Are there any essential acts to perform at a baby's birth?

Question

after your baby's birth, as far as I know that, need to give Adhan baby's ear, some say firstly need to feed honey, doctor say feed milk (Mother). also There are many prejudices in different society ..

Question:

I am looking for that , what is islam say or is there any islamic view ? or how to deal with baby and mothers according the islam (Hadith, Fiqh) etc..

Answer 1

The following are recommended acts regarding an infant in Islam:

• Adhan. In the ear, note that this is generally considered recommended but is also disputed by some madhabs ¹.

  رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أذن في أذن الحسن بن علي حين ولدته فاطمة

  I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say the Adhan in the ear of Al-Hasan bin 'Ali - when he was born to Fatimah

  ^{— Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami at-Tirmidhi}

• Reciting the following verse, as it is the sunnah of the wife of Imran as proven in the Quran. Some have noted that it should be recited in the ear like the adhan ².

  وإني أعيذها بك وذريتها من الشيطان الرجيم

  I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allah]."

  ^{— Quran 3:36}

• Tahneek. This is placing a date or other sweet substance like honey ³ on the mouth.

  ولد لي غلام، فأتيت به النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فسماه إبراهيم، فحنكه بتمرة، ودعا له بالبركة، ودفعه إلي

  A son was born to me and I took him to the Prophet (ﷺ) who named him Ibrahim, did Tahnik for him with a date, invoked Allah to bless him and returned him to me.

  ^{— Bukhari}

• Giving a good name.

  الغلام مرتهن بعقيقته يذبح عنه يوم السابع ويسمى ويحلق رأسه

  The boy is mortgaged by his 'Aqiqah; slaughtering should be done for him on the seventh day, he should be given a name, and his head should be shaved.

  ^{— Jami at-Tirmidhi}

• Aqeeqah. Sacrifice of sheep.

  مع الغلام عقيقة

  Aqiqa is to be offered for a (newly born) boy,

  ^{— Bukhari}

  أمرهم عن الغلام شاتان مكافئتان وعن الجارية شاة

  The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered them that for a boy, two sheep were sufficient, and for a girl one sheep.

  ^{— Jami at-Tirmidhi}

  Also see hadith under the third heading.

• Shaving head. And giving the hair's weight in silver as charity.

  يا فاطمة احلقي رأسه وتصدقي بزنة شعره فضة

  The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said (regarding his grandson Hasan ibn Ali): "O Fatimah! Shave his head and give the weight of his hair in silver as charity."

  ^{— Jami at-Tirmidhi}

  Also see Muwatta Malik and the hadith under the third heading.

• Circumcision. Some have noted that it is recommended at a young age such as seven days ⁴ although the preferred time is disputed.

  عق رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الحسن والحسين وختنهما لسبعة أيام

  The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did ‘aqeeqah for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and he circumcised them when they were seven days old

  ^{— Sunan al-Bayhaqi}

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Footnotes:

1. See مواهب الجليل.

2. ويستحب أن يقول في أذنه: وإني أعيذها بك وذريتها من الشيطان الرجيم

   ^{— روضة الطالبين}

3. فشيء حلو وعسل النحل أولى من غيره

   ^{— فتح الباري لابن حجر}

4. استحب أن يختن في اليوم السابع من ولادته

   ^{— شرح النووي على مسلم}