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Childbirth is one of the amazing blessings which Allah, the Almighty, has given to us. After
giving birth to a child, it is recommended to welcome the newborn by following the sunnah of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). In the following hadith, our beloved Prophet (pbuh) encouraged us
to have children: “Marry the loving and fertile because, through you, I will compete with the
nations for superiority in numbers .” [Abu Dawood]
Below is discussed the sunnah that every Muslim parent should perform after their child has
been born:
Calling Adhaan in the ear of a newborn. When a child is born, firstly the Adhaan should be said
in his/her ear. Adhaan should be recited in the right ear, and the Iqamah should be recited in the
left ear. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has done the same. Narrated by Abu Raafi’
who said, “I saw the Prophet (pbuh) call the Adhaan in the ear of Al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali when his
mother Fatimah gave birth to him.” [Tirmidhi]
Note: It may be noted that the evidence for the subsequent iqamah in the left ear is weaker than
that for the adhan in the right ear, and thus some scholars mention only the adhan for the
newborn. [see Nawawi, al-Majmu`]
Tahneek: This means softening or chewing a date and then rubbing the palate of the
newborn with it just after the birth or soon after. Aisha (ra) reported that: “Newborn children used to be brought to the Messenger of Allah and he would supplicate for blessings for them, and rub a chewed
date upon their palate.” [Muslim]
Naming the Newborn Child: An honorable name for your child has importance in Islam. Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) has always chosen names with beautiful meanings. You can also name your
child after the companions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). In the Qur’an, Allah, the Almighty,
says about the naming of children in these words: “Call them by (the names of) their fathers; it is
more just in the sight of Allah…” (Qur’an, 33: 5). From this verse of the Holy Qur’an, the right of
the father is shown by the principle that the child is ascribed and attributed to the father. The
name should carry a good and honorable meaning as the Messenger (pbuh) said: “On the Day
of Resurrection, you will be called by your names and your fathers’ names, so make your
names good.” [Abu Dawood]
This link provides quranic names so you might find beneficialhttps://quranicnames.com/all-baby-names/
Aqeeqah: This is a form of sadaqah that safeguards your child from all evil. It is done
after the seventh day of the arrival of the newborn, as a form of welcome for him/her and giving
thanks to the One who gave the blessings. It is prescribed to slaughter a sheep. The Messenger
(pbuh) said: “Every child is in pledge for its ‘Aqeeqah which is sacrificed for it on its seventh day,
and it is named on it, and its head is shaved” [Abu Dawood]. If the newborn is a boy, then two
sheep are to be sacrificed; if it is a girl, then one sheep.
Shaving the newborn’s head: It is compulsory to shave a newborn’s head on the 7th day, along
with performing an Aqeeqah, as it is desirable. When Al-Hasan (ra) was born, the Prophet (pbuh)
told his daughter, Fatima (ra): “Shave his head and give the weight of his hair in silver to the
poor.” [Ahmad]
Circumcision: It is recommended that the baby boy should be circumcised. The circumcision
should take place on the seventh day, but it is obligatory to circumcise before the boy reaches
maturity.
These were some sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) related to the newborn that every
Muslim parent should perform. Observance of these sunnah guarantees the health, as well as
the proper upbringing of the child. May Allah, the Almighty, give guidance to every parent to
perform these actions and also to do justice to their children! Ameen
