One daeiya presented contested practices as optional choices rather than fixed rulings

Evidence

Since female circumcision falls outside these categories, she argued that it was an optional practice. Having spelled out her reasoning, Hajja Faiza continued, “There are people who support female circumcision [khitan] on the basis that it is good for the psychological health of the woman, and that it is prudent to follow even a weak badith since there must be wisdom [bikma] in it. It is up to you which opinion you want to choose, but make sure that you consult a medical doctor before doing it.” Hajja Faiza’s response stands in contrast to the styles of the other daeiyat I worked with, most of whom propounded specifi recommendations without discussing the range of interpretive positions that existed on any given topic. — Saba Mahmood, Politics of Piety, 602

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clarifies how khitan (female circumcision) is classified as optional within Islamic legal categories rather than obligatory or prohibited.
• XREF: Connects to the chapter’s broader theme of how daeiyat differ in their pedagogies — later paragraphs (603) contrast exhortatory versus noninterventionist styles.