Circumcision - Does the Qur'an Approve it?
(original article can be found here, at QuranicPath.com)
1) Prophet Ibrahim & circumcision:
Circumcision of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) is actually not in the Qur'an. The Qur'an deals extensively with Prophet Ibrahim, his name alone is mentioned sixty-seven times. Yet the Qur'an says nothing of him being circumcised or being commanded to do so. Rather it was his faith in Allah and devotion to Him alone which is stressed throughout the Qur'an and which is to be followed. The Qur'an deals with Prophet Ibrahim's construction of the Kaba and other matters - but does not say he was told to cut off a part of his private parts. There is an important reason why as we shall see shortly.
“They say, ‘Be Jews or Christians and you will be guided.’ Say, rather adopt the religion of Abraham, a man of natural pure belief. He was not one of the idolaters.’ (Qur’an 2:136)
We follow the way of Ibrahim by following the religion communicated in the Qur'an, not the Bible where this injunction is found, teachings of Allah in the Quran supersede them:
"Allah wants to clarify to you the way of those who went before you and guide you to it, and to forgive you - Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." (Qur'an 4:26)
2) Allah tells us that He has created human beings perfectly:
In numerous Verses of the Qur'an, Allah tells us that He has created everything, including human beings, in the most perfect form. In the following verse, Allah explicitly states this with regards to the human creation:
"We have indeed created man in the 'best of moulds'." (Qur'an 95:4)
This means when a baby leaves the mother's womb, he or she is in the most perfect of shape down to the finest detail. Nothing needs alteration. With regards to the development of the baby, Allah states the following:
"Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the 'Best of all Creators!' " (Qur'an 23:14)
Notice that Allah states that He is the best creator - the resulting completed creation of the baby is thus in its optimal form.
In another verse, Allah states:
"The work of Allah who has 'perfected everything' (He created)." (Qur'an 27:88)
Also in two other Verses, in relation to human beings, Allah says the following:
"The One Who has 'perfected everything' He has created and began the creation of human beings from clay" (Qur'an 32:7)
"Allah is the One who made the Earth a habitat for you, and the sky as a structure, and He designed you, and has perfected your design. " (Qur'an 40:64)
Closer look at 32:7
الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الإِنْسَانِ مِنْ طِينٍ
"The One who has PERFECTED EVERYTHING HE HAS CREATED and began the creation of mankind from clay" (32:7)
In this verse Allah states He has أَحْسَنَ everything He made. The word originating from حَسَن (good) is in superlative form, when applied in this manner, it means the infinitely highest form of حَسَن. Thus, the translation is "PERFECTED" everything (the same goes for 40:64). "Everything", translation of كُلَّ شَيْءٍ means EVERYTHING Allah has made, stars, moon, plants, animals, the human being. Thus the male genitalia is perfected by Allah.
40:64 is in direct reference to human beings ("perfected your [i.e. human kind's] design").
All these verses tell us that Allah creates human beings, male and female, perfectly in the mother's womb. The design of the foreskin on the male is an intentional act of creation. Allah did not make a 'mistake' in designing the foreskin of the male. He does not need mankind to take a knife and start cutting off bits from all males, as if though it is a 'corrective procedure' to a design flaw.
"You will not see any flaw in what the Lord of Mercy creates." (Qur'an 67:3)
The proponents of circumcision say there are reasons such as hygiene and other benefits behind them doing this. This is actually an insult against Allah. Because, had it been 'better' in anyway to not have the foreskin, Allah would have designed all male babies without that bit of the foreskin - as Allah states, he has perfected His creation as is stated in several verses in the Qur'an. As per the Quranic understanding, medical research shows that the foreskin serves numerous useful purposes and is designed intentionally by Allah to serve these purposes.
Another site explaining circumcision & Islamic perspectives:
http://www.quran.org/khatne.htm
(original article can be found here, at QuranicPath.com)
1) Prophet Ibrahim & circumcision:
Circumcision of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) is actually not in the Qur'an. The Qur'an deals extensively with Prophet Ibrahim, his name alone is mentioned sixty-seven times. Yet the Qur'an says nothing of him being circumcised or being commanded to do so. Rather it was his faith in Allah and devotion to Him alone which is stressed throughout the Qur'an and which is to be followed. The Qur'an deals with Prophet Ibrahim's construction of the Kaba and other matters - but does not say he was told to cut off a part of his private parts. There is an important reason why as we shall see shortly.
“They say, ‘Be Jews or Christians and you will be guided.’ Say, rather adopt the religion of Abraham, a man of natural pure belief. He was not one of the idolaters.’ (Qur’an 2:136)
We follow the way of Ibrahim by following the religion communicated in the Qur'an, not the Bible where this injunction is found, teachings of Allah in the Quran supersede them:
"Allah wants to clarify to you the way of those who went before you and guide you to it, and to forgive you - Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." (Qur'an 4:26)
2) Allah tells us that He has created human beings perfectly:
In numerous Verses of the Qur'an, Allah tells us that He has created everything, including human beings, in the most perfect form. In the following verse, Allah explicitly states this with regards to the human creation:
"We have indeed created man in the 'best of moulds'." (Qur'an 95:4)
This means when a baby leaves the mother's womb, he or she is in the most perfect of shape down to the finest detail. Nothing needs alteration. With regards to the development of the baby, Allah states the following:
"Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the 'Best of all Creators!' " (Qur'an 23:14)
Notice that Allah states that He is the best creator - the resulting completed creation of the baby is thus in its optimal form.
In another verse, Allah states:
"The work of Allah who has 'perfected everything' (He created)." (Qur'an 27:88)
Also in two other Verses, in relation to human beings, Allah says the following:
"The One Who has 'perfected everything' He has created and began the creation of human beings from clay" (Qur'an 32:7)
"Allah is the One who made the Earth a habitat for you, and the sky as a structure, and He designed you, and has perfected your design. " (Qur'an 40:64)
Closer look at 32:7
الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الإِنْسَانِ مِنْ طِينٍ
"The One who has PERFECTED EVERYTHING HE HAS CREATED and began the creation of mankind from clay" (32:7)
In this verse Allah states He has أَحْسَنَ everything He made. The word originating from حَسَن (good) is in superlative form, when applied in this manner, it means the infinitely highest form of حَسَن. Thus, the translation is "PERFECTED" everything (the same goes for 40:64). "Everything", translation of كُلَّ شَيْءٍ means EVERYTHING Allah has made, stars, moon, plants, animals, the human being. Thus the male genitalia is perfected by Allah.
40:64 is in direct reference to human beings ("perfected your [i.e. human kind's] design").
All these verses tell us that Allah creates human beings, male and female, perfectly in the mother's womb. The design of the foreskin on the male is an intentional act of creation. Allah did not make a 'mistake' in designing the foreskin of the male. He does not need mankind to take a knife and start cutting off bits from all males, as if though it is a 'corrective procedure' to a design flaw.
"You will not see any flaw in what the Lord of Mercy creates." (Qur'an 67:3)
The proponents of circumcision say there are reasons such as hygiene and other benefits behind them doing this. This is actually an insult against Allah. Because, had it been 'better' in anyway to not have the foreskin, Allah would have designed all male babies without that bit of the foreskin - as Allah states, he has perfected His creation as is stated in several verses in the Qur'an. As per the Quranic understanding, medical research shows that the foreskin serves numerous useful purposes and is designed intentionally by Allah to serve these purposes.
Another site explaining circumcision & Islamic perspectives:
http://www.quran.org/khatne.htm
