Circumcision of Females
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Q: A bad custom is spreading in African countries, which is female circumcision , and the girls suffer greatly from it. A conference of scholars was held in Cairo on this subject, and they issued a decision to prohibit this bad custom in those countries because it causes great harm to the girls. Now, we are about to hold a conference in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa , on this subject. Your Eminence, we inform you that the girls suffer severely from a matter imposed on them by custom and imitation, which is Pharaonic circumcision. Its description is that the circumciser removes the entire clitoris, along with part of the small labia and most of the large labia, which means the removal
of all the external female genitalia; this leads to complete disfigurement of the vulva, and afterwards the opening is sewn shut completely, which is known as (infibulation). This causes severe pain for the woman on her wedding night and during childbirth, and in many cases, the matter requires a surgical operation. It leads to sexual coldness and causes medical complications in which the woman loses her life, her health, or her ability to bear children. We submit to Your Eminence a request for a scholarly legal ruling from the Ifta' Authority on the ruling of this circumcision that we have described in writing. We also request that Your Eminence provide us with this fatwa and opinion on a (CD) so that we can present it to the scholars and all Muslims in our country, so that our argument is based on sound and convincing foundations for everyone.
A: Circumcision is among the Sunnahs of fitrah; due to the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in (the two Sahihs) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 292Sahih (Darussalam) The original ruling regarding female circumcision is that it is an honor; due to the hadith of al-Dahhak ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: . It was narrated by al-Hakim , and al-Tabarani , and others. The prescribed method of circumcision for women is the *ishmam* mentioned in the previous hadith. *Ishmam* is taking a small amount, and it is done by cutting a part of the skin that is like the comb of a rooster above the urinary opening, and the whole of it is not taken. As for the method mentioned in the question, called Pharaonic circumcision, it is not permissible; due to the prohibition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of that, when he said to the circumciser: The excessive cutting that is prohibited is: exaggerating in the thoroughness of the circumcision, and it is forbidden; because of the extreme harm it causes to the woman. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Ibn Majah 2340Da'if (Darussalam). It was narrated by Malik , and Ibn Majah .
of all the external female genitalia; this leads to complete disfigurement of the vulva, and afterwards the opening is sewn shut completely, which is known as (infibulation). This causes severe pain for the woman on her wedding night and during childbirth, and in many cases, the matter requires a surgical operation. It leads to sexual coldness and causes medical complications in which the woman loses her life, her health, or her ability to bear children. We submit to Your Eminence a request for a scholarly legal ruling from the Ifta' Authority on the ruling of this circumcision that we have described in writing. We also request that Your Eminence provide us with this fatwa and opinion on a (CD) so that we can present it to the scholars and all Muslims in our country, so that our argument is based on sound and convincing foundations for everyone.
A: Circumcision is among the Sunnahs of fitrah; due to the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in (the two Sahihs) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
five things are connected to the Fitrah): circumcision, shaving the pubic hairs, clipping the nails, plucking the armpit hairs and trimming the mustache.
خمس من الفطرة : الختان ، والاستحداد ، وتقليم الأظفار ، ونتف الإبط ، وقص الشاربThere was in Madinah a woman who circumcised women (i.e., performed female circumcision) who was called Umm 'Atiyyah, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: Do *ishmam* and do not cut excessively, for it is more beautiful for the face and more pleasing to the husband
كان بالمدينة امرأة تخفض النساء (أي : تختنهن) يقال لها : أم عطية ، فقال لها النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : أشمي ولا تنهكي ، فإنه أنظر للوجه وأحظى عند الزوجDo *ishmam* and do not cut excessively
أشمي ولا تنهكيIt was narrated from 'Ubadah bin Samit that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ruled: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
لا ضرر ولا ضرار
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.