Circumcision
When should one be circumcised?
Kuwaiti Encyclopedia of fiQh Volume 19 Page 28-29
The Shaafi'i and Hanbali schools of thought hold the opinion that circumcision becomes obligatory after puberty because the purpose of circumcision is al-Tahaarah and it is not waajib before that [i.e. before puberty].
There are two opinions in the Shaafi'i school. The view upon which legal verdicts are based says that a person should be circumcised during sighaar on the seventh day of birth [and this includes the day of birth when counting the seven days].
The majority say that seven days does not include the day of birth.
The Hanafi, Maaliki, and Hanbali say it is disliked to get a child circumcised on the seventh day because it resembles the Jews.
al-Mubaarakfuuri says that there is a difference of opinion in regards to the time of circumcision. The majority of scholars say that there is no specified time. Circumcision is not necessary in Sighaar. Their evidence is the following hadiith:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Abraham did his circumcision with an adze at the age of eighty."
[Sahih al-Bukhaari Hadith No. 3356]
The Shaafi'i say that it is obligatory upon the wali to get the child circumcised before puberty. This view is rejected based on the following narration:
Narrated Said bin Jubair:
Ibn 'Abbas was asked, "How old were you when the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) 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. Sa'id bin Jubair said, "Ibn 'Abbas said, 'When the Prophet died, I had already been circumcised."
[Sahih al-Bukhaari Hadith No. 6299]
al-Qurtubi writes in al-Jaami' al-'ahkaam al-Qur'aan:
They have differed in regards to when the child should be circumcised. It has been established in narrations from a group of scholars that they said: Ibraahiim circumcised 'ismaa'iil when he was 13 years old. And he circumcised his son 'ishaaQ at seven days.
It has been narrated from Faatimah that she circumcised her son on the seventh day, and Maalik rejected that. He said that is from the doings of the Jews. Ibn Wahb mentioned it from him [i.e. Maalik]. al-Laith bin Sa'd said: A child should be circumcised between 7 and 10 years.
Ibn Wahb has transmitted the like of this from Maalik.
Ahmad said: I have not heard anything in regards to this.
And it is in al-Bukhaari on the authority of Said bin Jubair: Ibn 'Abbas was asked, "How old were you when the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) 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. Sa'id bin Jubair said, "Ibn 'Abbas said, 'When the Prophet died, I had already been circumcised."
Is circumcision a Sunnah or is it obligatory?
القول الأول
ذهب الحنفية والمالكية وهو وجه شاذ عند الشافعية ، ورواية عن أحمد : إلى أن الختان سنة في حق الرجال وليس بواجب. وهو من الفطرة ومن شعائر الإسلام، فلو اجتمع أهل بلدة على تركه حاربهم الإمام، كما
لو تركوا الأذان.
The first opinion
Circumcision for males is a Sunnah. It is not Waajib. This is the view of the Hanafi and Maaliki school of thought. It is a shaadha view among the Shaafi'i school of thought and a narration from Ahmad.
It is from the fiTrah and from among the shi'aar of Islaam. If all the people of a given country were to unite to give it up, the Imaam would declare war on them just like if they gave up the call to prayer [adhaan].
وهو مندوب في حق المرأة عند المالكية، وعند الحنفية والحنابلة في رواية يعتبر ختانها مكرمة وليس بسنة
وفي قول عند الحنفية: إنه سنة في حقهن كذلك، وفي ثالث: إنه مستحب
It is manduub for the female in the opinion of the Maaliki school of thought. According to the Hanafi school of thought circumcision is noble for females and is not a Sunnah. This is also one narration in the Hanaabilah school of thought. According to another view among the Hanafi school of thought it is a Sunnah for the females. According to a third view in the school it is mustahabb.
واستدلوا للسنية بحديث ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما مرفوعا: الختان سنة للرجال مكرمة للنساء وبحديث أبي هريرة مرفوعا خمس من الفطرة الختان، والاستحداد، ونتف الإبط، وتقليم الأظفار، وقص الشارب. وقد قرن الختان في الحديث بقص الشارب وغيره وليس ذلك واجبا.
