Khasa' (castration in fiqh)

الخصاء

Khasa' is the removal of the two testicles; the jurists use it for taking the testicles without or with the penis; the castrated man is one whose penis is cut off, the impotent (unan) cannot have intercourse, and wijā' is crushing the testicles' vessels without removal. ¹² Castrating a human is forbidden for child or adult by agreement, on reports of Ibn Mas'ud and Sa'd; the Prophet ﷺ refused Uthman ibn Maz'un celibacy; a report from Umar says "no castration in Islam"; Ibn Hajar gives as reasons that it defeats the growth of offspring, tortures the self and alters God's creation. ³ For animals: the Hanafis see no harm for their benefit; the Malikis allow it for edible animals without dislike; the Shafiis allow it for edible animals when young, if it does not kill; the Hanbalis allow castrating sheep (one view dislikes it), citing the Prophet's strong prohibition on castrating animals. ⁴ On annulment of marriage: the Hanafis treat a castrated husband like an impotent one, with a one-year delay; the Malikis give the wife a choice if he does not ejaculate; the Shafiis have two views; the Hanbalis give no choice if he can have intercourse. ⁴⁵ On retaliation for the testicles: most jurists order retaliation when its conditions hold; the Shafiis treat crushing or paralysing them as cutting; the Malikis allow no retaliation for crushing; the Hanafis find no text for retaliation and so require blood-money; the Prophet's letter to Amr ibn Hazm (may God be pleased with him) says "blood-money for the testicles". ⁵ On the price of cutting the testicles: a report from al-Zuhri on Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab says the sunna sets full blood-money for the penis and full for the two testicles; for one testicle, half, by most scholars; he is also reported to have set two-thirds for the left and one-third for the right. ⁶ If both are crushed or paralysed, the full sum is due; if both are cut and procreation is lost, only one sum; if one is cut and procreation lost, half. ⁶ Where both testicles and the penis are cut together, the majority give two sums; the Hanafis and Hanbalis give two if the penis is cut first, but if the testicles are cut first, one sum for them and a fair assessment for the penis; the Shafiis give a full sum for the testicles and for the penis in every case. ⁶⁷ On sacrifice of a castrated animal: reports say the Prophet sacrificed two horned, spotted, castrated rams; al-Shawkani took the desirability from this; the Hanafis allow castrated and whole males alike; the Malikis prefer the whole male unless the castrated one is fatter; the Shafiis and Hanbalis allow the castrated animal (the Hanbalis not the fully emasculated one). ⁷⁸