Darul Uloom Trinidad & Tobago

Question:

asalaam alaikam I am a revert to islam and I want to ask regarding khitan ( circumcision), I am not circumcised and I am kinda confused and been upset in the past about this as some people made comments implying I ain’t a true muslim because I am not circumcised and some people kept trying to force me to get an operation.

Is circumcision wajib or sunnah muakkadah for a revert? In the UK it is not possible to get circumcision done in hospitals unless you go private and it is alot of money but I do not like knives or needles touching my body also they perform the operation whilst awake and I don’t wanna be in pain when that happens is this a sin if I abstain from it on these grounds?

second question some people say people who don’t get circumcised are dirty and evil like comparing them to kuffar they say if you don’t get circumcised you will give your wife cervical cancer ( which is not exactly true) and they say if one gets circumcised he can;’t get the aids virus although medical reports say although the risk is lowered aids can still occur due to sexual contact is it wrong for a muslim to look down on another muslim if he isn’t circumcised and calling him dirty even if he washes his private part thoroughly and is very cautious regarding urine drops?

Last question I sometimes lead salah here and there with people is it makruh for me to lead people in salah if I am not circumcised also is it makruh for me to pray in the saff behind the imam a shafi told me in shafi fiqh this is the case does this apply in the hanafi madhaab ? And is there anything to say I can’t marry a muslim woman due to me being uncircumcised I am quite scared as some people take this very seriously and say its even haraam for a muslimah to marry a non circumcised man ( i think this is cultural people who might say this not those who are practicising) do I have to tell my future spouse about this or not like does it come under as a fault

I got depressed over the past few years about this as some people made very nasty comments and it kinda affected my confidence.

Answer:

Wa Alaikum As Salaam,

There are differences of opinion among the Fuqaha (jurists) regarding circumcision for males. Some have stated that it is Wajib (essential), while others have stated that it is Sunnah.

Imam Abu Hanifah, Hassan Basri and some scholars of the Hambali Madhab consider it Sunnah. In this regard, they cited a hadith in which the Prophet (s.a.w) said, ‘Circumcision is a Sunnah for men and a virtue for women.’ (Ahmad) from the narration of Shaddad bin Aws. (R.A)).
other Imams of Fiqh like Imams Shafi, Malik, Ahmad, Awzai, Sha’bi, Rabii’a, Yahya bin Saeed Ansari have stated that circumcision is Wajib (essential). Imam Malik has been very stern on this ruling to the extent that he stated that it is incorrect for an uncircumcised man to lead Salah and give evidence. In establishing the ruling of Wajib for circumcision, these scholars have cited the hadith in which it is stated that the Prophet (s.a.w) said to a man who embraced Islam, “Shave off the hair grown during disbelief (Kufr) and circumcise. (Ahmad, Abu Dawood). Harb also narrated from Zuhri who said that the Prophet (s.a.w) said, ‘Whoever accepts Islam, let him circumcise, even though he is old’.

While explaining the ruling of circumcision, the great scholar, Allama Khatabi writes, ‘Even though circumcision is mentioned as being Sunnah, many of the scholars have considered it as being wajib. The reason for this is that circumcision is a symbol of Islam. It is a way through which a Muslim can be differentiated from a Kafir. (Tarbiyah Al Awlad Fil Islam).
Those scholars have further mention that the reason circumcision is considered as Wajib is that the Taharah (cleanliness) and Salah being invalid, becomes doubtful. This is so because the foreskin covers the private organ entirely, and sometimes retain drops of urine which become difficult to wash. If left unwashed, then cleanliness and Salaah will not be achieved. From this, it is seen that the soundness of one’s Taharah and Salaah is suspended upon circumcision. It is for this reason, many of the former and latter scholars have prevented an uncircumcised person from becoming an Imam and leading the Salaah. (Tawbiyah Al Awlad Fil Islam).

From these explanations, it is evident that one should make every effort to be circumcised, especially when it was not done at a young age. Temporarily, one may encounter the little discomfort, but the advantages and benefits are tremendous. Besides this, it makes one feel safer in the matters of Taharah and Salaah, which are important aspects of our deen.

Notwithstanding the rulings given, if you do not do it, this does not affect you being a true and sincere Muslim. According to the scholars who say that it is Sunnah, there will be no sin upon you if you chose not to do it. However, you must ensure that after urinating, the urine does not remain under the foreskin of your private organ. You should wash yourself properly so that no impurities remain on your private organ after urinating.
It is wrong for people to say such things like uncircumcised people are dirty etc. and compare them to Unbelievers. It cannot be said with certainty that a wife will get cervical cancer if she has sexual relations with her husband who is not circumcised, and that a person will be protected from AIDS if he is circumcised. Those are probably based on research done by experts. However, it is not that these will happen of a surety.

With respect to leading others in Salaah if you are not circumcised, then, according to those scholars who say that circumcision is Sunnah, you can do so, as long as you are absolutely sure that you have washed your private organ thoroughly with no urine remaining on it. You can also stand in the first Saff, there is no dislike for this in the hanafi Madhab.

Being Uncircumcised does not prevent you from becoming married. There is absolutely no statement that it is haram for a Muslim woman to marry a non circumcised man. When you intend to marry, it is good to tell your spouse that you are not circumcised, so that this does not create problems in your marital relationship.

And Allah Knows Best.

Mufti Waseem Khan.

21/3/2014.