Circumcision is obligatory for Al-Shafi’i and many scholars, and sunnah [model to be followed] for Malik and the majority of scholars, and for Al-Shafi’i it is obligatory for both men and women. The requirement then for men is that all of the skin covering the head of the penis be cut, so that the whole head of the penis is showing; and for women it is necessary to cut the outermost piece of skin found on the upper part of the genitals. The sound view in our school, on which most of our companions stand, is that circumcision is permissible at a young age, but this is not obligatory; however we hold the view that it is obligatory for a guardian to circumcise young children before puberty.