Circumcision in Islam

 

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What does Islam say about circumcision? I have decided to write an article dealing with this topic since it is not brought up much, and when it is most Muslim's do not really know the status of circumcision in Islam. There are Christians who claim circumcision is not called for in Islam, so therefore Muslims have no right on criticizing Christians for not practicing it and abrogating it. However this is not true, on the contrary Islam does call for circumcision, we provide the proof for this:   

 

Question:
Is it permissible to circumcise a baby boy before the age of seven days, especially when this is the practice in some hospitals? Someone told me that it is haraam (forbidden) to do this before seven days and makrooh (disliked) after that time.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

It is sunnah to circumcise baby boys, and it is neither haraam nor makrooh to bring it forward before the seventh day or to delay it. The ruling is not strict, and the interests of the child are to be taken into account. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Five things are part of the fitrah (natural disposition of man): circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, cutting the moustache, cutting the nails and plucking the armpit hair.” (Saheeh: agreed upon).

(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/112) (http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=1165&ln=eng&txt=circumcision)

 

Question:
Is circumcision mandatory for the man who adopts Islam? What is the Islamic rule on female circumcision?

Answer:

All Praise be to Allaah.
To the dear inquirer:

 

We appreciate the question you have submitted, as it is an issue which is truly among those which may pose a hindrance in some cases for those who wish to adopt Islaam.

In reality the issue is really simpler than many may think. Male circumcision is among the rites of Islaam and is part of the fitrah, or the innate disposition and natural character and instinct of the human creation, and is from the religion of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Allaah has said (interpretation of the meaning): "Then we revealed to you (the command) to follow the pure and uncorrupted religion of Ibrahim."

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

"The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was circumcisized when he was eighty years old." (Al-Bukhari, Vol 6/p. 388, Al-Salfiyya printing).

 

Male circumcision is obligatory for the Muslim male if he is able to do it. If, however, he is unable, whether due to fear of injury or if a respected and authoritative doctor has told him he will experience profuse bleeding which may make his life miserable, then the obligation for cirumcision is waived and he does not commit a sin by not having it done.

It is not permissible under any circumstance for the issue to become a hindrance for a person wanting to accept Islaam. The validity of one's acceptance of Islaam is not dependent on his performance of circumcision and it is valid for one to adopt Islaam even if he has not had himself circumcized.

 

(http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=463&ln=eng&txt=circumcision)

 

Praise be to Allaah.

 

Yes, there are benefits of circumcision insofar as it is part of the sunan (ways) of the Prophets and is part of the sunan al-fitrah (acts that befit the natural state of man). It is cleaner and healthier in terms of urination and intercourse, and prevents infection, etc. These and other benefits far outweigh the pain caused, which is less for infants than for adults.

 

Moreover, a number of the scholars have said that circumcision is obligatory for males. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his book al-Mughni: “Circumcision is an obligation for men and an honour, not an obligation, for women.” This is the opinion of a number of scholars. Ahmad said: “It is more of an obligation for men, because if a man is not circumcised, this piece of skin will be dangling down over the head of the penis and it will be too difficult to clean left-over urine properly.” It is not so strict in the case of women. Abu ‘Abd-Allaah said: “Ibn ‘Abbaas used to be very strict in this matter, and it is reported that he said that no Hajj or salaah would be accepted, i.e., from the one who is not circumcised.” Al-Hasan was more lenient; he said: “If a person enters Islam, it is not essential for him to be circumcised.” And he said: “Black and white people embraced Islam, but not one of them was checked or forced to get circumcised.”

 

The evidence that it is obligatory is the fact that covering the ‘awrah (private parts) is obligatory, so if circumcision were not obligatory, it would not be permissible for the one who wants to be circumcised to uncover his ‘awrah for this purpose. Circumcision is one of the signs of a Muslim, and like the other signs, it is obligatory. If an adult male embraces Islam and is afraid that circumcision would be harmful for him, then he is excused, because a person may be excused from ghusl, wudoo’, etc., if he fears that they may be harmful for him, so it is more so in the case of circumcision. If a person is confident that it will not be harmful, then he has to do it. Hanbal said: “I asked Abu ‘Abd-Allaah about the Dhimmi (non-Muslim under Islamic rule) who embraces Islam: did he think that he should be circumcised? He said: ‘There is no alternative to that (i.e. he has to).’ I asked: what if he or she is advanced in age? He said: ‘It is better for him to be circumcised, because of the hadeeth: “Ibraaheem was circumcised when he was eighty years old,” and Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… it is the religion of your father Ibraaheem…” [al-Hajj 22:78]’”

 

So our advice to you is to go ahead and have your son circumcised by someone who is skilled and experienced. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Five things are part of the fitrah: circumcision, removing the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, and plucking the armpit hair.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 5441)

May Allaah help us and you to do good.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=2425&ln=eng&txt=circumcision)

 

Praise be to Allaah.

