FGM is nothing to do with Islam

■ There is much talk about female genital mutilation (FGM) on media outlets and social media. The problem is whenever an imam makes an opinion and makes it clear about the teachings on Islam, we still get a huge amount of abuse and threats.

I have clearly condemned this practice of FGM as being un-Islamic, and you will find that it is not part of Islam. It is purely a cultural issue which is, unfortunately, being carried out in many, if not all, Islamic countries.

We must not allow this to continue, and this will not stop until all imams in Ireland condemn it.

So, I want to make it clear as the national imam and the imam of Galway Mosque, that we, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of Ireland, declare that this has nothing to do with the teachings of Islam and such teachings will not be found in the Holy Qur’an.

People like Dr Ali Selim should be more careful in making such fatwas without doing full investigation into the Islamic jurisprudence on the issue.

Islam came to protect and give full rights to women, not to treat them like something that is worthless. The Qur’an teaches to treat women with respect, kindness and justice (4:6).

It says there is no force or compulsion in faith (2:257), so what sharia is Dr Ali Selim referring to? No such laws are in the Qur’an. It is due to such nonsense comments that sincere Muslims face a backlash of abuse.

So, my challenge to all the imams in Ireland is to stand up, in unity, and declare this as an un-Islamic teaching that should be condemned.

Imam Ibrahim Noonan Imam of Galway Mosque