Iyaz on Female Circumcision

The original was posted on Facebook on 22nd January 2020.

The following is a loose translation:

If a girl has not been circumcised can she be considered to have reached puberty? What is the ruling as per Islamic jurisprudence for a girl to be circumcised?

A girl is realised to have attained puberty once she starts having menstruation. Even if a girl is not circumcised if she starts menstruation she will still be considered to have reached puberty.

Female circumcision is popular in religious deeds. No scholar (Islamic) has said female circumcision is prohibited. Prophet Muhammad has stated that female circumcision is a norm of Fitra.

In one Hadith (خَمْسٌ مِنَ الْفِطْرَةِ: الْخِتَانُ، وَالِاسْتِحْدَادُ، وَتَقْلِيمُ الْأَظْفَارِ، وَنَتْفُ الْإِبْطِ، وَقَصُّ الشَّارِبِ) it is said:

Five norms define Fitra: circumcision, Anat (shaving the private parts), plucking of armpit hair, cutting nails and trimming the moustache.”

In another Hadith (إِذَا جَاوَزَ الْخِتَانُ الْخِتَانَ وَجَبَ الْغُسْلُ ‏ (الترمذي) it is said:

“If two circumcised parts meet, then ablution is required.” Since it says two circumcised parts, it can be derived that like males, females can also be circumcised.

Therefore, based on these Hadiths, we cannot deduce that female circumcision is not a religious deed. However, there are disputes among Islamic scholars regarding female circumcision. Imam Al-Nawawi has said in Al-Majmu’ 367-1, “In our school of jurisprudence (Shafi’i version), it is obligatory for both men and women to circumcise. Khattabi was also known to have said the same. And Imam Ahmed also believes in circumcision in both genders.

My second opinion. Maliki, Hanafi and Imam Ahmed believe that male and female circumcision is a Sunnat.

Ibn Abdeenal-Hanaf has written in his book “Ghashia”, “In my schools of Islamic jurisprudence (Hanafi), circumcision for the sake of men and women is a Sunnat.

Third opinion. According to Imam Ahmed, it is revealed that circumcision is obligatory for men and. In a statement released by Saudi Fatwa Committee, it was said, ‘Circumcision belongs to Sunna within the Fitra. Male circumcision is obligatory. However, female circumcision is recommended. Some scholars that one of the reasons female circumcision is necessary to prevent bad smell. And without circumcision, the husband might come across several difficulties during climaxing. And there are many more benefits from female circumcision.

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