Why is circumcision required in Islam?

Question

I have read in many places that circumcision hasn't proven to be any helpful to our health and no advantages of it have been found.

• Why are we required to get circumcised when we are born?

• Are there any Hadith regarding this ruling?

Answer 1

Allah's apostle (pbuh) considered circumcision as Fitra of Prophets in the following Hadith and many other similar Ahadith.

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said "Five things are in accordance with Al Fitra (i.e. the tradition of prophets): to be circumcised, to shave the pelvic region, to pull out the hair of the armpits, to cut short the moustaches, and to clip the nails.' (Al-Bukhari Volume 8: Book 74: Hadith 312)

It is therefore evident that it was a tradition all Prophets followed.

Exclusively, we get the proof of the circumcision of Prophet Ibraheem (pbuh) in the Ahadith.

Narrated by Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Abraham did his circumcision with an adze at the age of eighty." (Al-Bukhari : Volume 4 : Book 55 : Hadith 575)

This is why circumcision is considered as Sunnath-al-Ibrahimi (The Sunnah of Prophet Ibraheem[pbuh]).

Coming to the benefits of Circumcision, let us go through the following facts:

1. Infection or inflammation of the foreskin affects about 10% - 14% of uncircumcised boys.

2. urinary tract infections occur in about 1 in 100 uncircumcised boys in the first year of life, and 1 in 1,000 in circumcised boys. There is also an increased risk of inflammation and infections of the foreskin and glans in uncircumcised males.

3. Circumcision brings down the chances of catching genital ulcerative diseases.

4. Penile cancer is a risk for uncircumcised men. One male in 100,000 gets this malignancy and it is invariably an uncircumcised male.

5. A Kaiser Permanente HMO study found that uncircumcised infants are 10 times more likely to get kidney infections and urinary tract infections, especially in their first year of life.

6. Most importantly, the biggest health benefit conferred by circumcision is that it helps bring down the chances of contracting the dreaded HIV virus. Not only this, circumcised males carrying the AIDS virus are less likely to transmit it to their female partners.

Suggested reading:

1. What are the health Benefits of Circumcision

2. Advantages of circumcision

ۚ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (And Allah is the All-Knower, the Wise)

Jazaakallah...

Answer 2

Circumcision is prescribed in Islam.

The evidence for it is in the Quran and Ahadith:

ثم أوحينا إليك أن اتبع ملة إبراهيم

Then We revealed to you to follow the religion of Abraham

^{— Quran 16:123}

أولئك الذين هدى الله فبهداهم اقتده

Those (Abraham and the other prophets) are the ones whom Allah has guided, so from their guidance take an example

^{— Quran 6:90}

اختتن إبراهيم

Abraham circumcised himself

^{— Sahih Bukhari}

الفطرة خمس الختان

Five practices are characteristics of the Fitra: circumcision, ...

^{— Sahih Bukhari}

ألق عنك شعر الكفر واختتن

Remove from yourself the hair that grew during the period of unbelief and get yourself circumcised

^{— Sunan Abi Dawud}

And in Ijma':

اتفقوا على أن الختان في حق الرجال، والخفاض في حق الأنثى مشروع . ثم اختلفوا في وجوبه

There is agreement that circumcision for men and women is prescribed. Then there there is disagreement on whether it is obligatory

^{— Ikhtilaf al-‘A’immah al-‘Ulama’}

Scholars have noted that it is one of the symbols of Islam:

و الاصل أن الختان سنة كما جار في الخبر وهو من شعائر الاسلام وخصائصه فلو اجتمع أهل بلدة على تركه حاربهم الامام، فلا يترك إلا لعذر

The rule is that circumcision is a sunnah as stated in the report and it is from the symbols of Islam and its specialties so if all the people of a settlement abandon the practice the ruler of the Muslims will wage war against them, and it should not be left without a valid excuse

^{— Durr al-Mukhtaar - Hanafi}

Some have also noted that it aids in Taharah (ritual cleanliness) because the foreskin is an impediment in washing away impurities. Note that Taharah is different from hygiene as it is not about health rather it means being qualified for the purpose of performing prayer etc. So for example wine or boiled urine may be sterile but it is still ritually unclean.

Circumcision is done because it is ritual that Islam teaches us to do similar to prayer, ablution, pilgrimage or sacrifice. It is not done to obtain any worldly benefit. If there is any benefit then that is a bonus but even if there was no proven medical advantage Muslims would still practice it since it is prescribed by Allah and that is all that matters.

وما كان لمؤمن ولا مؤمنة إذا قضى الله ورسوله أمرا أن يكون لهم الخيرة من أمرهم ومن يعص الله ورسوله فقد ضل ضلالا مبينا

It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.

^{— Quran 33:36}

إنما كان قول المؤمنين إذا دعوا إلى الله ورسوله ليحكم بينهم أن يقولوا سمعنا وأطعنا وأولئك هم المفلحون

The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, "We hear and we obey." And those are the successful.

^{— Quran 24:51}