Muslims are still the largest religious group in which circumcision is practiced. In Islam, circumcision is also known as tahara, which means purification. The Muslim rite of circumcision is not mentioned in the Qur'an, but it is mentioned in the Sunnah (recorded words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad). In the Sunnah, Muhammad stated that circumcision is a "law for men."
What is the circumcision for?
The main reason for this ritual is purity. It is very important that every Muslim bathes before prayer. It is important that urine does not remain on the body. Muslims believe that removing the foreskin facilitates hygienic care of the penis.
Muslim proponents of the genital mutilation also claim that residual urine can collect under the foreskin, which can lead to fatal diseases.
Some Muslims see circumcision as a preventative measure against infection and disease.
For most members of this faith, circumcision is seen as an introduction to the Islamic faith and a sign of belonging.
Procedure Behaviors
There is no established age for circumcision in Islam. The age at which it is performed varies by family, region and country.
The age of seven years is considered preferable, although some are cut off already on the seventh day after birth or during puberty.
In Islam, there is no equivalent to the Jewish mohel (the person in Judaism who circumcises). Circumcision is usually done in a clinic or hospital. The person conducting the operation does not have to be a Muslim, but he must be prepared from a medical point of view.
In some Islamic countries, circumcision is performed after Muslim boys have read the entire Qur'an from beginning to end.
In Malaysia, for example, surgery is a ritual of puberty that separates the boy from childhood and introduces him into adulthood.
The main contraindication is the presence of any pathologies, inflammatory processes and neoplasms.
Why do Muslims circumcise
Circumcision is not mandatory in Islam, but it is an important ritual aimed at maintaining purity.
The ritual of the rite of circumcision for men among Muslims dates back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad. According to tradition, Muhammad was born without foreskin. Some Muslims who practice circumcision consider this a way to be like him.
According to Dr. Bashir Qureshi, author of Transcultural Medicine, every Muslim should follow the path and life of the Prophet Muhammad. Therefore, all Muslims - pious, liberals or secular people - observe this ritual. Muslims are required to follow not only the message of Allah in the Holy Quran, but also what the Prophet said or did as proof of their devotion to Islam.
Traditionally, Muslims are invited to undergo circumcision for men converted to Islam, but this practice is not widespread, especially if the procedure poses a health risk.
Khitan, or Khatna - this is the name of the rite of circumcision among Muslims. As the sources indicate, this is an ancient practice used in religions that preceded Islam, in the first Christian communities and in Judaism.
Although there is no mention of this in the Qur'an, in the Hadith and Sunnah it is referred to as the introduction of a person into the Islamic community, or ummah.
Islamic fitra (actions that emphasize the nature of man) includes five actions:
- circumcision;
- shaving pubic hair;
- mustache cropping;
- nail cutting;
- plucking hair from armpits.
However, according to another Hadith, fitra includes ten actions without circumcision.
In some Islamic schools, circumcision is recommended, but not considered mandatory. Others consider circumcision a must for all Muslims.
Benefits of Shariah circumcision
Circumcision is one of the actions prescribed by Allah, designed to make people beautiful both externally and internally (physically and spiritually). This is the perfection of fitra (the natural state of man) with which He created them, and, therefore, this is the perfection of the hanefiyya (pure monotheism) of the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham). The origin of the institution of circumcision as the perfection of the hanefiyah with the fact that Allah made a covenant with Ibrahim, promising to make him the imam of mankind. And the sign of this covenant was that every newborn man will be circumcised, and therefore the covenant will have this sign on their bodies. Circumcision is a sign that he has adopted the religion of Ibrahim.
For Hanifs (believers in a single god in pre-Islamic Arabia) circumcision had the same status as baptism for Christians.
Health benefits
Dr. Muhammad Ali al-Baar (a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in the UK and a consultant in the Islamic medicine department of the King Fahd Medical Research Center at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah) in his book on this topic wrote about the benefits of circumcision in Muslims, why this operation is necessary.
In his opinion, circumcision of newborn boys (i.e., during the first month of life):
- provides protection against local infection in the penis, which can occur due to the presence of the foreskin, which can lead to retention of urine or infections of the head of the penis;
- prevents infections of the urethra (the author refers to numerous studies, according to which, uncircumcised boys are more susceptible to urethra infection)
- protects against penile cancer;
- protects wives from cervical cancer (based on research, the author indicates that wives of circumcised men are less likely to become infected with cervical cancer than wives of uncircumcised men).
How is Muslim circumcision performed?
Adult circumcision is usually performed at a health facility under local anesthesia. Most men have practically no pain, and after the procedure, painkillers are not required.
From the point of view of medicine, circumcision in Muslim boys at an early age is more desirable, due to the low conductivity of impulses along the tissues of the foreskin in young children. In fact, for them this procedure is painless, which eliminates the need for anesthesia, which can harm the health of a small child.
The operation to excise the foreskin is performed on an outpatient basis, it lasts about half an hour. If necessary, use local or intravenous anesthesia.
The operation is carried out in several stages: first, the site of the operation is anesthetized, then the circumcision line is noted, after which the foreskin is excised and sutures are made.
Operation
There are two ways to carry out an operation.
- The foreskin is pulled forward as much as possible, then fixed with a special device similar to a guillotine. After that, the skin is cut off with a very sharp blade.
- Around the foreskin, an annular clamp is installed, along the edge of which the "excess" skin is cut off. The clamp is left for a while to prevent bleeding.
Some adult Muslims refuse to use painkillers during surgery, regarding this as evidence of willpower.
After the rite is perfect, many families often celebrate.
Recovery period
Most men, as a rule, return to their work within 1-2 days after the circumcision procedure. Men can go to the gym a week after the procedure. As a rule, you should avoid sex or masturbation for 6 weeks after surgery.
Female circumcision
In Islam, circumcision is carried out not only for men, but also for women. In this case, it is considered desirable, but not required.
In the Sunnah there are texts testifying that Muslims' rite of circumcision of women is a kind of prescription. According to Muslims, female circumcision is prescribed not so much for any specific reason, but as an act of wisdom that brings certain advantages.
