Dagestan Islamic Leader Issues False Decree

that Female Genital Mutilation is an Islamic Practice

On 18 August 2016 the Telegraph Newspaper, along with many other news outlets reported that Ismail Berdiyev, a senior Muslim cleric from Dagestan has advised that “all women” should be subjected to the practice of Female Circumcision to eliminate immorality in society. Vsevolod Chaplin, a former spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church, rushed to the defense of Ismail Berdiyev but the overwhelming response from International media sources and social media has been one of outrage and disapproval.

The subject of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been linked to a number of specific regions of the globe most notably those nations in the African continent. The current discussion that has emerged in Dagestan is one that is related to a specific trend common in remote mountain villages in Dagestan. Ismail Berdiyev has gone on record for saying that FGM is not a matter that is obligated by Allah (swt) but in his opinion, “If it was done to all women, it would be very good (for society).”

According to the World Health Organization, 3 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM every year with millions of women suffering from complications during the delivery of their babies and other personal health issues. This practice that has been developed in various regions of the world it can be likened to the cultural practice of killing the unborn/newborn girls when the birth of a boy is deemed to be more useful or prestigious for a family.

The media attention given to FGM has always been to mislead audiences into linking FGM to Islamic Sharia Law even though the majority of the world’s Muslims do not practice this at all. It is widely used by international agencies to attack the Islamic Social System as one that is harmful and barbaric to women.

The fact of the matter is that when women suffer immense social pressure to self mutilate themselves under the knife of plastic surgeons. One can make a direct link with the corrupt social programming and punishments that women receive when they do not conform to certain fashion trends in body types promoted in the Capitalist media.

None of these agencies that link FGM to Islam can bring one example where FGM is actually ordered Islamic Law. It is clear that this topic is purely a colonialist tool to promote anti-Islamic sentiment and it should be treated as a subject that will be eliminated in the Khilafah "Caliphate" (Caliphate) upon the method of the Prophethood – the Islamic Ruling system, as was the case with all the false and corrupt practices of pre-Islamic times.

Allah (swt) stated in the Quran that Islam came to elevate humanity and replace the false religions and dangerous teachings of traditions. Islam forbids the blind following of culture and this is clear in Surah al-Baqara verse 170.

[وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَآ أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ]

“When it is said to them: “Follow what Allah has sent down.” They say: “Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following.” (Would they do that!) even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided.”

Without a sincere leadership and unity that comes with the Ruling System of the Khilafah "Caliphate", many regions of the world will have cultural practices that are performed in the name of Islam but in reality have nothing to do with obeying Allah (swt). Only the Khalif with the comprehensive systems of Islamic Law working together can save women from the harms of FGM and indeed many other social ills that cause them to be disadvantaged.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Imrana Mohammad