yoruba land. Nosiru Onibon also shares the same view asabove.i"

Dhikrullah AbdulGaniyyu brings the matter further by insisting that genital mutilation and any other such practices like the segregation of Muslim women that are harmful to women should be very discouraged if not out rightly forbidden.!" These men and women who responded are of the view that women are not necessary more promiscuous than men.

Hence, they all oppose holding Muslim women responsible for promiscuity in the society. All such practices that are meant to curb the sexual enjoyment ofwomen have therefore been condemned as un-Islamic andperhaps cultural in nature. This particular point was stressed by Nosiru

146Dr.LateefSanni, e-mail interview.

147Imam Taofeeq, e-mail interview.

148Nosiru Onibon, interview.

149Abdul Ganiyyu, e-mail interview.

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Onobon mentioned above. However all ofthem believed that the real issue is not who is more promiscuous than the other, but rather whether female circumcision is harmful or not. They believe that the ordinary form of circumcision is not damaging though it may be painful and traumatic to the individual especially ifand when performed by a non-specialist and in an unhygienic setting perhaps leading to infections and other related problems.

In the light of the above submission, it is therefore understandable if some people oppose female circumcision as part of their opposition to a tradition that has been harmful to millions of women. This perspective is highly appropriate, as simply by being part of Arab, African, Nigerian or any other tradition, practicing female circumcision should not be upheld by Muslirns in the view of this author. Instead, the conformity of female -circumcision with the basic objectives of Islam, which include reduction, as well asremoval of hardship should be evaluated. While however female circumcision has been legally banned in some Muslim countries such as Egypt, mentioned above, this would not serve well the goal of eliminating genital mutilation in Muslim societies. It will not be a viable option in societies and cultures like Muslim countries because the practice of female circumcision is not only long but also predicated on traditional and religious beliefs. Outlawing or ciminalizing the practice of female circumcision would therefore not stop the practice.

It would appear the best option in this respect to allow only specialists to carry out the treatment in government owned designated centers. This approach would be readily welcomed in the Muslim world and Nigeria in particular. This is because the approach can be inferred from the Prophetic sayings on female circumcision. One of such is a saying of the Prophet narrated by Imam Ahmad that "if the two areas of circumcision (of a male and female) touch one another, then Ghusl (ritual bath) is required" .150

This tradition signifies that the Prophet recognizes female just like male circumcision and this is why Imam Ahmad holds that women in Madinah at the time of the Prophet and after were circumcised. This tradition, which has been authenticated by Muhammad Al-Albanl, the scholar of Prophetic traditions, whose work on Muslim women has already been studied in this book, I5l it only refers to the first form of female circumcision, mentioned above. This is because, the second and third forms of female circumcision would violate a known rule in the shari'ah,

150 Musnad Imam Ahmad quoted in Sayyid Sabiq,Fiqh Al-Sunnah, (Bayrut:Dar AI-KitabAi- Arabi" 1969,vol. 1,37 and66.

151Muhammad Nasir -Albant, Tamim Al-Minnahfi al-Ta 'Irq 'ala Fiqh al- Sunnah, (Amman:Al-Maktabah Al-Islamiyyah, 3rd printing, 1409A.H),67.

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prohibition of the cutting ofany part of the human body except for reasons like medical treatment. In fact, Islam even on the battlefield allows no mutilation of a human being.

The above interpretation of the cited tradition offers the best understanding of another saying the Prophet, that "Circumcision is a commendable act for men (Sunnah) and an honorable matter for women (Makarramah).152 This illustrates that the Prophet described male circumcision asSunnah and female circumcision as (Makarramah), which only implies permissibility and not a religious obligation. Though this saying of the Prophet is of weak authenticity according to above scholar of Prophetic traditions, Al=-Albant, the most authentic Prophetic narration on female circumcision supports and authenticates it. In this other tradition, the Prophet is reported to have passed by Umm 'Attiyyah, a female companion who used to serve as one of the female medical experts who performed circumcision on young girls; He instructed her saying:

"Cut off only the foreskin (outer fold of the skin over the clitoris or the.

