M. Bitar George Banna:

The  muslim  Brotherhood says that circumcision is a “right” before it is a duty or a crime, Female circumcision is an honor for women!!!!!! Male circumcision is not that important, because it does not affect his sexual characteristics, unlike female circumcision, The intention behind it, as religious scholars claim, is to modify the woman’s desire so that it is moderate, And what does moderation mean here? Scientifically, circumcision does not reduce the woman’s desire, but rather eliminates her pleasure, Therefore, we emphasize that the intention is ignorant, and the foolish intention was to turn the woman into the passive object.

Faced with this intention and concept, one stands bewildered and astonished by the barbaric depth of this practice, Who allowed the sheikhs to modify a woman’s sexual desire and destroy her sexual pleasure? How can a believer in God justify his distorted act against the will of his Lord? Can it be said that this practice is “disbelief” in God? And if it is indeed disbelief, why don’t religious authorities condemn it?

 Female circumcision is a despicable and criminal act, Ignorant people claim that excessive female circumcision removes her sexual desire, thus preventing the male from fulfilling his purpose, Therefore, esteemed scholars advise against excessive cutting and amputation in order to achieve the male purpose,That is, the important thing is the male! As for the woman, she is merely a “moderate” vulva that is not capable of arousing men, according to their misguided opinion, and is sufficient to satisfy the male’s desire! Therefore, the male sees no injustice in this! Scientifically, circumcision does not eliminate a woman’s sexual desire, but rather her pleasure in engaging in sexual relations with any man, That is, as a result, it increases her desire and passion to seek out one man after another in search of the pleasure that was taken from her.

The Arab mind is characterized by its detachment from reality for many reasons, the most important of which is its attachment to the past, The reality of life today is represented by a civilization different from the ancient one, With time, the difference increases, and the alienation increases, and consequently, the rigidity and obstinacy regarding past positions increase, This mindset is incapable of breaking free from the shackles of the past, and it is unable to correct its mistakes by acknowledging them and practicing self-criticism to be able to rectify them. The goal of the Muslim Brotherhood is not to develop concepts to suit the times, because development is heresy, and twisting the neck of the times so that its culture and knowledge conform to ancient concepts is impossible. So what is to be done in this case?

   There is no solution to the problem of female genital mutilation (FGM) without a new scientific approach that acknowledges a woman’s right to enjoy sexual intercourse, The problem is twofold: firstly, it requires acknowledging that women have rights, which is extremely difficult and even more so, and therefore considered heresy; secondly, it requires taking a clear and unequivocal stance against FGM, which is also very difficult, Therefore, these individuals resort to a strategy of denial, asking, “What’s the problem with FGM when it’s practically nonexistent?!” They point out that the fact that 90% of Egyptian women are circumcised is proof of its low prevalence! Thus, the Muslim Brotherhood advises these “fake” secularists (as they call them) to focus on the serious problems facing the nation, They say, “You’ve been driving us crazy with this FGM nonsense, and all you care about is fighting and distorting religion. Stop your hatred and fear God!”

One feels somewhat embarrassed by this proposal! Is the problem being deliberately blown out of proportion? At least the Brotherhood feels that the issue of circumcision is being deliberately exploited and exaggerated in order to undermine the religion, Feeling does not always require an objective background!    

 UNICEF reports that 200 million women worldwide have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), including 130 million in Africa and the Middle East, In countries known for FGM, the practice persists alarmingly despite government efforts, In Egypt, for example, over 27 million women have undergone FGM, with the current rate at 92%, compared to 97% in 1955 – a decrease of only 5%. In Egypt, 61% of men still support FGM. In Somalia, 98% of girls are circumcised, in Djibouti 93%, in Sudan 88%, in Mauritania 69%, in Yemen 19%, and in Iraq 8%. The situation in Syria may be similar,In Mosul and other areas controlled by ISIS, a fatwa was issued mandating the circumcision of all women, The primary reason for the insufficient decline in FGM is the belief that it transforms a wife into a more obedient and psychologically stable woman who will not burden or contaminate her husband,   For the sake of honor in his absence!

 Scientifically, female circumcision does not reduce sexual desire; rather, it intensifies it. The lack of pleasure in sexual relations with one’s husband drives a woman to seek pleasure with another man. Here, she does not achieve what she wants, so she continues to search for pleasure with another man in vain! Female circumcision is a major cause of unhappiness in marital and sexual life, and consequently, a major cause of what is called marital infidelity!