 

Circumcision is a part of sunan al-fitrah (actions befitting the natural state of man) for men and women, but if it is not done after a person is fully-grown, there is nothing to worry about. As for a non-circumcised man leading the prayers, this is valid.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/117 (http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=2140&ln=eng&txt=circumcision)

 

Circumcision is part of the sunnah, and is obligatory on Muslims when they are born, however so, if they are grown up and have not done it, then there is no reason to do so. For instance a person who was born into a non-Muslim and non-Jewish family may most likely not get circumcision done, he will not have to get one when he is a man neither, however if he is born into a Muslim family, circumcision is a must.

 

Praise be to Allaah.

 

Circumcision is one of the characteristics of the fitrah (the natural state of man), and it is one of the symbols of the Muslims, because it is narrated in al-Saheehayn that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The (characteristics of) the fitrah are five: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting the fingernails and plucking the armpit hairs.’” So he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started with circumcision and said that it is one of the characteristics of the fitrah.

 

Circumcision as prescribed by Islam involves cutting the foreskin covering the glans of the penis only. Those who flay the skin surrounding the penis or flay the entire penis, as is done in some savage countries, and claim in their ignorance that this is the circumcision prescribed in Islam, this is nothing but something prescribed by the Shaytaan and made attractive to the ignorant, and it is a torment to the one who is circumcised. It goes against the Sunnah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Islamic sharee’ah which is based on ease and which enjoins preservation of life.

It is haraam for a number of reasons, including the following:

 

1- The Sunnah mentions cutting off the foreskin covering the glans of the penis only.

 

2- This is torture and mutilation, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade mutilation and torture of dumb beasts, committing outrages upon them or cutting off their limbs. It is more appropriate that tormenting the sons of Adam should be more forbidden, and a more serious sin.

 

3- This is contrary to the humanity and kindness encouraged by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said, “Allaah has decreed humanity in all things.”

 

4- This may lead to disease or death of the one who is circumcised, and that is not permissible because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

 

“and do not throw yourselves into destruction”

[al-Baqarah 2:195]

“And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another)”

[al-Nisa’ 4:29]

 

Hence the scholars stated that it is not obligatory to circumcise an adult if there is the fear of any of these things happening to him.

 

With regard to bringing men and women together on a certain day to attend the circumcision and parade the child uncovered in front of them, this is haraam, because it involves uncovering the ‘awrah which Islam dictates should be covered, and forbade us to uncover it.

 

Similarly, mixing between men and women on this occasion is not permitted, because of the fitnah (temptation) involved and because it goes against the pure sharee’ah.

Kitaab Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol 4, p. 423 (http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=20015&ln=eng&txt=circumcision)

 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) wrote a useful book on the rulings concerning the newborn, which he called Tuhfat al-Mawdood fi Ahkaam al-Mawlood. In this book he wrote an extensive chapter in which he spoke of circumcision and the rulings thereon. The following is a summary of that, with additional comments from some other scholars.

 

1 – The meaning of circumcision (khitaan):

 

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

Khitaan is a noun describing the action of the circumciser (khaatin). It is also used to describe the site of the circumcision, as in the hadeeth, “When the two circumcised parts (al-khitaanaan) meet, ghusl become obligatory.” In the case of a female the word used is khafad. In the male it is also called i’dhaar. The one who is uncircumcised is called aghlaf or aqlaf.

Tuhfat al-Mawlood, 1/152

 

2 – Circumcision is the Sunnah of Ibraaheem and the Prophets after him:

Al-Bukhaari (6298) and Muslim (2370) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) circumcised himself when he was eighty years old, and he circumcised himself with an adze.”

 

An adze (qadoom) is a carpenter’s tool; it was also said that al-Qadoom is a place is Syria.

 

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said:

It is most likely that what is referred to in the hadeeth is the tool. Abu Ya’laa narrated that ‘Ali ibn Rabaah said: “Ibraaheem was commanded to circumcise himself, so he circumcised himself with an adze and it was very painful for him. Then Allaah revealed to him saying, “You rushed to do it before We told you what tool to use.” He said, “O Lord, I did not want to delay obeying Your command.”

