Having a baby as a new Muslim

Sunnah, custom and what can wait

Relatives and in-laws may present their customs as religious duties. Some are sunnah, some are culture, and some are both. It is fine to ask kindly, "Is this from the religion or from the family?" and to check with a teacher. Customs such as a forty-day rest for the mother vary a lot between families and countries.

The first days: acts Muslims follow

SeekersGuidance, answering from the Shafi'i school, lists these recommended acts. They are good to do, and missing one does not make anything invalid.

• The call to prayer (adhan) in the baby's right ear, and the iqamah in the left.
• Putting a little softened date in the baby's mouth (tahnik). Check with your midwife or doctor before giving a newborn any food.
• Choosing a good name.
• On the seventh day, shaving the baby's head and giving charity.
• The aqiqah, an animal sacrifice to thank Allah for the child.

How strong is the adhan hadith?

The report that the Prophet gave the call to prayer in his grandson's ear is in Sunan Abi Dawud 5105, graded Hasan by Al-Albani. At-Tirmidhi also narrated it (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1514) and called it hasan sahih, while the Darussalam grading on Sunnah.com is Da'if. So the strength of the report is debated, and the schools do not all treat the practice the same way. The same SeekersGuidance answer says whispering the baby's name in the ear is not an established sunnah. Ask your imam what your school holds.

The aqiqah

IslamWeb's fatwa centre calls the aqiqah a confirmed sunnah for those who can afford it: two sheep for a boy and one for a girl, on the seventh day, or otherwise the fourteenth or twenty-first, or any time before the child reaches puberty. The schools differ on how strongly it is recommended. It is not an obligation, and nobody should borrow money to do it.

Some charities and halal butchers can arrange an aqiqah for you. Ask your masjid who it trusts.

Choosing a name

Choose a name with a good meaning. It does not have to be Arabic, in the same way that converts usually keep their own names unless the meaning is a problem. If you like a name but are unsure what it means, ask someone who knows the language before you decide.

Circumcision for baby boys

The schools of Islamic law differ on male circumcision: some treat it as strongly recommended and others as required. Our questions page covers what this means for adults.

For babies, the Canadian Paediatric Society's parent handout (last updated in February 2021) says the CPS does not recommend circumcising every newborn boy as routine care, and that many parents choose it for religious reasons. It should be done by a trained, experienced practitioner with a local anaesthetic for pain. No provincial or territorial health plan pays for it when it is done for non-medical reasons. The CPS position statement behind the handout has since been retired, so ask your doctor for current advice.

If you want it done, raise it with your doctor or midwife early, and ask your masjid which local clinics families use.

After the birth: bleeding and worship

Bleeding after childbirth (nifas) follows the same worship rules as a period: you do not pray or fast while it continues, and you make up missed Ramadan fasts later. Our topic on menstruation and worship explains the details and where the schools differ. Follow your doctor's or midwife's advice about your recovery too.

Your mood after the birth

Health Canada reports that 23% of mothers who had recently given birth in Canada described feelings consistent with postpartum depression or an anxiety disorder, a figure from the 2018/2019 Survey on Maternal Health.

Feeling low, anxious or numb after a birth is not weak faith and not ingratitude. Tell your doctor, midwife or public health nurse. Help is available, and Health Canada has published treatment guidelines for these conditions.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. If you are thinking about suicide or worried about a new parent, call or text 9-8-8.

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