Answered by Shaykh Hamza Karamali, SunniPath Academy Teacher
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
All scholars agree that circumcision is a religiously praiseworthy act, but they differ regarding its obligation. The position of the Shafi`i school is that circumcision is obligatory, but other scholars have held that circumcision is merely recommended.
Because of this difference of opinion, scholars are generally easy-going and gentle with recent converts to Islam on the issue of circumcision.[1] The most important goal with new Muslims is to preserve and nurture their newfound faith, and imposing difficult rulings such as circumcision on them early on may well drive them away from Islam altogether.
If, of his own accord, a new Muslim insists that he wants to get circumcised, he will be doing something praiseworthy by scholarly agreement. It would be permissible for him to reveal his nakedness to the doctor to get circumcised, although this would have to be limited to the extent of the need.
And Allah knows best.
Hamza.
[1] Shaykh Amjad mentioned that the scholars of Hadramawt do not emphasize the issue of circumcision when calling desert Bedouins--most of whom do not get circumcised--to religious practice. Imam Hasan al-Basri used to say, "People--black and white--accepted Islam and whether or not they had ever been circumcised was never made a matter of investigation."
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