THEY, who you know, can block me and others like me Six Million times, but they can never BLOCK THE TRUTH! Amen!
VICKIE JACOBS::
"I just got notice that I am to be blocked for 72 hours for trying to post a TUT articles on herpes that are caused by fellating a baby boy in Judaic ritual."
The ones we are not allowed to name are SO POWERFUL that they can threaten you, threaten to block your website, or block it, or ban it, and CENSOR YOUR RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH because they are the only group in the world who always LAMENT and COMPLAIN about even PROVABLE FACTS about them and they have the authorities in their pockets to cause you great harm as well as their terrorist militia like the JDL (LGJ in France)! (BAFS)
Les malheurs de la circoncision vus par le Dr.R Dommergue (Voir descriptif)
WARNING: This page reveals the true face of the practice of circumcision.
Therefore it contains information and images which some may find disturbing.
Circumcision - Does the Qur'an Approve it?
Genital Mutilation
Contents
- Introduction
- Prophet Ibrahim & circumcision
- Allah tells us that He has created human beings perfectly
- Functions of the Foreskin
- Is Circumcision Necessary for Cleanliness?
- The claim that this healthy body part
on a baby causes diseases - "If we can clip our fingernails, we can circumcise too"
- The Umbilical Cord
- "Verses on perfection on creation don't apply this way, because not all babies are born perfect and need operations. Therefore, it's okay to circumcise."
- The Myth that Circumcision is painless
and babies don't feel any pain - Satan's firm pledge to change Allah's creation in the Qur'an
- Historical Origins of Male Circumcision
- Differences in emotional responses to
Male and Female "circumcision" - Extra-Quranic sources written does not differentiate
between girls and boys - The Bible cannot command the Believers to circumcise
- The (Human) Right of the Personto choose
to be circumcised or intact - Continuous, Daily Discomfort Circumcised Men Experience
- How Male Circumcision Harms Women
- Why many circumcised men do not complain
- Conclusion
1) Introduction
What is male circumcision?
"The word circumcision
means “to cut around”. In male infants, circumcision is an operation
which involves tearing the foreskin away from the glans (head) of the
penis, cutting along the top of the foreskin, then clamping the foreskin
and cutting it off. The skin of the penis is a complex movable 'sheath'
with no clear indication of where it should be cut during a
circumcision. This means that the amount of foreskin removed from one
circumcision to the next can be very different, and no two circumcisions
are the same." (1)
2) Prophet Ibrahim &
circumcision
Circumcision of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) is actually not in the
Qur'an. The Qur'an deals extensively with Prophet Ibrahim, his name alone
is mentioned sixty-seven times. Yet the Qur'an says nothing of him being circumcised
or being commanded to do so. Rather it was his faith in Allah and
devotion to Him alone which is stressed throughout the Qur'an and
which is to be followed. The Qur'an deals with Prophet Ibrahim's
construction of the Kaba and other matters - but does not say he was
told to cut off a part of his private parts. There is an important
reason why as we shall see shortly.
“They say, ‘Be Jews or
Christians and you will be guided.’ Say, rather adopt the religion of
Ibrahim, a man of natural pure belief. He was not one of the idolaters.’ "
(Qur’an 2:135)
We follow the way of Ibrahim by following the religion communicated in
the Qur'an, not the Bible where this injunction is found, teachings
of Allah in the Quran supersede them:
"Allah wants to clarify to you the way of
those who went before you and guide you to it, and to forgive you -
Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." (Qur'an 4:26)
3) Allah tells us that He has created human beings perfectly:
In numerous Verses of the Qur'an, Allah tells us that He has created
everything, including human beings, in the most perfect form. In the
following verse, Allah explicitly states this with regards to the human
creation:
"We have
indeed created man in the 'best of moulds'." (Qur'an 95:4)
This means when a baby leaves the mother's womb, he or she is in the
most perfect of shape down to the finest detail. Nothing needs
alteration. With regards to the
development of the baby, Allah states the following:
"Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that
clot We made a lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the
bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So
blessed be Allah, the 'Best of all Creators!' " (Qur'an 23:14)
Notice that Allah states that He is the best creator - the resulting
completed creation of the baby is
thus in its optimal
form.
In another verse, Allah
states:
"The
work of Allah who has 'perfected everything' (He created)." (Qur'an 27:88)
Also in
three other Verses, in relation to human beings,
Allah says the following:
"The
One Who has 'perfected everything' He has created and began the creation of human beings
from clay" (Qur'an 32:7)
"Allah is the One
who made the Earth a habitat for you, and the sky as a structure, and He
designed you, and has perfected your design." (Qur'an 40:64)
"Allah created the
heavens and the Earth for a true purpose, He designed you, and has
perfected your design. You will all return to Him." (Qur'an 64:3)
A Closer Look at 32:7
الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الإِنْسَانِ مِنْ طِين
"The One who has PERFECTED EVERYTHING HE HAS CREATED and began
the creation of mankind from clay" (Qur'an 32:7)
In this verse Allah states He has أَحْسَنَ everything He made.
The word originating from حَسَنْ (good) is in superlative form,
when applied in this manner, it means the infinitely highest form of
حَسَنْ. Thus, the translation is "PERFECTED" everything
(the same goes for 40:64).
"Everything", translation of كُلَّ شَيْء means EVERYTHING Allah
has made, stars, moon, plants, animals, the human being - including genitalia. Thus
the male genitalia is perfected by Allah.
40:64 is in direct reference to human beings ("perfected your
[i.e. humankind's] design"):
وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ
"And He DESIGNED
you, and has PERFECTED your design." (Qur'an 40:64)
All these verses tell us that Allah creates human beings, male and female, perfectly in the mother's womb. The
design of the foreskin on the male is an intentional act of creation. Allah did
not make a 'mistake' in designing the foreskin of the male. He does not
need mankind to take a knife and start cutting off a part of the penis
on males,
as if though it is a 'corrective procedure' to a design flaw.
Allah states:
"You will not see
any flaw in what the Lord of Mercy creates." (Qur'an 67:3)
The proponents of circumcision say there are reasons such as hygiene and
other benefits behind them
doing this. This is actually an insult against Allah. Because, had it
been 'better' in anyway to not have the foreskin, Allah would have designed all male babies without that bit of the
foreskin - as Allah states, he has perfected His creation. As per the Quranic understanding, medical
research shows that the foreskin serves innumerable useful purposes and is
designed intentionally by Allah to serve these purposes.
"Did We not create you (mankind) from a base fluid? We then laid it up in a safe abode for a known term.
Then we arranged. How excellent is Our arranging! Woe unto the rejectors on that day! ...In which hadith after the [Qur'an]
do they believe?" (Qur'an, Surah 77 - Verses 20-24 and 50)
4) Functions of the Foreskin
Following are
some of the functions it performs, and what happens if you surgically
remove it:
✔ Ridged Bands. The inner foreskin contains bands of densely
innervated, sexually responsive tissue. They constitute a primary
erogenous zone of the human penis and are important for realizing the
fullness and intensity of sexual response.
