['Aalim Network QR] Circumcision

[Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>]

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|       In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful       |\
|  Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\
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Salaamun alaykum,

	The reply to the following question was kindly provided by Shaykh
Rasheed. 


Wasalaam,

Mustafa Rawji
Acting Moderator, 'Aalim Network


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QUESTION:

Asalaam Alaaykum

I was writing with a man thinking of converting to Islam.  He was born
christian and so he was circumcised but later decided to have it 
restored.

Now he is asking for more information about Islam and circumsion; i.e. is
it required or sunnah in Islam and more importantly he wants to know why
and what it signifies using any reference you have available.

Thank you


ANSWER:

It was reported in a narration from Imam Ja'far As-Saadiq (AS) that on the 
seventh day after the birth of a prophet his umbilical cord (Surr) and 
foreskin (Gulfah) would fall off. During the life of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) 
when his wife Hajir gave birth to his son Isma`eel (AS), his other wife 
Sara severely berated Hajir until she was in tears. When Prophet Ibrahim 
(AS) was informed of the incident, he also was moved to tears. When Sara 
gave birth to Prophet Ibrahim's (AS) second son, Ishaaq (AS), his umbilical 
cord dropped off on the seventh day but the foreskin remained. When Sara 
questioned the Prophet Ibrahim as to the reason this not happened to Ishaaq 
(AS) when it had happened to all previous sons of prophets. The Prophet 
when to his place of prayer and prayed. Allah Ta'ala revealed to him that 
his son Ishaaq was deprived of this because of his mother's berating of 
Haajir at the time of the birth of Isma`eel. The Prophet Ibrahim (AS) 
thereafter removed the foreskin of Ishaaq (AS) with a knife. (Taken from 
'Ilal As-Sharaa`i' by Shaikh As-Sadooq, pg. 505)

This is the basic origin of the practice as related from the Hadith. It is 
considered as the Sunnah of Prophets to be circumcised. Islam requires that 
the male is circumcised. It is obligatory for a convert to Islam to be 
circumcised if he has not been previously. It is Makrooh or disliked for an 
uncircumcised person to lead the prayer and a person cannot perform the 
pilgrimage properly when uncircumcised.


Was-Salaam,

Ali Rasheed