Female Circumcision Optional?

[تفويض]

Assaalamu Alaikum.

I was watching a program of the Sunnah of the Prophet and one of the issues was circumcision. It mentioned that males must undergo circumcision but the thing which struck me is it was said
that female circumcision is not compulsory, but optional.
I was wondering where the proof for this is as I always understood female circumcision was not
allowed in Islam. The scholar said that care should be taken if female circumcision is carried out
not to cut too much of the clitoris as it could severely debilitate the ability for the woman to feel
any sexual pleasure, but I would have assumed that cutting a little bit of the clitoris would still diminish
the sexual pleasure if not as much as if you took much of it off.

I would appreciate if anyone could shed some light on this with proof. Jazakallah

[ad-Darqawi]

Many Shafi'i scholars even labeled it fard.

[bugmenot]

The strongest opinion is that it is neither fardh nor recommended as opposed to the circumcision for men.
A certain kind of excision used to be performed by the Arabs before the advent of Islam, and the Prophet made mention that the clitoris should not be removed so that both spouses may enjoy relations (Sunan Abi Dawud)

[ad-Darqawi]

The strongest opinion is

Salam dear brother,

You are a mujtahid?

[bugmenot]

Salam dear brother, You are a mujtahid?

Make du'a I become one
I got it from a hanafi 'Alim, who quoted fath ul bari 10/419.
And to the best of what I understood what I wrote is true in that excision is never at the level of circumcision in terms of "degree of sunnah", even for those who think it is desirable to do so.

[تفويض]

So if it is neither here nor there ie optional, how should it be done? My other question regarding the fact that some of the clitoris is cut would decrease the female sensation?

[SASLAMS]

it is wajib according to the reliable opinion of the shafi's. but you dont touch the clitorus, you just remove the skin covering it. so it should increase pleasure if done correctly

[SASLAMS]

there are 4 opinions regarding circumcision.

wajib for both male & female
wajib for males sunnah for females
sunnah for both
only sunnah for males

[shaan5]

Does anyone know what is the daleel for female circumsition and how strong is it?

[SASLAMS]

great thing about taqleed is that you dont need the daleel & you rely upon the deduction of the greatest thinkers to walk the earth. we just need to accept, obey with yaqeen.