✔ Specialized sensory tissue. In addition to the 'ridged bands'
mentioned above, thousands of coiled fine-touch receptors (Meissner’s
corpuscles) constitute the most important sensory component of the
penis. The foreskin contains branches of the dorsal nerve and between
10,000 and 20,000 specialized erotogenic nerve endings of several types,
which are capable of sensing slight motion and stretch, subtle changes
in temperature, and fine gradations in texture. Thus, up to 20,000 nerve
endings are removed by circumcision. Note that the most sensitive part
of the penis is the tip of the foreskin (the transitional region from
external to internal prepuce). This part is always removed in
circumcisions.
✔ Protection. The sleeve of tissue (foreskin) normally covers the
sensitive glans and protects it from abrasion, drying, callusing
(keratinization), and environmental contaminants. The inner lining of
the foreskin consists of soft mucosa lubrication layer, like behind
one's eyelids, or the inner lips, thus protecting the sensitive glans
from abrasion. The glans (visible in the above illustration after
cutting away the foreskin) is intended to be a protected internal organ,
like the female clitoris. The internal glans are highly sensitive and
has the moist texture of the inside of one's cheeks, but after
circumcision, it begins to lose its sensitivity through abrasion in
diaper and underwear. For the first few weeks, it is very painful to the
touch of fabric or diaper. It is similar to the human eyeball, which is
protected by the eye lids. One would not touch the eyeballs directly
but over the eyelids only - it is that sensitive. After circumcision,
the exposed glans begins to dry-out and keratinize (builds hardened cell
layer on the outside as a defence from environmental contaminants).
“The foreskin’s inner lining, which is mucous membrane, continually
moisturises the penis head (glans) with a lubricating lenolin-like
substance which I suggest we call lanofore. This constant moisturising
results in a glans which is giveable and somewhat spongy to the touch,
even when erect. The softly-stiff, giveable glans is part of nature’s
sexual plan and is what nature intended for a woman to experience during
intercourse – it is kind and gentle to the vaginal walls.
In contrast, the head of the circumcised penis is a constantly
exposed, external organ. As a result, the glans becomes dried out and
abnormally hardened due to lack of moisture, analogous to the way a
sponge hardens when water evaporates from it. In order to imagine the
significance of this to the man, imagine your tongue hanging outside
your mouth, all dried out. You may have experienced this occasionally
upon awakening. Now imagine your tongue never being able to return to
the protective, moist environment of your mouth – constantly exposed,
constantly dried out. Then imagine someone rubbing a coarse fabric
across your tongue every waking hour. Doesn’t sound like a lot of fun
does it? And yet, for a man denied his foreskin due to circumcision,
this is life for his penis head is like, as it is chafed by coarse
underwear, bedding and the man’s own wiry pubic hair, day in day out.
The glans of the circumcised man never gets to experience what it is
like to live as an internal organ, sheltered inside the moist foreskin
(like the female vulva stays constantly moist)."
Sex as Nature Intended it: The Most Important Thing You Need to Know About Making Love
But No One Could Tell You Until Now (2nd Edition) by Kristen O’ Hara.
The surface of the circumcised glans bears resemblance
with the dried, cracked and thirsty desert land - an unhealthy state unexpected by the female reproductive organ during sex.
✔ The Frenulum. A frenulum is a small fold of tissue that
secures or restricts the motion of a mobile organ to the body. Frenulums
can be found under the tongue and on the inside of the human lips:
On the intact human penis, a frenulum connects the mobile foreskin to
the glans in order to pull the foreskin over the glans when not aroused
for the purpose of protection. The penile frenulum however is a highly
nerve-laden web of tissue compared to any other frenulum on the body
(more later).
✔ Proper blood flow. The foreskin contains several feet of blood
vessels, including the frenular artery and branches of the dorsal
artery. The loss of this rich vascularization interrupts normal blood
flow to the shaft and glans of the penis, damaging the natural function
of the penis and altering its development.
✔ Immunological defense. The soft mucosa of the inner foreskin
produces plasma cells, which secrete immunoglobulin antibodies, and
antibacterial and antiviral proteins, such as the pathogen-killing
enzyme called lysozyme. All of the human mucosa (the linings of the
mouth, eyelids, vagina, foreskin and anus) are the body's first line of
defense against disease. This benefit of the foreskin could be one
possible explanation why intact men are at lower risk of chlamydia and
other sexually transmitted diseases.
✔ Gliding action during sex. The foreskin is the only moving part
of the penis. During any sexual activity, the foreskin and glans work
in unison; their mutual interaction creates a complete sexual response.
During intercourse, the non-abrasive gliding of the penis in and out of
itself within the vagina facilitates smooth and pleasurable intercourse
for both partners. The cut penis cannot glide and makes the penis a
static organ. A full study of how male circumcision harms women:
✔ Comfort glide throughout the day. The shaft retract and extend
inwards and outwards throughout the day in the flaccid state varying
with bodily parameters such as temperature. For example, when the body
feels cold, the shaft retracts. In the intact penis, the foreskin glides
smoothly over the glans as necessary, excess skin gathers ahead of the
glans if needed. On a circumcised penis, the cut foreskin buckle and
crease against coronal ridge on the shaft as it retracts, preventing the
shaft/glans from retracting properly and causing a level of discomfort.
The foreskin acts like a spring preventing the retraction of the penis.
This push of the buckled foreskin against the corona during retractions
through out the day (as well as pull during erection) is unnatural and
uncomfortable compared to an intact naturally gliding foreskin-shaft
combination. All circumcised males have to again, subconsciously learn
to ignore the discomfort. Some circumcised men complain of stinging sensations during adulthood.
✔ Proper lymph flow. The foreskin contains lymphatic vessels, which are necessary for proper lymph flow and immunological functioning.
✔ Langerhans cells. These specialized epithelial cells are a
component of the immune system and may play a role in protecting the
penis from sexually transmitted infections such as HIV (AIDS).
✔ Dartos Fascia. This is a smooth temperature-sensitive muscle
sheath that underlies the scrotum, the entire penis and the tip of the
foreskin. It is necessary for proper temperature regulation of the
genitals (causing these structures to elongate in the heat and shrink in
the cold). Approximately half of the Dartos Fascia is destroyed by
circumcision. In circumcised males, the glans can become cold at times
due to the missing temperature control mechanism (exposed glans).
✔ Sebaceous glands. The oils produced by these glands lubricate
and moisturize the foreskin and glans, so that the two structures
function together smoothly.
