Circumcision in Islam
JMD Morgan
By Sami Zaatari
What does Islam say about circumcision? I have decided to write an
article dealing with this topic since it is not brought up much, and
when it is most Muslim's do not really know the status of circumcision
in Islam. There are Christians who claim circumcision is not called for
in Islam, so therefore Muslims have no right on criticizing Christians
for not practicing it and abrogating it. However this is not true, on
the contrary Islam does call for circumcision, we provide the proof for
this:
Question:
Is it permissible to circumcise a baby boy before the age of seven days,
especially when this is the practice in some hospitals? Someone told me
that it is haraam (forbidden) to do this before seven days and makrooh
(disliked) after that time.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is sunnah to circumcise baby boys, and it is neither haraam nor
makrooh to bring it forward before the seventh day or to delay it. The
ruling is not strict, and the interests of the child are to be taken
into account. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Five things are part of the fitrah (natural disposition of man):
circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, cutting the moustache, cutting the
nails and plucking the armpit hair." (Saheeh: agreed upon).
(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 5/112)
(http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=1165&ln=eng&txt=circumcision)
Question:
Is circumcision mandatory for the man who adopts Islam? What is the
Islamic rule on female circumcision?
Answer:
All Praise be to Allaah.
To the dear inquirer:
We appreciate the question you have submitted, as it is an issue which
is truly among those which may pose a hindrance in some cases for those
who wish to adopt Islaam.
In reality the issue is really simpler than many may think. Male
circumcision is among the rites of Islaam and is part of the fitrah, or
the innate disposition and natural character and instinct of the human
creation, and is from the religion of Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
Allaah has said (interpretation of the meaning): "Then we revealed to
you (the command) to follow the pure and uncorrupted religion of Ibrahim."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was circumcisized when he was
eighty years old." (Al-Bukhari, Vol 6/p. 388, Al-Salfiyya printing).
Male circumcision is obligatory for the Muslim male if he is able to do
it. If, however, he is unable, whether due to fear of injury or if a
respected and authoritative doctor has told him he will experience
profuse bleeding which may make his life miserable, then the obligation
for cirumcision is waived and he does not commit a sin by not having it
done.
It is not permissible under any circumstance for the issue to become a
hindrance for a person wanting to accept Islaam. The validity of one's
acceptance of Islaam is not dependent on his performance of circumcision
and it is valid for one to adopt Islaam even if he has not had himself
circumcized.
(http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=463&ln=eng&txt=circumcision)
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, there are benefits of circumcision insofar as it is part of the
sunan (ways) of the Prophets and is part of the sunan al-fitrah (acts
that befit the natural state of man). It is cleaner and healthier in
terms of urination and intercourse, and prevents infection, etc. These
and other benefits far outweigh the pain caused, which is less for
infants than for adults.
Moreover, a number of the scholars have said that circumcision is
obligatory for males. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said
in his book al-Mughni: "Circumcision is an obligation for men and an
honour, not an obligation, for women." This is the opinion of a number
of scholars. Ahmad said: "It is more of an obligation for men, because
if a man is not circumcised, this piece of skin will be dangling down
over the head of the penis and it will be too difficult to clean
left-over urine properly." It is not so strict in the case of women. Abu
?Abd-Allaah said: "Ibn ?Abbaas used to be very strict in this matter,
and it is reported that he said that no Hajj or salaah would be
accepted, i.e., from the one who is not circumcised." Al-Hasan was more
lenient; he said: "If a person enters Islam, it is not essential for him
to be circumcised." And he said: "Black and white people embraced Islam,
but not one of them was checked or forced to get circumcised."
