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Why is circumcision considered obligatory in Islam, and why is God's creation altered despite Muslims' belief in the perfection of human creation?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

A Muslim carries out Allah Almighty's command in submission and obedience, whether the wisdom behind it is apparent to him or not, because Allah knows best what is good for His servants. Circumcision is among the sharia rulings that a Muslim performs, hoping for reward.

First: Juristic Benefits: Circumcision is among the virtues of Islamic laws and completes the fitra (natural disposition). It is part of the perfection of the Hanifiyyah, the religion of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and "Allah's hue" (Sibghatullah) which He made a sign for those who belong to Him. Furthermore, removing harm from the newborn after birth has a benefit, such as shaving his head hair and cutting the placenta.

Second: Health Benefits: Dr. Muhammad Ali Al-Bar pointed out numerous health benefits of circumcision, including: 1. Protection from local inflammations of the penis that may lead to penile cancer. 2. Significant reduction in urinary tract infections, which can lead to serious complications. 3. Prevention of penile cancer, as it is almost non-existent among circumcised individuals. 4. Reduction in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, in addition to reducing the likelihood of contracting AIDS. 5. Protection of the wife from cervical cancer, as wives of circumcised men are less susceptible to it.

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

Read the full answer on Ftawy