✔ Full penis length and circumference. The foreskin creates a
visibly longer penis, especially when the foreskin extends beyond the
head of the penis. Also, the double-layered tissue of the foreskin
engorges with blood during erection and creates a visibly and sensually
thicker shaft and glans. When the engorged foreskin retracts behind the
coronal ridge of the glans, it often creates a wider and more pronounced
"ridge" that many partners find especially stimulating during
penetrative intercourse. The circumcised penis appears truncated and
thinner than a full-sized intact penis.
✔ Risk of death from surgery. Every year in the United States
alone, an estimated 100 boys die from the complications of circumcision.
Worldwide the figure is much higher, a fact that the American
circumcision industry ignores, obscures, or downplays.
✔ Delayed or diminished maternal bonding. Circumcision, even if
anaesthesia is used, causes unavoidable operative trauma and
post-operative pain that has been shown to disrupt bonding with the
mother, which in turn interferes with the first developmental task of
every human, that of trust (trust in human contact, in personal safety,
etc)."
✔ Oestrogen Receptors. The presence of estrogen receptors within
the foreskin has only recently been discovered. Their purpose is not
yet understood and needs further study.
✔ Neurological Sexual Communication. Although never studied
scientifically, contemporary evidence suggests that a penis without its
foreskin lacks the capacity for the subtle neurological "cross-communication"
that occurs only during contact between mucous membranes and which
contributes to the experience of sexual pleasure. Amputating an infant
boy's multi-functional foreskin is a low-grade neurological castration" [Immerman], which diminishes the intensity of the entire sexual experience for both the circumcised male and his partner).
See (2) below for references to the above facts.
"The work of Allah
who has perfected everything." (Qur'an 27:88)
"We have
indeed created man in the best of moulds." (Qur'an 95:4)
Allah created men in this way with knowledge of all
the above reasons. The proponents of
circumcision try to side-track these verses. Most of the time, they have
never read verses such as those above, because they are too occupied with reading
books written by man. Or they may have never thought of the verses in
this way
because of their surface reading attitude towards the Qur'an
instilled in them by the majority and the trusted scholars.
5) Is Circumcision Necessary for Cleanliness?
As mentioned, one of the arguments put forward is that
circumcision is done for cleanliness. However, they do not want to
acknowledge that
it is simple, basic hygiene practice in the shower to keep clean for a
man - it takes less time to clean under the foreskin than to brush teeth! Our noses filter the air and need
more regular cleaning, we do not
simply go and chop it off because we need to clean it. Or take for
example, after using the toilet, our anuses require to be cleaned with
water - hygiene is part of living and amputation is not a solution.
They cite arguments such as 'circumcision prevents diseases'. However, only about 20% of
the earth's male population are circumcised, 80% are not (3), do we have an epidemic breaking loose? The answer is
'no'.
6) The claim that this healthy body part on a baby causes diseases
Developing disorders with any part of the
body is a possibility. For example, the risk of breast cancer in women.
More than 45,000 women in the UK were diagnosed with breast cancer in
2006 (4) (yet, this figure is very high compared to anything
that goes wrong with intact penises). Should we put all girls through
mastectomy to eliminate the possibility of developing breast cancer in
their lives ('mastectomy' is the removal of breast tissue)? Or in
eliminating the possibility of developing testicular cancer in males,
should we remove the male testicles? You would say 'no' because they
serve an important role in reproduction. What about the 35,000 men
diagnosed with prostates cancer in UK each year, shall we remove prostrates
from every newborn baby too? Like these parts of the body, the foreskin
too being part of the sexual system, serves
important functions such as those we have discussed - functions which you may have
not been aware of nor appreciated if you are a male circumcised at childhood or birth, or
if you are a female. Routine amputation to a healthy and functional body
part is not the means to disease prevention.
False allegation: Circumcision will prevent Penile Cancer
Penile Cancer is a rare form of
cancer that happens mostly to older men from age 40 and above, but most
cases are in men aged 60 and over. In the UK, only 500 men are diagnosed
with it each year. The rarity of this form of cancer shows when this
figure is compared with 35,000 men diagnosed with prostates cancer each
year(5)
! Circumcision does not prevent penile cancer. In the
United States, most men with penile cancer are circumcised. However, does circumcision reduce the risk of penile
cancer despite it being a very low risk cancer already? Basically, by
removing a part of the penis in circumcision, a part of the penis is not
there to develop cancer. This is the same as saying, by removing the
liver, we eliminate liver cancer! It is obvious to a thinking person
that this sort of prevention where healthy parts of the body with many
functions is simply cut off is not a way to prevent a disease which has
not even occurred, and moreover which has an extremely small chance of
happening.
Is it justified to surgically remove multi-functional foreskin of the
male, and cause all the disadvantages we have identified without even the
person's consent (babies)?
A recent study done by Wallerstein concluded that circumcision does not help reduce
the risk of penile cancer as the rates of penile cancer in Japan, Norway
and Sweden (countries with low rate of circumcision) was the same as
United States' (which has a higher rate of circumcision) (6).
In view of all that has been said, the 'Royal Australasian College of Physicians' and the
'American Medical Association' made a statement saying that carrying out
infant circumcision with the hope of preventing penile cancer is not
justified(7),
with the 'American Cancer Society' also holding the same view.
7) "If we can clip our fingernails and cut our hair, we can circumcise too"
Another argument put forward is 'why do we cut our hair or fingernails then'?
Fingernails and hair are quite different. They are not living flesh with
blood circulation and nerve receptors and hence not an anatomical part of the body. Hair and fingernails were
intentionally designed to continuously
grow and to be cut regularly as a form of replenishment and consist of dead cells. This is not the case with the foreskin
which is sustained through blood circulation like any other permanent
part of the body.
The male foreskin is intended to be a permanent part of the body (like
ones fingers) and performs innumerable needed functions that can only
be served by being there - it does not grow back. Because these
functions of the foreskin are important, Allah designed the male human
in this way. Allah
has designed the foreskin in the male humans because it is better - as He states, He is the
"Best of all Creators" (Qur'an 23:14). If
something is "better" He would design His creation in that way, not in the
less optimal way. He is the one who designs human beings, male and female,
perfectly in the womb. Cutting off multi-functional, nerve-laden living
foreskin off a baby is in principle, the same as cutting his fingers
off.
8) "If we can remove the Umbilical Cord, we can circumcise too"
The purpose of the umbilical cord is to
exchange nutrients with the foetus. The umbilical cord reaches the end
of its purpose once the baby has exited the womb. After birth, the pathways for the
exchange of nutrition changes from the umbilical cord to the mouth and nose, and
thus it has reached the end of its purpose. The umbilical cord is an
extension of the placenta connected to the mother, which is the
'after-birth' that is discarded post birth, not needed by the mother and
no longer the baby. As it is intended to be removed, it has no pain receptors or
any connection with the baby's
brain so that it does not feel any pain in its removal. Therefore, the
umbilical cord is not a part of the human body that is created in
pregnancy, rather it is part of the placenta. It is unlike the
foreskin on the penis which is a protective, sexual tissue and a part of
the male genitalia, linked sexually and in every way to the baby's brain
- a human anatomical part - not at all intended to be removed.
