On the Seventh Day from Birth the Newborn’s Head is Shaved and a Name is Given to Him

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ‘On the seventh day from birth offer ‘Aqiqah, shave the head of the child and give in charity an amount of silver equal to the weight of his hairs and cut the meat of Aqiqah without breaking any bones, then cook the meat and invite a group of Muslims to be served.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, ‘What should we do first?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘First shave his head, then offer Aqiqah and give in charity of silver equal to the weight of his hairs. All of this should be done in one place.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about Aqiqah : if it is obligatory. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, Aqiqah must be offered for him, his head is shaved when he is seven days old and his hairs are weighed with silver or gold to be given in charity. One-fourth of the sheep is served to al-Qabilah (the special nurse, doctor). The animal for Aqiqah should be a sheep or Badanah (camel of a certain age).”’ ( Al-Qabilah according to hadith number three, chapter ninety-three is a nurse who helps a woman to give birth and also thereafter not the one who helps one to give birth only and then moves away.)

“When it is the seventh day of childbirth in your home, a boy or a girl you must offer an Aqiqah in the form of slaughtering a ram for a boy and an ewe for a girl. When you offer an Aqiqah for him, feed al-Qabilah (the special nurse, doctor) thereof. You can give the child a name on the seventh day.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘When a child is born, Aqiqah must be offered for him, his head should be shaved and equal to the weight of his hairs leaf (of silver) should be given in charity. The leg and hip of the animal slaughtered for Aqiqah should be given to al-Qabilah (the special nurse, doctor). A group of Muslims should be invited to be served with meat of Aqiqah and the boy should be given a name.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘For a child Aqiqah must be offered, his head is shaved on the seventh day and equal to the weight of his hairs silver or gold should be given in charity. One leg and hip of the animal slaughtered for ‘Aqiqah should be given to al-Qabilah (the special nurse, doctor). The animal accepted as ‘Aqiqah can be a badanah (camel) or a sheep.’”

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a boy or a girl is born to you, on the seventh day offer an ‘Aqiqah, a sheep or a camel and eat of its meat, feed others and give him a name. Shave his head on the seventh day and equal to the weight of his hairs give silver or gold in charity. You should give to the doctor something thereof. Whatever of these (sheep or camel, silver or gold) you did is sufficient.’”

“I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), about the newborn child: when to offer ‘Aqiqah, shave his head, give in charity equal to the weight of his hair and give him a name.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘All of such things can be done on the seventh day from his birth.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about ‘Aqiqah and a newborn. He (the Imam) has stated this Hadith. ‘When a child is seven days old a name with which Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has named him must be given to him, then his head must be shaved and equal to the weight of his hairs gold or silver should be given in charity. A ram should be slaughtered, and if a ram is not available then whatever is sufficient for an animal offering during al-Hajj is sufficient for ‘Aqiqah. If this is not available then a lamb of the same year is sufficient. Al-Qabilah (the special nurse, doctor) should be given one-fourth of the meat thereof. If there is no al-Qabilah then it is up to the mother to whomever she wants to give and ten Muslims should be fed. If there are more than ten it is better. ‘Aqiqah is obligatory if one is affluent or even if one is poor; he must do so when he is able to manage; and if ‘Aqiqah is not done for one until he offers an offering animal during al-Hajj, it then is sufficient for ‘Aqiqah.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘If al-Qabilah (the special nurse, doctor) is a Jewish woman who does not eat meat of the animal slaughtered by Muslims then one-fourth of the price of the animal for ‘Aqiqah should be given to her.’”

“About a newborn abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ‘The child must be given a name on the seventh day, ‘Aqiqah must be offered, his head shaved, silver equal to the weight of his hairs should be given in charity, one leg and hip should be sent to al-Qabilah (the special nurse, doctor), and the rest of the meat should be used for food and as charity.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘On the seventh day from the birth of a child ‘Aqiqah must be offered. One leg and hip of the animal offered as ‘Aqiqah should be given to al-Qabilah (the special nurse, doctor) and the bones should not be broken.’”

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ‘When ‘Aqiqah is offered for a child, his head is shaved, equal to the weight of his hair charity is given, one leg and hip is given to al-Qabilah (the special nurse, doctor), Muslims should be invited and when they are served they should pray for the boy. A name can be given to the child on the seventh day of his birth.’”