Female Circumcision And FGM

Did the Prophet encourage Female Circumcision? – ختان الإناث

No – each Hadith recommending this practice is weak (ضعيف).

There is no authentic report that the Prophet COMMANDED or RECOMMENDED his own daughters, his wives or any other women to get circumcised.

1- Ibn Al-Mundhir said:
يقول الإمام أبو بكر بن المنذر النيسابوري الشافعي الحافظ [ت319هـ]: “ليس في الختان (أي للإناث) خبرٌ يُرجَع إليه ولا سُنّةٌ تُتَّبَع”.
التلخيص الكبير» (٨٣/٤)
“There is NO REPORT about [female] circumcision that can be relied upon and NO Sunnah to be followed.”
[“Al-Talkhis al-Kabir”, 3/83].

2- Sayyid Saabiq said:
يقول الشيخ سيد سابق في “فقه السنة” (1/33): “أحاديث الأمر بختان المرأة ضعيفة لم يصح منها شيء
“The Hadiths which command female circumcision are ALL WEAK. NONE OF IT IS AUTHENTIC.”
[“Fiqh al-Sunnah”, 1/33].

3- Shamsul-Haq Azimabadi said:
يقول العلامة شمس الحق العظيم آبادي في “عون المعبود في شرح سنن أبي داود” (14/126): “وحديث ختان المرأة رُوي من أوجه كثيرة وكلها ضعيفة معلولة مخدوشة لا يصح الاحتجاج بها كما عرفت
“The Hadiths which are narrated regarding female circumcision are many, but ALL OF THEM ARE WEAK AND DEFECTIVE.
THEY CANNOT BE USED AS EVIDENCE.”
[“Awn al-Ma’bood”, 14/126].

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THE HADITHS WHICH PEOPLE USE AS EVIDENCE:

1- It is reported:
أَنَّ امْرَأَةً، كَانَتْ تَخْتِنُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالَ لَهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ لاَ تُنْهِكِي فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَحْظَى لِلْمَرْأَةِ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَى الْبَعْلِ
“A woman used to perform circumcision in Medina. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to her: Do not cut severely as that is better for a woman and more desirable for a husband.”
(Abu Dawud, 5271).
Abu Dawud himself said after narrating this:
وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَسَّانَ مَجْهُولٌ وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ ضَعِيفٌ ‏‏
“And Mohammad bin Hasan is UNKNOWN and this narration is WEAK.”
Ibn al-Qattaan said: لا يصح – It is not authentic.
Nawawi said: ضعيف – Weak.
Ibn al-Mulqin: ضعيف – Weak.
Azeem Abadi said: ضعيف – Weak.

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2 – The Prophet is reported to have said:
الختان سنة للرجال، مكرُمة للنساء
“Circumcision is Sunnah for men and honourable for women.”
(Ahmad, 20719).
Al-Bayhaqi says: إسناده ضعيف – It’s chain is WEAK.
Ibn al-Jawzi says: [فيه] الحجَّاج بن أرطأة ضعيفٌ – in the chain is Hajjaj and he is weak.
Ibn al-Qattan says: منقطع الإسناد – This chain is broken.
Dhahabi says: منكر – rejected!
Ibn Kathir says: [فيه] الحجاج بن أرطأة ضعيف – Hajjaj in the chain is Weak.
Shu’aib Arnout said: إسناده ضعيف – It’s chain is WEAK.
Ibn Mulqin weakened it: ضعفه لائح بسبب الحجاج
As did Ibn Abdul-Barr: يدور على حجاج بن أرطأة وليس ممن يحتج بما انفرد به

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3 – The Prophet is reported to have said:
إِذَا جَاوَزَ الْخِتَانُ الْخِتَانَ وَجَبَ الْغُسْلُ
“When the circumcised meets the circumcised then Ghusl is required.”
(Tirmidhi, 109).
Or: إذا التقى الختانان فقد وجب الغسل
This narration is authentic.
However, it does not have to mean that both private parts were circumcised.
Arabs also say:
Two Omars “العمرين” – when they mean Abu Bakr and Umar.
Two Fathers “الأبوان” – when they mean the Father and Mother.
Two Moons “القمران” – when they mean the Sun and the Moon.
Two Marwas “المروتان” – when they mean Safa and Marwa.
Two Dhuhrs “الظهران” – when they mean Dhur and Asr.
Two Ishaas “العشاءان” – when they mean Isha and Maghrib.

And even if someone insists that both private parts are circumcised in this report – there is NO COMMAND or RECOMMENDATION in this report, it could be just a reality of their times.