They have said it is a Sunnah based on the hadiith of Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with both of them): Circumcision is a Sunnah for males, [a] noble [deed] for females.
And based on the hadiith of Abu Hurairah (may Allaah be pleased with him): "Five practices are characteristics of the Fitra: circumcision, shaving the pubic region, clipping the nails and cutting the moustaches short."
Circumcision has been mentioned in the hadiith connected with trimming the mustache and other things which are not waajib.
ومما يدل على عدم الوجوب كذلك أن الختان قطع جزء من الجسد ابتداء فلم يكن واجبا بالشرع قياسا على قص الأظفار
From among the evidences which points towards it not being Waajib is that circumcision is cutting a part of the body and so it is not Waajib based on Qiyaas of cutting the nails.
القول الثاني
ذهب الشافعية والحنابلة ، وهو مقتضى قول سحنون من المالكية : إلى أن الختان واجب على الرجال والنساء
The second opinion
The Shaafi'i school of thought and the Hanaabilah have said that circumcision is waajib for both men and women.
واستدلوا للوجوب بقوله تعالى: {ثم أوحينا إليك أن اتبع ملة إبراهيم حنيفا} قد جاء في حديث أبي هريرة - رضي الله عنه - قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: اختتن إبراهيم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو ابن ثمانين سنة بالقدوم وأمرنا باتباع إبراهيم صلى الله عليه وسلم
أمر لنا بفعل تلك الأمور التي كان يفعلها فكانت من شرعنا.
They have derived it being waajib from the saying of Allaah:
Then We revealed to you, [O Muhammad], to follow the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth; and he was not of those who associate with Allaah.
[Qur'aan 16:123]
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) as having said that Ibraahiim (peace be upon him) circumcised himself with the help of an adze when he was eighty years old.
[Sahiih Muslim Hadiith No. 2370]
We have been ordered to follow the Prophet Ibraahiim (peace be upon him). We have been ordered to do those things which he did. They are a part of our legislation.
وورد في الحديث كذلك: ألق عنك شعر الكفر واختتن قالوا: ولأن الختان لو لم يكن واجبا لما جاز كشف العورة من أجله، ولما جاز نظر الخاتن إليها وكلاهما حرام، ومن أدلة الوجوب كذلك أن الختان من شعار المسلمين فكان واجبا كسائر شعارهم.
If circumcision had not been waajib it would not have been permissible to expose one's awrah for it and nor would it have been allowed for the one performing circumcision to look at the awrah. Both acts are haraam.
And from among the 'adillah [evidences] of it being waajib is that circumcision is from among the shi'aar [distinguishing features] of the Muslims and is waajib like all of their shi'aar.
وفي قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إذا التقى الختانان وجب الغسل دليل على أن النساء كن يختتن؛ ولأن هناك فضلة فوجب إزالتها كالرجل. ومن الأدلة على الوجوب أن بقاء القلفة يحبس النجاسة ويمنع صحة الصلاة فتجب إزالتها
And it is mentioned in a hadiith: When the two circumcised meet, ghusl becomes waajib.
In that is evidence that females are also circumcised. And because here there is an excess the removal of which is waajib just like it is for men. And from among the 'adillah for it being waajib is that if the Qalfah is left it will take upon najaasah and prevent one's prayer from being correct. Thus, it is waajib to remove it.
القول الثالث
هذا القول نص عليه ابن قدامة في المغني، وهو أن الختان واجب على الرجال، ومكرمة في حق النساء
وليس بواجب عليهن
The third opinion
Ibn Qudaamah mentions in al-Mughni that circumcision is waajib for men and [a ]noble [deed] for women. It is not waajib for them [i.e. women].
Reference(s):
Kuwaiti Encyclopedia of fiQh
Volume 19 Page(s) 27-28