WARNING:

This page reveals the true face of the practice of circumcision.

Therefore it contains information and images which some may find disturbing.

Circumcision - Does the Qur'an Approve it?

Genital Mutilation

1) Introduction

What is male circumcision?

"The word circumcision means “to cut around”. In male infants, circumcision is an operation which involves tearing the foreskin away from the glans (head) of the penis, cutting along the top of the foreskin, then clamping the foreskin and cutting it off. The skin of the penis is a complex movable 'sheath' with no clear indication of where it should be cut during a circumcision. This means that the amount of foreskin removed from one circumcision to the next can be very different, and no two circumcisions are the same." (1)

2) 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 Ibrahim, a man of natural pure belief. He was not one of the idolaters.’ " (Qur’an 2:135)

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)

3) 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 three 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)

"Allah created the heavens and the Earth for a true purpose, He designed you, and has perfected your design. You will all return to Him." (Qur'an 64:3)

A Closer Look at 32:7 الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الإِنْسَانِ مِنْ طِين "The One who has PERFECTED EVERYTHING HE HAS CREATED and began the creation of mankind from clay" (Qur'an 32:7) In this verse Allah states He has أَحْسَنَ everything He made. The word originating from حَسَنْ (good) is in superlative form, when applied in this manner, it means the infinitely highest form of حَسَنْ. Thus, the translation is "PERFECTED" everything (the same goes for 40:64). "Everything", translation of كُلَّ شَيْء means EVERYTHING Allah has made, stars, moon, plants, animals, the human being - including genitalia. Thus the male genitalia is perfected by Allah. 40:64 is in direct reference to human beings ("perfected your [i.e. humankind's] design"): وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ "And He DESIGNED you, and has PERFECTED your design." (Qur'an 40:64)

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 a part of the penis on males, as if though it is a 'corrective procedure' to a design flaw. Allah states:

"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 per the Quranic understanding, medical research shows that the foreskin serves innumerable useful purposes and is designed intentionally by Allah to serve these purposes.

"Did We not create you (mankind) from a base fluid? We then laid it up in a safe abode for a known term. Then we arranged. How excellent is Our arranging! Woe unto the rejectors on that day! ...In which hadith after the [Qur'an] do they believe?" (Qur'an, Surah 77 - Verses 20-24 and 50)

4) Functions of the Foreskin

Following are some of the functions it performs, and what happens if you surgically remove it:

Detailed diagram here

✔ Ridged Bands. The inner foreskin contains bands of densely innervated, sexually responsive tissue. They constitute a primary erogenous zone of the human penis and are important for realizing the fullness and intensity of sexual response.

✔ Specialized sensory tissue. In addition to the 'ridged bands' mentioned above, thousands of coiled fine-touch receptors (Meissner’s corpuscles) constitute the most important sensory component of the penis. The foreskin contains branches of the dorsal nerve and between 10,000 and 20,000 specialized erotogenic nerve endings of several types, which are capable of sensing slight motion and stretch, subtle changes in temperature, and fine gradations in texture. Thus, up to 20,000 nerve endings are removed by circumcision. Note that the most sensitive part of the penis is the tip of the foreskin (the transitional region from external to internal prepuce). This part is always removed in circumcisions.







✔ Protection. The sleeve of tissue (foreskin) normally covers the sensitive glans and protects it from abrasion, drying, callusing (keratinization), and environmental contaminants. The inner lining of the foreskin consists of soft mucosa lubrication layer, like behind one's eyelids, or the inner lips, thus protecting the sensitive glans from abrasion. The glans (visible in the above illustration after cutting away the foreskin) is intended to be a protected internal organ, like the female clitoris. The internal glans are highly sensitive and has the moist texture of the inside of one's cheeks, but after circumcision, it begins to lose its sensitivity through abrasion in diaper and underwear. For the first few weeks, it is very painful to the touch of fabric or diaper. It is similar to the human eyeball, which is protected by the eye lids. One would not touch the eyeballs directly but over the eyelids only - it is that sensitive. After circumcision, the exposed glans begins to dry-out and keratinize (builds hardened cell layer on the outside as a defence from environmental contaminants).

“The foreskin’s inner lining, which is mucous membrane, continually moisturises the penis head (glans) with a lubricating lenolin-like substance which I suggest we call lanofore. This constant moisturising results in a glans which is giveable and somewhat spongy to the touch, even when erect. The softly-stiff, giveable glans is part of nature’s sexual plan and is what nature intended for a woman to experience during intercourse – it is kind and gentle to the vaginal walls. In contrast, the head of the circumcised penis is a constantly exposed, external organ. As a result, the glans becomes dried out and abnormally hardened due to lack of moisture, analogous to the way a sponge hardens when water evaporates from it. In order to imagine the significance of this to the man, imagine your tongue hanging outside your mouth, all dried out. You may have experienced this occasionally upon awakening. Now imagine your tongue never being able to return to the protective, moist environment of your mouth – constantly exposed, constantly dried out. Then imagine someone rubbing a coarse fabric across your tongue every waking hour. Doesn’t sound like a lot of fun does it? And yet, for a man denied his foreskin due to circumcision, this is life for his penis head is like, as it is chafed by coarse underwear, bedding and the man’s own wiry pubic hair, day in day out. The glans of the circumcised man never gets to experience what it is like to live as an internal organ, sheltered inside the moist foreskin (like the female vulva stays constantly moist)." Sex as Nature Intended it: The Most Important Thing You Need to Know About Making Love But No One Could Tell You Until Now (2nd Edition) by Kristen O’ Hara.

