Circumcision of males is allowed, but genital mutilation isnt in Islam. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him clearly prohibited mutilation or maiming of the body: Narrated Abdullah bin Yazid Al-Ansari: The Prophet forbade robbery (taking away what belongs to others without their permission), and also forbade mutilation (or maiming) of bodies. (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Oppressions, Volume 3, Book 43, Number 654). Narrated Abu Huraira: Allahs Apostle said, Five practices are characteristics of the Fitra (i.e., the tradition of Prophets) circumcision, shaving the pubic region, clipping the nails and cutting the moustaches short. (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Dress, Volume 7, Book 72, Number 777). Narrated Said bin Jubair: Ibn Abbas was asked, How old were you when the Prophet died? He replied. At that time I had been circumcised. At that time, people did not circumcise the boys till they attained the age of puberty. Said bin Jubair said, Ibn Abbas said, When the Prophet died, I had already been circumcised. (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Asking Permission, Volume 8, Book 74, Number 313). Circumcision for females is not allowed in Islam- Narrated Jafar bin Amr bin Umaiya: I went out with Ubaidullah bin Adi Al- Khaiyar. When we reached Hims (i.e. a town in Syria), Ubaidullah bin Adi said (to me), Would you like to see Wahshi so that we may ask him about the killing of Hamza? I replied, Yes. Wahshi used to live in Hims. We enquired about him and somebody said to us, He is that in the shade of his palace, as if he were a full water skin. So we went up to him, and when we were at a short distance from him, we greeted him and he greeted us in return. Ubaidullah was wearing his turban and Wahshi could not see except his eyes and feet. Ubaidullah said, O Wahshi! Do you know me? Wahshi looked at him and then said, No, by Allah! But I know that Adi bin Al-Khiyar married a woman called Um Qital, the daughter of Abu Al- Is, and she delivered a boy for him at Mecca, and I looked for a wet nurse for that child. (Once) I carried that child along with his mother and then I handed him over to her, and your feet resemble that childs feet. Then Ubaidullah uncovered his face and said (to Wahshi), Will you tell us (the story of) the killing of Hamza? Wahshi replied Yes, Hamza killed Tuaima bin Adi bin Al-Khaiyar at Badr (battle) so my master, Jubair bin Mutim said to me, If you kill Hamza in revenge for my uncle, then you will be set free. When the people set out (for the battle of Uhud) in the year of Ainain ..Ainain is a mountain near the mountain of Uhud, and between it and Uhud there is a valley.. I went out with the people for the battle. When the army aligned for the fight, Siba came out and said, Is there any (Muslim) to accept my challenge to a duel? Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib came out and said, O Siba. O Ibn Um Anmar, the one who circumcises other ladies! Do you challenge Allah and His Apostle? Then Hamza attacked and killed him, causing him to be non-extant llike the bygone yesterday. I hid myself under a rock, and when he (i.e. Hamza) came near me, I threw my spear at him, driving it into his umbilicus so that it came out through his buttocks, causing him to die. When all the people returned to Mecca, I too returned with them. I stayed in (Mecca) till Islam spread in it (i.e. Mecca). Then I left for Taif, and when the people (of Taif) sent their messengers to Allahs Apostle, I was told that the Prophet did not harm the messengers; So I too went out with them till I reached Allahs Apostle. When he saw me, he said, Are you Wahshi? I said, Yes. He said, Was it you who killed Hamza? I replied, What happened is what you have been told of. He said, Can you hide your face from me? So I went out when Allahs Apostle died, and Musailamah Al-Kadhdhab appeared (claiming to be a prophet). I said, I will go out to Musailamah so that I may kill him, and make amends for killing Hamza. So I went out with the people (to fight Musailamah and his followers) and then famous events took place concerning that battle. Suddenly I saw a man (i.e. Musailamah) standing near a gap in a wall. He looked like an ash-colored camel and his hair was dishevelled. So I threw my spear at him, driving it into his chest in between his breasts till it passed out through his shoulders, and then an Ansari man attacked him and struck him on the head with a sword. Abdullah bin Umar said, A slave girl on the roof of a house said: Alas! The chief of the believers (i.e. Musailamah) has been killed by a black slave. (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Military Expeditions led by the Prophet(pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi), Volume 5, Book 59, Number 399). So as we clearly see from the Sahih Bukhari (Authentic Bukhari in Arabic) Hadith, circumcision of females is not acceptable in Islam. There is, however, a weak Hadith from Sunan Abu Dawood that suggest that female circumcision is allowed but the authenticity this types of Hadith never stand before Sahih Bukhari. So far, we clearly saw that circumcision was allowed in Islam. But is the Islamic circumcision a genital mutilation ,is prohibited in Islam. Notice here in this narration that the act of circumcision was already known to be for the boys only. Genital mutilation for females is either a lie, or an old bad tradition that some people or tribes might still follow, even though their (originally pagan) traditions violate Islams way of life and GOD Almightys Laws. If some Muslim people are still doing it, then this has nothing to do with Islam, and I am positively sure that they are ignorant about their own religion. In Islam, we follow the laws of the Noble Quran, the Sayings of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) and the teachings of the Islamic Scholars. If a situation or case is not addressed in neither the Noble Quran, or the Sayings of our beloved Prophet, then only we follow the local verdicts of our Religious Authorities, where they would decide based upon the cultural and social situation and causes. Allah Almighty said in the Noble Quran: O ye who believe! Obey God, and obey the Apostle, and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to God and His Apostle, if ye do believe in God and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination. -Holy Quran, 4:59. When there comes to them some matter touching (Public) safety or fear, they divulge it. If they had only referred it to the Apostle, or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have Tested it from them (direct). Were it not for the Grace and Mercy of God unto you, all but a few of you would have fallen into the clutches of Satan. -Holy Quran 4:83. So according to the Noble Verses above, it is a must for us to follow the commands of our beloved Prophet(pbuh) who clearly said that circumcision of any woman is not allowed in Islam in other word it is prohibited in Islamic laws. Thanks to brother #Bishwajeet_Das for given me the opportunity to clearify the issue.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 10:56:12 +0000