[afro-nets] IRIN interview with Sheikh Omer, a Muslim religious leader

[Claudio Schuftan <claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn>]

IRIN interview with Sheikh Omer, a Muslim religious leader
----------------------------------------------------------

[The following article is part of an IRIN Web Special on the
Controversy of Female Genital Mutilation. The Web Special, Ra-
zor's Edge, is available at:
http://www.irinnews.org/webspecials/FGM/default.asp]


DJIBOUTI, 8 March (IRIN) - Sheikh Musa Mohammed Omer, a member
of the Executive Committee of the Supreme Council for Islamic
Affairs in Ethiopia, was one of the religious leaders who at-
tended the recent sub-regional conference on female genital mu-
tilation (FGM) in February 2005 in Djibouti City, Djibouti.

In an interview, given to IRIN at the conference, he explains
the position of Islam in relation to FGM and why he continues to
supports certain forms of the practice.

QUESTION: Why is the practice of female circumcision important
in the Muslim religion?

ANSWER: Our Islamic scholars believe that female circumcision is
different from male circumcision. They have a strong view that
female circumcision is allowed, and that there is no evidence
from Islamic sources prohibiting female circumcision, unless it
is pharaonic [infibulation, Type 3, involves the removal of part
or all of the external genitalia - clitoris, labia majora, labia
minora - and stitching and/or narrowing of the vaginal opening,
leaving a small hole for urine and menstrual flow].

Q: Do you believe there is a religious requirement for female
circumcision in the Islamic community?

A: The Muslims following the views of modern Islamic scholars
feel that female circumcision makes certain medical difficulties
and problems for women, but not in all its forms. Therefore,
they are not in a position to ban it.

Q: Why it genital cutting important to Islamic culture?

A: This tradition, whether it is female or male circumcision,
was done starting from prophet Muhammad and we have practiced it
for the last 1,000 years. He... did not prohibit it, but gives
the advice to moderate the surgery.

So we, as Muslims, believe that the prophet's advice was to mod-
erate it - therefore, there is no problem with it in the relig-
ion. This conference, and the medical research associated with
it, does not show that the Sunnah circumcision - cutting only
the outer part of the clitoris - has caused any medical compli-
cations.

There is a difference between hot weather areas and cold weather
areas. Most of the Islamic scholars live in hot weather areas,
so that they support non-pharaonic female circumcision. But they
have also an opinion that people living in cold weather - like
in Europe - do not need female circumcision. In Ethiopia, we be-
lieve in the towns and the cities, Muslims mostly do not circum-
cise their females.

Q: Why does it make a difference whether it's hot or cold?

A: Islamic scholars have this view that females living in hot
areas should be circumcised. This is related to women's sexual-
ity - they feel that in cold weather women's sexuality is more
moderated than in the hot weather areas.

Q: As one of the religious leaders gathered here [at the FGM
conference in Djibouti], what are your personal views on this
practice, and would you like to see it continued, or not, in
Ethiopia?

A: I believe excluding [i.e. not permitting] female circumcision
- this should be avoided. We do have a problem in excluding
[i.e. people not following] what the Islamic Shari'ah advises
concerning female circumcision, especially in rural areas
[where] there are no medical precautions for surgical purposes.

I am of the position that if people exclude [i.e. do not have]
attitudes according to the rulings of the Qur'anic Shari'ah,
[it] is not good; it is according to the Qur'anic precepts to
cut it [the clitoris] moderately, okay. But in the name of Is-
lam, people make the pharaonic circumcision - so, we have to
avoid this ... to keep the integrity of the Islamic religion.

Q: So you say that the Sunnah circumcision is in the Koran, but
the pharaonic isn't - so, as long as it is in the Koran, it's
acceptable?

A: I believe that Islam condones the Sunnah circumcision; it is
acceptable. What's forbidden in Islam is the pharaonic circumci-
sion but, in actuality, we see people execute the pharaonic
method - this is bloodshed. And Islam rejects shedding the blood
of a woman or any creature, so we have to avoid it - it is up to
us to protect the life of a woman.

Q: Could you ever see the day when, or approve of a day when,
female circumcision is abolished absolutely in Ethiopia, or Af-
rica?

A: Islamic schools have talked about this issue so many times,
and they don't reach any consensus, so I don't believe that fe-
male circumcision will ever be banned.

Q: But if it were banned, would you approve?

A: If female circumcision is done according to the rulings of
the Islamic Shari'ah, I do not order people to avoid it. I do
oppose non-Islamic [pharaonic] circumcision. It should not be
done anymore.