Examining the Rules of Female Circumcision and its Relationship with the Illegitimacy of Women’s Sexual Dysfunction

Some groups are trying to strike at adorable Islam by attacking it in various ways. One of the pretexts of feminist groups and some so-called intellectuals for attacking the sacred rules of Islam is the issue of female circumcision. This article seeks to examine the lawfulness or unlawfulness of female circumcision[1] and the most related important rulings, explain its relationship with female genital mutilation[2] and express the position of Islam on the issue of female genital circumcision with a focus on the issue of khafz[3]. In this regard, the ruling on female circumcision in Islamic jurisprudence, its subject matter and the ruling on the unlawfulness of female genital mutilation are briefly reviewed. Also, it is argued that whether female circumcision is counted as a sexual mutilation making women sexually impotent. The findings of the current study reveal that Islam opposes any action that causes women’s sexual dysfunction and considers it haram[4] and diyah[5] and qisas[6] is applicable to the committer of such action to women, and this has nothing to do with the right and proper operation of circumcision, which is at least considered a permissible and recommended ruling in Islam. Some contemporary foqaha; though, have violated the ruling that female circumcision is permissible or recommended and they stipulate that even the principle of its permission is under question, which will be addressed elaborately in the present article. In conclusion, some new branches on the issue of female circumcision arediscussed.