بسم
الله الرحمن
الرحيم
Circumcision.
The foreskin – a protective
skin over the tip of the male reproductive organ – is removed in a surgical
procedure called ‘circumcision’. The practice – ‘sunnah’ – is said to have
started from prophet Ibraaheem, peace be upon him. We find no mention or
requirement in Qur-aan to do this act and is, therefore, a ‘munkar’(منكر) act, as far as Qur-aan
is concerned. And as with all ‘munkar’
acts, we will not find its mention or requirement in Qur-aan, but, on the other
hand, we would discover that it is an act that derides or violates a verse of
Qur-aan.
‘Scientific’ and also ‘Religious’ arguments are put forth in favour of
‘Circumcision’. The several grounds that are mentioned are all unconvincing.
They say it is necessary for ‘cleanliness’. But I think there are ways to keep
the area clean, without having to remove the foreskin. When Allaah created ‘man’, did he make a
mistake in designing him? Absolutely no. Allaah says that He made ‘man’ in the
best design. I deem the foreskin to be a skin designed to protect the
sensitivity of a sensitive part, just as we have a lid over the eyes.
Let us study the following
verses, which show that Allaah fashioned man and then He Himself did all the
improvements or corrections, then proportioned him and then breathed life into
him.
87:2
“Who has created, and
further, given order and proportion.”
“Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His spirit. And
He gave you hearing and sight and hearts: little thanks do you give! ” (32:9)
(75:38)
“Then
he became a clot; then (Allaah) created and straightened.”
(82:7)
“Him Who created you,
fashioned you, and proportioned you.”
“And when I have fashioned
him and breathed into him of My Spirit, then fall down before him prostrate.”
(38:72)
Further, Allaah says that He
ordained for us the same religion, which He commended unto Nooh, and that which
He commended unto Ibraheem and Moosa and Easaa.
(42:13
– part)
“He has ordained for you that religion which He commended unto Nooh,
and that which We inspire in you (Muhammad), and that which We commended unto
Ibraheem and Moosa and Easaa,”
So, when the sharee’ath (law)
is common for the prophets (and their people), how can we say that circumcision
originated from prophet Ibraaheem (peace upon him) who is a later prophet after
Nooh (peace upon him). Nooh (peace upon
him), being the earliest prophet, the circumcision must have originated from
him and not from a later prophet. If they insist that the practice started from
Ibraaheem (peace upon him), then can they explain why Allaah let the whole
generations of the people of Nooh, ‘Aad and Thamood, spend their lives in a
state of permanent ‘uncleanliness’! ?!
The fact is: those in
authority among Muslims, who distorted the religion after the demise of our
prophet and the rightly guided caliphs, started this practice, in order to make
the Muslims fulfill the challenge thrown by the satan before our Lord, as given
in the following verse:
(4:119)
“And surely I will lead them
astray, and surely I will arouse desires in them,
and surely I will command
them and they will cut the cattle' ears,
and surely I will command
them and they will change Allaah's creation.
Whoso chooses satan for a patron instead of Allaah is surely a loser and his loss is manifest.”
It is this challenge, which
satan is trying to put into action and people ignorant of the verses of Qur-aan
are happily letting him have his way.
A friend of mine went to see a reverted Muslim (who was previously a
Christian). The new Muslim was a knowledgeable and honest person. He was
lamenting upon the innovations, which the present day Muslims are practising,
and passingly remarked that even the practice of circumcision is in the nature
of deriding the verse (4:119), which I have quoted above. My friend was shocked
to hear an unheard of - but identical - explanation from two unconnected
people.
A large part of Muslims are unaware of a similar ‘munkar’ act being
practised in several Muslim countries. It is: ‘female circumcision’. If you have not heard of it before, you too
would be surprised and shocked – as I myself was – when I heard it the first
time. I just could not comprehend as to what for and what they remove from the
females? Another name for it is: ‘female genital mutilation’. So the purpose is,
as the name says, just mutilation or disfigurement, which fulfils the satan’s
challenge. If you ask them the ‘scientific’ or ‘religious’ purpose for doing
this, you can be sure that they will not be found wanting in a ‘valid
explanation’. They will certainly offer you some lame reasons for doing this.
Since
there is no common and convenient method to perform a ‘circumcision’ upon the
females, they practice three kinds of circumcisions or mutilations, not
having an agreeable method to do it. Pointing out to the absurdity of this, I
used to tease my friends, asking:
“Why?
This (female circumcision) is being done in the Muslim societies in several
countries. Their ‘aalims (religious priests) must be allowing or promoting it.
And they should certainly be giving some ‘religious’ reasons to support this
act, something from the hadeeth, if not from Qur-aan. Then why don’t we too do
this in our societies, which is deemed a ‘religious act’ among our own people
in other countries?” (The country
where this practice is most prevalent is Egypt (80-90%), followed by Sudan,
Ethiopia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Djibouti,
Nigeria, etc. Egypt passed a law banning this, in 2007).
When I searched the internet to know the ‘ulemas’ view about this, I
came across a fatwa in Arabic, which supports the female circumcision,
although in a round-about manner.
The following is the web-link : http://www.saaid.net/Doat/Najeeb/f117.htm
The
Arabic text of this fatwa is also reproduced in this website: http://ikhwah.com/arabic/fgm.htm
So I now ask my friends: Now that we have a fatwa in Arabic, quoting Qur-aan and Hadeeth, in support of ‘female circumcision’, with whom do we begin this practice? Members of your family or mine?