Why the Frenulum if Allah wanted boys to be circumcised?
The frenulum, linking the
foreskin to the glans on the underside of the penis, is designed
to pull the foreskin over the glans once it returns to flaccid
state, yet allowing gliding action during intercourse...
Circumcision involves cutting and clamping the foreskin permanently to the shaft
behind the coronal ridge, fixing
its position (no gliding action). This destroys the functionality and need of the
frenulum placed by Allah. Why then did Allah write the frenulum in
all male human DNA if he wants people to destroy its designed
function?
The answer is that Allah designed
it as part of a perfect system in the male human anatomy, and it
is to function as Allah willed it like all other systems of the
human body! The frenulum proves that Allah intended the penis to
remain intact throughout a man's life.
Note that unlike the frenulums in
the mouth, the penile frenulum is sexually sensitive. In a
circumcision, the frenulum may also be completely removed along
with the valuable foreskin, depending on the mood of the
circumciser.
9) "Verses
on perfection on creation don't apply this way, because not all babies
are born perfect and need operations. Therefore, it's okay to
circumcise."
One other argument they put forth is that
some babies are born with disorders, so the understanding of the verses
on perfection of creation has to be seen differently. For example they
say, the verse, "We have
indeed created man in the best of moulds." (Qur'an 95:4)
cannot be used against circumcision as humans are not always born perfect. What they do not understand is that the
verses we read on perfection of human beings' body
in the Qur'an are referring to the actual 'blueprint' - or in other words, the 'default
plan' in Allah's creation. That is, for example, all humans have
five fingers on each hand, two eyes, one tongue etc. That is the actual
design of Allah. If there is a baby born with a disorder to the genes, for example
with a missing finger, then
this particular baby's disorder is not part of Allah's blueprint (which
is perfect), hence the reason we are calling the condition a 'disorder'!
The foreskin is part of Allah's blueprint
as all male human beings are born with
it (a default part of the DNA), which makes it part of Allah's perfect creation and which is why all
the verses we quoted are applicable. This is why the suggestion of
circumcision as a beneficial procedure for the male human being is actually
a gross insult against
the perfection in Allah's design as well as Quranic verses.
"Woe to man! How ungrateful He is! From what thing does Allah create
Him? He created him from a droplet and then 'ordained his proportions'. "
(Qur'an 80:17-19)
"Without nerve-endings, one cannot feel, ...much as without eyes, one cannot see."
Fran P. Hosken
10) The
Myth that Circumcision is painless and babies don't feel any pain
"Circumcising" is
not a 'fifteen minutes and done' job. Some unperceptive people think
that the relatively short duration of the operation shows the 'mildness'
of the surgery. But you can amputate a babies arms off in two minutes
flat, therefore time does not mean anything! Some facts we need to consider are
as follows. Anaesthesia is often not used on
babies. Yet, the injection required for anaesthesia has to be applied to
the tip of the penis where it is most sensitive. Even with anaesthesia
applied, the procedure is excruciatingly painful as anaesthesia is not always
completely affective.
The worst of the pain actually follows immediately
after the procedure as the anaesthesia dies out, when the burning of a
raw wound begins to be felt. Pain can last for many days and even
weeks as the wound takes its duration to heal (not to forget, the
life-long disadvantages from that point on). The healing process is not
always smooth as imagined either. Every time the baby urinates he will usually cry due to
'burning' sensation from the wounded penis.
And it is just that, an inflicted 'wound' (no matter what method of
circumcision is used). There is also the possibility of bleeding and
infection occurring post surgery with risk of death. A baby experiences all these
sensations even if he cannot articulate his experience to adults.
One of the ill-found mentality of ignorant parents not
acquainted with the Qur'an is them thinking baby circumcision is some
how more preferable to circumcision on older boys who can talk. Therefore,
many parents circumcise their perfectly healthy babies immediately
following birth or in his baby days. The fact is, this makes no
difference to the baby - the pain coupled with the trauma of arms and
legs strapped down against his persistent crying is all experienced by a living soul. The baby
will feel these anguishes just like an adult. The fact that he cannot express his pain in
words does not make any difference in reality. The only people it
benefits are the parents who some how calm themselves by the fact that
the baby cannot express his pain - a form of deep ignorance it is.
Research done on measurement of baby pain during circumcisions through
such tests as heel-stick blood sampling (for cortisol levels), weighing and measuring,
behavioural distress, discharge examination,
and heart-rate, describe the pain as "Severe
and persistent"(8) and "Among the most painful [procedures]
performed in neonatal medicine”
(9), and that “This level of pain
would not be tolerated by older patients.”
(10)
The fact
that he will not recall his experience as he grows up also means
nothing to the baby who will go through the traumatic experience i.e.
wiping out memory does not justify inflicting trauma. It has been
indicated that even if pain cannot be recalled in adulthood, it can have
lasting affects through neurodevelopment problems.
A baby boy put through 'circumcision' - All babies' arms and legs are
strapped down during circumcisions. Doing this on an adult without
consent would be considered
human rights violations, and can put one in jail.
"Behold, when your Lord said to the angels:
'I will create a vicegerent on earth.' They said:
'Will you place therein those who will spread corruption and shed blood?
- while we celebrate your praises and glorify your majestic name?" He said: "I know what you do not know". (Qur'an 2:30)
"Within minutes, three feet of veins, arteries and capillaries, 240
feet of nerves and more than 20,000 nerve endings are destroyed; so are
all the muscles, glands, epithelial tissue and sexual sensitivity
associated with the foreskin. Finally, what nature intended as an
internal organ is irrevocably externalized..."
Fran P. Hosken
Research reveals that after infant circumcision, the average adult penis has lost
51% of penile tissue. It is 15 square
inches in area when folded out,
and can comfortably fit 15 US quarters.
Circumcision is more painful for
babies than adults because:
1) On babies, the foreskin is fused to the glans
like your finger-nails are fused to your fingers. If you try to separate
your finger-nail from your finger, it would be extremely painful. Just
like that, on a baby, the surgeon has to physically tear the foreskin
away from the glans first, before he can cut the foreskin. The system
designed by Allah is that during infancy, the foreskin remains
fused to the glans (which is why parents must not attempt to retract it,
doing so can be damaging!), removing the need to clean the glans. The foreskin and glans begin to separate as
the child grows and is usually fully separated by adolescence. In baby
circumcision, tearing away of the foreskin from the glans adds the
additional risk of the surgeon damaging/scarring the glans permanently.
2) Recent studies have found that babies nervous systems
are highly developed and the ability to sense pain is stronger than an
adult. This means a baby has the potential to feel more pain than an adult.
Circumcision: Foreskin (double fold of specialised
erogenous tissue), consisting of outer
layer of epidermal tissue (like what is on the rest of our
bodies) and inner layer of mucosal tissue
(like the inner eye-lids and the mouth) is severed. Associated
nerve endings
for sexual stimulation destroyed,
externalising and desensitising the internal glans and leaving a
permanent circumcision scar. Mechanics of
sexual intercourse is destroyed, causing
significant sexual harm to women (
more here ).
Photo
Courtesy:
www.noharm.org
"Let there be no change in Allah's creation."
"He has designed you and has perfected your design."
Qur'an 30:30 & 40:64
If the Qur'an is
against it, then where did this practice originate from? Please note,
that the Qur'an is the message of the messenger. If the Qur'an was
against it, the prophet was also against it (See
Understanding "Obey Allah & the Messenger").
11) Satan's firm pledge to change Allah's creation
in the Qur'an
The Satan pledges to make mankind remove body-parts that Allah has
created. Allah tells us this information in the following Verse:
"(Satan said), 'I will lead them (mankind) astray and fill them with false hopes.
I will command them and they will cut off cattle's ears. I will command
them and they will change Allah's creation.' Anyone who takes Satan as
his protector in place of Allah has clearly lost everything. He makes
promises to them and fills them with false hopes. But what Satan
promises them is nothing but delusion." (Qur'an 4:119-120)
As can be seen, the Satan pledges to make people change what Allah has
originally created.
The fact that Satan uses the Cattle's ears as an example does not at
all mean
his scheming to change Allah's creation will be limited to this.
This is because Satan's goal is to make people change what Allah
originally creates, not the act of cutting off cattle's ears which is
only a means to the objective - he can take other means too. We know this from his statement,
"I will command them and they will change Allah's creation",
where "Allah's creation" includes
all things Allah creates, including a baby's penis.
Having made the pledge, Satan must find
ways to make people carry out his desires. With regards to the Satan's
ways in getting his desires across, Allah reveals to the believers that
Satan will inspire words and sayings outside of the Qur'an, such as
hearsay and tales, to
communicate his message:
"We assigned to every
prophet an enemy, Satan human and jinn to inspire fancy words to one
another in order to deceive - Had your Lord willed so, they would not
have done it, so leave them and their fabrications". (Qur'an 6:112)
Photo Courtesy:
www.drmomma.org
12) Historical Origins of Male Circumcision
Circumcision pre-dates earliest recorded history. Historians do not
have
a consensus on when or where exactly the practice began, however, one
theory suggests that it began in one location
and spread from there. The survival of the practice throughout the
ages and reasoning for it up to this day varied with the ages and
geographical location over which the practice spread. For example, it
is suggested that in the earliest origins,
circumcision was used as a method to immobilise captured enemies in
battles.
In later years in African tribal areas, it marked a right of passage
of boys entering adulthood, and in the western world in more recent
times,
a method to prevent boys from masturbating, when this reason was no
longer viable, hygiene and disease control was cited.
Below, is a coloured depiction of carvings from the tomb of
Ankh-Mahor (2400-2300 BC), Egypt before the estimated era of Prophet
Ibrahim (1800 to 2100 BC). It depicts circumcision and it is the
earliest physical record of circumcision in the Arabian Peninsula - 3000
years before the era of prophet Muhammed (c. 600 AD).
However, evidence suggests that the practice of circumcision entered
2700 years before Prophet Ibrahim when Sumerians and Semites moved into
what is today, Iraq, 4500 to 4000 BC. What inspired them to mutilate an
anatomical part of the human penis
would have remained a mystery, had the Qur'an not revealed its
origins.
Even though the final origin of the practice pre-dates earliest record
of history, the Glorious Qur'an clearly reveals the Satanic origin of
the practice. However - Satan, is not a self-revealing force and will
always conceal himself in driving people to commit this act. Even
though Allah has revealed clear Books giving guidance throughout the
ages,
through Moses, Jesus, Muhammed for example. Satan's force will
manifest in various forms - even through "scriptural" means - sacred
texts written by people, or altering of God's previous Books.
This is revealed in the Qur'an:
"Satan human and jinn to inspire fancy words to one another in order to deceive" (Qur'an 6:115).
For example, "The Book of the Dead",
from ancient Egypt - a religious funerary text - depicts the sun god
Ra performing circumcision on himself, whose blood created two other
guardian deities. In strong parallel with this many years later,
after the demise of the prophet, one of the many sayings attributed to
the prophet in the form of hadith depicts prophet Ibrahim performing
circumcision on himself to fulfil a command of God.
This point is particularly absurd as the Prophet Muhammed has no
knowledge of the past, save what the Qur'an revealed to him, and the
Qur'an mentions nothing of Prophet Ibrahim's circumcision:
"We narrate to you the best stories through what we reveal to you in
this Qur'an, when before this you were totally unaware." (Qur'an 12:3)
Thus through fabrication of "fancy words", the practice finds
continual basis in fulfilling Satan's desires in the minds of people
in new eras, despite Allah admonishing against circumcision through His
pleas on the perfection of His creation
and explicitly revealing Satan's desire to inspire people to alter it.
This is in addition to not remotely mentioning anything
about circumcision of Prophet Ibrahim, which would have been a highly
implausible command anyway given what we know from the Qur'an about
changing Allah's creation.
Man may continue to alter Allah's creation till the end of time so
long as Satan is alive. But Allah, with the Qur'an absolves Himself
by revealing a fully detailed and incorruptible Book clarifying the
true and righteous path for the true Believers. The choice which lies
on man is whether to have faith in the infallible Book revealed by
Allah, or to follow the whims of those writers whose works reflect
the objectives of the Satan in getting man to change Allah's perfect
creation.
13) Differences in emotional responses to Male and Female "circumcision"
'Female circumcision' can vary from removal of the clitoral hood, the
clitoris it self, to the labia minora or majora. In reality, male
circumcision is too an amputation procedure involving significant tissue
removal, which destroys the functionality and sexual capability of the
male penis to a significant extent (sexual harm discussed later). However, the response to female
circumcision (no matter what type) is often starkly different to the male in the western world. The reasons for this
prevalent bias and prejudice against males are several folds but primarily that of
'cultural acceptance'.
The "Equivalent" Female Circumcision to Male Circumcision
The clitoral hood and labia minora in females
has the same embryonic origin as the foreskin in males. Only
after a specific stage in the development of the embryo do they
take their distinctive forms. In females, the clitoral hood
protects the clitoris, in males the foreskin protects the glans
( diagram ). The 'equivalent' female circumcision to male circumcision is clitoral hood and/or labia minora removal. If this surgery was done on young girls among people who only circumcise young boys, it may well be that they consider it barbaric, cruel and a sexual violation. Yet, the 'same' act done on boys does not trigger any emotions. Removal of the foreskin is actually more severe because the male glans, being more externalised and larger, makes it more prone to abrasion. Male circumcision also destroys correct sexual functionality of the penis.
