Female circumcision

Female circumcision

The Jakarta Post has during the last few weeks focused its
attention on women and religion, including female circumcision.

I disagree with Melly R's statement that female circumcision
is a ritual tradition (of Islam?) because nothing at all is
mentioned in the Koran, nor in the Hadith sahih (Bukhari and
Muslim). Perhaps it should more precisely be called an Arabic
tradition which dates back to the year 2000 BC in Egypt as David
Lane wrote. Even male circumcision is sunnah (a commendable deed
encouraged in Islam based on the teachings and practices of the
Prophet Muhammad as reported by tradition, supplement to the
Koran), meaning it has a positive value if it is done and if it
is not, it is not sinful.

Therefore in Indonesian terminology, circumcision is named
sunat. Only for the sake of self-purifying in worshiping God,
certain scholars of Islam have categorized it as obligatory for
males. Male circumcision is a continuation of the tradition of
the Prophet Abraham.

Central Java and East Java societies are not familiar with the
tradition of female circumcision. However, several kyai
(religious scholars) who had teachers of Arabian origin practice
the tradition quietly, meaning that it is known only to relatives
and without any ritual ceremony such as in Sukabumi, West Java,
as the Post reported.

Such a ceremony in West Java makes sense because Islam was
initially spread to West Java by scholars of Arab origin who
claimed to be habib (descendants of the Prophet Muhammad).

Meanwhile the scholars who first spread Islam in Central Java
and East Java were the Wali Songo who, according to some records,
originated from China.

The criticism of the Koran of this ancient tradition which
does not follow the words of God as well as reason is clear in
the Surah Al-Baqarah verse 170: "When it is said to them: 'Follow
what Allah has revealed', they replied 'We will follow what our
fathers practiced,' even though their fathers were senseless men
lacking in guidance."

There are many verses such as these which are criticism of the
Koran against old traditions that are useless or harmful to
humans. I would therefore support any proposition to ban the
practice of female circumcision, such as in Egypt.

But I realize how difficult it is for laymen to distinguish
between Arabic as a culture and Islam as a religion; just as it
is hard to distinguish between modernization and westernization.
Many feel they have become modern men if they have worn a coat
and tie. To be a Muslim one does not have to be an Arab; and to
be a modern man, one does not have to be a westerner.

M.IKHSAN

Jakarta