“The 30 countries” in which female genital mutilation is prevalent are “mainly in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.” Hmmm. What could they possibly have in common? Why is this so widespread? The answer is that FGM is sanctioned by Islamic law: “Circumcision is obligatory (for every male and female) (by cutting off the piece of skin on the glans of the penis of the male, but circumcision of the female is by cutting out the bazr ‘clitoris’ [this is called khufaadh ‘female circumcision’]).” — ‘Umdat al-Salik e4.3, translated by Mark Durie, The Third Choice, p. 64

According to Reza Aslan, female genital mutilation is “not an Islamic problem. It’s an African problem….It’s a Central African problem. Eritrea has almost 90 percent female genital mutilation. It’s a Christian country. Ethiopia has 75 percent female genital mutilation. It’s a Christian country. Nowhere else in the Muslim, Muslim-majority states is female genital mutilation an issue.” Aside from his idiotic view that Eritrea and Ethiopia are in Central Africa, Aslan is wrong in claiming that “nowhere else in the Muslim, Muslim-majority states is female genital mutilation an issue.” Does he think Indonesia is in Central Africa as well?

“Almost 70m more women than previously thought are estimated to have undergone FGM,” Telegraph, February 5, 2016 (thanks to all who sent this in):