The recent death of a one-month-old baby girl following female genital mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia has reignited outrage. However, just as in the past tragedies, this one may soon be forgotten amid inaction/silence and or sadly, be replaced by another tragedy.
The Gambian government continues to ignore the rights and lives of its citizens, especially the most vulnerable- infants, young girls, and women. In a society where deaths, especially child deaths are often looked through spiritual fatalism, the state’s failure to act reflects deep systemic apathy, masked by cultural and religious rhetoric.
There are different types of FGM (see here for the types of FGM carried out in The Gambia) and the age at which they are carried out vary. However, there is no doubt that all forms of FGM cause harm without medical or any justification. The state has a duty to protect children/citizens, not to defend harmful ideologies through false religiosity.
FGM is often defended as a religious obligation for Muslim girls, a way of maintaining purity, chastity, and marriageability, part of ancestral identity, a practice allegedly endorsed by Prophet Muhammad as well as being a procedure that is harmless. These are untruths usually pedalled by misinformed and unqualified voices.
The view that the procedure is harmless persists in many communities; uncut girls face social rejection. However, these beliefs are cultural, not religious. Islamic rulings are grounded in divine guidance (God’s commands) rather than shaped by potentially harmful societal pressures.
Islam’s primary sources (Qur’an and authentic Hadith) do not mandate FGM. Strong evidence suggests that there is no verse in the Qur’an commanding FGM. The Hadiths often cited in support of FGM are weak or disputed, and scholars argue they do not establish a religious obligation. FGM is not required in Islam. It is a harmful cultural practice falsely wrapped in religious and cultural legitimacy. The strongest voices in Islamic scholarship have declared FGM un-Islamic, harmful and dangerous.
Islamic legal principles overwhelmingly oppose FGM, emphasising that it has no basis in the religion’s core teachings. Islam upholds the sanctity and integrity of the human body and altering it without medical necessity is strictly prohibited- and there is no medical necessity for FGM. Medical evidence shows that FGM causes physical and psychological harm.
The principle of “no harm” under Islamic law (Shariah) forbids any act (and that includes FGM) that causes physical or psychological injury – on that fact, FGM is prohibited. Leading Islamic authorities have confirmed this stance. Al-Azhar University in Egypt, one of the most respected Sunni institutions, has explicitly stated that FGM has no foundation in Islamic law and is therefore forbidden.
Similarly, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Muslim World League have condemned the practice as harmful, un-Islamic, and called for its complete abolition. Informed consent is another fundamental aspect of Islamic ethics- FGM is almost always carried out on minors, who cannot give informed consent, making the practice not only unethical but a direct violation of Islamic principles.
In this context, the state has a duty to protect children from such harm; failure to do so, as seen in places like The Gambia, constitutes a serious dereliction of duty. Furthermore, Islam teaches that marriage should be based on consent, faith and good character, not on physical modifications rooted in cultural pressure. Faith and character not bodily modification underpin marriage in Islam.
Ending FGM in The Gambia requires a multi-pronged and sustained approach, no single strategy will suffice. The government must enforce existing laws with real consequences for both perpetrators and those who enable the practice. Religious misinformation must be challenged and corrected through clear and consistent messages from credible individuals. Sustained public education is equally essential; communities must be informed about the serious medical, legal, and spiritual consequences of FGM.
A broad coalition of informed religious leaders, health professionals, and survivors- should be mobilised to raise awareness and shift harmful social norms. Regional collaboration, particularly with Senegal, community vigilance, education, and public awareness are needed to prevent cross-border cutting. Above all, the habit of justifying inaction through conditioned fatalism or self-induced appeals to culture/tradition must end. Protecting children is a non-negotiable duty, the state must act accordingly- with urgency, courage, and accountability.
The Gambia’s failure to apply the laws on FGM is a betrayal of both its legal and moral duty to protect its daughters. Spiritual fatalism and cultural excuses must not justify the death or harm of children- no girl should suffer or die for culture. Islam teaches that Allah (SWT) created us perfectly, and no daughter needs to be cut to correct His creation. God doesn’t make mistakes- they were made just the way they are for a very good reason. It is time to reject the discredited religious leaders who mislead the public on FGM by distorting myths as facts. However, it appears to me that some people, including some religious leaders argue that since our forefathers practiced FGM, choosing to abandon it today is somehow an insult to them. By that logic, wearing shoes might be offensive too. After all, our ancestors walked barefoot.
Apparently, honouring tradition now requires us to ignore what we know, follow in their footsteps (possibly barefooted), and pretend nothing has changed in the last few centuries. Let us be honest- and this is not just for those from Jarra: if our forefathers saw us using computers, smartphones, flying in airplanes, or ordering food with one click, they would probably assume we were sorcerers. The world has changed, and we must do too. It is time we resist the temptation to treat every outdated idea as sacred just because someone with a religious title says so. Wisdom does not come from age alone- it also comes from facts and or merely recognising when some old ways no longer serve us.
