Explaining the Sunnahs of Fitrah and Their Ruling

Question:
What are the sunnahs of fitrah? Are they a recommended practice or obligatory?

Answer:
The fitrah (innate natural disposition) practices are numerous, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained them in the hadith of Aisha, saying up to the end of what he mentioned, (peace and blessings be upon him). So the believer engages in them and strives to do so. Among them is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) , and preparing oneself, trimming the moustache, clipping the nails, plucking the armpit hair, and shaving the pubic hair. These are a confirmed sunnah (recommended practice), except for shaving the beard, which is forbidden, and letting it grow, which is obligatory. Letting the beard grow is obligatory, and shaving it is forbidden. There is a difference of opinion regarding circumcision; most of us hold that it is a confirmed sunnah. Some scholars make it obligatory for both men and women, while some scholars make it obligatory for men only, and consider it a sunnah for women.