The surface of the circumcised glans bears resemblance with the dried, cracked and thirsty desert land - an unhealthy state unexpected by the female reproductive organ during sex.

✔ The Frenulum. A frenulum is a small fold of tissue that secures or restricts the motion of a mobile organ to the body. Frenulums can be found under the tongue and on the inside of the human lips:

On the intact human penis, a frenulum connects the mobile foreskin to the glans in order to pull the foreskin over the glans when not aroused for the purpose of protection. The penile frenulum however is a highly nerve-laden web of tissue compared to any other frenulum on the body (more later).

✔ Proper blood flow. The foreskin contains several feet of blood vessels, including the frenular artery and branches of the dorsal artery. The loss of this rich vascularization interrupts normal blood flow to the shaft and glans of the penis, damaging the natural function of the penis and altering its development.

✔ Immunological defense. The soft mucosa of the inner foreskin produces plasma cells, which secrete immunoglobulin antibodies, and antibacterial and antiviral proteins, such as the pathogen-killing enzyme called lysozyme. All of the human mucosa (the linings of the mouth, eyelids, vagina, foreskin and anus) are the body's first line of defense against disease. This benefit of the foreskin could be one possible explanation why intact men are at lower risk of chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases.

✔ Gliding action during sex. The foreskin is the only moving part of the penis. During any sexual activity, the foreskin and glans work in unison; their mutual interaction creates a complete sexual response. During intercourse, the non-abrasive gliding of the penis in and out of itself within the vagina facilitates smooth and pleasurable intercourse for both partners. The cut penis cannot glide and makes the penis a static organ. A full study of how male circumcision harms women:

✔ Comfort glide throughout the day. The shaft retract and extend inwards and outwards throughout the day in the flaccid state varying with bodily parameters such as temperature. For example, when the body feels cold, the shaft retracts. In the intact penis, the foreskin glides smoothly over the glans as necessary, excess skin gathers ahead of the glans if needed. On a circumcised penis, the cut foreskin buckle and crease against coronal ridge on the shaft as it retracts, preventing the shaft/glans from retracting properly and causing a level of discomfort. The foreskin acts like a spring preventing the retraction of the penis. This push of the buckled foreskin against the corona during retractions through out the day (as well as pull during erection) is unnatural and uncomfortable compared to an intact naturally gliding foreskin-shaft combination. All circumcised males have to again, subconsciously learn to ignore the discomfort . Some circumcised men complain of stinging sensations during adulthood.

✔ Proper lymph flow. The foreskin contains lymphatic vessels, which are necessary for proper lymph flow and immunological functioning.

✔ Langerhans cells. These specialized epithelial cells are a component of the immune system and may play a role in protecting the penis from sexually transmitted infections such as HIV (AIDS).

✔ Dartos Fascia. This is a smooth temperature-sensitive muscle sheath that underlies the scrotum, the entire penis and the tip of the foreskin. It is necessary for proper temperature regulation of the genitals (causing these structures to elongate in the heat and shrink in the cold). Approximately half of the Dartos Fascia is destroyed by circumcision. In circumcised males, the glans can become cold at times due to the missing temperature control mechanism (exposed glans).

✔ Sebaceous glands. The oils produced by these glands lubricate and moisturize the foreskin and glans, so that the two structures function together smoothly.

✔ Full penis length and circumference. The foreskin creates a visibly longer penis, especially when the foreskin extends beyond the head of the penis. Also, the double-layered tissue of the foreskin engorges with blood during erection and creates a visibly and sensually thicker shaft and glans. When the engorged foreskin retracts behind the coronal ridge of the glans, it often creates a wider and more pronounced "ridge" that many partners find especially stimulating during penetrative intercourse. The circumcised penis appears truncated and thinner than a full-sized intact penis.

✔ Risk of death from surgery. Every year in the United States alone, an estimated 100 boys die from the complications of circumcision. Worldwide the figure is much higher, a fact that the American circumcision industry ignores, obscures, or downplays.

✔ Delayed or diminished maternal bonding. Circumcision, even if anaesthesia is used, causes unavoidable operative trauma and post-operative pain that has been shown to disrupt bonding with the mother, which in turn interferes with the first developmental task of every human, that of trust (trust in human contact, in personal safety, etc)."

✔ Oestrogen Receptors. The presence of estrogen receptors within the foreskin has only recently been discovered. Their purpose is not yet understood and needs further study.

✔ Neurological Sexual Communication. Although never studied scientifically, contemporary evidence suggests that a penis without its foreskin lacks the capacity for the subtle neurological "cross-communication" that occurs only during contact between mucous membranes and which contributes to the experience of sexual pleasure. Amputating an infant boy's multi-functional foreskin is a low-grade neurological castration" [Immerman], which diminishes the intensity of the entire sexual experience for both the circumcised male and his partner).

See (2) below for references to the above facts.

"The work of Allah who has perfected everything." (Qur'an 27:88)

"We have indeed created man in the best of moulds." (Qur'an 95:4)

Allah created men in this way with knowledge of all the above reasons. The proponents of circumcision try to side-track these verses. Most of the time, they have never read verses such as those above, because they are too occupied with reading books written by man. Or they may have never thought of the verses in this way because of their surface reading attitude towards the Qur'an instilled in them by the majority and the trusted scholars.

5) Is Circumcision Necessary for Cleanliness?

