Back to search

Has it been reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) any command or permission for his wives or daughters to undergo circumcision in an authentic hadith?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

There is no known hadith in which the Prophet commanded his wives or daughters to undergo circumcision. However, it is authentically reported that he guided a woman who performed circumcisions in Medina to the praiseworthy form of circumcision, saying: "Do not cut severely, for that is more pleasing to the woman and more beloved to the husband." It is also authentically reported that "The fitra are five: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the mustache, clipping the nails, and plucking the armpit hair," and that "When the two circumcisions meet, ghusl becomes obligatory." Female circumcision involves removing a small part of the skin that resembles a cock's comb above the urinary meatus. The Shafi'is and Hanbalis have maintained that female circumcision is obligatory, while many scholars consider it a Sunnah and a noble act. It also has medical benefits.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy