7 Sunnah act to follow for a newborn baby

The birth of a child is a moment of rejoicing for all the family. Many wonder what to do when a baby is born as per Islam. There are 7 Sunnah acts to follow for a newborn baby.

  1. Be thankful

Every child is a blessing of Allah Almighty. As per Islam, the first thing to do when a baby is born is to thank Allah by whatever way you want. You could;

  • Simply say ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ.
  • Perform a Sajda for thanking Allah ﷻ.
  • Offer two Nafil of Salah.
  1. Reciting Adhan and Iqamah

The Hanafi school of thought believes that reciting Adhan in the ears of the child is a good act however it is neither obligatory nor sunnah.

Shafi, Maliki, and Hanbali believe it to be Sunnah for a newborn baby (on basis of hadith found in al-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ahmad, al-Bayhaqi).

Reciting Adhan and Iqamah: sunnah for newborn baby

  1. Tahnik

Anas bin Malik رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrated: I took `Abdullah bin Abu Talha رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to perform Tahnik for him. – Sahih al-Bukhari 1502

Tahnik was a Sunnah among the Muslims that they used to take a newborn baby to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who would chew a piece of date and put a part of its juice in the child’s mouth.

what to do when a baby is born in islam: Tahnik

  1. Giving a name to a child

It is one of the Rights of Newly Born that he/she must be given a good name that reflect Muslim characteristics e.g. names that belongs to Prophets, Sahabah, and pious Muslims.

Abu Musa رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ: A son was born to me and I took him to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who named him Ibrahim. – Sahih al-Bukhari 5467

  1. Circumcision

All newborn Muslim boys undergo circumcision when they are quite young as it is a Sunnah act of Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ. 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ circumcised himself with the help of an adze when he was 8 years old. – Sahih Muslim 2370

Circumcision: sunnah for newborn baby

  1. Shaving off the head

It is also a Sunnah act to shave off the head of the newborn baby within 7 days of birth.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 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 1522

what to do when a baby is born in islam

  1. Aqiqa

Aqiqa is another sunnah act after the childbirth which is heavily emphasized in different Hadith. Aqiqa is;

  • Slaughtering two sheep on the birth of a boy.
  • Slaughtering one sheep on the birth of a girl.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: Slaughter two sheep equal (in age) for a boy and one for a girl at their birth. – Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1513

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