As mentioned, one of the arguments put forward is that circumcision is done for cleanliness. However, they do not want to acknowledge that it is simple, basic hygiene practice in the shower to keep clean for a man - it takes less time to clean under the foreskin than to brush teeth! Our noses filter the air and need more regular cleaning, we do not simply go and chop it off because we need to clean it. Or take for example, after using the toilet, our anuses require to be cleaned with water - hygiene is part of living and amputation is not a solution.

They cite arguments such as 'circumcision prevents diseases'. However, only about 20% of the earth's male population are circumcised, 80% are not (3), do we have an epidemic breaking loose? The answer is 'no'.

6) The claim that this healthy body part on a baby causes diseases

Developing disorders with any part of the body is a possibility. For example, the risk of breast cancer in women. More than 45,000 women in the UK were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 (4) (yet, this figure is very high compared to anything that goes wrong with intact penises). Should we put all girls through mastectomy to eliminate the possibility of developing breast cancer in their lives ('mastectomy' is the removal of breast tissue)? Or in eliminating the possibility of developing testicular cancer in males, should we remove the male testicles? You would say 'no' because they serve an important role in reproduction. What about the 35,000 men diagnosed with prostates cancer in UK each year, shall we remove prostrates from every newborn baby too? Like these parts of the body, the foreskin too being part of the sexual system, serves important functions such as those we have discussed - functions which you may have not been aware of nor appreciated if you are a male circumcised at childhood or birth, or if you are a female. Routine amputation to a healthy and functional body part is not the means to disease prevention.

False allegation: Circumcision will prevent Penile Cancer Penile Cancer is a rare form of cancer that happens mostly to older men from age 40 and above, but most cases are in men aged 60 and over. In the UK, only 500 men are diagnosed with it each year. The rarity of this form of cancer shows when this figure is compared with 35,000 men diagnosed with prostates cancer each year (5) ! Circumcision does not prevent penile cancer. In the United States, most men with penile cancer are circumcised. However, does circumcision reduce the risk of penile cancer despite it being a very low risk cancer already? Basically, by removing a part of the penis in circumcision, a part of the penis is not there to develop cancer. This is the same as saying, by removing the liver, we eliminate liver cancer! It is obvious to a thinking person that this sort of prevention where healthy parts of the body with many functions is simply cut off is not a way to prevent a disease which has not even occurred, and moreover which has an extremely small chance of happening. Is it justified to surgically remove multi-functional foreskin of the male, and cause all the disadvantages we have identified without even the person's consent (babies)? A recent study done by Wallerstein concluded that circumcision does not help reduce the risk of penile cancer as the rates of penile cancer in Japan, Norway and Sweden (countries with low rate of circumcision) was the same as United States' (which has a higher rate of circumcision) (6) . In view of all that has been said, the 'Royal Australasian College of Physicians' and the 'American Medical Association' made a statement saying that carrying out infant circumcision with the hope of preventing penile cancer is not justified (7) , with the 'American Cancer Society' also holding the same view.

7) "If we can clip our fingernails and cut our hair, we can circumcise too"

Another argument put forward is 'why do we cut our hair or fingernails then'? Fingernails and hair are quite different. They are not living flesh with blood circulation and nerve receptors and hence not an anatomical part of the body. Hair and fingernails were intentionally designed to continuously grow and to be cut regularly as a form of replenishment and consist of dead cells. This is not the case with the foreskin which is sustained through blood circulation like any other permanent part of the body. The male foreskin is intended to be a permanent part of the body (like ones fingers) and performs innumerable needed functions that can only be served by being there - it does not grow back. Because these functions of the foreskin are important, Allah designed the male human in this way. Allah has designed the foreskin in the male humans because it is better - as He states, He is the "Best of all Creators" (Qur'an 23:14). If something is "better" He would design His creation in that way, not in the less optimal way. He is the one who designs human beings, male and female, perfectly in the womb. Cutting off multi-functional, nerve-laden living foreskin off a baby is in principle, the same as cutting his fingers off.

8) "If we can remove the Umbilical Cord, we can circumcise too"

The purpose of the umbilical cord is to exchange nutrients with the foetus. The umbilical cord reaches the end of its purpose once the baby has exited the womb. After birth, the pathways for the exchange of nutrition changes from the umbilical cord to the mouth and nose, and thus it has reached the end of its purpose. The umbilical cord is an extension of the placenta connected to the mother, which is the 'after-birth' that is discarded post birth, not needed by the mother and no longer the baby. As it is intended to be removed, it has no pain receptors or any connection with the baby's brain so that it does not feel any pain in its removal. Therefore, the umbilical cord is not a part of the human body that is created in pregnancy, rather it is part of the placenta. It is unlike the foreskin on the penis which is a protective, sexual tissue and a part of the male genitalia, linked sexually and in every way to the baby's brain - a human anatomical part - not at all intended to be removed.

Why the Frenulum if Allah wanted boys to be circumcised? The frenulum, linking the foreskin to the glans on the underside of the penis, is designed to pull the foreskin over the glans once it returns to flaccid state, yet allowing gliding action during intercourse... ( Please click here before continuing ) Circumcision involves cutting and clamping the foreskin permanently to the shaft behind the coronal ridge, fixing its position (no gliding action). This destroys the functionality and need of the frenulum placed by Allah. Why then did Allah write the frenulum in all male human DNA if he wants people to destroy its designed function? The answer is that Allah designed it as part of a perfect system in the male human anatomy, and it is to function as Allah willed it like all other systems of the human body! The frenulum proves that Allah intended the penis to remain intact throughout a man's life . Note that unlike the frenulums in the mouth, the penile frenulum is sexually sensitive. In a circumcision, the frenulum may also be completely removed along with the valuable foreskin, depending on the mood of the circumciser.