( diagram ). The 'equivalent' female circumcision to male circumcision is clitoral hood and/or labia minora removal. If this surgery was done on young girls among people who only circumcise young boys, it may well be that they consider it barbaric, cruel and a sexual violation. Yet, the 'same' act done on boys does not trigger any emotions. Removal of the foreskin is actually more severe because the male glans, being more externalised and larger, makes it more prone to abrasion. Male circumcision also destroys correct sexual functionality of the penis.
In parts of Africa, Malaysia and Indonesia as well as other parts of
the "Muslim" world, it is normal to circumcise girls and they
have 'justifications' for it too, just as one may have for male
circumcision. Words such as 'Female Genital Mutilation' or FGM
are used by human rights groups. Male "circumcision" too is now
being referred to as 'Male Genital Mutilation' or MGM.
14) Extra-Quranic sources written does not Differentiate between Girls and
Boys
The Qur'an is the only
guide for the believer as stated in the Qur'an. As an interesting point,
none of the hadiths in the Sunni hadith books related to circumcision
and attributed to the Prophet, differentiate between male or
female circumcision and in fact there are hadiths which indicate females
should also be circumcised. Because of this feature of the hadiths, many
so called Muslim clergyman have passed verdicts that it is mandatory for
females to be circumcised. Due to other influences, male genital cutting
spread further than female whereas cutting male and female genitals
appears to be equally advisory. This practice of female circumcision is
widespread in many parts of Africa, Indonesia and Malaysia today because of these deviated
un-Quranic teachings and lies preached by these so-called scholars.
These teachings against the Qur'an (male and female circumcision) as
sayings attributed to the prophet, do not originate from the prophet at
all (see
Understanding Obey Allah & the Messenger).
In fact, those traditionalists
today who circumcise their sons but not daughters can be challenged to this:
Lay all the so-called hadith of the prophet on the subject in front of them and ask 'why do you not circumcise your daughters
then?'
A very confused look can be observed! This is because there is no basis
to discriminate between girls and boys with the basis of hadith, which
recommends 'circumcision' for both girls and boys. This begs the question, what is
the guide to religion for these people, the Qur'an? Qur'an and hadith? It seems neither!
Simply confusion and practices of the majority, a religion lacking Allah's clear guidance and
wisdom.
15) The Bible cannot command the Believers to circumcise
It is a common misconception to believe that
the Qur'an approves taking guidance from Biblical sources. Some people conveniently quote:
Yet this verse is in no way commanding the believers to resort to the Bible. The misconception
is clarified in the article within the above link. It should also be borne in mind that original Scriptures
of Allah cannot command this mutilative act, since the origin of it is not Allah. Any mentioning is a later insertion to the
original text.
16) The (Human) Right of
the Person to choose to be Circumcised or Intact
If for argument's sake, Prophet Ibrahim circumcised himself at eighty years
of age as hadith state, then he did so at an adult age where he could
make his own informed decision. Should this be inflicted on babies and
children who cannot make their own decision or make informed judgments?
Who decides for him to be a
'Muslim'?
(Assuming being a Muslim requires one to carry this act out, though it
is on the contrary). An
argument they put forth is that other aspects of religion such as salah
are taught 'without consent' so why should circumcision not be carried out?
The difference is that circumcision is a permanent alteration to his
body which cannot be reversed should he wish to be intact in
the future. This compares to other elements of raising children, such as teaching
prayer and concepts of the Qur'an which are taught-concepts which he may, or
may not accept - there is freedom of religion, whereas circumcision is
forcing religion. Allah instructs:
"There is no compulsion in religion." (Qur'an 2:256)
"So can you force
people to believe?" (Qur'an 10:99)
17) Continuous, Daily Discomfort Circumcised Men
Experience
Circumcised boys and men suffer from continous irritation and
discomfort from abrasion of their glans against clothing throughout
their entire lives. The brain continuously tries to suppress
these feelings. The foreskin is meant to protect the
sensitive glans from abrasion. Please click on the following link to
find out more:
18) How Male Circumcision Harms Women
Note: circumcised erect penis
appears similar to an intact erect penis (visible glans) except
for some critical differences that severely harms sexual
experience of the female as well as the male.
"Circumcised intercourse frustrates and even angers the primordial subconscious,
which somehow knows innately that "real sex ain't this way." Each new circumcised
experience builds on the negative memory imprints of the past, and
over a period of time, the subconscious and the conscious mind become more and more
annoyed. After repeated sexual encounters with the same partner, the brain
begins to develop negative feelings toward the partner that are ultimately
carried far beyond the bedroom door, into the every day relationship."
Sex as Nature Intended it: The Most Important Thing You Need to Know About Making Love
But No One Could Tell You Until Now (2nd Edition) by Kristen O’ Hara.
Briefly:
● Circumcised
penis has an exposed coronal ridge. The
ridge acts as a 'hook' scraping the vaginal-wall
causing soreness and discomfort. In an intact
penis, the foreskin seals all around the ridge and acts as a
cushion around the ridge giving only pleasure to the woman, not
soreness.
● The hooked
coronal ridge in circumcised males also act as a one-way valve
on the outward stroke, pulling lubrication out, allowing it to
evaporate. This hook does not exist in intact males thus keeping
lubrication in.
● The glans
of an intact penis is moist and lubricated. During erection, the
foreskin pulls back exposing the lubricated glans ideal for the
vaginal environment. The glans of a circumcised penis is dry and
brittle and full of friction.
The lubricated glans of the intact male provides natural lubrication and allows for smooth and
pleasurable intercourse for both partners. On the contrary, the
circumcised glans is visibly dried-out and cracked out. Due to
this reason as well as the fact that the hooked ridge forces
lubrication out into evaporation on the outward stroke, sex with circumcised men
is dry and it becomes necessary to introduce artificial
lubrication. Though Allah designed the natural system
(intact penis and intact vagina) to be fully self-sufficient,
capable of producing optimal lubrication naturally, it is
destroyed by circumcision. Interestingly, lack of
lubrication is often blamed on women (
see
diagramatic explenation).
“Most likely, reported vaginal dryness and the related clinical
designation ‘female arousal disorder’ is but a normal female response to
coitus with a man with an iatrogenically deficient penis.”
Gillian A. Bensley & Gregory J. Boyle. Effects of male circumcision on female arousal and orgasm.
Bond University, Australia. Faculty of Humanities & Social Science. p. 2.
