A Thousand Cuts Might I add, that this morbid mutilation of a woman`s vulva is analagous in a man to removing several inches of a the penis including the coveted head, and leaving essentially the root with the urethra intact. The feature of infibulation can be reproduced in a male by sewing the scrotal ends together on either side of the raphe.

Yeah, try that for size.....

Obviously this is just a sick form of control.

Its amazing that a vulva can strike so much fear in the hearts of men.

A Thousand Cuts FGM is a heinous crime and the most abhorrant sanctioned act against women.

Sadly, this barbaric practice was introduced into Islam, several years after the advent of Islam, by the popular Wahabbi movement. According to Wahabism, a woman is more pure if she is circumcised, and it is better for her, but not required. Of course, such torturous subjugation of women not only served the Wahabbi purpose, it also allowed its ideology to spread in nations like those within Africa, because their population is very amenable to the concept.

It is disheartening to see this practice not only rampant in Africa, but widespread in Indonesia and Malaysia due to spread of Wahabbi ideology.

And as painful as the pain of a thousand cuts, is the pain caused by knowing that this barbarism is attributed to The Prophet.

Varanasi Explodes I offer my sincere condolonces to the lives lost, and my deepest sympathies to those who hold Benaras sacred.

Muslim Profanities p.s. the people who came with Nadir Shah were not jahil.

Muslim Profanities Kaalchakra: Well Id be delighted to interact further on these issues. I guess it might be surprising that a person like me could hold these views. However, my being born here should not exempt me from recognizing perfection, seeing the truth, and striving for justice. The sentiment of justice should know no ethnic or religious boundaries.

Jayen: Im not sure I get what you`re so upset about. It was pretty hard to decipher your post, but the gist of what youre saying, Im guessing is that Hinduism is a free and unimposing religion and that you view the Abrahamic faiths as agreesive and with an admonishing patriarchal God.

Im not familiar with all those rig vedas you were talking about or the 5 M`s but I do know that there are patriarchal dieties within Hinduism too. Isnt Shiva the Great Destroyer? Just like there can be no harmony without the elements of a Brahma, a Shiva, and a Vishnu...there must be a punitive element in the Monotheistic God of Abraham.

Anyways, you should not demand that all other belief systems in the world be as liberal and unstructured as yours. It works for India, may not work for everybody else.

But you shouldnt blame God for the fallacies of people. Its God who is divine and the people only human, after all. Anyways, Im sure you dont want to hear all that.

I dont know why you think my ego is attached to my religion. Im not the one parading my ego here.

You`re a lil confused about the issures here. As far as ``religious policing``, well yes we have laws. So do you. If Im not mistaken, my touching your food is supposed to make it ashud or something.

And what does Nadir Shah have to do with an Islamic movement? He was a persian, and what he did was in the name of Persia. Its not like India where Bharat and Hindu dharm are basically 2 faces of the same thing. Nadir Shah didnt do anything ordained specifically by Islam. It was a conquest just like any other conquest, Genghis Khan or Alexander.

Anyways, its funny, the anger in your post makes you sound a like a Wahabbi (and i know you hate that). So just might wanna cut back on that a little. You should chill. Like maybe reset your Chi or something.

Muslim Profanities The U.S. since the moment of birth. India and Pakistan, only visited. why do you ask?

Muslim Profanities Jayen. You have some good points. But there is no harm in repeating the TRUTH, ad nauseum as that may be, that ISLAM does NOT endorse a caste system. So if certain communities are practicing a caste system in Pakistan, that is their folly and will be their loss.

Personally, and as a community, I dissociate myself from all unjust movements, whether it is a castrating Turk, a bunch of jaahil guys constantly bombing Karachi, a bomber of the Al-Askari Mosque or a perverted Ummayad King who behead the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. Yes, they are absolutely wrong and absolutely unjust. Are they muslims? Well if you ask me, if these are muslims then either Islam is wrong or they are wrong and therefore not practicing Islam.

Islam, in my eyes, cannot be wrong, therefore these unjust movements are wrong and deceitfully operate under the banner of Islam for their own agendas.

Therefore, it is not reform which is necessary, but simply a more intellectually honest adherence to the true Islam......you know, the one with no caste system.

