In the name of God, the Merciful and Beneficent

The tradition of [hosting] circumcision feasts continues to exist among the Muslims of Central Asia and Kazakhstan.  This tradition has come down to us from the ancient period of ignorance [johiliyat]. Sometimes, thousands of guests are invited to circumcision feasts and enormous expenses exceeding all limits are made. Therefore, we decided to issue a special fatwa laying out the commands of the shari‘a on this subject, which is so important to our life.
Circumcision is part of the Sunnah of our Prophet.  As is well known, circumcision is the cutting of the extra skin covering the end of a boy’s member in his youth.  While the shariat permits circumcision, it says nothing about a feast.

Imam Hasan al-Basri, one of the great Followers [tabi‘in, those who knew the Companions of the Prophet, who in turn are a major source of authority for the transmission of hadith], said, “One of the Companions of the Messenger of God, Uthman ibn Abu’l ‘As was invited to a circumcision feast.  Because the Messenger of God never attended such ceremonies and did not like them, the Companion did not attend.  When people found out about this, they stopped inviting the Companion to such feasts.”  There are many [other] such examples.  It is clear from this that feasts carried out with great expense and with hypocritical intent have no basis in the shariat.

Such feasts are a great sin and a meaningless extravagance.  Whether people want it or not, such feasts create foolish rivalries among them.  It is nothing but a way for people to show off their wealth.  This tradition, meaningless and harmful in its own right, causes people to spend more than their income or their resources allow.  Many families are buried under huge debts, which they cannot pay off for years. Some of these families come to such a pass that, unable to improve their own economic condition, they fall into poverty and discord, and sometimes even break up.

Spending property and money on useless things, on things that do not befit reason, on meaningless desires, is incorrect, and the shariat does not allow it.   In this regard, God the Most High has this to say in the Merciful Qur’an: “Then, on that day, you will be asked about the blessings God has given you” [Qur’an cii: 8].  A different verse warns: “Eat and drink and do not commit extravagance.  God does not like those who commit extravagance”  [Qur’an vii: 31].
The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, in many noble hadiths, invited us to be moderate in the expenditure of wealth.  For example, the saying, “Whoever economizes does not have to depend on others,” is not empty of wisdom.

A number of hadiths have come down from the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, admonishing us on the foregoing.  These noble hadiths prove that people will be asked about four things before entering heaven:
• How did you pass your life?
• How did you spend your youth?
• Did you put your knowledge into practice or not?, and
• How did you accumulate your wealth and how did you spend it?

But, alas, despite the warnings in the Merciful Qur’an and the noble hadiths of our Prophet, people continue to follow unsanctioned traditions.  This is the result of the weakness of their human characteristics and the absence of strength of faith.

Some perform the feast to show off their wealth, so that whoever exceeds them becomes a rival.  Others perform it for fear of being criticized by their relatives who will say, “You have abandoned the customs and traditions of our forefathers.”  Yet others are given to vanity in the hope of gaining fame popularity.  People of this group are ready to spend the last of their wealth in search of fame.

About the first of these three groups, the 264th verse of the sura, “The Cow,” says the following: “There are those who believe neither in God Almighty, nor in the Day of Judgment, and spend their wealth to be seen by others.  Do not let your charity go to waste by doing it for show” [Qur’an ii: 264]. For the second group, the 23rd verse of the sura “The Gold Adornments” is appropriate: “Just in the same way, whenever We sent a Messenger before you to a village, the wealthy ones among them said, ‘We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we will certainly follow in their footsteps’” [Qur’an xliii: 23].

In criticizing the usages of the third group, we have to keep in mind God’s own commands about how recompense [ajr-u savob] is connected not to useless vanity, but to good deeds.  In this regard, God says in the 265th verse of the sura “The Cow”: “Those who spend their wealth in seeking to please Allah and to strengthen their faith are like a garden on a peak that continues to give a good harvest whether heavy rain falls on it or not. Gold Almighty constantly sees all your acts” [Qur’an ii: 265].

It is clear from the foregoing that feasts thrown to celebrate circumcision are against the laws of our shariat.  As a result, those who do not abandon this harmful tradition remain without reward [in the afterworld] and are also deprived of the mercy of God Almighty. Therefore, we recommend that all imams, preachers, and ulama conduct broad explanatory work among Muslims to highlight the need to safeguard themselves from such profitless customs and traditions.

Beseeching God the Most High and Most Holy, we ask that He save us from our extravagance and help us do good and beneficial deeds.

Translated by Adeeb Khalid.   Source: “Xatna to’yining bid’at ekani haqida,” in Shamsuddinxon Boboxonov, Shayx Ziyovuddinxon ibn Eshon Boboxon (ma’naviyat va ibrat maktabi) (Tashkent: O’zbekiston Milliy Entsiklopediyasi, 2001), pp. 215-218.