● The foreskin of intact penis is a moving part of the penis -
circumcised men do not have this, only a static 'device'. During
intercourse with intact males, the complete, unified interaction
of the various movements between the foreskin, shaft and the
vagina allows for more complete and pleasurable experience for
the woman as well as the man. The roof of the vagina has a female version of
the corona, called the 'carina'. It captures the movable
foreskin - the foreskin bunches and un-bunches rhythmically
against the carina for exquisite
sexual pleasure in the female during intercourse (
see
diagram ).
● In
addition, the intact
penis has a velvety / soft outer feel. Whereas circumcised penis
does not (only rigidness) due to the taught and reduced foreskin
being pulled (reduced amount of
skin over the same area) making the intact penis more
comfortable and pleasurable for the vagina in terms of its
sensuous feel inside.
● Due to the
removal of thousands of nerve endings from the tip, loss of
gliding action and desensitised glans, the circumcised penis
tries to derive most of the pleasure from the base of the penis
and takes long elongated thrusts. It also requires harder,
banging action on the vagina to reach orgasm. The elongated
banging thrusts causes discomfort in the vagina and reduces the
frequency of clitoral contact with the mounds of the male.
This compares with sensuous gentle shorter thrusts of the intact
penis who resides deeper in the vagina making more frequent clitoral
contact.
In short, intercourse with circumcised males is
dry, irritable
and
less pleasurable for women compared to intact males and can be painful. It effectively destroys the
penile properties needed for vaginal intercourse.
“A woman who has only experienced circumcised sex may know that she in
some measure dissatisfied with the experience, but she may not be able
to put her finger on exactly what is wrong. She may mistakenly think the
discomforts are just something women normally endure during sex. Or she
may blame her self, thinking she just doesn’t like sex that much. But
if she were to experience the comfort and sensually soft pleasures of
natural intercourse, she would soon realise that the two experiences are
distinctly different and would be better able to identify how
circumcised intercourse causes her to be discomforted.”
Sex as Nature Intended it: The Most Important Thing You Need to Know About Making Love
But No One Could Tell You Until Now (2nd Edition) by Kristen O’ Hara.
See 19 ways in which circumcision disables the male penis
to give sensuous orgasmic pleasures to women during sex:
The intact penis
is specifically designed in-mind to function with an intact vagina by Allah - like two halves of a perfect whole.
As soon as it is altered, it is incapable of performing its job
to its designed performance. Circumcision, contrary to the
belief that it is a "small snip", is a significant anatomical
alteration to the penis and is a sexual disability depriving
people of pure pleasures and comfort of natural sex Allah gifted
believers to enjoy. We already deduced from our
understanding of the Qur'an, that Allah created human beings in
the best form and that only the Satan inspires people to alter
it, inspiring in them false hopes.
"Say, 'do you inform Allah of
something He does not know in the heavens and the earth?' " (Qur'an 10:18)
"And
He designed you, and has perfected your design."
(Qur'an 40:64)
(Qur'an 40:64)
19) Why many circumcised
men do not complain
The answer to this are several folds:
1) They were
circumcised at birth or childhood. Sex may still feel pleasurable, but
they do not know the difference it would make if they had their full
organ as Allah had designed it originally. Thus, there is no way to
notice any difference. Other life-long discomforts of being circumcised
such as daily abrasion of glans are simply suppressed by the brain over
the years (nevertheless, it is still experienced).
2) Belief that this is
part of Islam and it must be upheld without questioning - true religion
cannot command bad, "Islam" is the truth without even knowing what the
Qur'an states on religion (in truth however, the 'messenger' did not do or command
anything
that is against the teachings of his 'message' - the Qur'an).
3) Even after knowing
of the losses from circumcision - A psychological behaviour takes over
whereby one's ego does not want to accept that full functioning of a
vital part of his body has been taken away without his prior consent. It
will mean he has an imperfect and less sexually capable body, and it
hurts his ego.
4) Admitting his sexual
disability means someone must be held blameworthy -
this may include his parents. He may also have carried this act out on
his children and which would require him to confess a mistake and then
carry life-long regret.
5) Practice of the
majority - to feel belonged among the mass, what will people say? How
can so many be wrong?
20) Conclusion
1) Circumcision is a harmful procedure
that removes the protection of the foreskin and exposes the moist internal
glans to abrasion and drying. It results in significant sensory loss in sexual
pleasure for both male and female, with no alleged health benefits to justify it. It is also a painful and
traumatic operation.
2) There are clear verses in the
Qur'an against circumcision (i.e. 95:4, 23:14, 27:88, 32:7,
80:17-19 & 4:119-120). The practice of this procedure is in
violation of these Quranic verses.
3) The Qur'an does not
indicate that Prophet Ibrahim was circumcised or was ordered to, even though the Qur'an
deals extensively with Prophet Ibrahim. We understand from the Qur'an
that it is against the laws of Allah to command such a thing.
4) When the baby leaves his mother, he needs no cutting-off of any part of
his body as Allah says He makes the baby in perfect form - a form that
is best to function as a human. The foreskin serves many useful purposes
and cutting it of causes life-long disadvantages.
5) Satan pledges to make mankind manipulate Allah's creation, and gives
the example of cutting off parts of the body (4:119-120).
"Circumcision" is an outright manipulation of Allah's intended creation.
A method Satan would use identified in the Qur'an to achieve his
objectives is through the use of "fancy words" (6:112).
6) None of the hadiths to do with circumcision differentiate between male
or female 'circumcision' and there are hadiths that indicate females
should also be circumcised: The hadith basis for male circumcision is
the same basis for female circumcision! There is no reason to not
circumcise girls if boys are. A likely origin of circumcision
into Islam are Jewish anecdotes (Israliyat)
fabrications into hadith books ( See
Less Known Aspects of Hadith: Hadith Forgery / Fabrication ).
The believer's duty is to abide by the values, teachings and morals of
the Qur'an. These are the true values of the Prophet. He or she does not
pretend to not grasp the truth when shown - the ignorant will pull off a
blind eye and get on with day to day life. The Qur'an is the only guide
to the way of peace and salvation for believers. Due to all the points
in this article, male and female circumcision do not hold any grounding
in Allah's true religion and is a violation of the teachings of the
Qur'an - the Qur'an is against the practice of circumcision.
"These are Allah's Verses we are reciting to you to show the truth. In which
hadith (حَدِيث) after Allah and His Verses do they believe
in?" (Qur'an 45:6)
Parents reading this, who are considering circumcising
their child despite Quranic evidence against it and shown the numerous purposes of the
foreskin, must also think that their child should be given his own
choice in whether he wants to be circumcised or not - besides, religion
must not be imposed on anyone (that is, assuming religion commanded
circumcision). Even a consenting older child who
can talk
cannot make informed decisions, as he is not fully aware of the purposes
and functions of this part of the body, one of which is sexual functions and
simply trusts his parents. As
a mother or a father, or if you are about to be one, you
must also carry out adequate research yourself on the use and purpose of
the foreskin to elucidate yourself and not simply follow the blind
majority - the foreskin is not there by accident.
