Islam forbids female circumcision, otherwise known as female genital mutilation (FGM), according to a new book published in Egypt. Ahmed Shawky Fangary's 89-page book titled “Female details the medical, religious, psychological, sociological, historical and legal facets of the controversial issue of FGM. The book was published by the Egyptian General Book Organization, headed by Ahmad Mujahid. “Despite the fact that this issue is discussed and studied endlessly, the problem remains quite prevalent and dangerous,” the introduction reads. “Ninety percent of Egyptian villages still employ the practice, which often leads to drug use, divorce and polygamy.” Circumcision is a critical issue, the author says, arguing that it is a mistake to believe that the problem of FGM in Egypt was solved when the Egyptian Ministry of Health banned the practice in 1998. Villages in Sudan and Egypt still use this practice due to thousands of years of tradition as well as religious and cultural adherence, the book argues. While the majority of people practicing FGM in Egypt are from the lower classes and tend to be undereducated and illiterate, 40 percent of those practicing FGM are educated, the author says.
