In
September 2016, a Muslim brother from India sought spiritual guidance from Imam-
Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir
Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius on Islamic rites pertaining to
the birth of a new born, and Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) provided a
brief explanation of the main Sunnah/
Islamic practices following birth of a child, whether male or female.
Reproduced below is the response provided by Hadhrat Saheb (atba) to the question on the occasion:
Reproduced below is the response provided by Hadhrat Saheb (atba) to the question on the occasion:
Birth & Purification (Bath)
After
his/ her birth the baby should be given a proper bath, cleansed well.
Adhaan & Iqamah
Then
he/she should be given the Adhaan in the right ear and the Iqamah in
the left ear.
Tahneek
It
is narrated about the Holy Prophet (pbuh) that when
a child was born and brought to him soon
afterward, he would moisten a small piece of a date with his mouth
and then place it on the palate of the newborn. (Bukhari,
Muslim and others). – Therefore, in Islam it is
recommended to follow that practice also. Sometimes if available,
dates and also honey.
Naming the Child
The
naming of the child can be done right away, or one can wait
till the seventh day, before the Aqiqah is done.
It is reported that Hazrat Aisha (ra) said: the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did ‘Aqiqah for al-Hasan and al-Husayn on the seventh day, and gave them their names.
Circumcision
Circumcision
is an emphasized, obligatory sunnah for boys, as it is amongst the
signs of Islam and an act of natural disposition (fitra).
This can be done on the first week, as it may be easier on
the child to do so earlier, or at a later time in his
childhood. But I recommend (the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam) to do
it very early on so that the child does not suffer that
much, because later on, this can prove to be very hurtful for him
(only
for boys).
Shaving the Head
Shaving
the head, for boys or girls is to be done within seven days. The
shaved hair is then weighed and its weight in silver or gold (or
money) is given away in charity (Sadqua), while the hair is then
buried.
Aqiqah
It
is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
commanded them to sacrifice two similar sheep for a boy and one for a
girl. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah)
It is narrated from Umm Karaz that she asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) about ‘Aqiqah and he said: “For a boy two sheep and for a girl one, and it does not matter whether they are male or female.” (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Maajah).
It is reported from
Salman ibn ‘Aamir (ra)
that the Holy Prophet
(pbuh) said: “For the boy
there should be an ‘Aqiqah. Slaughter (an animal) for him and remove the harmful thing [i.e., the
foreskin] from him.” (Tirmidhi, An-Nasai, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah).
It
was reported that Samurah ibn Jundub (ra) said: “The Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) said: “A boy is ransomed by his ‘Aqiqah. Sacrifice
should be made for him on the seventh day, he should be given a name
and his head should be shaved.” (Tirmidhi, An-Nasai, Abu Dawood).
The
‘Aqiqah is when an animal is ritually sacrificed as a Sadqua on
behalf of the newborn so that Allah may keep him or her under His
protection against all harms. And it is also gratitude rendered to
Allah for the gift of the newborn. – The meat is to be distributed
in part to the poor and to the near kin (family members) and another
for personal use in one’s own house. Or the meat may be cooked and
use in dinner and the poor as well as the family members and one’s
own household partake of it together (as a lunch or dinner)...'
To read this in Malayalam, click here.
To read this in Malayalam, click here.