Sharia's misogyny defeated!
Hatem Elhagaly (AKA "Hatem Al Haj"), a medical doctor and fellow at the American
Academy of Pediatrics, ignores FGM's detrimental effects on women's health, and instead argues that it is 'an honor' for women. He justifies this position by referring repeatedly to the words of classical Islamic scholars from the four schools of mainstream Sunni Islamic thought, all of which attest to FGM's legitimacy under Islam. He also refers to the words of the Prophet Muhammad himself, who reportedly counselled people in his day on how to perform FGM in a way that would be "more beautiful to behold and better for [the woman's] husband." (more here)
Tha Mayo Clinic removed Dr. Elhagaly. They sent this email:
From: Public Affairs <publicaffairs@mayo.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 2:16 PM
Subject: RE: Dr. Hatem Elhagaly
Dr. Elhagaly is no longer employed or caring for patients at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. We are working with his patients to transition their care to another physician. Because this is a personnel issue, we cannot comment further on Dr. Elhagaly's employment status.
Female circumcision in children, referred to as female genital mutilation in U.S. legal statutes, is a felony-level child abuse crime. Mayo Clinic strongly opposes the procedure and it has never been performed at any Mayo Clinic facility.
Atlas reader CGW vigorously pursued signatures to a petition seeking removal of Hatem Elhagaly (AKA "Hatem Al Haj"). Kudos to him for his hardwork. He dropped that petition in every post. Here is the text of the petition.
Hatem Elhagaly (AKA "Hatem Al Haj") worked as a doctor in Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Albert Lea, MN. His special interests are in child development.
He is also a proponent of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
In an Arabic-language paper entitled "Circumcision of Girls: Jurisprudence and Medicine" (original here and here), Elhagaly (AKA "Al Haj") repeatedly points to the idea that FGM is "an honor" for women, ignoring FGM's extremely detrimental effects on women's health and the barbarity of the practice. He attempts to justify his ideas by referencing scholars from several schools of Islamic thought and also the words of Muhammad, including the idea that FGM is desirable "because it is more beautiful to behold and better for her husband."
Hatem Elhagaly was taking care of young girls in Albert Lea, MN. We cannot entrust our children's medical care to a man who supports horrific, brutal, and illegal mutilatory practices.
Learn more about him at his website.
Hatem Elhagaly is already gone from his job at the Mayo Clinic. I now demand that the various medical boards that support him revoke his certifications.
Join with me in voicing your outrage. Together, we can remove this man from his position and insist that his board certifications in this country be revoked.
UPDATE: The clit-cutting loving doctor has started his petition railing against "islamophobia." cough cough. Taqiya, anyone?
