Al-Kāfi - Volume 6 > Cleansing, Circumcision
Hadith #1

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ اخْتِنُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ لِسَبْعَةِ أَيَّامٍ فَإِنَّهُ أَطْهَرُ وَ أَسْرَعُ لِنَبَاتِ اللَّحْمِ وَ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَتَكْرَهُ بَوْلَ الْأَغْلَفِوَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) إِنَّ ثَقْبَ أُذُنِ الْغُلَامِ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ وَ خِتَانَهُ لِسَبْعَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ .

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas‘adah ibn Sadaqah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ’Circumcise your children on the seventh day from their birth; it is more clean and allows the flesh to grow quicker. The earth dislikes the urine of one who is not circumcised.”’ Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith the following is narrated: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ’Piercing a hole in the ear of a boy is of Sunnah and circumcision on the seventh day is of Sunnah.’”



Hadith #2

عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) طَهِّرُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ يَوْمَ السَّابِعِ فَإِنَّهُ أَطْيَبُ وَ أَطْهَرُ وَ أَسْرَعُ لِنَبَاتِ اللَّحْمِ وَ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ تَنْجَسُ مِنْ بَوْلِ الْأَغْلَفِ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحاً .

2. Ali has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Cleanse (circumcise) your children on the seventh day of their birth; it is more clean and allows the flesh to grow quicker. The land remains unclean for forty days because of the urine of an uncircumcised man.’”



Hadith #3

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ ( عليه السلام ) أَنَّهُ رُوِيَ عَنِ الصَّادِقِينَ ( عليهما السلام ) أَنِ اخْتِنُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ يَوْمَ السَّابِعِ يَطَّهَّرُوا وَ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ تَضِجُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ بَوْلِ الْأَغْلَفِ وَ لَيْسَ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ لِحَجَّامِي بَلَدِنَا حِذْقٌ بِذَلِكَ وَ لَا يَخْتِنُونَهُ يَوْمَ السَّابِعِ وَ عِنْدَنَا حَجَّامُ الْيَهُودِ فَهَلْ يَجُوزُ لِلْيَهُودِ أَنْ يَخْتِنُوا أَوْلَادَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَمْ لَا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ فَوَقَّعَ ( عليه السلام ) السُّنَّةُ يَوْمَ السَّابِعِ فَلَا تُخَالِفُوا السُّنَنَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ .

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya and Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah have narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Ja‘far who has said the following: “I once wrote to abu Muhammad, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, that it is narrated from the two truthful Imam, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, who have said, ’Circumcise your children on the seventh day from their birth; the earth cries before Allah because of the urine of an uncircumcised person.’ I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, people performing circumcision in our city are not very knowledgeable and they do not do it on the seventh day but there is a Jewish person; if it is permissible for a Jewish person to circumcise children of Muslims or not by the will of Allah. He (the Imam) signed the answer that said, ’It is of Sunnah to circumcise on the seventh day, so do not oppose the Sunnah by the will of Allah.’”



Hadith #4

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَزَعَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) إِنَّ مَنْ قِبَلَنَا يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ( عليه السلام ) خَتَنَ نَفْسَهُ بِقَدُومٍ عَلَى دَنٍّ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ لَيْسَ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ ( عليه السلام ) قُلْتُ وَ كَيْفَ ذَاكَفَقَالَ إِنَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ ( عليهم السلام ) كَانَتْ تَسْقُطُ عَنْهُمْ غُلْفَتُهُمْ مَعَ سُرَرِهِمْ فِي الْيَوْمِ السَّابِعِ فَلَمَّا وُلِدَ لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ ( عليه السلام ) مِنْ هَاجَرَ عَيَّرَتْ سَارَةُ هَاجَرَ بِمَا تُعَيَّرُ بِهِ الْإِمَاءُ فَبَكَتْ هَاجَرُ وَ اشْتَدَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهَا فَلَمَّا رَآهَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ تَبْكِي بَكَى لِبُكَائِهَا وَ دَخَلَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ( عليه السلام ) فَقَالَ مَا يُبْكِيكَ يَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ سَارَةَ عَيَّرَتْ أُمِّي بِكَذَا وَ كَذَا فَبَكَتْ وَ بَكَيْتُ لِبُكَائِهَافَقَامَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ إِلَى مُصَلَّاهُ فَنَاجَى فِيهِ رَبَّهُ وَ سَأَلَهُ أَنْ يُلْقِيَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ هَاجَرَ فَأَلْقَاهُ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا فَلَمَّا وَلَدَتْ سَارَةُ إِسْحَاقَ وَ كَانَ يَوْمَ السَّابِعِ سَقَطَتْ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ سُرَّتُهُ وَ لَمْ تَسْقُطْ عَنْهُ غُلْفَتُهُ فَجَزِعَتْ مِنْ ذَلِكَ سَارَةُفَلَمَّا دَخَلَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ( عليه السلام ) عَلَيْهَا قَالَتْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ مَا هَذَا الْحَادِثُ الَّذِي حَدَثَ فِي آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ أَوْلَادِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ هَذَا ابْنُكَ إِسْحَاقُ قَدْ سَقَطَتْ عَنْهُ سُرَّتُهُ وَ لَمْ تَسْقُطْ عَنْهُ غُلْفَتُهُ فَقَامَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ( عليه السلام ) إِلَى مُصَلَّاهُ فَنَاجَى رَبَّهُ وَ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ مَا هَذَا الْحَادِثُ الَّذِي قَدْ حَدَثَ فِي آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ أَوْلَادِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ هَذَا ابْنِي إِسْحَاقُ قَدْ سَقَطَتْ عَنْهُ سُرَّتُهُ وَ لَمْ تَسْقُطْ عَنْهُ غُلْفَتُهُفَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ هَذَا لِمَا عَيَّرَتْ سَارَةُ هَاجَرَ فَآلَيْتُ أَنْ لَا أُسْقِطَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَحَدٍ مِنْ أَوْلَادِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ لِتَعْيِيرِ سَارَةَ هَاجَرَ فَاخْتِنْ إِسْحَاقَ بِالْحَدِيدِ وَ أَذِقْهُ حَرَّ الْحَدِيدِقَالَ فَخَتَنَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ( عليه السلام ) بِالْحَدِيدِ وَ جَرَتِ السُّنَّةُ بِالْخِتَانِ فِي أَوْلَادِ إِسْحَاقَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ .

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Muhammad ibn Qaza‘ah who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, ‘We are told that Ibrahim ‘Alayhi al-Salam circumcised with an adze on a base. He (the Imam) said, ‘Allah is free of all defects, it is not the way they say it is. They have lied against Ibrahim.’ I then asked, ‘How did it happen?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘In the case of the prophets, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, it would drop off on its own as well as their umbilical cord on the seventh day. When a child was born to Ibrahim, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, from Hagar, Sarah reproached her as slave-girls are reproached and she wept. It caused her an intense feeling and when Tsma‘il saw her weep he also wept because of her weeping. Ibrahim came in and asked Tsma‘il, ‘What has made you weep?’ Tsma‘il replied, “Sarah reproached my mother with such and such words. She wept and I also wept.” Ibrahim then stood on his place for prayer, spoke to his Lord and asked to make it drop from Hagar. Allah caused it to drop off. When Sarah gave birth to Ishaq and it became the seventh day the umbilical cord of Ishaq fell off but not the cover to be circumcised. Sarah became frightened thereby. When Ibrahim came in she said, ‘O Ibrahim, what is this incident which has taken place with the family of Ibrahim and the children of prophets? This is your son Ishaq. His umbilical cord has fallen off but not his circumcision place.’ Ibrahim stood in the place of his prayer, spoke to his Lord and asked, ‘O Lord, what is this incident that has taken place in the family of Ibrahim and the children of prophets? This is my son Ishaq. His umbilical cord has fallen off but not his circumcision place. Allah, most High, sent him revelation that said, ‘O Ibrahim this is because when Sarah reproached Hagar I then swore not to allow the circumcision place of one of the children of the prophets to fall off because of Sarah’s reproaching Hagar. Thus circumcise Ishaq with iron and make him to feel the heat of iron.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Ibrahim circumcised him with iron; then the tradition continued in the children of Ishaq thereafter.’”



Hadith #5

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ ثَقْبُ أُذُنِ الْغُلَامِ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ وَ خِتَانُ الْغُلَامِ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ .

5. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Piercing the ears of a boy is of the Sunnah as well as his circumcision.’”



Hadith #6

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ بُرَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مِنْ سُنَنِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ الِاسْتِنْجَاءُ وَ الْخِتَانُ .

6. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from al-Qasim ibn Burayd from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Of the Sunnah of prophets is draining al-Istinja’ (one’s urine) and circumcision.’”



Hadith #7

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ خِتَانِ الصَّبِيِّ لِسَبْعَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ هُوَ أَوْ يُؤَخَّرُ وَ أَيُّهُمَا أَفْضَلُ قَالَ لِسَبْعَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ وَ إِنْ أُخِّرَ فَلَا بَأْسَ .

7. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Yaqtin from his brother al-Husayn from his father Ali ibn Yaqtin who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about circumcision of a child, if on the seventh day is of Sunnah or it can be delayed and which one is better. He (the Imam) said, ‘On the seventh day is of Sunnah but delaying is not harmful.’”



Hadith #8

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مِنَ الْحَنِيفِيَّةِ الْخِتَانُ .

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Circumcision is of pure obedience to Allah.’”



Hadith #9

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ الْمَوْلُودُ يُعَقُّ عَنْهُ وَ يُخْتَنُ لِسَبْعَةِ أَيَّامٍ .

9. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from those whom he has mentioned who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘For a newborn ‘Aqiqah is offered on the seventh day and the child is circumcised.’”



Hadith #10

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) إِذَا أَسْلَمَ الرَّجُلُ اخْتَتَنَ وَ لَوْ بَلَغَ ثَمَانِينَ .

10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘If a man becomes a Muslim he must circumcise even if he is eighty years old.’”