Quotes on Excision from Religious Leaders in Mali

“Male circumcision is a ‘sunna’ whereas female excision is an optional practice in the Muslim religion. It is just a traditional custom.”
Ousmane Chérif Haidara
Teacher, preacher and the leading Muslim leader in Bamako, Mali.

“This is the point of view of Islam: Excision is not an obligation and not excising is not a sin. Various health problems can be avoided by abandoning excision such as AIDS and hemorrhage.”
Kady Dramé
General Secretary of AMUPI (a major Muslim group in Bamako)

“Long ago we didn’t know anything about excision and we’ll finish by abandoning it again. Understand us, we are fighting for your health. Africa learned Islam from the Arabs and they don’t practice excision. So why do we continue to do it?”
Ibrahim Aly Bodel Omgoiba
Marabout and traditional healer

“The Bible says, ‘The body is the temple of the holy spirit.’ Let’s not mutilate this body for no reason.”
Pastor Thadée Diarra
Evangelical Church of Mali

“Excision is a custom; it’s not an obligation in the Muslim religion. Everything that hurts our health is rejected and condemned by Islam, because it can decrease the number of people who practice the religion, by leading them toward death.”
Ali Coumaré and Lamissa Dembélé
Marabouts and professors of Arab Studies

“Excision has no importance because it is to wound a person without knowing the extent of the damage. In the Haddis ‘Zabour,’ the prophet Daouda said: ‘To wound a person is to infringe on their right to physical integrity and the perpetrator should be punished in a similar fashion to the act committed.’”
Dr. Kassim Ouédrago
Marabout, traditional healer and president of the Association Yeredon (traditional healers)