9) "Verses on perfection on creation don't apply this way, because not all babies are born perfect and need operations. Therefore, it's okay to circumcise."

One other argument they put forth is that some babies are born with disorders, so the understanding of the verses on perfection of creation has to be seen differently. For example they say, the verse, "We have indeed created man in the best of moulds." (Qur'an 95:4) cannot be used against circumcision as humans are not always born perfect. What they do not understand is that the verses we read on perfection of human beings' body in the Qur'an are referring to the actual 'blueprint' - or in other words, the 'default plan' in Allah's creation. That is, for example, all humans have five fingers on each hand, two eyes, one tongue etc. That is the actual design of Allah. If there is a baby born with a disorder to the genes, for example with a missing finger, then this particular baby's disorder is not part of Allah's blueprint (which is perfect), hence the reason we are calling the condition a 'disorder'!

The foreskin is part of Allah's blueprint as all male human beings are born with it (a default part of the DNA), which makes it part of Allah's perfect creation and which is why all the verses we quoted are applicable. This is why the suggestion of circumcision as a beneficial procedure for the male human being is actually a gross insult against the perfection in Allah's design as well as Quranic verses.

"Woe to man! How ungrateful He is! From what thing does Allah create Him? He created him from a droplet and then 'ordained his proportions' . " (Qur'an 80:17-19)

"Without nerve-endings, one cannot feel, ...much as without eyes, one cannot see." Fran P. Hosken

10) The Myth that Circumcision is painless and babies don't feel any pain

"Circumcising" is not a 'fifteen minutes and done' job. Some unperceptive people think that the relatively short duration of the operation shows the 'mildness' of the surgery. But you can amputate a babies arms off in two minutes flat, therefore time does not mean anything! Some facts we need to consider are as follows. Anaesthesia is often not used on babies . Yet, the injection required for anaesthesia has to be applied to the tip of the penis where it is most sensitive. Even with anaesthesia applied, the procedure is excruciatingly painful as anaesthesia is not always completely affective.

The worst of the pain actually follows immediately after the procedure as the anaesthesia dies out, when the burning of a raw wound begins to be felt. Pain can last for many days and even weeks as the wound takes its duration to heal (not to forget, the life-long disadvantages from that point on). The healing process is not always smooth as imagined either. Every time the baby urinates he will usually cry due to 'burning' sensation from the wounded penis. And it is just that, an inflicted 'wound' (no matter what method of circumcision is used). There is also the possibility of bleeding and infection occurring post surgery with risk of death. A baby experiences all these sensations even if he cannot articulate his experience to adults.

One of the ill-found mentality of ignorant parents not acquainted with the Qur'an is them thinking baby circumcision is some how more preferable to circumcision on older boys who can talk. Therefore, many parents circumcise their perfectly healthy babies immediately following birth or in his baby days. The fact is, this makes no difference to the baby - the pain coupled with the trauma of arms and legs strapped down against his persistent crying is all experienced by a living soul. The baby will feel these anguishes just like an adult. The fact that he cannot express his pain in words does not make any difference in reality. The only people it benefits are the parents who some how calm themselves by the fact that the baby cannot express his pain - a form of deep ignorance it is. Research done on measurement of baby pain during circumcisions through such tests as heel-stick blood sampling (for cortisol levels), weighing and measuring, behavioural distress, discharge examination, and heart-rate, describe the pain as "Severe and persistent" (8) and "Among the most painful [procedures] performed in neonatal medicine” (9) , and that “This level of pain would not be tolerated by older patients.” (10)

The fact that he will not recall his experience as he grows up also means nothing to the baby who will go through the traumatic experience i.e. wiping out memory does not justify inflicting trauma. It has been indicated that even if pain cannot be recalled in adulthood, it can have lasting affects through neurodevelopment problems.

A baby boy put through 'circumcision' - All babies' arms and legs are strapped down during circumcisions. Doing this on an adult without consent would be considered human rights violations, and can put one in jail.

"Behold, when your Lord said to the angels: 'I will create a vicegerent on earth.' They said: 'Will you place therein those who will spread corruption and shed blood? - while we celebrate your praises and glorify your majestic name?" He said: "I know what you do not know". (Qur'an 2:30)

"Within minutes, three feet of veins, arteries and capillaries, 240 feet of nerves and more than 20,000 nerve endings are destroyed; so are all the muscles, glands, epithelial tissue and sexual sensitivity associated with the foreskin. Finally, what nature intended as an internal organ is irrevocably externalized..." Fran P. Hosken

Research reveals that after infant circumcision, the average adult penis has lost 51% of penile tissue. It is 15 square inches in area when folded out, and can comfortably fit 15 US quarters.

Circumcision is more painful for babies than adults because:

1) On babies, the foreskin is fused to the glans like your finger-nails are fused to your fingers. If you try to separate your finger-nail from your finger, it would be extremely painful. Just like that, on a baby, the surgeon has to physically tear the foreskin away from the glans first, before he can cut the foreskin. The system designed by Allah is that during infancy, the foreskin remains fused to the glans (which is why parents must not attempt to retract it, doing so can be damaging!), removing the need to clean the glans. The foreskin and glans begin to separate as the child grows and is usually fully separated by adolescence. In baby circumcision, tearing away of the foreskin from the glans adds the additional risk of the surgeon damaging/scarring the glans permanently.