So if you would like to stand up against injustice, then Im with you on that. And I do applaude the reforms in hinduism, they are in the right direction.

Oh, and Islam is not a lousy system....it worked for Imam Husayn.

peace out.

Muslim Profanities Jay: first of all, im a girl. Secondly, Im American born, and both Indian and Pakistani so i dont quite get what you`re talking about and what should be said to you here.

It would be good to note, Pakistan is NOT Islam, one is a country and the other a religion. Is there a caste system in Pakistan? Well you said it yourself: ``jatt``, sounds like something leftover from hinduism, to me. Islam DOES NOT endorese a caste system, Hinduism does. Its a nice religion and all, but you cannot deny its endorsement. And this is precisely one of the sentiments that Islam came to break.

Alag ho kar kuch to faida hua hoga, warne aap yuun na jalte.

Anyways, you know what maasaib are, nice work, no sarcasm intended.

Muslim Profanities Excellent article Kyla. Very genuinly expresses the grief and confusion we feel at this time.

Pmishra2: Hmmm, so when you hindus were writing articles about the Bamiyan Idols were you citing examples of religious hatred against muslims? I dont understand how they relate to each other. The wahabis who blew up your relics are the same ones who blew up the Shia mosque.....Read a paper before you comment. Moreover, the destruction of the Bamiyan Idols, I agree a misfortune, were nonetheless statues with historical and artistic significance. The Al-Askar mosque is a widely visited mosque, and special shrine containing the graves of the 10th and 11th holy Imams. It is an attack on the Shia community, whereas the Bamiyan destruction was not an attack on any one community or religion.

Jay1: You forgot a striking difference. YOU have a caste system WE don`t. Please don`t dont project your frustrations with the social injustices created by your own society onto believers of other faiths. thanks.

I am Ashamed and I Apologize Thanks for this article, Himendra. It takes much guts to write this, and the compassion really shows through.

The New Jews Excellent article, Bina, very well written. I can identify with it so much. As an American born woman of both Pakistani and Indian origin, and having lived as an American expat in Saudi, this pretty much describes my experiences as well. What am I? What am I not? I am everything and nothing, and yet, I am accountable for it all. Beautiful.

The Bastard Great job, Nabendu. This is incredible.

A Fobby Love Story I don`t know a single muslim ABCD girl that doesn`t know ``a word of namaz``. I know a few guys however........Anyways, cute article, though.

Amway. Conway? I think Amway should just start investing in those Nigerian banks, that way it would consolidate all the junkmail.

Muslims Not Married in America I haven`t read such and upsetting and overtly sexist article in a very long time. Excuse me?? How does one react to the new muslim woman? First of all, a professional woman myself, I have never met a muslim woman who believes she does `not need a man`. To the contrary, women in their mid-twenties to thirties after having achieved their academic and professional goals have been desparate to get married, only to find that most Desi men of their caliber are either more interested in whites/filipinos/and latinas or believe they have plenty of time to cruise the marriage market. American raised men are just as piggish as the Pakistani ones, I doubt many of them are assuming servile positions to their wives. The author seems to think that a woman who is earning money and keeping a household has no right to ask her husband to help around the house. Also, I take grave offense to the accusation that sex, alcohol, and racism are American values. Im sorry, I have not known a people more racist than Pakistanis themselves, and if Americans were so racist, I dont think our author friend would even be here. Muslim women in America have no new ``power``. To the contrary, our parents thought our education would be a lasting hope, but really, feminism has earned the Muslim woman an additional burden of providing income, keeping a household, and hearing sexist accusations like those of this author. How is the American Muslim woman to cope with the new muslim man?

The Sania Effect Why do you people have a problem with the fact that a very beautiful and attractive woman also happens to be a talented professional athlete and recieves some attention for it? You all know well that Sania has won her titles on the merits of her athletic performance and not her looks, therefore her looks should not be held against her. If she is being celebrated, then leave her alone, because she also recieves and equal amount of critism for breaking the glass ceiling. Women, attractive or not, always end up paying their dues in one way or another, I dont think this beautiful woman needs more flak just for being athletically competative and pretty at the same time.