Nox, Yes, other cultures do practice traditions that we find strange and sometimes abhorrent – and I don’t believe anyone here is suggesting that Islam is in any way responsible for that. In fact Islam takes many of its traditions (as well as much of its book) directly from the Jews. However, two wrongs don’t make a right - and in this instance the question relates to Islam, the actions of which are, as I said, always justified by its literature.
And incidentally, with regard to female circumcision, it isn’t condoned by all Muslims by any means, thank goodness, but those who do practice it find religious justification for it, so to say it’s simply cultural and nothing to do with Islam is simply wrong. From the hadith:
“A woman used to perform circumcision in Medina. The Prophet (pbuh) said to her: Do not cut too severely as that is better for a woman and more desirable for a husband.”
And there’s more where that came from. You might also be interested in this thread:
http://www.theanswerb...uestion1080630-1.html