[source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] 6000 YEAR OLD MUMMIES SHOW EVIDENCE OF CIRCUMCISION The origin of circumcision is shrouded in antiquity; mummies 6000 years old have been reported to show evidence of circumcision [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] EARLIEST WRITTEN RECORD ON CIRCUMCISION FROM OLD TESTAMENT, IN GENESIS The first definite account appears in Genesis (chap. 17), in which the covenant is made between God and Abraham, stating; ‘And he who is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations.’ [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] ABRAHAM CIRCUMCISED AT AGE 99 Abraham himself was circumcised at the age of 99 years while his son Ishmael was circumcised when he was 13 years old. The Jews have continued to uphold the covenant by circumcising boys 8 days after birth, provided they are healthy. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] CIRCUMCISION WAS COMMON IN PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA Circumcision was a common practice in pre-Islamic Arabia and there are references in pre-Islamic and early Islamic poetry, such as the compilations of Hudhayl, Farazdak and other poets. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] POETRY OF PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA HAS MANY REFERENCES TO CIRCUMCISION Circumcision was a common practice in pre-Islamic Arabia and there are references in pre-Islamic and early Islamic poetry, such as the compilations of Hudhayl, Farazdak and other poets. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] QUR'AN MAKES NO MENTION OF CIRCUMCISION It is therefore certain that circumcision is a primitive custom and an old Arabian tradition, but was not introduced initially by Islam. This is evident from the fact that circumcision is not mentioned in any form in the Holy Quran... [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] HADITH INDICATE CIRCUMCISION INTRODUCED BY ABRAHAM, NOT MUHAMMAD circumcision acquired the status of ‘Sunnah’ (Prophet’s tradition) although the tradition is attributed to the Prophet Abraham. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] [footnotes point to Bukhari Sahih, Anbiya chapter 8. Muslim Sahih, chapter Fadail. Tradition no. 151] ONLY ONE OF SIX MAJOR SCHOOLS OF ISLAMIC THOUGHT EVEN CONSIDERS CIRCUMCISION OBLIGATORY There are differences of opinion among these schools of law in Islam about the rules for circumcision. However, among the six existing schools, only the Shafiite school considers it obligatory (wajib) while the others regard it only as a sunnah and therefore recommended. Even those who consider it obligatory or rigidly practise it do not, legally speaking, consider it a condition for becoming a Muslim. It is at most considered as an external symbol of being a Muslim. Again, if a person converts to Islam, it is not obligatory for him to be circumcised. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] FEMALE CIRCUMCISION DATES TO THE TIME OF THE PHAROAHS Female circumcision dates to the time of the Pharoahs, long before the advent of Islam. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] FEMALE CIRCUMCISION IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES FROM 5-99% OF EACH COUNTRY'S POPULATION It is commonly practised in Egypt and other African countries, where the prevalence ranges from 5 to 99%... [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] FEMALE CIRCUMCISION NOT PRACTICED IN SAUDI ARABIA, IRAN, OR TURKEY ...it is not performed in Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] FEMALE CIRCUMCISION PRACTICED AMONG CHRISTIAN POPULATION OF EGYPT It is also practised in the Egyptian Coptic Christian minority. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] 85-114 MILLION FEMALES UNDERGO CIRCUMCISION WORLDWIDE According to a WHO report in 1994, 85–114 million women undergo this procedure worldwide. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] MALE CIRCUMCISION PRECISELY DEFINED, BUT NOT SO WITH FEMALE CIRCUMCISION Whereas male circumcision has a precise anatomical definition, where the prepuce around the glans is excised, female circumcision lacks such precision. It may involve removal of a minute portion of the skin around the clitoris, part of the clitoris and even its total removal. In certain African countries, e.g. Chad and Gambia, it goes further and results in mutilation of the female genitalia, involving excision of labia and suturing of the orifice, leaving only a small opening for micturition and menstruation. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] MANY RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES CONSIDER FEMALE CIRCUMCISION A SOCIAL CUSTOM, NOT A RELIGIOUS PRACTICE Female circumcision has no place in Islam; as it is restricted to some Muslim countries (Egypt, Indonesia, Sudan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritruria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria and Togo), many religious leaders consider it a social custom rather than a religious practice. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] IN 1997 EGYPTIAN SUPREME COURT UPHELD A BAN ON FEMALE CIRCUMCISION This was further certified by the verdict of the Egyptian Supreme Court ruling in 1997, who upheld the Government ban on female genital mutilation. In its decision, the court pronounced that ‘circumcision of girls is not an individual right under sharia’ (the Muslim canon law), adding ‘there is nothing in the Quran that authorizes it’. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] IN KENYA, FEMALE CIRCUMCISION PERFORMED THROUGH WORDS, AS ALTERNATIVE TO GENITAL MUTILIATION Community groups in Kenya perform circumcision through words as an alternative to female genital mutilation. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] MALAYSIA AND INDONESIA APPROACH FEMALE CIRCUMCISION BY PIERCING CLITORIS WITH A NEEDLE, TO ALLOW SOME BLEEDING In countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia (Albar, personal communication) female circumcision has been reduced to puncturing the clitoris with a needle and allowing some bleeding. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] FEMALE CIRCUMCISION IN PAKISTAN IS EXTREMELY RARE In Pakistan, female circumcision is very rare, practised only by a few in the African Pakistani community. The authors are aware of only one case of female circumcision referred by a gynaecologist for urinary problems. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view] CONCERNING MALE CIRCUMCISION, MUHAMMAD SUGGESTED IT AT AN EARLY AGE Islamic scholars and jurists are not unanimous about the age at which circumcision should be carried out. Prophet Muhammad recommended performing circumcision at an early age. Al-Mawardi stated that the chosen time is the seventh day after birth, but it can be carried out up to 40 days after birth, or thereafter until the age of 7 years, depending upon the health of the child at the time. [source: Religious circumcision a Muslim view]