Female genital mutilation is one of the most horrific and painful things that a young girl will ever have to go through. It is often performed without a licensed doctor, anesthetics, clean instruments, or proper medication. This can leave women in pain, infection prone and without the possibility of ever conceiving children. .
Amnesty International estimates that over 130 million women have undergone female genital mutilation with a predicted 2 million undergoing the procedure this year. Female genital mutilation is performed in mostly Muslim areas of the world including Somalia, Egypt, Ethiopia and Mali. In Somalia, nearly 100% of the women have undergone female genital mutilation. Recently, due to immigration to the west, increasingly young females in the United States and Canada are being sent back to where their parents came from under the disguise of going to visit relatives, while they are there, they undergo female genital mutilation.
The origin of female genital mutilation can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians; scientists have found female mummies where this procedure took place. There is now a debate over whether or not it is part of Islam to have female circumcision. One account for female circumcision comes from a woman who performed the operation "it is said that Gods Messenger (pbuh) told her, Umm Attia, restrict yourself to a sniff and do not overstrain; (this way), it is more pleasant in appearance and more satisfactory to the husband." There is much debate over the exact wording of this quote and many scholars doubt the authenticity of it, "it is very unlikely that the Prophet (pbuh) would address a woman, and be so candid with her, on such a subject-.
An argument against female genital mutilation is that under Islamic law, it cannot be legal because it involves too many risks. The prophet (phub) also said, "do not harm yourself or others." .
Women are getting harmed.
