Why didn't Allah EXPLICITLY Ended (or at least EXPLICITLY Limited) Female Genital Mutilation?

Summary:

The main issue is “EXPLICITNESS” (or the lack of it). 

• There is no EXPLICIT ruling regarding female circumcision (commonly referred to as Female Genital Mutilation, or FGM), and it remains unclear whether it is considered obligatory, recommended (liked), or merely mubah (permissible without being encouraged or discouraged). 
• And there is also no EXPLICIT ruling to limit it to any specific level of severity (i.e. to Type I, Type II or Type III levels)

As a result, millions of Muslim girls have suffered immensely from FGM over the course of 14 centuries of Islamic history. In many Islamic countries, even severe forms of FGM, such as Type II and even Type III, are performed, as there is no EXPLICIT ruling in the Quran/Hadith which prohibits it. Even the so-called "milder" form of FGM (Type I) causes lasting harm. It not only robs women of their sexual desires and enjoyment but also leads to chronic pain during sexual intercourse for the rest of their lives.

Our Question: If Allah exists and possesses knowledge of the future (as claimed in Islamic belief), then He would have known that millions of women would suffer terribly as a result of FGM. Why, then, did Allah not explicitly prohibit FGM—or at the very least EXPLICITLY ban the most severe forms (Type II, III, and IV)—in the Quran?

Who is Responsible: Clearly, only Allah is responsible for all this terrible sufferings. The Quran is a voluminous book, yet much of it is filled with Allah's boasts about His powers, retelling of old stories, and threats to non-Muslims who reject Muhammad. However, Allah seems to have "forgotten" to include a single clear and explicit verse banning FGM. Such a single verse would have been sufficient to prevent the suffering of millions of women over centuries.

(1) Islam intentionally proposes FMG to REDUCE Woman's longing for men by reducing sexual Desire, while at the same time to increase Men's longing for women and increasing Sexual Desire:

For example, let us see what the largest Muslim website, Islamweb.Net writes (link):

Ibn Taymiyyah said: 'The purpose of female circumcision is to reduce the woman's desire because if she is uncircumcised, she becomes lustful... because an uncircumcised woman tends to long more for men.'

While at the same time, FMG is done in Islam with the purpose of increasing Men's longing for women and increasing their enjoyment. The largest Islamic Fatwa website IslamQ&A writes (link):

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about whether women should be circumcised or not. He replied: 

Yes, they should be circumcised, i.e., the top of the piece of skin that looks like a rooster’s comb should be cut. The Messenger of Allah said to the woman who did circumcisions: “Leave something sticking out and do not go to extremes in cutting. That makes the face (of vagina?) look brighter and is more pleasing to her husband.” ... the purpose of circumcising women is to regulate their desire, because if a woman is not circumcised her desire will be strong ... Hence immoral actions are more common among the women of the Tatars and the Franks, that are not found among the Muslim women. If the circumcision is too severe, the desire is weakened altogether, which is unpleasing for men; but if it is cut without going to extremes in that, the purpose will be achieved, which is moderating desire. And Allah knows best. 

 However, the facts are:

• Women have more control over themselves even without circumcision as compared to men. 
• Men, who are longing for women, are much more in a position of raping poor women. However, women who are not circumcised, and who even long for men, they are not in a position of raping any man. 

Unfortunately, Islam is a deeply misogynistic religion where everything, particularly the role and status of women, is centered around men.

(2) Modern Science about Dangers of FMG:

Even the least severe form of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), known as Type I, can lead to PAIN during sexual intercourse later in their entire lives. Scientific studies have documented the adverse effects of all forms of FGM on women's sexual health.

• Sexual Dysfunction: Research published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine indicates that women who have undergone FGM, including Type I, experience higher rates of sexual dysfunction compared to those who have not. This includes difficulties with arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and increased pain during intercourse. (Scientific Study: Oxford Academic)

• Nerve Damage and Scar Tissue: The removal or injury of genital tissue during FGM can damage nerve endings and lead to the formation of scar tissue. This can result in decreased sexual sensitivity and increased discomfort during sexual activity. (Reference: World Health Organization)

• Psychological Impact: A systematic review by the Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services highlights that FGM can lead to psychological issues such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, which can further contribute to sexual dysfunction and pain during intercourse. (Reference: Fhi)

Conclusion: Even the least severe form of FGM can have significant long-term effects on sexual health and overall well-being. The specific impacts vary depending on the individual, but pain during intercourse is a common complication.

(3) Severe FMG is also practised in Islamic countries:

There is no clear and unanimous ruling present in the Quran or Hadith which limits FMG to Type 1 (i.e. the least severe level). Therefore, it results in some of Islamic scholars also allowing even practising Type II and Type III FMG too, and they are practised in many Islamic countries. 

