Was the Prophet ﷺ Born Circumcised? An Analysis of the Narration

✿ Compilation: Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Zahid حفظه الله​

❖ The Narration​

It is narrated from Anas (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet ﷺ said:


“Among the favors my Lord bestowed upon me is that I was born circumcised, and no one has ever seen my private parts.”

❖ Authentication of the Ḥadīth​

This narration is weak (ḍaʿīf).


It was narrated by:
◈ Al-Ṭabarānī in al-Ṣaghīr (Hadith no. 936)
◈ Ibn al-Jawzī in al-ʿIlal al-Mutanāhiyah (Hadith no. 264)


The chain contains Sufyān, who is the sole narrator of this report.

❖ Comments of the Scholars:​

✔ Ibn ʿAdī said:
“He used to steal ḥadīths, and his narrations are fabricated.”


✔ Ibn Ḥibbān said:
“It is impermissible to use his reports as evidence.”


✔ Al-Haythamī stated:
“This narration contains Sufyān ibn al-ʿAfzāzī, who is an accused (mutahamm) narrator.”
Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid, Hadith no. 13852

❖ Conclusion​

The narration stating that the Prophet ﷺ was born circumcised is weak and unreliable due to the presence of a discredited narrator in its chain. Therefore, it cannot be used as evidence in matters of belief or historical fact.