Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Subject:circumsicion for baby girls

mr burhan salam to you i have a visiting friend from bombay and he would like to know whether the circumsicion (khatna) in baby girls is approved by the holy quran . please reply urgently as they would be leaving back within 2 days

thanks & regards

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Answer:

Is circumcision for girls allowed in islam?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Brother, the circumcision is not a Quranic commandment, but rather a Sunnah or tradition of Prophet Abraham (a.s.), which was followed by the Last Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar Rasool Allah (saws).

The Sunnah is that the circumcision is only for the males of the Ummah, and not for the females. Some misguided sects in Islam do propagate the circumcision of females, but this is absolutely against the Sunnah; because there is absolutely no record in the authentic related traditions of the Prophet that his noble wives or daughters were ever circumcised.

Thus, at best, this circumcision of females is an innovation or ‘bidah’ added several years after the death of the Prophet (saws). And this circumcision of females has more to do with culture and tradition than following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

The true believers must therefore avoid this and any other innovation is Islam.

It has been reported by Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (r.a.) that the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If anyone introduces an innovation (in religion), he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in religion), he is cursed by Allah, by His angels, and by all the people.”

It has been reported by Jabir ibn Abdullah (r.a.) in another authentic narration that the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon: “The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the innovations, and every innovation is an error.”

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan