Shaving a Baby's Head on the Seventh Day: Sunnah and Charity
Why Muslims shave a newborn's hair, weighing it in silver for charity, doing it safely, and what the evidence grades say.
In this guide
Seven days in, life with a newborn is a blur of feeds, nappies and visitors. Then someone says, “Have you booked the barber yet?” and you look at your baby’s soft, dark hair and wonder whether you really have to.
Shaving a newborn’s head on the seventh day is a sunnah many Muslim families love. It sits alongside the aqiqah and the naming, and it comes with a beautiful habit: giving charity in thanks for your child. This guide explains the evidence (including what scholars say about its strength), how to work out the charity, and how to do it safely.
The practice
On the seventh day after birth, the baby’s head is gently shaved. Traditionally, the hair is weighed and its weight in silver, or the value of that silver, is given to people in need. Many families do this on the same day as the aqiqah and announce the baby’s name.
Some families also rub a little saffron on the baby’s scalp afterwards, following a report from the Companions (more on that below).
The evidence
Shaving on the seventh day
The shaving itself rests on a sound hadith.
Evidence · Hadith
كُلُّ غُلاَمٍ رَهِينَةٌ بِعَقِيقَتِهِ تُذْبَحُ عَنْهُ يَوْمَ سَابِعِهِ وَيُحْلَقُ وَيُسَمَّى
“Every boy is held in pledge for his aqiqah: it is sacrificed for him on the seventh day, his head is shaved and he is given his name.” Narrated by Samurah ibn Jundub (RA).
A related hadith in Bukhari tells parents to “remove harm” from the newborn (Sahih al-Bukhari 5472). Many scholars understood this to include shaving the birth hair.
Weighing the hair in silver
The silver comes from a narration about the Prophet’s ﷺ grandson al-Hasan (RA).
Evidence · Hadith
يَا فَاطِمَةُ احْلِقِي رَأْسَهُ وَتَصَدَّقِي بِزِنَةِ شَعْرِهِ فِضَّةً
ʿAli ibn Abi Talib (RA) said the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made the aqiqah for al-Hasan and said: “O Fatimah, shave his head and give the weight of his hair in silver as charity.” He said: “So she weighed it, and it was a dirham or part of a dirham.”
It’s worth being honest about this one. Imam al-Tirmidhi himself called it hasan gharib and noted that its chain is not connected: the narrator Abu Jaʿfar (Muhammad ibn ʿAli) did not meet ʿAli ibn Abi Talib. Al-Albani graded it hasan, likely because of supporting reports, while other hadith scholars, such as Zubair Ali Zai, graded it weak. So the silver charity is widely practised and supported by many scholars, but its evidence is not as strong as the hadith on shaving.
Whichever view you follow, giving charity in thanks for a new baby is good, and no one will be harmed by it.
Saffron afterwards
Evidence · Hadith
“When a boy was born to one of us in the time before Islam, we sacrificed a sheep and smeared his head with its blood. When Allah brought Islam, we sacrificed a sheep, shaved his head and smeared it with saffron.” Narrated by Buraydah (RA).
This is a description of what the Companions did, and many families follow it. Use only a tiny amount, and skip it if your baby’s skin is sensitive or broken.
Charity by weight
Working out the amount is simple.
- Collect the hair on a clean cloth or paper after shaving.
- Weigh it on kitchen or jewellery scales. A newborn’s hair is light: the narration says al-Hasan’s came to about a dirham, which is only a few grams.
- Check the price of silver per gram that day (a quick search for “silver price per gram” in your currency).
- Multiply, then round up. The silver value of baby hair is usually small, so many families give a round, generous figure instead.
If you can’t weigh the hair (it blew away, or the barber binned it), just estimate generously. If the shaving can’t be done, many scholars say you can still give the charity.
Where to give: a local food bank, your masjid’s welfare fund, an orphan sponsorship, a well, or a family in need you know personally. Some families put it towards the same charity as their aqiqah meat.
Doing it safely
A newborn’s scalp is soft and thin, with the fontanelle (soft spot) still open. Go gently.
- Choose someone experienced. Many barbers in Muslim communities (in the UK, US, Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia and elsewhere) shave newborns regularly. Ask friends for a recommendation.
- Clippers rather than a blade are often safer for a wriggly baby. A very close clipper cut is enough for many families; others prefer a razor in steady, experienced hands.
- Clean tools. Ask that blades and clippers are cleaned before use.
- Pick a calm moment. Shave after a feed, when your baby is sleepy and settled. Have someone hold them close.
- Care for the scalp afterwards. Keep it clean and dry. A plain, fragrance-free moisturiser can help if the skin looks dry. Watch for redness, cuts or spots that don’t settle, and ask your health visitor if you’re worried.
- Keep them warm. A shaved head loses heat quickly. Have a soft hat ready, especially in a cold climate.
Girls too?
This is a genuine difference of opinion.
- Many scholars include girls. The Shafi’i and Maliki schools, among others, recommend shaving and the silver charity for both boys and girls. Some Hanafi scholars also list it for girls.
- Some scholars limit it to boys. A well-known view among Hanbali scholars holds that the shaving applies to boys, based on the hadith’s wording about a boy.
Families who don’t shave a daughter’s head often still weigh a trimmed lock or simply give charity in thanks. Ask a scholar you trust and choose what feels right for your family.
A note for different families
In Muslim-majority countries, the seventh-day gathering can be a big family event, with the barber coming to the house. In Muslim-minority countries, it might be a quiet visit to a local barber and a donation online. Both are perfectly good. A Bangladeshi family might share sweets with the neighbours; a Moroccan family might combine it with the sbou’ naming celebration; a convert family might simply shave at home and make dua. Customs change from place to place. The sunnah itself stays small and simple.
Related guides
- What to do when a Muslim baby is born: the whole first week in one place.
- Circumcision in Islam: some families arrange it around the same time.
- Islamic milestones from birth to 18: what comes next.
Questions parents ask
Is shaving a baby girl's head sunnah?
Scholars differ. Many, especially in the Shafi'i and Maliki schools, recommend it for girls as well as boys, and some Hanafi answers list it for girls too. Others, including a well-known view among Hanbali scholars, say the shaving is for boys only. Either way, giving charity in thanks for a daughter is good. Follow the view of a scholar you trust.
How much charity for the baby's hair?
The narration mentions the weight of the hair in silver. A newborn's hair weighs very little, the narration about al-Hasan says it came to about a dirham or less, only a few grams, so the silver value is small. Weigh it if you can, or estimate generously, and give at least the value of that silver. Giving more is completely fine and many families round up.
Can we shave later than the seventh day?
Yes. If your baby was premature, is unwell, or you couldn't arrange it safely, it can be done later. Some scholars mention the 14th or 21st day, as with the aqiqah. If shaving isn't advisable at all, the charity can still be given. Safety comes first.
Sources
Written by the Rahmly team from the sources above. Our Reviewers’ sign-off for this guide is still in progress. For rulings about your own family, ask a scholar you trust.