ISLAM IS… ISBN 0-9719158-0-6 Copyright ... - Islam Tomorrow

it, certain ethnic groups have perpetuated this practice even aftertheir acceptance of Islam, leading some to assume that it is a partof Islam. Today, as these people gradually gain a better understandingof Islam, they are abandoning this cruel pagan practice.In Kenya, for example, one group of people who do not practicefemale genital mutilation are the Muslims.Male circumcision, however, is clearly an Islamic practice and infact was taught by God’s Prophets and Messengers, including theProphet Abraham (). There should be no confusion betweenthe prohibited act of female genital mutilation and the encouragedact of male circumcision.Another horrible practice is that of ‘honor killing’, when a mankills a female relative in his family because he feels disgraced andhumiliated by her behavior. This conduct, although extremelyrare, is practiced by certain groups of people in the Indian subcontinent,the Middle East, and other places. This is outrightmurder in Islam. It is not permissible for a person to kill anyoneout of some notion of ‘honor’. It is by no means exclusive toMuslims and ‘Islamic’ countries, and it violates Islamic law. Racism,sexism, and all forms of bigotry or prejudice are also prohibitedin Islam.Unfortunately, forced marriage is practiced in many traditionalsocieties. It is another practice that is forbidden in Islam. Somefathers had forced their daughters into marriage at the time of theProphet Muhammad (). When the women complained to theProphet () of this, he nullified their marriages or gave them theoption of ending the marriage even if it had already been consummated,establishing the clear precedent for Islamic law concerningfreedom of choice about marriage and putting an end tothis oppressive practice. Sadly, this still goes on in many parts ofthe world today, including in a number of ‘Islamic’ countries. Althoughthis practice is illegal in almost all countries, many womenin traditional societies either do not know their rights or are tooafraid to demand them.52