>But I do feel I must stress again that Islam in
>no way endorses female circumsion.  In those few places where it does take
>place-Sudan, southern Egypt, and a few other areas, it seems to be a remnant
>of the indigenous african culture.

While it is true that the Koran itself does not specifically say that
females should be circumcised, and while it is true that women in Saudi
Arabia are not circumcized . . . nonetheless, many many people who are
devout Muslims *believe* that it is required by their religion and justified
by the Koran.  Just as some people who are devout Christians believe that
women are enjoined by the Bible never to cut their hair, and others believe
that the Bible tells them to handle poisonous snakes during their religious
ceremonies, and others believe that the Ezzo philosphy is Biblically-based,
and don't forget the many Muslims who believe the Koran tells them to wean
by age two years. Religion is all about *beliefs*, and those beliefs are
just as powerful whether they are technically "correct" or not, according to
someone else.

Also, there are MANY places in the world where female circumcision takes
place, not just Africa.  All over southeast Asia, for example.  And there
are many places in Africa where female circumcision does NOT take place, as
well.  There are many different forms of female circumcision, ranging from
the equivalent to male circumcision (removing the hood or prepuce of the
clitoris) to the most drastic of infibulation (removal of the clitoris,
labia minora and majora, and sewing up the midline, leaving only a small
hole for urine and eventually menstrual flow).  I think the above writer was
referring only to the most drastic complete infibulation in her reference to
southern Egypt and Sudan, although it is also found in other parts of the
world as well.

Newcomers can search the archives for more on female circumcision, and the
circumcision debate in general -- we've done this before.

Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University