Khitan (circumcision)

Khitan (Arabic: ختان) or Khatna (Arabic: ختنة) is the Arabic term for circumcision, and the Islamic term for the practice of religious male circumcision in Islamic culture. Male circumcision is widespread in the Muslim world, and accepted as an established practice by all Islamic schools of jurisprudence. It is considered a sign of belonging to the wider Muslim community (Ummah). Islamic male circumcision is analogous but not identical to Jewish male circumcision (Brit milah). Muslims are currently the largest single religious group in which the practice is widespread, although circumcision is not mentioned in the Quran itself but is mentioned in the ḥadīth literature and sunnah (accounts of the sayings and living habits attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad during his lifetime). Accordingly, in Iran, South Asia, Central Asia, Russia, Turkey, and the Balkans, derivatives of the word sunnah are used to refer to male circumcision. The same applies to the word Khitan in the Arabic language, which can refer to both genders.