2) Recent studies have found that babies nervous systems are highly developed and the ability to sense pain is stronger than an adult. This means a baby has the potential to feel more pain than an adult.

Circumcision: Foreskin (double fold of specialised erogenous tissue), consisting of outer layer of epidermal tissue (like what is on the rest of our bodies) and inner layer of mucosal tissue (like the inner eye-lids and the mouth) is severed. Associated nerve endings for sexual stimulation destroyed, externalising and desensitising the internal glans and leaving a permanent circumcision scar . Mechanics of sexual intercourse is destroyed, causing significant sexual harm to women ( more here ).

Photo Courtesy: www.noharm.org

"Let there be no change in Allah's creation." "He has designed you and has perfected your design." Qur'an 30:30 & 40:64

If the Qur'an is against it, then where did this practice originate from? Please note, that the Qur'an is the message of the messenger. If the Qur'an was against it, the prophet was also against it (See Understanding "Obey Allah & the Messenger" ).

11) Satan's firm pledge to change Allah's creation in the Qur'an

The Satan pledges to make mankind remove body-parts that Allah has created . Allah tells us this information in the following Verse:

"(Satan said), 'I will lead them (mankind) astray and fill them with false hopes. I will command them and they will cut off cattle's ears. I will command them and they will change Allah's creation. ' Anyone who takes Satan as his protector in place of Allah has clearly lost everything. He makes promises to them and fills them with false hopes. But what Satan promises them is nothing but delusion." (Qur'an 4:119-120)

As can be seen, the Satan pledges to make people change what Allah has originally created. The fact that Satan uses the Cattle's ears as an example does not at all mean his scheming to change Allah's creation will be limited to this. This is because Satan's goal is to make people change what Allah originally creates, not the act of cutting off cattle's ears which is only a means to the objective - he can take other means too. We know this from his statement, "I will command them and they will change Allah's creation ", where "Allah's creation" includes all things Allah creates, including a baby's penis.

Having made the pledge, Satan must find ways to make people carry out his desires. With regards to the Satan's ways in getting his desires across, Allah reveals to the believers that Satan will inspire words and sayings outside of the Qur'an, such as hearsay and tales, to communicate his message:

"We assigned to every prophet an enemy, Satan human and jinn to inspire fancy words to one another in order to deceive - Had your Lord willed so, they would not have done it, so leave them and their fabrications". (Qur'an 6:112)

Photo Courtesy: www.drmomma.org

12) Historical Origins of Male Circumcision

Circumcision pre-dates earliest recorded history. Historians do not have a consensus on when or where exactly the practice began, however, one theory suggests that it began in one location and spread from there. The survival of the practice throughout the ages and reasoning for it up to this day varied with the ages and geographical location over which the practice spread. For example, it is suggested that in the earliest origins, circumcision was used as a method to immobilise captured enemies in battles. In later years in African tribal areas, it marked a right of passage of boys entering adulthood, and in the western world in more recent times, a method to prevent boys from masturbating, when this reason was no longer viable, hygiene and disease control was cited.

Below, is a coloured depiction of carvings from the tomb of Ankh-Mahor (2400-2300 BC), Egypt before the estimated era of Prophet Ibrahim (1800 to 2100 BC). It depicts circumcision and it is the earliest physical record of circumcision in the Arabian Peninsula - 3000 years before the era of prophet Muhammed (c. 600 AD). However, evidence suggests that the practice of circumcision entered 2700 years before Prophet Ibrahim when Sumerians and Semites moved into what is today, Iraq, 4500 to 4000 BC. What inspired them to mutilate an anatomical part of the human penis would have remained a mystery, had the Qur'an not revealed its origins.

Ankh-Mahor Tomb carving (2400-2300BC) from Egypt (coloured for emphasis)

- the earliest record of circumcision in the Arabian Paninsula.

Even though the final origin of the practice pre-dates earliest record of history, the Glorious Qur'an clearly reveals the Satanic origin of the practice. However - Satan, is not a self-revealing force and will always conceal himself in driving people to commit this act. Even though Allah has revealed clear Books giving guidance throughout the ages, through Moses, Jesus, Muhammed for example. Satan's force will manifest in various forms - even through "scriptural" means - sacred texts written by people, or altering of God's previous Books. This is revealed in the Qur'an: "Satan human and jinn to inspire fancy words to one another in order to deceive" (Qur'an 6:115). For example, "The Book of the Dead", from ancient Egypt - a religious funerary text - depicts the sun god Ra performing circumcision on himself, whose blood created two other guardian deities. In strong parallel with this many years later, after the demise of the prophet, one of the many sayings attributed to the prophet in the form of hadith depicts prophet Ibrahim performing circumcision on himself to fulfil a command of God. This point is particularly absurd as the Prophet Muhammed has no knowledge of the past, save what the Qur'an revealed to him, and the Qur'an mentions nothing of Prophet Ibrahim's circumcision:

"We narrate to you the best stories through what we reveal to you in this Qur'an, when before this you were totally unaware." (Qur'an 12:3)

Thus through fabrication of "fancy words", the practice finds continual basis in fulfilling Satan's desires in the minds of people in new eras, despite Allah admonishing against circumcision through His pleas on the perfection of His creation and explicitly revealing Satan's desire to inspire people to alter it. This is in addition to not remotely mentioning anything about circumcision of Prophet Ibrahim, which would have been a highly implausible command anyway given what we know from the Qur'an about changing Allah's creation.

