What to Do When a Muslim Baby Is Born: The Newborn Sunnahs

Your baby is here. After months of waiting, there is a small, warm person in your arms, and probably a lot of people asking, “Have you done the adhan yet? When’s the aqiqah?”

Take a breath. The newborn sunnahs are a gift, not a test. They are a handful of beautiful practices that welcome a child into a Muslim family with Allah’s name, a sweet taste, a good name and a shared meal. This guide walks through them in order, says clearly what is agreed and where scholars differ, and ends with a simple checklist from birth to day 40.

The first hours

Thank Allah, and look after the mother

Before anything else: Alhamdulillah. A safe birth is a mercy. Whether you welcomed a boy or a girl, the Qur’an reminds us that both are gifts Allah chooses to give.

The first hours belong to the medical team, skin-to-skin contact and the first feed. None of the sunnahs below needs to interrupt that. If the birth was difficult or the baby needs special care, everything else can wait.

The adhan in the baby’s ear

Many families say the adhan softly in the baby’s right ear soon after birth, so that some of the first words the baby hears are about Allah. It is a much-loved practice across the Muslim world. It rests mainly on one narration:

The same report appears in Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 1514, where at-Tirmidhi called it hasan sahih. Other hadith scholars consider its chain weak because of one of its narrators. Reports that add the iqamah in the left ear come from outside the main collections and are graded weak.

What that means for you: many scholars recommend the adhan, while others say it is not firmly established. You can follow the view of a scholar you trust. No family should feel guilty for doing it, or for leaving it. Read more in our guide to the adhan in a baby’s ear.

How families usually do it: the father, a grandparent or someone the parents choose holds the baby, faces the qiblah if easy, and says the adhan quietly near the right ear. No loudness, no rush.

Tahnik: a sweet first taste

Tahnik means softening a tiny piece of date and rubbing it gently on the baby’s palate. The Companions brought their newborns to the Prophet ﷺ for this.

Many families ask someone they see as kind and righteous, often a grandparent, to do tahnik and make dua for the baby. See our full guide to tahnik with dates.

The first week: choosing a name

A name is the first gift you give your child, and they will carry it every day. Choose one with a good meaning that they will be happy to say at school, at work and in front of others.

When to name? Both the day of birth and the seventh day are reported. The Prophet ﷺ named his own son on the night he was born:

And the hadith about the aqiqah (below) mentions naming on the seventh day. So choose whichever suits your family. Some families have the name ready from the scan; others want to see the baby’s face first.

Good starting points: names of prophets, names of the Companions and the righteous women of early Islam, names joining ‘Abd (servant) with one of Allah’s names, or any name with a clearly good meaning in Arabic or your own language. Avoid names with bad or unclear meanings. Our guide on how to choose a Muslim baby name goes through this step by step.

The seventh day

The seventh day gathers three sunnahs together: the aqiqah, shaving the head and (if not done already) naming.

Counting the seventh day: many scholars count the day of birth as day one, so a baby born on a Friday has their seventh day on the following Thursday. Some count differently, so check with your local scholar if it matters to your plans.

Aqiqah

The aqiqah is an animal sacrificed in gratitude for the child.

Where scholars differ:

Many families, especially in Muslim-minority countries, arrange the aqiqah through a trusted charity or butcher, sometimes overseas, and share the meat or its benefit with people in need. Ask a scholar you trust about what suits your situation. Our aqiqah guide covers the details.

Shaving the head and giving charity

The hadith above mentions shaving the baby’s head on the seventh day. Another narration adds giving the weight of the hair in silver as charity:

At-Tirmidhi himself pointed out a gap in the chain, so scholars discuss how strong it is. Still, giving charity in thanks for a new baby is good either way. Some schools, such as the Shafi’is, recommend shaving for girls as well as boys; others hold it is for boys only. Most families simply estimate the hair’s weight and give a little more than its value in silver.

Circumcision for boys

Circumcision (khitan) is part of the fitrah, the natural way.

Scholars differ on whether it is obligatory or a strong sunnah, and on timing. Some prefer the seventh day; others any time before puberty, with earlier generally seen as easier. In the UK it is not usually offered on the NHS for religious reasons, and in many countries the options and costs vary. Whatever you decide, choose a qualified, registered medical practitioner, ask about pain relief and aftercare, and speak to your GP or paediatrician first.

Celebrating and congratulating

The arrival of a baby is a joy to share. Family and friends usually visit, bring food and make dua. Simple words are best: “Barakallahu lakum” (may Allah bless you all), or a heartfelt dua in any language for the baby to be healthy, righteous and a comfort to the parents.

Every heritage has its own lovely customs: sweets handed out in South Asian families, a gathering in Arab homes, a special meal in Malay and Indonesian households, a celebration in West African communities. These are part of family life, and culture changes the framing, never the ruling. A few things to watch for:

• Customs presented as sunnah. Black threads, amulets, kohl to ward off the evil eye, or strict rules about the mother not leaving a room for 40 days are cultural, and some conflict with Islamic teaching. For protection, use the duas the Prophet ﷺ taught.
• Disappointment at a girl. The Qur’an criticises those who greeted the news of a daughter with a darkened face (An-Nahl 16:58–59). Welcome a daughter with the same joy as a son.
• Too many visitors. A new mother needs rest. Short visits, food dropped at the door and offers to help are kinder than long stays.

Your checklist: birth to day 40