The evidence that it is obligatory is the fact that covering the ?awrah
(private parts) is obligatory, so if circumcision were not obligatory,
it would not be permissible for the one who wants to be circumcised to
uncover his ?awrah for this purpose. Circumcision is one of the signs of
a Muslim, and like the other signs, it is obligatory. If an adult male
embraces Islam and is afraid that circumcision would be harmful for him,
then he is excused, because a person may be excused from ghusl, wudoo',
etc., if he fears that they may be harmful for him, so it is more so in
the case of circumcision. If a person is confident that it will not be
harmful, then he has to do it. Hanbal said: "I asked Abu ?Abd-Allaah
about the Dhimmi (non-Muslim under Islamic rule) who embraces Islam: did
he think that he should be circumcised? He said: ?There is no
alternative to that (i.e. he has to).' I asked: what if he or she is
advanced in age? He said: ?It is better for him to be circumcised,
because of the hadeeth: "Ibraaheem was circumcised when he was eighty
years old," and Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ". it is
the religion of your father Ibraaheem." [al-Hajj 22:78]'"
So our advice to you is to go ahead and have your son circumcised by
someone who is skilled and experienced. The Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Five things are part of the fitrah:
circumcision, removing the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting
the nails, and plucking the armpit hair." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 5441)
May Allaah help us and you to do good.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=2425&ln=eng&txt=circumcision)
Praise be to Allaah.
Circumcision is a part of sunan al-fitrah (actions befitting the natural
state of man) for men and women, but if it is not done after a person is
fully-grown, there is nothing to worry about. As for a non-circumcised
man leading the prayers, this is valid.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 5/117
(http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=2140&ln=eng&txt=circumcision)
Circumcision is part of the sunnah, and is obligatory on Muslims when
they are born, however so, if they are grown up and have not done it,
then there is no reason to do so. For instance a person who was born
into a non-Muslim and non-Jewish family may most likely not get
circumcision done, he will not have to get one when he is a man neither,
however if he is born into a Muslim family, circumcision is a must.
Praise be to Allaah.
Circumcision is one of the characteristics of the fitrah (the natural
state of man), and it is one of the symbols of the Muslims, because it
is narrated in al-Saheehayn that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: ?The (characteristics of) the fitrah are five:
circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting
the fingernails and plucking the armpit hairs.'" So he (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) started with circumcision and said that
it is one of the characteristics of the fitrah.
Circumcision as prescribed by Islam involves cutting the foreskin
covering the glans of the penis only. Those who flay the skin
surrounding the penis or flay the entire penis, as is done in some
savage countries, and claim in their ignorance that this is the
circumcision prescribed in Islam, this is nothing but something
prescribed by the Shaytaan and made attractive to the ignorant, and it
is a torment to the one who is circumcised. It goes against the Sunnah
of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Islamic
sharee'ah which is based on ease and which enjoins preservation of life.
It is haraam for a number of reasons, including the following:
1- The Sunnah mentions cutting off the foreskin covering the glans of
the penis only.
2- This is torture and mutilation, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade mutilation and torture of
dumb beasts, committing outrages upon them or cutting off their limbs.
It is more appropriate that tormenting the sons of Adam should be more
forbidden, and a more serious sin.
3- This is contrary to the humanity and kindness encouraged by the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he
said, "Allaah has decreed humanity in all things."
4- This may lead to disease or death of the one who is circumcised, and
that is not permissible because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"and do not throw yourselves into destruction"
[al-Baqarah 2:195]
"And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another)"
[al-Nisa' 4:29]
Hence the scholars stated that it is not obligatory to circumcise an
adult if there is the fear of any of these things happening to him.
With regard to bringing men and women together on a certain day to
attend the circumcision and parade the child uncovered in front of them,
this is haraam, because it involves uncovering the ?awrah which Islam
dictates should be covered, and forbade us to uncover it.
Similarly, mixing between men and women on this occasion is not
permitted, because of the fitnah (temptation) involved and because it
goes against the pure sharee'ah.
Kitaab Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh
al-?Allaamah ?Abd al-?Azeez ibn ?Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have
mercy on him), vol 4, p. 423
(http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=20015&ln=eng&txt=circumcision)
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) wrote a useful book on the
rulings concerning the newborn, which he called Tuhfat al-Mawdood fi
Ahkaam al-Mawlood. In this book he wrote an extensive chapter in which
he spoke of circumcision and the rulings thereon. The following is a
summary of that, with additional comments from some other scholars.
