Circumcision is a rite of passage in which religions?

• A. Judaism, Islam, and Traditional African religions
• B. Christianity and Islam
• C. Hinduism and Islam
• D. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Answer: (A)

Circumcision is used as a rite of passage to mark a transition in belonging and responsibility within a community. In Judaism it is the covenantal sign given to Abraham’s descendants, performed on the eighth day after birth to welcome a child into the people of Israel. In Islam, circumcision (khitan) is a widely observed traditional practice linked to cleanliness and community identity, often treated as an initiation into Muslim life, though not explicitly required by the Qur’an. In many Traditional African religions, circumcision serves as a key initiation ritual that marks moving from boyhood to manhood and teaches new social duties. By contrast, Christianity does not universally treat circumcision as a required rite of passage, and Hinduism does not center circumcision as a standard religious initiation. Thus, circumcision appears as a rite of passage in Judaism, Islam, and Traditional African religions.