Definitions​
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‘Type 1 – Circumcision proper [is] [t]he circumferential excision of the clitoral prepuce, analogous to male circumcision. It is known in Muslim countries as sunna circumcision. It is also sometimes practised in the United States to counter failure to attain orgasm on the part of the woman associated with redundancy or phimosis of the female prepuce (Rathmann, Wollman). As this has not been reported to have any adverse health consequences, this review is not concerned at all with this form of female circumcision.' (World Health Organisation, 1979)
A 2015 Clitoral Unhooding website explains that ‘Clitoral Unhooding, also referred to as Hoodectomy, is a minor feminine genital surgical procedure to remove excess Prepuce tissue—the surrounding “hood” that sheaths the clitoral node on three sides...Sometimes referred to as female clitoral circumcision, the Clitoral Unhooding procedure is somewhat analogous to penile circumcision in men.’
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Female Circumcision
By the Public Policy Advisory Network on Female Genital Surgeries in Africa (2012)
Extracts: A type I female genital surgery, as classified by the World Health Organization, is restricted to procedures involving reduction of either the clitoral hood (the prepuce) or the external or protruding elements of clitoral tissue, or both. Type II involves partial or complete labial reductions and partial or complete reductions of the external or protruding elements of clitoral tissue. Approximately 90 percent of all female genital surgeries in Africa are either type I or type II…
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[More definitions at the bottom of the page].
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Extracts from IslamQA.info (more in the Advising Believers section)
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Circumcision is not an inherited custom as some people claim, rather it is prescribed in Islam and the scholars are unanimously agreed that it is prescribed. Not a single Muslim scholar – as far as we know – has said that circumcision is not prescribed.
Their evidence is to be found in the saheeh ahaadeeth [authentic sayings] of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), which prove that it is prescribed, for example:
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Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The fitrah is five things – or five things are part of the fitrah (part of the primordial human nature)– circumcision, shaving the pubes, cutting the nails, plucking the armpit hairs, and trimming the moustache."
This hadeeth includes circumcision of both males and females.
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‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs of his wife) and the two circumcised parts meet, then ghusl [full bath] is obligatory.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned the two circumcised parts, i.e., the circumcised part of the husband and the circumcised part of the wife, which indicates that a woman may be circumcised just like a man.
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Abu Dawood (5271) narrated from Umm ‘Atiyyah al-Ansaariyyah that a woman used to do circumcisions in Madeenah and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to her: “Do not go to the extreme in cutting; that is better for the woman and more liked by the husband.” But the scholars differed concerning this hadeeth. Some of them classed it as da’eef (weak) and others classed it as saheeh [authentic]. It was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. The fact that circumcision for women is prescribed in Islam is confirmed by the ahaadeeth quoted above, not by this disputed hadeeth.
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It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (5/223):
Circumcision is one of the Sunnahs of the fitrah, and it is for both males and females, except that is it obligatory for males and Sunnah and good in the case of women. End quote
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Al-Juwayni said:
The hadeeth indicates that not too much of it should be removed (in the case of women), because he said, “Leave something sticking out and do not go to extremes in cutting.”
Tuhfat al-Mawdood, 190-192
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The point is that in the case of males, all the skin covering the tip of the penis should be cut, but in the case of females only a part of the skin that is like a rooster’s comb at the top of the vagina should be cut...
... Mentioning some of the benefits, Dr. Haamid al-Ghawaabi says:
The secretions of the labia minora accumulate in uncircumcised women and turn rancid, so they develop an unpleasant odour which may lead to infections of the vagina or urethra. I have seen many cases of sickness caused by the lack of circumcision.
Circumcision reduces excessive sensitivity of the clitoris which may cause it to increase in size to 3 centimeters when aroused, which is very annoying to the husband, especially at the time of intercourse.
Another benefit of circumcision is that it prevents stimulation of the clitoris which makes it grow large in such a manner that it causes pain.
Circumcision prevents spasms of the clitoris which are a kind of inflammation.
Circumcision reduces excessive sexual desire.
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Then Dr al-Ghawaabi refutes those who claim that female circumcision leads to frigidity by noting:
Frigidity has many causes, and this claim is not based on any sound statistics comparing circumcised women with uncircumcised women, except in the case of Pharaonic circumcision which is where the clitoris is excised completely. This does in fact lead to frigidity but it is contrary to the kind of circumcision enjoined by the Prophet of mercy (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “Do not destroy” i.e., do not uproot or excise. This alone is evidence that speaks for itself, because medicine at that time knew very little about this sensitive organ (the clitoris) and its nerves.
From Liwa’ al-Islam magazine, issue 8 and 10; article entitled Khitaan al-Banaat (circumcision of girls).
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The female gynaecologist Sitt al-Banaat Khaalid says in an article entitled Khitaan al-Banaat Ru’yah Sihhiyyah (Female circumcision from a health point of view)...If the benefits are not apparent now, they will become known in the future, as has happened with regard to male circumcision – the world now knows its benefits and it has become widespread among all nations despite the opposition of some groups...
It takes away excessive libido from women
It prevents unpleasant odours which result from foul secretions beneath the prepuce.
It reduces the incidence of urinary tract infections
It reduces the incidence of infections of the reproductive system.
In the book on Traditions that affect the health of women and children, which was published by the World Health Organization in 1979 it says:
With regard to the type of female circumcision which involves removal of the prepuce of the clitoris, which is similar to male circumcision, no harmful health effects have been noted.
And Allaah knows best.
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Male Circumcision
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Many ancient civilisations have known about the benefits of circumcision for millennia. It was practised by ancient Egyptians, Africans, Aborigines, Incas, Aztecs, Mayans and the prophets of the monotheistic religions including Abraham, Jesus Christ and Muhammad (peace be upon them). ‘And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb' (Luke 2:21). It was Saul of Tarsus (aka St. Paul) who taught that it wasn’t necessary, “Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all” (Gal 5:2).
When done correctly circumcision has many benefits even when you're comparing men in the West who have plenty of soap and water to clean themselves properly. Millions of Muslims, Jews and even Coptic Christians do it and in the majority of cases they heal and go on to have fulfilling marital lives and father many children.
The above carry out circumcision as a pre-emptive treatment. However, circumcision for medical reasons after a problem has been detected is carried out even by the NHS and baby boys are only given a local anaesthetic. Also, ONE of the benefits as mentioned in the World Health Organisation website is that "experts attending the consultation recommended that male circumcision now be recognized as an additional important intervention to reduce the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men...There is now strong evidence...that male circumcision reduces the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men by approximately 60% (28 March 2007). Circumcision considerably reduces female-to-male sexual transmission of HIV and other STIs."
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