1 - The meaning of circumcision (khitaan):
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
Khitaan is a noun describing the action of the circumciser (khaatin). It
is also used to describe the site of the circumcision, as in the
hadeeth, "When the two circumcised parts (al-khitaanaan) meet, ghusl
become obligatory." In the case of a female the word used is khafad. In
the male it is also called i'dhaar. The one who is uncircumcised is
called aghlaf or aqlaf.
Tuhfat al-Mawlood, 1/152
2 - Circumcision is the Sunnah of Ibraaheem and the Prophets after him:
Al-Bukhaari (6298) and Muslim (2370) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Ibraaheem (peace be upon him)
circumcised himself when he was eighty years old, and he circumcised
himself with an adze."
An adze (qadoom) is a carpenter's tool; it was also said that al-Qadoom
is a place is Syria.
Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said:
It is most likely that what is referred to in the hadeeth is the tool.
Abu Ya'laa narrated that ?Ali ibn Rabaah said: "Ibraaheem was commanded
to circumcise himself, so he circumcised himself with an adze and it was
very painful for him. Then Allaah revealed to him saying, "You rushed to
do it before We told you what tool to use." He said, "O Lord, I did not
want to delay obeying Your command."
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
Circumcision was one of the things with which Allaah tested Ibraaheem,
His Close Friend. He did them perfectly so Allaah made him a leader of
mankind. It was narrated that he was the first one who was circumcised,
as mentioned above. What it says in al-Saheeh is that Ibraaheem
circumcised himself when he was eighty years old. After him,
circumcision continued among the Messengers and their followers, even
the Messiah. He was circumcised and the Christians affirm that, and do
not deny that, as they also affirm that he was forbidden the flesh of pigs.
Tuhfat al-Mawdood, p. 158-159
But the scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) differed as to the
ruling on
circumcision.
Shaykh Ibn ?Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The most correct view is that it is obligatory in the case of men and
Sunnah in the case of women. The difference between them is that in the
case of men, it serves an interest which has to do with one of the
conditions of prayer, namely purity (tahaarah), because if the foreskin
remains, when the urine comes out of the urethra, some of it will
collect there, and this causes burning and infection every time the
person moves, and every time the foreskin is squeezed, some drops of
urine come out, thus causing najaasah (impurity).
In the case of women, it serves a useful purpose which is to reduce
desire. This is seeking perfection, not removing something harmful.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 1/133-134
This is the view of Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him). Ibn
Quddamah said in al-Mughni (1/115): As for circumcision, it is
obligatory for men and it is good in the case of woman, but it is not
obligatory for them.
3 - Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Abu'l-Barakaat said in his book al-Ghaayah: In circumcision of a man,
the skin at the tip of the penis (the foreskin) is removed; if he only
removes most of it, that is permissible. It is mustahabb to circumcise
females provided that is not done in an extreme manner. It was narrated
that ?Umar said to a woman who circumcised females, "Leave some of it if
you circumcise (a girl)." Al-Khallaal said in his Jaami': What is cut
when circumcising: Muhammad ibn al-Husayn told me that al-Fadl ibn
Ziyaad told them: Ahmad was asked, How much should be cut in
circumcision? He said, Until the glans (tip of the penis) becomes visible.
Ibn al-Sabbaagh said in al-Shaamil: What is obligatory in the case of a
man is to cut the skin on the tip of the penis until the entire glans
becomes visible. In the case of a woman, it means cutting the skin that
looks like the comb of a rooster at the top of the vagina, between the
two labia; if it is cut the base of it should be left like a date pit.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The well-known correct view is that everything covering the glans must
be cut.
Al-Majmoo', 1/351
Al-Juwayni said:
The hadeeth indicates that not too much of it should be removed (in the
case of women), because he said, "Leave something sticking out and do
not go to extremes in cutting."
Tuhfat al-Mawdood, 190-192
The point is that in the case of males, all the skin covering the tip of
the penis should be cut, but in the case of females only a part of the
skin that is like a rooster's comb at the top of the vagina should be cut.