 

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

 

Circumcision was one of the things with which Allaah tested Ibraaheem, His Close Friend. He did them perfectly so Allaah made him a leader of mankind. It was narrated that he was the first one who was circumcised, as mentioned above. What it says in al-Saheeh is that Ibraaheem circumcised himself when he was eighty years old. After him, circumcision continued among the Messengers and their followers, even the Messiah. He was circumcised and the Christians affirm that, and do not deny that, as they also affirm that he was forbidden the flesh of pigs…

Tuhfat al-Mawdood, p. 158-159

 

But the scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) differed as to the ruling on

circumcision.

 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

 

The most correct view is that it is obligatory in the case of men and Sunnah in the case of women. The difference between them is that in the case of men, it serves an interest which has to do with one of the conditions of prayer, namely purity (tahaarah), because if the foreskin remains, when the urine comes out of the urethra, some of it will collect there, and this causes burning and infection every time the person moves, and every time the foreskin is squeezed, some drops of urine come out, thus causing najaasah (impurity).

In the case of women, it serves a useful purpose which is to reduce desire. This is seeking perfection, not removing something harmful.

Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 1/133-134

 

This is the view of Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him). Ibn Quddamah said in al-Mughni (1/115): As for circumcision, it is obligatory for men and it is good in the case of woman, but it is not obligatory for them.

 

3 – Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

 

Abu’l-Barakaat said in his book al-Ghaayah: In circumcision of a man, the skin at the tip of the penis (the foreskin) is removed; if he only removes most of it, that is permissible. It is mustahabb to circumcise females provided that is not done in an extreme manner. It was narrated that ‘Umar said to a woman who circumcised females, “Leave some of it if you circumcise (a girl).” Al-Khallaal said in his Jaami’: What is cut when circumcising: Muhammad ibn al-Husayn told me that al-Fadl ibn Ziyaad told them: Ahmad was asked, How much should be cut in circumcision? He said, Until the glans (tip of the penis) becomes visible.

Ibn al-Sabbaagh said in al-Shaamil: What is obligatory in the case of a man is to cut the skin on the tip of the penis until the entire glans becomes visible. In the case of a woman, it means cutting the skin that looks like the comb of a rooster at the top of the vagina, between the two labia; if it is cut the base of it should be left like a date pit.

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

The well-known correct view is that everything covering the glans must be cut.

Al-Majmoo’, 1/351

 

Al-Juwayni said:

 

The hadeeth indicates that not too much of it should be removed (in the case of women), because he said, “Leave something sticking out and do not go to extremes in cutting.”

Tuhfat al-Mawdood, 190-192

 

The point is that in the case of males, all the skin covering the tip of the penis should be cut, but in the case of females only a part of the skin that is like a rooster’s comb at the top of the vagina should be cut.

 

4 – The wisdom behind circumcision

 

With regard to a man, he cannot be clean from urine unless he is circumcised, because drops of urine collect underneath the foreskin and he cannot be sure that they will not drip and make his clothes and body impure. Hence ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas was very strict on the issue of circumcision. Imam Ahmad said: Ibn ‘Abbaas was very strict on this matter, and it was narrated that there is no Hajj and no prayer for him, i.e., if a person is not circumcised his Hajj and prayer are not valid. Al-Mughni, 1/115

 

With regard to the wisdom behind the circumcision of women, it is to regulate their desire so it will be moderate.

 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about whether women should be circumcised or not. He replied:

 

Praise be to Allaah. Yes, they should be circumcised, i.e., the top of the piece of skin that looks like a rooster’s comb should be cut. The Messenger of Allaah (S) said to the woman who did circumcisions: “Leave something sticking out and do not go to extremes in cutting. That makes her face look brighter and is more pleasing to her husband.” That is because the purpose of circumcising a man is to make him clean from the impurity that may collect beneath the foreskin. But the purpose of circumcising women is to regulate their desire, because if a woman is not circumcised her desire will be strong. Hence the words “O son of an uncircumcised woman” are used as an insult, because the uncircumcised woman has stronger desire. Hence immoral actions are more common among the women of the Tatars and the Franks, that are not found among the Muslim women. If the circumcision is too severe, the desire is weakened altogether, which is unpleasing for men; but if it is cut without going to extremes in that, the purpose will be achieved, which is moderating desire. And Allaah knows best.

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 21/114

 

5 – It is permissible to pay money for circumcision.

 

Ibn Qudaamah said:

It is permissible to pay money for circumcision and for medical treatment. We do not know of any difference of opinion on this matter, because it is doing something that is needed and which is allowed in sharee’ah. So it is permissible to pay money for it, like all other permissible actions.

