KHITAN

in Islam, circumcision of the male; by extension it may also refer to the circumcision of the female (properly khafd). Muslim traditions (Hadith) recognize khitan as a pre-Islamic rite customary among the Arabs and place it in the same category as the trimming of mustaches, the cutting of nails, and the cleaning of the teeth with a toothpick. The legal schools of Islam, however, do not agree on the exact importance of khitan. The Shaf 'iyah school prescribes it for both males and females as obligatory (wajib), while the Malikiyah school allows that it is meritorious and recommended (sunnah) but not essential. Nor is there consensus regarding the age at which khitan should be performed: some recommend the seventh day after birth, some forbid it before the age of 10, others simply require it before adulthood. Among the followers of the religion, khitan far outweighs the importance accorded it by the legalists. Particulars vary from one Muslim country to another, but everywhere khitan is a major and celebrated rite.