FGM is categorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) into four types. The types commonly practised in Islamic countries include:

1. Type I (Clitoridectomy):

   • Partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or the clitoral hood.
   • Practised in countries such as Egypt, Sudan, and Yemen.

2. Type II (Excision):

   • Partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without the removal of the labia majora.
   • Common in Sudan, Somalia, and Mali.

3. Type III (Infibulation):

   • Narrowing of the vaginal opening through the cutting and repositioning of the labia, with or without clitoral removal.
   • This severe form is predominantly practised in Somalia, Sudan, Djibouti, and parts of Eritrea.

In the whole Quran and Hadith literature, there is only one hadith present which limits FMG to leve I. However, this hadith is not unanimously accepted and many Islamic scholars deemed it to be weak. 

Sunan Abi Dawud 5271:

Today, the Saudi scholar Albani classifies this hadith as authentic. However, this is not a universally accepted stance. As noted earlier, Imam Abu Dawud himself regarded this hadith as weak. Given that the hadith is only SINGULAR (ahad), and not even EXPLICIT in its authenticity, many Islamic jurists have disagreed on its validity. Thus many Islamic Jurists rejected it, and it resulted in widespread suffering, with millions of women enduring severe forms of FGM (Types I, II, and III) over the course of 14 centuries in Islamic history.

Today Saudi scholar Albani declares it as authentic, however it is not a unanimously accepted position, as we can see above that Imam Abu Dawud himself differs from this position and considered it weak. Thus, due to the reason that this Hadith was only Singular, and not even EXPLICIT in its authenticity, many Islamic Jurists differ from it, and it resulted in extreme suffering (Type I, II and III forms of FMG) of millions of women during the last 14 centuries long Islamic history. 

Thus, we repeat our question: 

If Allah exists and possesses knowledge of the future (as claimed in Islamic belief), then He would have known that Islamic Jurists will differ on the authenticity of this SINGULAR hadith, why then HE didn't EXPLICITLY mention it in the Quran or in Mutawatir universally accepted multiple Ahadith? As a result, millions of women suffered terribly due to even severe types of FMG (Type II, III, and IV)?

And: 

Who is Responsible: Clearly, only Allah is responsible for all this terrible sufferings. The Quran is a voluminous book, yet much of it is filled with Allah's boasts about His powers, retelling of old stories, and threats to non-Muslims who reject Muhammad. However, Allah seems to have "forgotten" to include a single clear and explicit verse banning FGM. Such a single verse would have been sufficient to prevent the suffering of millions of women over centuries.

Muslim Excuse: Not Islam, but Local Cultures are Responsible for FMG among Muslim women

Our Response:

No, not local cultures, but indeed Allah himself is responsible. As we can clearly see in the discussion above that it is Allah who forgot to reveal a SINGLE explicit and clear verse (or even a Mutawatir universally accepted Hadith), which had banned FMG or to limit it to the least severe level of Type I. 

Even if we have to assume that FMG is found among Muslim communities due to local cultures only, still this excuse cannot defend Allah. Even in this case of local cultures, the question stays the same, i.e.: If Allah exists and possesses knowledge of the future, and He already knew that millions of women would suffer due to Local Cultures, why didn't he then revealed a clear ruling in the Quran, which had explicitly banned FMG? It would have ended all types of customs regarding FMG in local cultures. 

Muslim Excuse: Islam cannot be blamed for it, as there exists difference in opinions of Muslim Jurists on this issue 

Our Response: 

Exactly, this is the problem i.e. no EXPLICIT ruling in the Quran and Hadith about it.

Three out of 4 Fiqh schools (i.e. Hanafi, Hanbali and Maliki) recommend that a woman be circumcised, while the fourth (Shafi'i) makes it obligatory for women to be circumcised. (Reference: Islamweb.Net)

Therefore, our question remains the same, i.e.: If Allah exists and possesses knowledge of the future, and He already knew that Muslim Jurists will differ in opinions, and as a result millions of women would have to suffer, why didn't he then revealed a clear ruling in the Quran, which had EXPLICITLY made the issue of FMG clear beyond any doubts?

Islamic apologists cannot run away by simply putting the whole blame upon Muslim Jurists. No, it is a fault and flaw of Allah himself, where he forgot to gave EXPLICIT rulings. Millions of women didn't suffer due to Muslim Jurists, but they suffered due to Allah's negligence or inability to reveal EXPLICIT Sharia laws. 

Conclusion: The case is very clear. If a DIVINE Allah really exists in the heavens, then he cannot show such negligence and inability. It proves only one thing that Muhammad was himself making the revelations in the name of Allah. Since Muhammad was only a human, thus we see these flaws in Islamic Sharia. 

Please also watch this eye-opening video about FMG in Islamic countries by Ex-Muslims of North America: