Derived from: Ahkam wa Masail – Qurbani and Aqiqah Issues, Volume 1, Page 443
Female circumcision is practiced in certain parts of the Arab world and Africa. Does Islam acknowledge or prescribe this practice in any way?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾAmma baʿd!
The scholar and commentator of Hadith, the author of ‘Awn al-Ma‘būd (Vol. 4, p. 543), collected the narrations related to female circumcision and presented his research in the following words:
"وَحَدِيْثُ خِتَانِ الْمَرْأَةِ رُوِیَ مِنْ أَوْجُهٍ کَثِيْرَةٍ، وَکُلُّهَا ضَعِيْفَةٌ مَعْلُوْلُةٌ مَخْدُوْشَةٌ لاَ يَصِحُّ الْاِحْتِجَاجُ بِهَا... وَقَالَ ابْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ: لَيْسَ فِی الْخَتَانِ خَبْرٌ يُرْجَعُ إِلَيْهِ وَلاَ سُنَّةٌ يُتَّبَعُ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْبَرِّ: وَالَّذِیْ أَجْمَعَ عَلَيْهِ الْمُسْلِمُوْنَ أَنَّ الْخَتَانَ لِلرِّجَالِ."
Translation:
Numerous chains exist regarding female circumcision, yet all are weak, defective, and unreliable. They cannot serve as a valid source of Shar‘i evidence, as already noted.
Ibn al-Mundhir states: “There is no sound Hadith regarding circumcision to which one can refer, nor is there any Sunnah in this matter to be followed.”
Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr writes in al-Tamhīd: “What is unanimously agreed upon by the Muslims is that circumcision is prescribed only for men.”
Narration:
"الخِتَانُ سُنَّةٌ لِلرِّجَالِ، وَمَكْرُمَةٌ لِلنِّسَاءِ"
(Circumcision is Sunnah for men and an honorable act for women.)
◈ Some scholars, such as Imam Suyuti, have graded certain chains of this narration as ḥasan (fair).
◈ However, the majority of scholars have classified it as weak.
◈ The renowned Hadith scholar Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله) also graded this narration as weak and included it in his works al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr and al-Silsilah al-Ḍaʿīfah.
The Prophet ﷺ included circumcision among the qualities of natural disposition (fiṭrah), without specifying gender.
However, this does not constitute an explicit command regarding female circumcision.
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Maghāzī, Chapter: The Killing of Ḥamzah, Vol. 2, p. 583:
During the Battle of Uḥud, when the enemies lined up for combat, a disbeliever named Sabāʿ came forward and called for a duel. Ḥamzah ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib (رضي الله عنه) advanced and said:
"يَا سِبَاعُ يَا ابْنَ أُمِّ أَنْمَارٍ مُقَطِّعَةِ الْبُظُوْرِ، أَتُحَادُّ اﷲَ وَرَسُوْلَهُ؟"
“O Sabāʿ! O son of Umm Anmār, the woman who used to cut the clitoris of girls, do you dare oppose Allah and His Messenger?”
Ḥamzah (رضي الله عنه) then attacked and killed him.
◈ This narration indicates that female circumcision was a known cultural practice in the Arab society during the time of the Prophet ﷺ.
◈ Although there is no explicit command or prohibition in the Qur’an or authentic Sunnah regarding it, the absence of a clear prohibition suggests that the concept of female circumcision exists within the broader Islamic context.
◈ However, due to the weakness of the supporting narrations, it cannot be deemed obligatory or part of an established Sunnah.
هٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
❖ Question:
Female circumcision is practiced in certain parts of the Arab world and Africa. Does Islam acknowledge or prescribe this practice in any way?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾAmma baʿd!
Analysis of Narrations Regarding Female Circumcision:
The scholar and commentator of Hadith, the author of ‘Awn al-Ma‘būd (Vol. 4, p. 543), collected the narrations related to female circumcision and presented his research in the following words:
"وَحَدِيْثُ خِتَانِ الْمَرْأَةِ رُوِیَ مِنْ أَوْجُهٍ کَثِيْرَةٍ، وَکُلُّهَا ضَعِيْفَةٌ مَعْلُوْلُةٌ مَخْدُوْشَةٌ لاَ يَصِحُّ الْاِحْتِجَاجُ بِهَا... وَقَالَ ابْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ: لَيْسَ فِی الْخَتَانِ خَبْرٌ يُرْجَعُ إِلَيْهِ وَلاَ سُنَّةٌ يُتَّبَعُ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْبَرِّ: وَالَّذِیْ أَجْمَعَ عَلَيْهِ الْمُسْلِمُوْنَ أَنَّ الْخَتَانَ لِلرِّجَالِ."
Translation:
Numerous chains exist regarding female circumcision, yet all are weak, defective, and unreliable. They cannot serve as a valid source of Shar‘i evidence, as already noted.
Ibn al-Mundhir states: “There is no sound Hadith regarding circumcision to which one can refer, nor is there any Sunnah in this matter to be followed.”
Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr writes in al-Tamhīd: “What is unanimously agreed upon by the Muslims is that circumcision is prescribed only for men.”
✿ The Commonly Cited Narration and Its Status:
Narration:
"الخِتَانُ سُنَّةٌ لِلرِّجَالِ، وَمَكْرُمَةٌ لِلنِّسَاءِ"
(Circumcision is Sunnah for men and an honorable act for women.)
◈ Some scholars, such as Imam Suyuti, have graded certain chains of this narration as ḥasan (fair).
◈ However, the majority of scholars have classified it as weak.
◈ The renowned Hadith scholar Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله) also graded this narration as weak and included it in his works al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr and al-Silsilah al-Ḍaʿīfah.
✿ Mention of Circumcision in the Characteristics of Fitrah:
The Prophet ﷺ included circumcision among the qualities of natural disposition (fiṭrah), without specifying gender.
However, this does not constitute an explicit command regarding female circumcision.
✿ Historical Context from the Time of the Prophet ﷺ:
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Maghāzī, Chapter: The Killing of Ḥamzah, Vol. 2, p. 583:
During the Battle of Uḥud, when the enemies lined up for combat, a disbeliever named Sabāʿ came forward and called for a duel. Ḥamzah ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib (رضي الله عنه) advanced and said:
"يَا سِبَاعُ يَا ابْنَ أُمِّ أَنْمَارٍ مُقَطِّعَةِ الْبُظُوْرِ، أَتُحَادُّ اﷲَ وَرَسُوْلَهُ؟"
“O Sabāʿ! O son of Umm Anmār, the woman who used to cut the clitoris of girls, do you dare oppose Allah and His Messenger?”
Ḥamzah (رضي الله عنه) then attacked and killed him.
✿ Conclusion:
◈ This narration indicates that female circumcision was a known cultural practice in the Arab society during the time of the Prophet ﷺ.
◈ Although there is no explicit command or prohibition in the Qur’an or authentic Sunnah regarding it, the absence of a clear prohibition suggests that the concept of female circumcision exists within the broader Islamic context.
◈ However, due to the weakness of the supporting narrations, it cannot be deemed obligatory or part of an established Sunnah.
هٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
