Male circumcision in Islam

[Suhaib Jobst]

We are not a Quran only sect, and in the Quran Allah SWT so states 'Follow the religion of Ibrahim, the upright in Faith'."

I never advocated rejecting the Ahadith and Sunna, or that we should only follow the Qur'an. My point is that there are some ahadith which speak on social issues, that should be read in their historical and social context. I am referring only to a few specific matters, such as how some distorting of ahadith have been used to justify many cultural practices.

These should be read logically, according to their historical context and judged upon the precepts of the Qur'an, but also read according to other more authentic ahadith of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) which provide this broader context. One of these is the hadith where the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) told a group of men that they know best their worldly matters. We all have our own perspectives drawn from our worldly experiences, which is my point exactly.

As for following the Millat of Ibrahim (alaihi sallam) - the actual word used in this context and not the modern term "religion"; our Deen is best described as a transcendent life-transaction, not a theological concept - is this not worshipping only the One Creator? Wa Allahu A'lam.

I think the one making an issue of it is your person further suggested by your adamant need to quote me and incorrectly inset statements where I have neither addressed nor asserted half of what you have attributed as said by my person.

Then I would fully respect that, but my point was that you continue to argue the same points which others have already made. You have pasted and cut from the same "Mission Islam" article which is most cited when this topic comes up. Again, I gave my interpretation of these "evidences" and one can either take or reject it. Wa Allahu A'lam.

I think the one making an issue of it is your person further suggested by your adamant need to quote me and incorrectly inset statements where I have neither addressed nor asserted half of what you have attributed.

I believe if one reads what I wrote, they could see that I did nothing of the sort. But if it came across like that, then I do humbly apologize to you. As for me making an issue of it, if you could read the hateful comments given to me as negative reputation then you would know there are some who get emotional over this issue and do not have the same fairness as you.

feel emasculated by a female response of the subject matter and want to justify something to your own person in the process by a public crusade then I suggest you deal with it in your own private time?!

Are you not making false assertions about me even after crying foul over me allegedly doing the same? Those who feel emasculated are those who compensate for their own insecurities by dictating what they think is best for women. My point was exactly the opposite: I am secure enough that I care to focus on my own person and don't have to concern myself with whether others are living according to certain standards. It is the *******s and other puritans who have these emasculated insecurities, not a secure and dignified Muslim like myself.

it isn't beyond my scope of knowledge given that I am a medical doctor, what are your qualifications both theologically and medically?-- as I am always open to amend my beliefs from people of knowledge!

The problem with this argument is that: (1) I am speaking about one's personal experience. We all come from unique and different experiences, from which we draw our conclusions. (2) If you want to bring the same old "scientific" arguments into the debate, then why not be consistent and admit how the vast majority of medical establishments have either held the practice as unnecessary on this basis or even presented arguments against it?

So obviously bringing your status as a doctor and using against my admittedly lower social status, is irrelevant, as you probably know there are differences within the medical community. My problem is when some brothers and sisters argue for circumcision using "scientific" and "hygienic" assertions, ignoring the experiences of those who are intact, who can attest that these claims are false.

I assure you that I am not obsessive over this issue. In my seven years as a Muslim, it has hardly even come up for consideration. I was never pressured to have it done on me and it has not affected my spiritual ties with other Muslims.

I have a large collection of writings of which 99% is concerned with other subjects. But this issue was my primary purpose to discuss on this forum. I have nothing to prove to any other human being, as my only concern is my personal standing before my Creator and with concentrating on my own quest for spiritual perfection, insha'Allah.