"If you obeyed most of those on earth, they would misguide you from Allah's
path. They follow nothing but conjecture. They are only guessing."
(Qur'an 6:116)
In conclusion, Quranic evidence as well as medical sciences prove that
circumcision of males is a practice against Allah's religion, rather
Satan is the influence. It poses life-long disadvantages for the male as
well as unnecessary operative trauma, and sexually harms his future wife. Ask yourself before you go ahead,
what right do you have to alter what Allah Himself has created
perfectly? Baby boys and children are perfect the way Allah has created
them.
"He is the One Who has made perfectly everything He has created: He
began the creation of human beings with clay." (Qur'an 32:7)
"The work of Allah who has perfected everything." (Qur'an 27:88)
"When the affair is decided Satan will say, "Allah made you a promise, a promise of truth,
and I made you a promise but broke my promise. I had no authority over
you, except that I called you and you responded to me." (Qur'an 14:22)
"However, there's no compelling medical reason for circumcision
and in the UK it's no longer routinely performed on healthy
children - fewer than one in ten teenage boys has been
circumcised."
BBC, Dr. Rob Hicks
"A study published in the April 2007 edition of of BJU
International (British Journal of Urology) claims that it "conclusively shows that
circumcised males have a significant penile sensory deficit as
compared with non-circumcised intact men."
NormUK.org
"I happen to believe that I own my body: at no stage of my life
did my parents or anyone else own it. My parents had the
responsibility of caring for me, nurturing me, giving me
guidance, example and a good start in life. As a baby boy I was
circumcised. This was a routine circumcision done for no other
reason than my mother thought it was 'better'."
Anonymous
"An infant boy is born with a healthy foreskin. Consequently,
there are no medical indications for circumcision in the newborn
period. Infant circumcision is a painful, stressful, and
traumatic procedure that leaves the infant exhausted and
debilitated to the extent that some are unable to suckle at the
breast."
DoctorsOpposingCircumcision.org
Copyright © 2017, QuranicPath. All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Male Circumcision Reduces Risk of Genital Herpes and HPV Infection, but Not Syphilis
The findings build upon earlier clinical research funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), part of the NIH, which found that circumcision decreases a man’s risk of acquiring HIV infection through heterosexual intercourse by more than 50 percent (http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2006/AMC12_06.htm).
"Medically supervised adult male circumcision is a scientifically proven method for reducing a man’s risk of acquiring HIV infection through heterosexual intercourse," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "This new research provides compelling evidence that circumcision can provide some protection against genital herpes and human papillomavirus infections as well."
The study was conducted by scientists at the Rakai Health Sciences Program in Uganda in collaboration with researchers at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, and NIAID’s Division of Intramural Research. The collaborators examined samples from two parallel clinical trials in Rakai that successfully proved male circumcision as an HIV prevention method and also assessed the surgical procedure’s ability to prevent other sexually transmitted infections, including syphilis and HSV-2. These infections cause genital ulcers and are associated with an increased risk of HIV acquisition. The research team also assessed circumcision’s effect on HPV infections, which can cause anal, cervical and penile cancers and genital warts.
The two trials, one funded by NIAID and the other by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, enrolled 3,393 uncircumcised men between the ages of 15 and 49 who initially tested negative for both HIV and HSV-2. The men were assigned at random to one of two study groups: 1,684 received immediate circumcision performed by trained medical professionals in an outpatient setting (intervention group); and 1,709 received medical circumcision after a delay of 24 months (control group). The researchers evaluated the volunteers at six, 12 and 24 months for HSV-2 and syphilis infection. Additionally, a subgroup of 697 volunteers (352 participants in the intervention group; 345 in the control group) was evaluated for HPV infection at enrollment and at 24 months.
In analyzing the effect of circumcision on HSV-2 acquisition across both studies, the researchers found that the cumulative probability of HSV-2 infection was significantly lower among those volunteers who received immediate circumcision (7.8 percent) than among those in the control group who were circumcised at 24 months (10.3 percent). Overall, the researchers found that medically supervised circumcision reduced the men’s risk of HSV-2 infection by 28 percent.
The combined results from both trials also demonstrated a 35 percent reduction in HPV prevalence among men in the intervention group. In evaluating a subgroup of volunteers at 24 months, high-risk HPV strains associated with certain cancers were detected in 42 of 233 men in the intervention group and in 80 of 287 men in the control group.
Circumcision did not, however, affect the incidence of syphilis. At 24 months, syphilis was detected in 50 men in the intervention group and 45 members of the control group.
"The cumulative scientific evidence supporting the public health value of medically supervised male circumcision is now overwhelming," says Thomas C. Quinn, M.D., study co-investigator, chief of the International HIV/STD Section in NIAID’s Laboratory of Immunoregulation and co-author of the study. "This new research confirms the substantial health benefits of male circumcision, including reduced acquisition of HIV, genital herpes, HPV and genital ulcer disease."
Dr. David Serwadda, co-principal investigator and dean of Makerere University’s School of Public Health, adds that "these findings have significant public health implications for the control of HIV, genital herpes and HPV in areas of high prevalence, such as Africa, and further suggest that efforts to scale-up male circumcision could have tremendous benefit."
"The next focus of our research will be to analyze additional data collected in the Rakai trials to assess the degree to which male circumcision may reduce transmission of HPV to female sexual partners," says Johns Hopkins professor Ronald H. Gray, M.D., co-principal investigator. "This would be of substantial significance because HPV causes cervical cancer."
The biological reasons why circumcision may reduce the risk of HSV-2 and HPV infection, but not syphilis, are not entirely known. HSV-2 and HPV multiply in epithelial cells found in the surface skin of the penis, and the foreskin may facilitate virus entry into those cells. Once circumcision has been performed, the risk of epithelial infection may be reduced, the authors note. Additionally, the analysis used to determine the effects of circumcision on syphilis had limited statistical power, and therefore, it is difficult to draw a firm conclusion as to whether or not circumcision may reduce syphilis incidence, the researchers add.
During each clinic visit, volunteers were given physical examinations, counseled on safe sex practices and offered condoms, voluntary HIV counseling and testing. Study staff also interviewed each volunteer to record sociodemographic characteristics and rates of specific sexual risk behaviors. Volunteers who acquired HIV infection during the two clinical trials were referred to Rakai Health Science Program clinics for HIV care funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Volunteers who acquired genital ulcers or syphilis were also provided with appropriate medical care and treatment.
As with most strategies to prevent sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, adult male circumcision is not completely effective. Therefore, the authors note, safe sex practices, including consistent condom use, are still necessary to provide the best protection against such infections.
NIAID conducts and supports research — at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide — to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®
No comments:
Post a Comment