4 - The wisdom behind circumcision
With regard to a man, he cannot be clean from urine unless he is
circumcised, because drops of urine collect underneath the foreskin and
he cannot be sure that they will not drip and make his clothes and body
impure. Hence ?Abd-Allaah ibn ?Abbaas was very strict on the issue of
circumcision. Imam Ahmad said: Ibn ?Abbaas was very strict on this
matter, and it was narrated that there is no Hajj and no prayer for him,
i.e., if a person is not circumcised his Hajj and prayer are not valid.
Al-Mughni, 1/115
With regard to the wisdom behind the circumcision of women, it is to
regulate their desire so it will be moderate.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked
about whether women should be circumcised or not. He replied:
Praise be to Allaah. Yes, they should be circumcised, i.e., the top of
the piece of skin that looks like a rooster's comb should be cut. The
Messenger of Allaah (S) said to the woman who did circumcisions: "Leave
something sticking out and do not go to extremes in cutting. That makes
her face look brighter and is more pleasing to her husband." That is
because the purpose of circumcising a man is to make him clean from the
impurity that may collect beneath the foreskin. But the purpose of
circumcising women is to regulate their desire, because if a woman is
not circumcised her desire will be strong. Hence the words "O son of an
uncircumcised woman" are used as an insult, because the uncircumcised
woman has stronger desire. Hence immoral actions are more common among
the women of the Tatars and the Franks, that are not found among the
Muslim women. If the circumcision is too severe, the desire is weakened
altogether, which is unpleasing for men; but if it is cut without going
to extremes in that, the purpose will be achieved, which is moderating
desire. And Allaah knows best.
Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 21/114
5 - It is permissible to pay money for circumcision.
Ibn Qudaamah said:
It is permissible to pay money for circumcision and for medical
treatment. We do not know of any difference of opinion on this matter,
because it is doing something that is needed and which is allowed in
sharee'ah. So it is permissible to pay money for it, like all other
permissible actions.
Al-Mughni, 5/314.
(http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=9412&ln=eng&txt=circumcision_
kangarooistan
<tr...@somewhere.org> wrote:
> Brothers and Sisters!
>
> Do not make the next generation of Muslims clean up your mess!
>
.
> Fight Islamic Fascism now, so your children won't have to!
What EXACTLY is it either side of the USA flag in the USA House of
Reps MATE ????
You KNOW what the FASCIST symbol is dont you MATE
Fascists use the FASCE as their SYMBOL
>
* Two fasces appear on either side of the flag of the United States
in the United States House of Representatives, representing the power
of the House and the country.
* The Mace of the United States House of Representatives, designed
to resemble fasces, consists of thirteen ebony rods bound together in
the same fashion as the fasces, topped by a silver eagle on a globe.
publicly viewable at: with pics and links
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcgk9t7p_85z9rrr7fr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasces
File:Fasces lictoriae.svg
Fasces_lictoriae.svg (SVG file, nominally 400 × 1,000 pixels, file
size: 123 KB)
Fascism, pronounced /ˈfæʃɪzəm/, comprises a radical and authoritarian
nationalist political ideology[1][2][3][4] and a corporatist economic
ideology. [5]
Fascists believe that nations and/or races are in perpetual conflict
whereby only the strong can survive by being healthy, vital, and by
asserting themselves in conflict against the weak.[6]
The fasces, which consisted of a bundle of rods that were tied around
an axe, were an ancient Roman symbol of the authority of the civic
magistrates; they were carried by his Lictors and could be used for
corporal and capital punishment at his command.[19]
THIS statue is very interesting as it was found in Rome and tells
HEAPS about him , for those who examine its meanings , a GENERAL with
a damaged left leg , scoliosis spine , " mole ' on left cheek in
MARBLE , almost certainly very accurate and lifelike as the cost was
great for statues , and he WAS the LEADER when it was made , very
interesting indeed compared to most OTHER leaders who " posed " in
their finest poses in statue art , a facial " mole ' and body
imperfections was NOT a good look in RESPECTED ancient Roman leader ,
the statue is probably very acurate
File:N26FabiusCunctator.jpg
Size of this preview: 298 × 599 pixels
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabius_Maximus
English: Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus - Cunctator (Schloss
Schönbrunn, Vienna)
Seems ODD how few people ever notice the seat george Washinton sits on
has Fasce for arms
The fasces in the United States
The following cases all involve the adoption of the fasces as a visual
image or icon; no actual physical re-introduction has occurred.
