Question 2025: Is it permissible to delay the circumcision of a newborn beyond the seventh day?
Answer
✅ Answer: Please pay attention to the following hadiths:
1 عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُغِیرَةِ عَمَّنْ ذَکَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: الْمَوْلُودُ یُعَقُّ عَنْهُ وَ یُخْتَنُ لِسَبْعَةِ أَیَّامٍ.
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 36
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: The Aqiqah (sacrifice) is performed on behalf of the newborn on the seventh day, and he is circumcised!
2 عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ أَنَّهُ کَتَبَ إِلَی أَبِی مُحَمَّدٍ (علیه السلام) أَنَّهُ رُوِیَ عَنِ الصَّادِقِینَ (علیه السلام) أَنِ اخْتِنُوا أَوْلَادَکُمْ یَوْمَ السَّابِعِ یَطَّهَّرُوا وَ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ تَضِجُّ إِلَی اللَّهِ مِنْ بَوْلِ الْأَغْلَفِ وَ لَیْسَ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاکَ لِحَجَّامِی بَلَدِنَا حِذْقٌ بِذَلِکَ وَ لَا یَخْتِنُونَهُ یَوْمَ السَّابِعِ وَ عِنْدَنَا حَجَّامُ الْیَهُودِ فَهَلْ یَجُوزُ لِلْیَهُودِ أَنْ یَخْتِنُوا أَوْلَادَ الْمُسْلِمِینَ أَمْ لَا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ فَوَقَّعَ (علیه السلام) السُّنَّةُ یَوْمَ السَّابِعِ فَلَا تُخَالِفُوا السُّنَنَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ.
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 35
Abdullah ibn Ja'far wrote a letter to Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him): It has been narrated from the Imams (peace be upon them) that: 'Circumcise your sons on the seventh day so they may become pure, for the earth cries out to the Divine Presence from the urine of an uncircumcised person.'
However, may I be your ransom, the cupper (hujjam) in our city does not have the skill for it and they do not circumcise the child on the seventh day, but we have a Jewish cupper. Is it permissible for Jews to circumcise the children of Muslims or not? God willing.
The Imam wrote in response: The Sunnah is on the seventh day, so do not oppose the Sunnah. God willing!
3 عَلِیُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِیمَ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (علیه السلام) قَالَ: اخْتِنُوا أَوْلَادَکُمْ لِسَبْعَةِ أَیَّامٍ فَإِنَّهُ أَطْهَرُ وَ أَسْرَعُ لِنَبَاتِ اللَّحْمِ وَ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَتَکْرَهُ بَوْلَ الْأَغْلَفِ.
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 34
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Circumcise your sons on the seventh day, for it is more purifying and faster for the growth of the flesh, and indeed the earth loathes the urine of the uncircumcised!
4 عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِیِّ بْنِ یَقْطِینٍ عَنْ أَخِیهِ الْحُسَیْنِ عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَلِیِّ بْنِ یَقْطِینٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (علیه السلام) عَنْ خِتَانِ الصَّبِیِّ لِسَبْعَةِ أَیَّامٍ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ هُوَ أَوْ یُؤَخَّرُ وَ أَیُّهُمَا أَفْضَلُ قَالَ لِسَبْعَةِ أَیَّامٍ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ وَ إِنْ أُخِّرَ فَلَا بَأْسَ.
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 36
Ali ibn Yaqtin said: I asked Imam al-Kazim (peace be upon him): Is the circumcision of the child on the seventh day a Sunnah, or can it be delayed? And which is better? The Imam said: It is Sunnah on the seventh day, but if it is delayed, there is no problem!
✅ According to the above hadiths and others, circumcising a newborn boy on the seventh day is Sunnah and has special properties. It is recommended to circumcise him on that very seventh day, and it is advised not to delay it beyond the seventh day, even if one is forced to use a Jewish physician for the circumcision; it is emphasized not to oppose this Sunnah.
However, in the fourth hadith, it is observed that there is a permission (rukhsah) for its delay, although it is best that it be performed on the seventh day.
✅ Refer also to the following link:
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر