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Fatwa CenterCircumcision for a new Muslim
Question
Is it necessary for a new Muslim to get circumcised? It is an expensive procedure in my country, and one man I know was seriously injured when he got "the chop".
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alyhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Circumcision is an act of Fitrah (natural disposition) and it is a mark of the Muslims.
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah 
that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "Five are the acts quite akin to the Fitrah; shaving the pubes, circumcision, clipping the mustache, plucking the hair under the armpits and cutting the nails." A new Muslim is required to enter into the meritable acts of Islam with all the other Muslims. Islam teaches cleanliness, purity and good conduct, and by adopting them a Muslim becomes beautiful in his appearance. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "The Prophet Abraham circumcised himself after he had passed the age of eighty years and he circumcised himself with an adze." Allaah Says (what means): {Follow the religion of Ibrahim Hanifa (Islamic monotheism to worship none but Allaah.}[Quran: 16:123] It is clear from these texts that circumcision is something required in the Sharee’ah and that it is the custom of all the Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention. If one fears any harm or death due to this practice, then it would no longer be compulsory on him. Allaah Says (what means): {And do not throw yourselves into destruction.}[Quran: 2:195] Allaah also Says (what means): {And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allaah is Most Merciful to you.}[Quran: 4:29]
Our religion of Islam would never order that which would cause harm. Muslim Scholars have established that circumcision is not compulsory for an aged person if it would cause harm to him. Imaam Qurtubi 
reported from Al-Hasan in his Tafseer (exegesis) that he permitted the aged person not to do circumcision, and his witness, prayers, slaughtering and all other deeds would remain correct. Imaam Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr said: “The majority of Muslim Scholars agree with this opinion. No doubt, this opinion is commensurate with the easiness and kindness of the Islamic Sharee’ah.”
Allaah Knows best.
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