2 weeks ago, we flied to Sandakan, yah this is the first trip to Sabah for this year (not as frequent as last year). We went to get done the adat which is sunnatan – a- simple-not-hurt- circumcision for our baby, Sophie. Usually for girl, this process is done before she reaches 5 years above (meaning do it at a very young age).

I have to elaborate more about circumcision in Islam. The most drastic form of female circumcision (infibulations) is known as the Pharaonic Procedure and it has been practiced long before the rise of Islam, Christianity and possibly Judaism. It is not clear, however, whether this practice originated in Egypt or in some other African countries then spread to Egypt.

There is, however, a more authentic Hadeeth in which Prophet Muhammad (P) is reported to have passed by a woman performing circumcision on a young girl. He instructed the woman by saying:

“Cut off only the foreskin (outer fold of skin over the clitoris; the prepuce) but do not cut off deeply (i.e. the clitoris itself), for this is brighter for the face (of the girl) and more favorable with the husband.”

Following Banjarian (Sophie’s is Banjarian since her babah’s ancestors were from Banjarmasin, Indonesia) tradition, before pursuing the circumcision, babies should have taken floral bath and thus a floral bath ceremony will be prepared. The water itself is mixed with few fresh flowers, and some scent of hand-made-perfume-oil and etc. Oh ya, Aira also joined the ritual since that day was also meant to do her hair cut and aqiqah ceremony. See these little angels in yellow cloths….

feeding before bathing… a bottle of milk is a must!

she was cranky – the wake-up-from-bed-mood

asking her tok daddy (grandpa) to stop showering…hehehhe..look at her face..

yah..moody-moody

little-good-behave-Aira

this is how the floral shower looks like…

Done! yey…

Ok, in the next entry, I will tell further story about the Circumcision ceremony…