prepuce) but do not cut deeply, for this is brighter for the

race

of the woman and more favorable with the husband.,,153

This tradition is the clearest evidence that Islam forbids any mutilation of a woman's genital in the name of any surgical removal of female's genital such as clitoris or vagina. To ensure that his instruction is implemented throroughly, the prophet gave this instruction to a female medical expert, Umm 'Attiyyah. It is therefore only female circumcision that follows this procedure, which a medical expert who

avoids

mutilation carries out, that can be regarded largely, as the circumcis-..on that is sanctioned by the Sunnah. Though, the prophet specifically refers to male circumcision as Sunnah, but both male and female circumcision can be called by the appellation, if they fufill the conditions set by the Sunnah. 154

10

both male and female circumcision in Islam, no part of the sexual organ is to be cut off; it is only the foreskin, or outer fold of the skit., which is cut off. Properly done, it is not going to cause any medical problem, not to mention mutilation.

The question that may be posed in this respect is why the Prophet did not explicitly ban this female circumcision when he recognized that the practice could be harmful to women if the cut was too severe. '(he answer is that the Prophet's command to Umm 'Attyyah not to cut deeply

152Muwtta' Al-lmsmMalik; (Bayrut: Dar AI- Qalarn:, n.d.),. 50-51 153Albani, Tamim AI-Minnah.

154Al-Shawkani, Nayl AI-Awtiir, Dar AI-JTI, Bayrut, 1973, vol.l, 139,Muhammad Nasir al-din Al-Albanl, Silsilat Al-Ahiidith Al-Sahihah, Bayrut, Lebanon: Al Maktab Al-Islaml, 1983,vol. 2,HadTth no. 722, 353-358.

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demonstrates a great deal of wisdom. As stated earlier in this book, Feminst writers believe that one of the patriarchal or andocentric characters of Judaic law of Israel, where Jewish women still occupy a peripheral position is their exclusion from the b' rit mila, the covenant of circumcision/which remain the central Jewish symbol. 155To the feminists, the most conspicuous sexist notion in Judaism is the rite of circumcision.

To them, this rite represents the inability of women to attain spiritual equality with men in Judaism. By excluding women from the covenant of circumcision, Judaism ensures that women are permanently incomplete beings, because Abraham only attained perfection after he was circumcised.P''

Against this background, we can appreciate the Islamic inclusion of women in the rite of circumcision to show a de-emphasis of forms anti women sexism. It in fact, reveals to the Muslims that despite the biological differences between women and men, Muslim women should not be discriminated against in religious matters. This is why though there maybe the possibility of mutilation in the rite of circumcision, womwn are still allowed to partake of it.At the same time, the Prophet makes it abundantly clear that the avoidance of female mutilation in the rite of circumcision will engender matrimonial

happiness

and legitimate enjoyment, between married couples is. This is contrary to all superstitious beliefs and precepts that surround the rite of circumcision.

The Prophetic saying further implies that in some cases, circumcision may be necessary when a foreskin or extra skin covers the clitoris. It is perhaps because this excess skin is rarely found in women that the Prophet does not regard the practice of female circumcision as compulsory like cirumcision in men. Thus, as has been argued in this research it is preferable for medical experts to conduct this female circumcision, as they would have the knowedge of when and what to cut. The Prophet's statement also contradicts the arguments that female circumcision

"controls" the woman's sexual appetite. It rather demonstrates that the Prophet wishes both men and women to derive maximum gratification and enjoyment from the sexual act as long as it is carried out between wives and their husbands. It is correct that Islam requires both genders to be chaste but there is no textual evidence that requires selective curtailment or control of the sexual desire of one specific gender.

155R. Adler, "The Jew Who wasn't there" in M.M. KelIner, ed., Contemporary Jewish Ethics (New York, 1978) 348-349.

156D.Mccauley and A. Daum, "Jewish-Christian Feminist Dialogue: A Wholistic Vision, Union Seminary Quarterly Review 38 (1983): 160.

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In document Efficacy of sustained passive stretching along with counter traction on the inferior capsule of the shoulder joint in the management of a frozen shoulder (Page 47-51)