Introduction

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons, is widely condemned by international health organizations as a form of violence against women. Despite this, the practice persists across parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia — often justified under the banner of Islam.
While some Muslim apologists argue that FGM is merely a “cultural tradition,” Islamic textual and legal sources reveal that the practice has long-standing religious endorsement within Islamic jurisprudence.

FGM in Early Islamic Texts

1. The Hadith of Umm Atiyyah al-Ansariyyah

The primary hadith used to justify female circumcision is found in Sunan Abu Dawud (Hadith 5271):

Narrated Umm Atiyyah al-Ansariyyah:
“A woman used to perform circumcision in Medina. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to her: ‘Do not cut severely as that is better for a woman and more desirable for a husband.’”
(Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 33, Hadith 5271 — Graded Hasan by Al-Albani)

This narration shows that the Prophet Muhammad did not forbid the practice; rather, he regulated it by advising that the cut should not be too severe.
This is a tacit approval, not a prohibition. The implication is clear: female circumcision was an accepted and sanctioned custom in early Islamic society.

2. The Hadith in Musnad Ahmad

A similar narration appears in Musnad Ahmad (Hadith 27575):

The Prophet said to the woman performing circumcision:
“Reduce the size of the cut but do not completely destroy it, for that is more pleasant for the woman and preferable for the husband.”

Again, the Prophet’s concern is not to abolish the act but to moderate it, emphasizing sexual “balance” rather than bodily integrity.

Islamic Jurisprudence on FGM

1. The Shafi‘i School

Among the four Sunni schools of law, the Shafi‘i madhhab explicitly regards FGM as obligatory (wājib) for both men and women.
Classical Shafi‘i jurist Imam al-Nawawi wrote in Al-Majmu‘ (Vol. 1, p. 300):

“Circumcision is obligatory for men and women. For women, it consists of removing the uppermost part of the genitals.”

This position continues to influence countries like Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, and parts of East Africa, where the Shafi‘i school predominates.

2. The Hanbali and Maliki Schools

The Hanbali school considers female circumcision a noble act (makrumah) — not obligatory but still recommended.
Ibn Qudamah, in Al-Mughni (Vol. 1, p. 70), states:

“Circumcision is obligatory for men and an honorable practice for women.”

Similarly, the Maliki school views it as sunnah (recommended), though not compulsory.

3. The Hanafi School

The Hanafi jurists are the most lenient. They classify female circumcision as makrumah (honorable but non-mandatory). However, they do not reject it outright. This ambiguity allows it to persist in Hanafi-majority societies such as South Asia.

Modern Fatwas Supporting FGM

Despite international condemnation, several modern Islamic scholars and institutions have reaffirmed the permissibility — and in some cases, the virtue — of FGM.

• Al-Azhar University (Egypt):
  In 1994, Sheikh Jad al-Haq, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, issued a fatwa affirming that female circumcision is “part of the noble Islamic virtues” and that “its abandonment is contrary to Islamic ethics.”

• Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI):
  In 2008, the MUI issued a fatwa rejecting government bans on FGM, arguing it is a “religious obligation.”

• Saudi Arabia’s Fatwa Committee:
  Several Saudi clerics, referencing the same hadith from Abu Dawud, have stated that female circumcision is “an Islamic tradition, though not mandatory.”

Islamic Defense vs. Historical Reality

Claim 1: “It’s Only Cultural, Not Religious.”

While FGM predates Islam, it was absorbed and legitimized by Islamic law through hadith and fiqh. The Prophet’s acknowledgment in Abu Dawud proves the act’s religious normalization. If it were purely cultural, Islamic jurisprudence would have clearly condemned it — but instead, it codified it.

Claim 2: “Islam Only Endorses Mild Circumcision.”

Even a “mild” cut is still a form of genital mutilation and violates the bodily autonomy of girls. Moreover, the Islamic texts make no distinction between “mild” and “severe” — the act remains an assault justified by divine sanction.

Health and Human Rights Perspective

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies all forms of female circumcision as FGM, regardless of severity, and condemns them as violations of human rights.
Islamic justifications for FGM stand in direct contradiction to medical ethics and women’s bodily autonomy. The defense that it promotes “chastity” or “modesty” reveals its patriarchal roots, where control over female sexuality is masked as religious virtue.

Conclusion

The Islamic endorsement of female genital mutilation — found in authentic hadith, reinforced by classical scholars, and perpetuated by modern fatwas — demonstrates a troubling intersection between religion and violence against women.
While some reformist Muslims attempt to reinterpret or dismiss these sources, the reality remains: the Prophet’s own words in Abu Dawud and Ahmad form the core justification for the practice in Muslim societies today.

To end FGM, Muslims must confront the uncomfortable truth that its roots are not merely cultural but scriptural.
True reform requires not reinterpretation, but rejection — of harmful traditions falsely sanctified in the name of faith.

References

1. Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 33, Hadith 5271.

2. Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Hadith 27575.

3. Al-Majmu‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab by Imam al-Nawawi, Vol. 1, p. 300.

4. Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah, Vol. 1, p. 70.

5. Jad al-Haq Ali Jad al-Haq, Fatwa on Female Circumcision, Al-Azhar University, 1994.

6. World Health Organization (WHO) Report on FGM, 2023.