New ruling in Egypt allows hymen repair called 'hymenoplasty' as legal decree

A new ruling in Egypt that permits women to repair hymen has stoked controversy in the Islamic state, with some critics fearing it may lure women into premarital sex.

According to Dr Ahmed Mamdouh, director of the Sharia Research Department of Egypt’s highest religious authority 'Dar al Ifta', “in some cases, patching is required and legitimate for a girl who has been raped or deceived and wants to repent and turn a new page.”

This new legal decree, called fatwa, was issued on August 30. It expands Mamdouh's ruling from a 2015 study in which he had opposed hymen repair in the case of “promiscuous” women, a stance based on a 2007 fatwa issued by Sheikh Ali Gomaa.

While Mamdouh didn’t give any examples or exceptions, he did point out that “there are some cases in which it is forbidden by Sharia to carry out the procedure of hymen repair.” The new ruling came in response to the question by an obstetrician on whether hymen reconstruction surgery is permissible in Islam.

Criticism and hate speech

Only moments after his words were published during a Facebook broadcast, people were quick to argue that hymen reconstruction surgery or hymenoplasty, might make sex out of wedlock more attractive for women since they can now resort to a “quick fix” before marriage.

According to executive Egyptian law, neither performing hymenoplasty nor receiving one is considered illegal. Prices in private and public clinics in Egypt start from around $1,200. However, having an intact hymen is still closely linked to 'purity and morality' in the perception of many Egyptians.

The increase in "urfi" (unregistered or secret) marriages in recent years has led to a rise in the number of hymen reconstruction surgeries. In such marriages, the wife gives up all her rights including alimony to tie the knot with her husband. The practice however can be misused by husband who may divorce his wife by simply tearing up the piece of paper signed by them both, destroying the only proof of the marriage. Girls who find themselves in this situation often resort to hymenoplasty as a lifeline that allows them to remarry without 'shaming' their families. 

Despite the more tolerant religious view of the surgery, it may take a long time before the practice gains broader acceptance in a society where women are treated as second-class citizens.