UK: Two men from Muslim districts arrested for female genital mutilation
"Circumcision is obligatory (O: for both men and women. For men it consists of removing the prepuce from the penis, and for women, removing the prepuce (Ar. bazr) of the clitoris (n: not the clitoris itself, as some mistakenly assert). (A: Hanbalis hold that circumcision of women is not obligatory but sunna, while Hanafis consider it a mere courtesy to the husband.)" -- 'Umdat al-Salik e4.3
We're constantly told that female genital mutilation is a cultural practice that has nothing to do with Islam, and are warned that only greasy Islamophobes think otherwise. Yet we just recently saw a Muslim leader in Britain, Mohammed Abdul, advocating it, and it is clear even from the whitewashed translation from 'Umdat al-Salik above that it is justified in Islamic law.
"Two held over 'genital mutilation,'" from the Lancashire Evening Post, May 3 (thanks to Paul):
Two men have been arrested in Birmingham by police investigating claims that female genital mutilation is being offered in the UK. West Midlands Police said a 55-year-old and a 61-year-old were arrested after officers from the force's public protection unit attended three separate addresses....
The men were arrested on suspicion of offences contrary to the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003.
Officers went to properties on Stratford Road, Sparkhill, Trafalgar Road, Moseley and Kingstanding Road, Kingstanding....