Man may continue to alter Allah's creation till the end of time so long as Satan is alive. But Allah, with the Qur'an absolves Himself by revealing a fully detailed and incorruptible Book clarifying the true and righteous path for the true Believers. The choice which lies on man is whether to have faith in the infallible Book revealed by Allah, or to follow the whims of those writers whose works reflect the objectives of the Satan in getting man to change Allah's perfect creation.

13) Differences in emotional responses to Male and Female "circumcision"

'Female circumcision' can vary from removal of the clitoral hood, the clitoris it self, to the labia minora or majora. In reality, male circumcision is too an amputation procedure involving significant tissue removal, which destroys the functionality and sexual capability of the male penis to a significant extent (sexual harm discussed later). However, the response to female circumcision (no matter what type) is often starkly different to the male in the western world. The reasons for this prevalent bias and prejudice against males are several folds but primarily that of 'cultural acceptance'.

The "Equivalent" Female Circumcision to Male Circumcision The clitoral hood and labia minora in females has the same embryonic origin as the foreskin in males. Only after a specific stage in the development of the embryo do they take their distinctive forms. In females, the clitoral hood protects the clitoris, in males the foreskin protects the glans

( diagram ). The 'equivalent' female circumcision to male circumcision is clitoral hood and/or labia minora removal. If this surgery was done on young girls among people who only circumcise young boys, it may well be that they consider it barbaric, cruel and a sexual violation. Yet, the 'same' act done on boys does not trigger any emotions. Removal of the foreskin is actually more severe because the male glans, being more externalised and larger, makes it more prone to abrasion. Male circumcision also destroys correct sexual functionality of the penis. In parts of Africa, Malaysia and Indonesia as well as other parts of the "Muslim" world, it is normal to circumcise girls and they have 'justifications' for it too, just as one may have for male circumcision. Words such as 'Female Genital Mutilation' or FGM are used by human rights groups. Male "circumcision" too is now being referred to as 'Male Genital Mutilation' or MGM.

14) Extra-Quranic sources written does not Differentiate between Girls and Boys

The Qur'an is the only guide for the believer as stated in the Qur'an. As an interesting point, none of the hadiths in the Sunni hadith books related to circumcision and attributed to the Prophet, differentiate between male or female circumcision and in fact there are hadiths which indicate females should also be circumcised. Because of this feature of the hadiths, many so called Muslim clergyman have passed verdicts that it is mandatory for females to be circumcised. Due to other influences, male genital cutting spread further than female whereas cutting male and female genitals appears to be equally advisory. This practice of female circumcision is widespread in many parts of Africa, Indonesia and Malaysia today because of these deviated un-Quranic teachings and lies preached by these so-called scholars. These teachings against the Qur'an (male and female circumcision) as sayings attributed to the prophet, do not originate from the prophet at all (see Understanding Obey Allah & the Messenger ).

In fact, those traditionalists today who circumcise their sons but not daughters can be challenged to this: Lay all the so-called hadith of the prophet on the subject in front of them and ask 'why do you not circumcise your daughters then?' A very confused look can be observed! This is because there is no basis to discriminate between girls and boys with the basis of hadith, which recommends 'circumcision' for both girls and boys. This begs the question, what is the guide to religion for these people, the Qur'an? Qur'an and hadith? It seems neither! Simply confusion and practices of the majority, a religion lacking Allah's clear guidance and wisdom.

15) The Bible cannot command the Believers to circumcise

It is a common misconception to believe that the Qur'an approves taking guidance from Biblical sources. Some people conveniently quote:

Verse 5:43 - "But how can they ask you (prophet) to judge them when they have the Torah, in it is Allah's judgement..."

Yet this verse is in no way commanding the believers to resort to the Bible. The misconception is clarified in the article within the above link. It should also be borne in mind that original Scriptures of Allah cannot command this mutilative act, since the origin of it is not Allah. Any mentioning is a later insertion to the original text.

16) The (Human) Right of the Person to choose to be Circumcised or Intact

If for argument's sake, Prophet Ibrahim circumcised himself at eighty years of age as hadith state, then he did so at an adult age where he could make his own informed decision. Should this be inflicted on babies and children who cannot make their own decision or make informed judgments? Who decides for him to be a 'Muslim'? (Assuming being a Muslim requires one to carry this act out, though it is on the contrary). An argument they put forth is that other aspects of religion such as salah are taught 'without consent' so why should circumcision not be carried out? The difference is that circumcision is a permanent alteration to his body which cannot be reversed should he wish to be intact in the future. This compares to other elements of raising children, such as teaching prayer and concepts of the Qur'an which are taught-concepts which he may, or may not accept - there is freedom of religion, whereas circumcision is forcing religion. Allah instructs:

"There is no compulsion in religion." (Qur'an 2:256)

"So can you force people to believe?" (Qur'an 10:99)

17) Continuous, Daily Discomfort Circumcised Men Experience

Circumcised boys and men suffer from continous irritation and discomfort from abrasion of their glans against clothing throughout their entire lives. The brain continuously tries to suppress these feelings. The foreskin is meant to protect the sensitive glans from abrasion. Please click on the following link to find out more:

18) How Male Circumcision Harms Women

Note: circumcised erect penis appears similar to an intact erect penis (visible glans) except for some critical differences that severely harms sexual experience of the female as well as the male.

