Male Circumcision in Islam
Muslim Baby Boys Undergo the Medical Procedure for Hygienic Reasons
Male circumcision is the simple removal of the penis’ foreskin and is carried out by different people of different faiths, cultures, and medical understandings.
Islam recommends that male circumcision is takes place when the child turns seven days old, or before. The removal of the foreskin at this age is encouraged as this minimizes any risk of the operation and any pain associated with the procedure.
A new born’s skin is still soft and supple therefore the cut is done with greater ease. As he only drinks his mother’s milk or formula at a week old, the urine he passes through is uncontaminated as compared to a grown-up who consumes a range of junk, oily, fatty and / or spicy food. A baby has low physical activity compared to an older child or adult thus is able to recover faster.
However, circumcision may be delayed should the child have health problems that may complicate the procedure.
Islam’s prophet, Prophet Muhammad, attributes circumcision akin to fitrah (the natural cleanliness of man), alongside the shaving of pubic hair, the cutting of nails, the plucking of hair under the armpits and the clipping of the moustache.
Circumcision is thus mandatory upon Muslim boys for hygienic and health reasons.
The removal of the foreskin allows the penis to remain clean from bacteria that may breed under the foreskin. As young boys may be careless with cleanliness, circumcision curbs infections and unpleasant odour. Circumcision may also prevent potential urinary tract infections.
There have been studies that show that the procedure may reduce the transmission of STDs such as syphilis as well as HIV. The risk of penile cancer may also be reduced.
Circumcision may also provide relief during sexual intercourse. An uncircumcised penis may suffer from inflammation due to repeated friction. Holding an erection during intercourse would also come more naturally, as nerves related to sexual stimulation are mostly situated at the head of the penis.
Circumcision – not only practiced by Muslims
Though circumcision is prevalent amongst followers of the Muslim faith, Jews as well as selective Orthodox Christian sects also practice the ritual. In the West, parents have become more aware of the medical benefits of the procedure having hospitals accommodate their request to carry out the simple procedure.
Over sixty percent of newborn males in the United States are circumcised. Forty-eight percent of baby boys are circumcised in Canada and twenty-four percent in the United Kingdom. Australia was also seen to record a fairly high fifteen percent rate of circumcision.
The American Academy of Pediatrics however, comments that there is still insufficient evidence to carry out circumcision as a neo-natal routine upon baby boys. Research is on-going.
Circumcision and modern medical practice
The procedure may seem intimidating to many, especially when operating on a newborn. Through modern medical practices however, the conventional method of cutting off the foreskin and stitching is now being replaced by other methods, such as the use of the plastibell – literally a plastic bell that is placed between the penis and the remaining foreskin (after being partially removed). The bell is tightened around the penis by a piece of string.
As the wound (under the string) dries up, the remaining foreskin, the plastibell and the piece of string fall off. Doctors report that the administration of the anesthesia is the only painful part of the procedure.
The universality of circumcision
Traditionally, it was the prevailing understanding that circumcision is very much carried out for religious purposes. This is true for the Islamic faith, but the practice is based on medical reasons – keeping the penis clean and free from infection.
Though medical schools of though announce that more research should be carried out before coming to a conclusive verdict on automatic circumcision of baby boys, it is not uncommon for the procedure to be carried out by medical practitioners around the world.
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