Al-Mughni, 5/314.

(http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=9412&ln=eng&txt=circumcision_

 

Another Islamic scholarly site writes:

 

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. 

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. 

Thanks for your question, and we implore Allah to guide us all to the best and to grant us insight to understand the teachings of Islam. 

Male circumcision is one of the important rites in Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, "There are five things that are of the nature (i.e., of the natural hygiene): removing the pubic hair, circumcision, trimming the mustache, removing the underarm hair, and cutting of the nails" (reported in all the six authentic collections of Hadith). 

It is not an absolute requirement for the one intending to embrace Islam to get circumcised. It is up to him to decide when to do it. 

Responding to the question, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore states the following:

Thank you for your query. We commend your effort to seek the truth in the religion.

Circumcision is compulsory for all male Muslims. However it is not a condition for conversion to Islam. A non-Muslim can embrace Islam without going through circumcision. After the conversion, he should build up his iman first with prayers and other religious duties. He should also strengthen his knowledge in Islam by reading the Qur'an and books on Islam. Only after he feels comfortable with circumcision will he be able to go through the process without any reservation. 

Circumcision enables one to easily clean his private part. The foreskin of the penis usually gathers some urine in its sac. Thus, if one has embraced Islam and has not undergone circumcision, he must ensure that his penis is clean before performing any prayers, by pulling back the foreskin to clean its internal part. 

Circumcision nowadays is a fast and almost painless affair. The initial injection of painkiller is the only pain that one will feel. If one goes through laser surgery, the healing will be very fast, less than a week, since there will be no stitches, just cutting of the skin with laser.

We hope that this reply answers your question. Please continue to seek religious knowledge at mosques or by reading authentic materials. (http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1135001291066)

 

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear brother in Islam, we are very pleased for the great confidence you repose in us and we really commend your apparent interest in having a better understanding of the teachings of Islam and the rulings of this great religion in all matters. In fact, Islam is a religion that encompasses all aspects of life and secures guidance and light for all mankind.

It is well known that circumcision is an act pertaining to the fitrah (pure human nature). Some Muslim scholars consider it as a confirmed Sunnah. Other scholars consider it mandatory.

“First of all, we would like to stress the fact that circumcision is the Sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them all). Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, “Five are the acts quite akin to fitrah: Circumcision, shaving the pubes, cutting the nails, plucking the hair under the armpits and clipping (or shaving) the moustache.” (Reported in all the six authentic collections of Hadith)

As regards the juristic views on this, Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik maintain that circumcision is considered as a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah Mu'akkadah), whereas Imam Shafi`i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal see it as mandatory (wajib).

Circumcision in Medical Perspectives:

Circumcision, being an act of fitrah, reflects Islam’s keenness on preserving man’s health and personal hygiene. This is further clarified in the following:

Circumcision is a universal practice which is greatly influenced by cultural and religious traditions. It is the most frequent operation on males not only in Islamic countries, but also other parts of the world. For example, in the United States of America more than one million male infants are circumcised each year. The performance of circumcision is one of the rules of cleanliness in Islam.

The word fitrah in relation to cleanliness can refer to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), with regard to this matter, and fitrah also 'implies an inner sense of cleanliness in man which is proof of his moral convictions and mental health.'

Male circumcision means removal of the foreskin of the penis. The Islamic scholar Al-Mawardi said, 'The ideal method is to remove the skin completely from the beginning of the glans, and the minimum condition is that nothing is left to cover the end of the glans." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recommended performing circumcision at an early age. Al- Mawardi stated that the chosen time is the 7th day after birth, but it can be carried out up to 40 days after birth or thereafter until the age of 7 years, depending upon the health of the infant or child at the time.

There is an ongoing debate on the value of neonatal circumcision. Indeed, the position of the American Academy of Pediatrics since 1975 has been that there are no valid or absolute medical indications for routine circumcision of newborn male infants. On the other hand, the results of recent clinical and epidemiological studies are supportive of the practice of circumcision in newborn and infant males. From a two-part study involving cohorts of 3,924 and 422,328 infants respectively Wiswell and Roscelli found a higher rate of urinary tract infection in uncircumcised compared with male circumcised infants. These investigators observed that as the circumcision frequency rate decreases, the incidence of urinary tract infections increases. Infection usually begins in the foreskin which becomes swollen and difficult to retract. A medium for bacterial growth and further spread of infection is provided by the fecal material trapped between the foreskin and glans of the penis. Such a condition probably leads to other more serious complications.