"Circumcised intercourse frustrates and even angers the primordial subconscious, which somehow knows innately that "real sex ain't this way." Each new circumcised experience builds on the negative memory imprints of the past, and over a period of time, the subconscious and the conscious mind become more and more annoyed. After repeated sexual encounters with the same partner, the brain begins to develop negative feelings toward the partner that are ultimately carried far beyond the bedroom door, into the every day relationship." Sex as Nature Intended it: The Most Important Thing You Need to Know About Making Love But No One Could Tell You Until Now (2nd Edition) by Kristen O’ Hara.

Briefly:

● Circumcised penis has an exposed coronal ridge. The ridge acts as a 'hook' scraping the vaginal-wall causing soreness and discomfort. In an intact penis, the foreskin seals all around the ridge and acts as a cushion around the ridge giving only pleasure to the woman, not soreness.

● The hooked coronal ridge in circumcised males also act as a one-way valve on the outward stroke, pulling lubrication out, allowing it to evaporate. This hook does not exist in intact males thus keeping lubrication in.

● The glans of an intact penis is moist and lubricated. During erection, the foreskin pulls back exposing the lubricated glans ideal for the vaginal environment. The glans of a circumcised penis is dry and brittle and full of friction.

The lubricated glans of the intact male provides natural lubrication and allows for smooth and pleasurable intercourse for both partners. On the contrary, the circumcised glans is visibly dried-out and cracked out. Due to this reason as well as the fact that the hooked ridge forces lubrication out into evaporation on the outward stroke, sex with circumcised men is dry and it becomes necessary to introduce artificial lubrication . Though Allah designed the natural system ( intact penis and intact vagina) to be fully self-sufficient, capable of producing optimal lubrication naturally, it is destroyed by circumcision. Interestingly, lack of lubrication is often blamed on women ( see diagramatic explenation ).

“Most likely, reported vaginal dryness and the related clinical designation ‘female arousal disorder’ is but a normal female response to coitus with a man with an iatrogenically deficient penis.” Gillian A. Bensley & Gregory J. Boyle. Effects of male circumcision on female arousal and orgasm. Bond University, Australia. Faculty of Humanities & Social Science. p. 2.

● The foreskin of intact penis is a moving part of the penis - circumcised men do not have this, only a static 'device'. During intercourse with intact males, the complete, unified interaction of the various movements between the foreskin, shaft and the vagina allows for more complete and pleasurable experience for the woman as well as the man. The roof of the vagina has a female version of the corona, called the 'carina'. It captures the movable foreskin - the foreskin bunches and un-bunches rhythmically against the carina for exquisite sexual pleasure in the female during intercourse ( see diagram ).

● In addition, the intact penis has a velvety / soft outer feel. Whereas circumcised penis does not (only rigidness) due to the taught and reduced foreskin being pulled (reduced amount of skin over the same area) making the intact penis more comfortable and pleasurable for the vagina in terms of its sensuous feel inside.

● Due to the removal of thousands of nerve endings from the tip, loss of gliding action and desensitised glans, the circumcised penis tries to derive most of the pleasure from the base of the penis and takes long elongated thrusts. It also requires harder, banging action on the vagina to reach orgasm. The elongated banging thrusts causes discomfort in the vagina and reduces the frequency of clitoral contact with the mounds of the male. This compares with sensuous gentle shorter thrusts of the intact penis who resides deeper in the vagina making more frequent clitoral contact.

In short, intercourse with circumcised males is dry, irritable and less pleasurable for women compared to intact males and can be painful. It effectively destroys the penile properties needed for vaginal intercourse.

“A woman who has only experienced circumcised sex may know that she in some measure dissatisfied with the experience, but she may not be able to put her finger on exactly what is wrong. She may mistakenly think the discomforts are just something women normally endure during sex. Or she may blame her self, thinking she just doesn’t like sex that much. But if she were to experience the comfort and sensually soft pleasures of natural intercourse, she would soon realise that the two experiences are distinctly different and would be better able to identify how circumcised intercourse causes her to be discomforted.” Sex as Nature Intended it: The Most Important Thing You Need to Know About Making Love But No One Could Tell You Until Now (2nd Edition) by Kristen O’ Hara.

See 19 ways in which circumcision disables the male penis to give sensuous orgasmic pleasures to women during sex:

The intact penis is specifically designed in-mind to function with an intact vagina by Allah - like two halves of a perfect whole. As soon as it is altered, it is incapable of performing its job to its designed performance. Circumcision, contrary to the belief that it is a "small snip", is a significant anatomical alteration to the penis and is a sexual disability depriving people of pure pleasures and comfort of natural sex Allah gifted believers to enjoy. We already deduced from our understanding of the Qur'an, that Allah created human beings in the best form and that only the Satan inspires people to alter it, inspiring in them false hopes.

"Say, 'do you inform Allah of something He does not know in the heavens and the earth?' " (Qur'an 10:18)

"And He designed you, and has perfected your design."

(Qur'an 40:64)

19) Why many circumcised men do not complain

The answer to this are several folds:

1) They were circumcised at birth or childhood. Sex may still feel pleasurable, but they do not know the difference it would make if they had their full organ as Allah had designed it originally. Thus, there is no way to notice any difference. Other life-long discomforts of being circumcised such as daily abrasion of glans are simply suppressed by the brain over the years (nevertheless, it is still experienced).

