What is the ruling on circumcision?
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Q: What is the ruling on circumcision?
A: As for circumcision: it is among the Sunnahs of fitrah (the innate natural disposition) and a distinguishing mark of the Muslims; for in the two Sahihs (al-Bukhari and Muslim), there is the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 4200Sahih (Al-Albani).
So he (peace and blessings be upon him) began with circumcision and informed that it is among the Sunnahs of fitrah.
And the Shari'ah circumcision is cutting off the foreskin that covers the head of the penis only. As for one who strips the skin surrounding the penis, or strips the entire penis, as is done in some uncivilized countries, and they claim out of ignorance that this is the prescribed circumcision, it is merely a legislation of Satan that He made attractive to the ignorant, a torture for the one being circumcised, and a contradiction of the Prophetic Sunnah and the Islamic Shari'ah which came with ease, facilitation, and the preservation of the soul.
And it is forbidden (haram) for several reasons, among which are:
1- That the Sunnah came with cutting off the foreskin that covers the head of the penis only.
2- That this is torture of the self and mutilation of it, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade mutilation, and forbade torturing animals and messing with them or cutting off their limbs, so the torture of the children of Adam is even more so, and it is a greater sin.
3- That this contradicts the excellence (ihsan) and gentleness that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) urged in his saying:Sunan an-Nasa'i 4412Sahih (Darussalam) the hadith.
4- That this may lead to the spread of infection and the death of the one being circumcised, and that is not permissible; for Allah the Exalted said: [al-Baqarah: 195] and He the Exalted said: [al-Nisa: 29]. For this reason, the scholars stated that it is not obligatory for the adult to undergo Shari'ah circumcision if there is fear for him from it.
As for the gathering of men and women on a known day to attend the circumcision and standing the boy exposed before them, this is forbidden (haram); for it contains the exposure of the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) which the Islamic religion ordered to be covered and forbade to be exposed.
And likewise, the free mixing of men and women on this occasion is not permissible; for it contains fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and a contradiction of the pure Shari'ah.
A: As for circumcision: it is among the Sunnahs of fitrah (the innate natural disposition) and a distinguishing mark of the Muslims; for in the two Sahihs (al-Bukhari and Muslim), there is the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fixed forty days to shave the pubes, paring the nails, clipping the moustaches, and plucking the hair under the armpit. Abu Dawud said: Ja'far b. Sulaiman transmitted it from Abu 'Imran on the authority of Anas. In this version he did not mention the Prophet (ﷺ). He said: Forty days were fixed for us. This is a more correct version.
الفطرة خمس: الختان، والاستحداد، وتقليم الأظفار، وقص الشارب، ونتف الإبطSo he (peace and blessings be upon him) began with circumcision and informed that it is among the Sunnahs of fitrah.
And the Shari'ah circumcision is cutting off the foreskin that covers the head of the penis only. As for one who strips the skin surrounding the penis, or strips the entire penis, as is done in some uncivilized countries, and they claim out of ignorance that this is the prescribed circumcision, it is merely a legislation of Satan that He made attractive to the ignorant, a torture for the one being circumcised, and a contradiction of the Prophetic Sunnah and the Islamic Shari'ah which came with ease, facilitation, and the preservation of the soul.
And it is forbidden (haram) for several reasons, among which are:
1- That the Sunnah came with cutting off the foreskin that covers the head of the penis only.
2- That this is torture of the self and mutilation of it, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade mutilation, and forbade torturing animals and messing with them or cutting off their limbs, so the torture of the children of Adam is even more so, and it is a greater sin.
3- That this contradicts the excellence (ihsan) and gentleness that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) urged in his saying:
Allah has decreed proficiency in all things
إن الله كتب الإحسان على كل شيء4- That this may lead to the spread of infection and the death of the one being circumcised, and that is not permissible; for Allah the Exalted said:
and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]
وَلا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِAnd do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.
وَلا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًاAs for the gathering of men and women on a known day to attend the circumcision and standing the boy exposed before them, this is forbidden (haram); for it contains the exposure of the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) which the Islamic religion ordered to be covered and forbade to be exposed.
And likewise, the free mixing of men and women on this occasion is not permissible; for it contains fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and a contradiction of the pure Shari'ah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.