The Prophetic etiquettes for one blessed with a newborn

والصَّلَاةُ والسَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَشْرَفِ اْلمُرْسَلِيْنَ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ الطَّيّبِيْنَ الطَّاهِرِيْن

 Allah, ta^ala, said:

﴾وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِكُمْ بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةً﴿

“And Allah has made for you spouses from your own kind, and from your spouses has granted you grandchildren [to assist you in fulfilling your needs and supporting your affairs].”

Children, both male and female, are among the greatest blessings bestowed upon us by Allah, ta^ala. From our own back, He has granted us sons and daughters who hold profound significance in our lives. Allah, ^azza wa jall, has enjoined us to care for them from birth and to dedicate ourselves to their proper upbringing and righteous development. This is achieved by adhering to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, for the finest guidance is that of Muhammad ﷺ, and the most exemplary etiquettes are the Prophetic etiquettes.

With this in mind, we share some of the Prophetic etiquettes for those blessed with a newborn, without claiming to present an exhaustive list:

The ‘Adhan and ‘Iqamah

Among the Prophetic etiquettes is to recite the ‘Adhan in the newborn's right ear and the ‘Iqamah in the left ear immediately after birth.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"مَنْ وُلِدَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ فَأَذَّنَ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَأَقَامَ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْيُسْرَى لَمْ تَضُرَّهُ أُمُّ الصِّبْيَانِ"

"Whoever has a child born to him and recites the ‘Adhan in the child’s right ear and the ‘Iqamah in the left ear, ‘Ummu s-Sibyan will not harm him."

(Related by Al-Bayhaqiyy)

‘Ummu s-Sibyan is a female demon among the devils of the jinn, known as the Qarinah.

The Tahnik

Among the Prophetic etiquettes is to perform Tahnik on a newborn shortly after birth.

What is Tahnik?

Tahnik involves chewing something sweet, such as dates, and then placing it in the newborn’s mouth, rubbing it gently. If dates are not available, something sweet resembling dates, such as honey, can be used.

Who performs the Tahnik?

Ideally, a righteous man should perform the Tahnik, but if none are available, someone else may do so. The important thing is not to miss this blessed practice.

What is the wisdom behind Tahnik?

The wisdom of Tahnik lies in the optimistic hope for the sweetness of the newborn’s character.

When should Tahnik be done?

The time for Tahnik is from the moment of birth until the time of Maghrib, if the child is born during the day. If the child is born at night, the time extends until the end of the time for Fajr.

‘Abu Musa al-‘Ash^ariyy narrated:

"ولد لي غلام فأتيت به النبي ﷺ فسماه إبراهيم وحنكه بتمرة"

"A son was born to me, so I brought him to the Prophet ﷺ. He named him Ibrahim and performed Tahnik [by rubbing his mouth] with a date."

(Related by Al-Bukhariyy)

Al-^Aqiqah

Among the Prophetic etiquettes is the practice of performing ‘aqiqah for a newborn. It is recommended that the ^Aqiqah be done on the seventh day after the child’s birth, with the day of birth counted as part of the seven. It is also recommended that the meat be cooked with something sweet, such as honey or grape syrup (for example, raisins mixed with rice), and that the bones of the animal not be broken, as a sign of hope for the safety of the newborn's limbs.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"شَاتَانِ مُكَافِئَتَانِ، وَعَنِ الْجَارِيَةِ شَاةٌ"

"Two matching sheep [for a boy], and one sheep for a girl."

(Related by An-Nasa'iyy)

‘Ahlu s-Sunnah firmly believe that intercession (shafa^ah) is reality. Intercession involves seeking goodness on behalf of another, and it is exclusive to the believers. It takes two forms: the removal of punishment and the elevation of ranks. Among those who intercede are the child and the girl who pass away before reaching puberty.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"الوَلَدُ مَرهُونٌ بِعَقِيقَتِهِ"

« The child's intercession is secured through his ^Aqiqah.»

(Related by ‘Ahmad)

Some scholars have interpreted the meaning of this hadith as follows: The child's intercession for his parents is granted only if the ^Aqiqah is performed on his behalf.

The shaving of the hair

Among the Prophetic etiquettes is to shave the hair on the newborn's head, which is also referred to as the ‘Aqiqah. The Sunnah is to shave the newborn's hair on the seventh day after birth, and to give in charity the weight of the hair in gold for a boy and in silver for a girl.

It is reported that Lady Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, weighed the hair of Al-Hasan, Al-Husayn, Zaynab, and ‘Ummu Kulthum, and gave in charity the equivalent weight in silver.

(Related by Al-Bayhaqiyy)

Choosing a Beautiful Name

Among the Prophetic etiquettes is for the father to choose a beautiful name for his child, as it will be called upon in this world and echoed on the Day of Judgment. Ibnu ^Abbas said:

"قالوا: يا رسولَ الله، قد علِمنا حقَّ الوالد، فما حقُّ الولَد؟ قال: أَن يُحسِنَ اسمَهُ، وَيُحسِنَ أَدَبَهُ"

“They asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, we are well aware of the rights of the father, but what are the rights of the child?’ He replied: 'To give him a good name and to cultivate in him noble character.'"

(Related by Al-Bayhaqiyy)

Circumcision

Circumcision is considered a Sunnah for the father to perform on his son, and it becomes obligatory for the son once he reaches puberty. This is the view held by Imam Ash-Shafi^iyy. However, according to the Malikyy school, circumcision is regarded as a Sunnah.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"خَمْسٌ مِنَ الْفِطْرَةِ: الْخِتَانُ، وَالِاسْتِحْدَادُ، وَنَتْفُ الْإِبْطِ، وَقَصُّ الشَّارِبِ، وَتَقْلِيمُ الْأَظْفَارِ"

"Five things are part of the ‘fitrah’ [refers to the fitrah of Islam, indicating that these practices are part of the tradition of the Prophets, peace be upon them]: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, plucking the armpit hair, trimming the moustache, and cutting the nails."

(Related by Al-Bukhariyy)

And Allah, the Almighty, knows best and is the wisest, and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Sources:
These issues have been compiled and summarised from:

• Fathu l-Wahhab the Explanation of Minhaju t-tullab by Shaykh Zakariyya.
• Sharh Ibn Qasim al-Ghazziyy on the Matn of ‘Abu Shuja^.
• ‘Asna l-Matalib by Shaykh Zakariyya.