2) Belief that this is part of Islam and it must be upheld without questioning - true religion cannot command bad, "Islam" is the truth without even knowing what the Qur'an states on religion (in truth however, the 'messenger' did not do or command anything that is against the teachings of his 'message' - the Qur'an).

3) Even after knowing of the losses from circumcision, a psychological - defensive - behaviour takes over whereby one's ego does not want to accept that full functioning of a vital part of his body has been taken away without his prior consent. It will mean he has an imperfect and less sexually capable body, and it hurts his ego.

4) Admitting his sexual disability means someone must be held blameworthy - this may include his parents. He may also have carried this act out on his children and which would require him to confess a mistake and then carry life-long regret.

5) Practice of the majority - to feel belonged among the mass, what will people say? How can so many be wrong?

20) Conclusion

1) Circumcision is a harmful procedure that removes the protection of the foreskin and exposes the moist internal glans to abrasion and drying. It results in significant sensory loss in sexual pleasure for both male and female, with no alleged health benefits to justify it. It is also a painful and traumatic operation.

2) There are clear verses in the Qur'an against circumcision (i.e. 95:4, 23:14, 27:88, 32:7, 80:17-19 & 4:119-120). The practice of this procedure is in violation of these Quranic verses.

3) The Qur'an does not indicate that Prophet Ibrahim was circumcised or was ordered to, even though the Qur'an deals extensively with Prophet Ibrahim. We understand from the Qur'an that it is against the laws of Allah to command such a thing.

4) When the baby leaves his mother, he needs no cutting-off of any part of his body as Allah says He makes the baby in perfect form - a form that is best to function as a human. The foreskin serves many useful purposes and cutting it of causes life-long disadvantages.

5) Satan pledges to make mankind manipulate Allah's creation, and gives the example of cutting off parts of the body (4:119-120). "Circumcision" is an outright manipulation of Allah's intended creation. A method Satan would use identified in the Qur'an to achieve his objectives is through the use of "fancy words" (6:112).

6) None of the hadiths to do with circumcision differentiate between male or female 'circumcision' and there are hadiths that indicate females should also be circumcised: The hadith basis for male circumcision is the same basis for female circumcision! There is no reason to not circumcise girls if boys are. A likely origin of circumcision into Islam are Jewish anecdotes (Israliyat) fabrications into hadith books ( See Less Known Aspects of Hadith: Hadith Forgery / Fabrication ).

The believer's duty is to abide by the values, teachings and morals of the Qur'an. These are the true values of the Prophet. He or she does not pretend to not grasp the truth when shown - the ignorant will pull off a blind eye and get on with day to day life. The Qur'an is the only guide to the way of peace and salvation for believers. Due to all the points in this article, male and female circumcision do not hold any grounding in Allah's true religion and is a violation of the teachings of the Qur'an - the Qur'an is against the practice of circumcision.

"These are Allah's Verses we are reciting to you to show the truth. In which hadith (حَدِيث) after Allah and His Verses do they believe in?" (Qur'an 45:6)

Parents reading this, who are considering circumcising their child despite Quranic evidence against it and shown the numerous purposes of the foreskin, must also think that their child should be given his own choice in whether he wants to be circumcised or not - besides, religion must not be imposed on anyone (that is, assuming religion commanded circumcision). Even a consenting older child who can talk cannot make informed decisions, as he is not fully aware of the purposes and functions of this part of the body, one of which is sexual functions and simply trusts his parents. As a mother or a father, or if you are about to be one, you must also carry out adequate research yourself on the use and purpose of the foreskin to elucidate yourself and not simply follow the blind majority - the foreskin is not there by accident.

"If you obeyed most of those on earth, they would misguide you from Allah's path. They follow nothing but conjecture. They are only guessing." (Qur'an 6:116)

In conclusion, Quranic evidence as well as medical sciences prove that circumcision of males is a practice against Allah's religion, rather Satan is the influence. It poses life-long disadvantages for the male as well as unnecessary operative trauma, and sexually harms his future wife. Ask yourself before you go ahead, what right do you have to alter what Allah Himself has created perfectly? Baby boys and children are perfect the way Allah has created them.

"He is the One Who has made perfectly everything He has created: He began the creation of human beings with clay." (Qur'an 32:7)

"The work of Allah who has perfected everything." (Qur'an 27:88)

"When the affair is decided Satan will say, "Allah made you a promise, a promise of truth, and I made you a promise but broke my promise. I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you responded to me." (Qur'an 14:22)

"However, there's no compelling medical reason for circumcision and in the UK it's no longer routinely performed on healthy children - fewer than one in ten teenage boys has been circumcised." BBC, Dr. Rob Hicks "A study published in the April 2007 edition of of BJU International (British Journal of Urology) claims that it "conclusively shows that circumcised males have a significant penile sensory deficit as compared with non-circumcised intact men." NormUK.org "I happen to believe that I own my body: at no stage of my life did my parents or anyone else own it. My parents had the responsibility of caring for me, nurturing me, giving me guidance, example and a good start in life. As a baby boy I was circumcised. This was a routine circumcision done for no other reason than my mother thought it was 'better'." Anonymous "An infant boy is born with a healthy foreskin. Consequently, there are no medical indications for circumcision in the newborn period. Infant circumcision is a painful, stressful, and traumatic procedure that leaves the infant exhausted and debilitated to the extent that some are unable to suckle at the breast." DoctorsOpposingCircumcision.org

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See Also: Less Known Aspects of Hadith: Hadith Forgery / Fabrication

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