Maryan Qaasim, former Minister of Education of Somalia, has urged an end to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), stressing that the practice has no basis in Islam. Speaking at an online webinar with anti-FGM campaigners in the Netherlands, Dr. Qaasim dismantled long-standing misconceptions linking the harmful practice with religious duty.
“Today, I want to speak about a topic very close to my heart: Female Genital Mutilation,” she said. “I won’t dwell on statistics—you already know how harmful it is. Instead, I want to focus on the Islamic perspective.”Dr. Qaasim highlighted three key points
The Qur’an makes no mention of FGM.
- The Sunnah — the teachings and practices of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his wives, and companions — does not include FGM. She emphasized that no authentic hadith supports the practice, with only weak reports sometimes cited.
- Scholarly consensus: Leading Islamic authorities such as Egypt’s Al-Azhar University, the Grand Mufti, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Research have issued fatwas declaring FGM to be un-Islamic, with no foundation in Sharia.
She added that medical experts unanimously classify FGM as harmful, with no health benefits.
Despite this, she noted that many communities in rural Somalia continue to treat FGM as a religious obligation. “This is a dangerous misconception,” she said. “FGM is a cultural practice, not an Islamic one.”
Her message was unequivocal: “FGM is not faith-based. It is harmful and must be eradicated. Islam promotes the protection of life and health — not practices that cause harm.”
Dr. Qaasim called for continued education, stronger legal frameworks, and grassroots advocacy to combat FGM. She stressed that dismantling false religious justifications is crucial in shifting community attitudes and protecting future generations.