* In the Oval Office, above the door leading to the exterior
walkway, and above the corresponding door on the opposite wall, which
leads to the President's private office. (Note: the fasces depicted
have no axes, possibly because in the Roman Republic, the blade was
always removed from the bundle whenever the fasces were carried inside
the city, in order to symbolize the rights of citizens against
arbitrary state power (see above).)
National Guard Bureau insignia
* The National Guard uses the fasces on the seal of the National
Guard Bureau, and it appears in the insignia of Regular Army officers
assigned to National Guard liaison and in the insignia and unit
symbols of National Guard units themselves. For instance, the
regimental crest of the U.S. 71st Infantry Regiment of the New York
National Guard consisted of a gold fasces set on a blue background.
* The reverse of the United States "Mercury" dime (minted from
1916 to 1945) bears the design of a fasces and an olive branch.
* Two fasces appear on either side of the flag of the United
States in the United States House of Representatives, representing the
power of the House and the country.
* The Mace of the United States House of Representatives, designed
to resemble fasces, consists of thirteen ebony rods bound together in
the same fashion as the fasces, topped by a silver eagle on a globe.
* The official seal of the United States Senate has as one
component a pair of crossed fasces.
* Fasces ring the base of the Statue of Freedom atop the United
States Capitol building.
* A frieze on the facade of the United States Supreme Court
building depicts the figure of a Roman centurion holding a fasces, to
represent "order".[4]
* The main entrance hallways in the Wisconsin State Capitol have
lamps which are decorated with stone fasces motifs.
* At the Lincoln Memorial, Lincoln's seat of state bears the fasces
—without axes—on the fronts of its arms. (Fasces also appear on the
pylons flanking the main staircase leading into the memorial.)
* The official seal of the United States Tax Court bears the
fasces at its center.
* Four fasces flank the two bronze plaques on either side of the
bust of Lincoln memorializing his Gettysburg Address at Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania.
* The fasces appears on the state seal of Colorado, USA, beneath
the "All-seeing eye" (or Eye of Providence) and above the mountains
and mines.
* On the seal of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, a figure
carries a fasces; the seal appears on the borough flag. Fasces can
also be seen in the stone columns at Grand Army Plaza.
* Used as part of the Knights of Columbus emblem (designed in
1883).
* Many local police departments use the fasces as part of their
badges and other symbols. For instance, the top border of the Los
Angeles Police Department badge features a fasces. (1940)
* Commercially, a small fasces appeared at the top of one of the
insignia of the Hupmobile car.
* A fasces appears on the statue of George Washington, made by
Jean-Antoine Houdon which is now in the Virginia State Capital
* VAW-116 have a fasces on their unit insigina
* San Francisco's Coit Tower has two fasces-like insignia (without
the axe) carved above its entrance, flanking a Phoenix.
* The seal of the United States Courts Administrative Office
US "Mercury" dime reverse.
Jamilla Southwind
> Circumcision in Islam
Cricumcision is terrorism against innocent children. This explain why
so many muslim are suicide bomber
Lee
Lee
"kangarooistan" <kangaro...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:325c8d47-698e-4d92...@12g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
On Jul 30, 9:50 am, "Civilized World DEFEATS Islam!"
<tr...@somewhere.org> wrote:
> Brothers and Sisters!
>
> Do not make the next generation of Muslims clean up your mess!
>
.
> Fight Islamic Fascism now, so your children won't have to!
What EXACTLY is it either side of the USA flag in the USA House of
Reps MATE ????
You KNOW what the FASCIST symbol is dont you MATE
Fascists use the FASCE as their SYMBOL
I get confused about fascism which of these counts as symbols of
totalitarian state rule Mein kampf (My struggle) or Global jihad (Global
struggle)?