Proper hygienic care of the penis, which includes regular washing, will prevent some infections, but among children this is difficult to maintain and is probably not as effective as circumcision. Some conditions, such as phimosis, often lead to circumcision at a later age that could have been prevented if it had been performed earlier. The possible risk for long term urological complications in the infected, uncircumcised male infant has not been properly studied. It is known, however, that as many as 50% of male infants with urinary tract infections will subsequently reveal demonstrable radiologic abnormalities. Thus, the performance of circumcision and the practice of sunan Al-fitrah as recommended in Islam is medically beneficial and reflects the wisdom of the Islamic statements.”  (http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503545032)

 

Name of Questioner Mustafa   - Algeria   Title Does The Qur’an Speak about Circumcision?   Question Dear sheikh, As-Salamu `alaykum wa Rahmatullah. People differ regarding the issue of circumcision. Does the Qur’an mention anything about it? Please clarify this issue.   Date 28/Nov/2002   Topic Acts akin to human nature

 

 

Answer

 

 

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Dear brother in Islam, we are impressed by your question, which shows your interest to abide by the Shari`ah in all details of your life. May Allah help us all lead a righteous life based on Islam! Answering your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states: “The Qur’an consistently enjoins upon the faithful their duty to emulate the Prophet, to follow his fine examples, and to obey his orders (See for instance verses, An-Nahl 44; Al-Hashr 7; Al `Imran 31-32; An-Nisa' 59', 66, 105, etc.). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is not a postal-delivery man who simply brought us the Qur’an; rather he has also been entrusted with the task of explaining its teachings to us; thus the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) not only explained the Qur’an in theory, but also by putting into practice each and every ideal of the Qur’an. This is why `A’ishah, the Prophet’s beloved wife, described the Prophet’s character by saying: He was Qur’an personified. In an authentic Hadith, jointly reported by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “There are five things which form (an integral) part of the fitrah (natural way of Allah which has been inherited from all previous Prophets of Allah), namely, circumcision, removing the pubic hair and shaving the armpit, clipping of nails, and trimming one’s moustache.” Based on such authentic reports from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) the scholars of Islam have unanimously concluded that circumcision is an important rite of Islam as far as males are concerned. The only difference of opinion among them is whether it is absolutely mandatory or merely highly recommended. While some scholars consider it as highly recommended, the majority of them consider it as obligatory upon males. It is, however, important to note that there is nothing in the sources prescribing circumcision on females.” (http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546272)

 

Another site of Islamic scholars writes:

Al-Salam alaykum

According to the Hanafi school it is a confirmed sunna (sunna mu’akkada) for circumcision to be performed for a new born [male] as well as a person who accepts Islam .According to other schools it is wajib.(Raddal-Muhtarv.7 p.342 Dar al-Fikr1995)

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "The practices related to Fitrah (natural human ways) are five: Circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, pairing the nails and removing the hair of the armpits." - Sahih al-Bukhari

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Circumcision is Sunnah for men and an honour for women" - Musnad Ahmad, Al-Bayhaqi

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) also said: "Whoever accepts Islam should have his circumcision performed."  - Talkhis al-Habir

In one hadith in Musnad Ahmad the words "get rid of the hair of disbelief and perform circumcision" have been recorded.

The practice of circumcision is one of the salient features (sha`a'ir) of the religion of Islam. It is from amongst those things that Rasulullah(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) encouraged his ummah to follow the way (millah) of Hadrat Ibrahim (alayhis salam) in. Hadrat Ibrahim (alayhis salam) was the first person to be circumcised at the age of 80.(Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

Besides the above, circumcision also carries numerous physical benefits .It also prevents many illnesses.

Furthermore circumcision is an important aspect of taharah (cleanliness), which is so strongly emphasised in Islam, for when the foreskin is not removed, urine and other secretions can collect under the folded skin. This area can become the site of very painful infections from bacterial growth and the minor operation of circumcision greatly simplifies basic hygiene for men and boys. "Indeed God loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure" - Qur'an Surah al-Baqarah

Hence it is a greatly meritorious sunnah as well as physically beneficial to perform this act. However it is not a pre-requisite for conversion to Islam.

And Allah Ta`ala Knows Best.

Abu Usamah (http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/Questions/qa00001377.aspx)

 

So as you can clearly see, circumcision on Muslim newborns is obligatory and is the sunnah of the prophet Muhammad. Islam does not disregard or throw the practice of circumcision out; rather it continues to uphold it.

And may we all strive to follow the sunnah of the blessed prophet Muhammad, and may Allah bless us for doing so. Ameen!