Peace
Dear Fatima
Thanks for your reply. First of all sorry for my delay in replying, but I have been on a transit journey for a few days.
I did read all the material that you posted, and of course I became much wiser on several points. One of my reasons for debating is basically the goal of learning, and of course if I am proven wrong, then that is it.
So I greatly appreciate the material that you posted, however, I would have appreciated it much more if you had studied the material and presented your own conclusion.
However, I must say that the material you posted still does not change my mind on the matter. And the reason is basically that Muhammad still legalized such practice, and wetter the specific Hadiths are debated or weak, does not change the matter, since weak Hadits are not necessarily fabricated or false. They may simply lack a link in the chain.
As for the more medical points in the two last articles, they do not change my mind either, since the articles look at medical and surgical issues rather than religious, and the first article does admit that.
As to the benefits of such circumcision, there has been a lot of debate wetter such circumcision enhances or virtually reduces the sexual experience of a women, and the article does admit that too.
Basically, only a few medical doctors would ever suggest that sunnah circumcision benefits the sexual pleasure of a women, which the articles also stated.
This leads us to another matter, do the medical articles truly refer to the kind of circumcision, which Islam seems to legalize.
The articles do point out that clitoridotomy is merely the splitting or removal of the clitoral hood. And there are a lot of implications here. Since the legalized practice of this today concerns difficult sexual circumstances, and needs to be done by special or as a selected surgery to remove the clitoral hood say they are overgrown and hinder sexual pleasure. This may actually not be the same as original sunnah circumcision.
The weak Hadits do not reveal any removal of the clitoral hood but merely that female circumcision should not be done too severely.
That we are dealing with clitoridotomy is not all clear from the text, as this is not the issue in the Islamic context, where the cultural background clearly reveals that the practice was done in an attempt to control the women in a matter of sexual purity. Thus we must consider and assume that the sunnah circumcision actually was the reduction of the actual clitoris itself, and such practice would certainly damage the sexual pleasure.
My problem is thus, that even Muslim scholars no little about the issue, only that 1) female circumcision is legalized, not compulsory, 2) that such practice should not be overdone (cut too severely), 3) and from a cultural point of view that the motive solemnly intended to control the purity of a women.
So Fatima, yeah I learned much from the articles, but I am still not convinced as to the positive side of such practice. But of course if you can convince me further, then fine. Basically, I do hope you are right and no-body might be more happy than myself, if I am wrong.
God bless
Kai