The First Seven Days

After a mother puts her baby, there are many things to do during the first seven days and that Islam gave big importance. The most noticed ones are:

1- The Call for Prayer

It’s very crucial that the first words that a baby hears for the first time mention Allah (all praised). Therefore, it’s very likeable and a well-known Sunna to call for the prayer in the baby’s right ear and to announce the beginning of the prayer in his left ear. Imam Ali (p.b.u.h) said:

“The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household) said: ‘He who has a baby born should call for the prayer in his right ear and announce the beginning of the prayer in the left, as this will protect him from the devil.’ He (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household) ordered to do the same thing with Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein and to read with the call, the Surat of Al-Fatiha, the verse of Al-Kursi, the last part of Surat Al-Hasher, Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq and Al-Nass.”

2- The Sacrifice

The sacrifice is when a father slaughters a ram, as in a version: The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household) mentioned the sacrifice and the newborn, then said: “On his seventh day, slaughter for him a ram.”

It’s likeable that the slaughtered animal is a male for a boy and a female for a girl. Imam Al-Rida (p.b.u.h) said: “If you want to make a sacrifice, choose a male for a (baby) boy and a female for a (baby) girl.”

3- Choosing the Proper Name

Choosing a good name for a baby is a right for him over his father. In a version, a man came to the Prophet (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household) and said: “O, Messenger of Allah! What is the right of my son? He (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household) answered: “Choose for him a good name and discipline him well.”

Therefore, we must avoid the names that humiliate their holders for the weird or inappropriate significance.

For this matter, versions encourage us to choose the favored names to Allah and His Messenger and they warn us from dislikeable names.
The names the versions encouraged us for are:

A- The Names of Worship:

What’s meant by that is the names that start with Abed (The Slave) like Abdullah (The slave of Allah), Abdul Rahman (The Slave of The Most Gracious) and Abdul Rahim (The Slave of The Most Merciful),etc. Abu Jaafar Al-Baker (p.b.u.h): “The most honest names are the worship ones.”

B- The Prophets’ Names:

At the end of the previous versions the Imam (p.b.u.h) continues: “…and the Prophets’ names.” They are also among the most honest names.

C- The Name of The Most Honorable Messenger (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household):

The name of The Most Honorable Messenger Mohammad (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household) is one of the best names. How this cannot be, since He is The Most Honorable of all creatures, the Greatest of all livings and their Master. In the honorable version for Abu Abdullah (p.b.u.h): “The Prophet (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household) said: “He who has four children and none of them is named after me, he alienates Me.”

D- The Name of The Prince of Believers (p.b.u.h):

The Prophet’s Household (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Them) focused on the name of Ali. It’s been mentioned that once Marwan son of Al-Hakam asked Imam Ali son of Al-Hussein Zein Al-Abidin (p.b.u.h): “What’s the name of your brother?” The Imam (p.b.u.h) answered: “Ali”. The man said: “Ali and Ali?! Doesn’t your father want to name his children by a name other than Ali?”

So, when Imam Al-Sajjad went to see his father Imam Al-Hussein (p.b.u.h) and tell him what happened, the Imam (p.b.u.h) said: “Even if I would have a hundred children, I wouldn’t love to name them other than Ali.”

E- The Imams’ Names (p.b.u.t):

One of the companions of Imam Al-Sadek (p.b.u.h) told the Imam: “My Lord! We name our children after you and your grandfathers. Will this do us any good?”

So The Imam (p.b.u.h) said: “Yes, I swear by Allah! And isn’t religion about loving and hatred?! Allah (all praised) said:
{O mankind! If you love Allah, follow me - Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.} (Surat Al-Imran; 31)

F- The Name of Fatima (p.b.u.h):

Imam Al-Sadek (p.b.u.h) once asked one of his companions about his newborn baby girl: “What did you name her?” The man answered: “Fatima”. The Imam said: “Ah…Ah…” Then He (p.b.u.h) told him: “If you name her Fatima, don’t insult her, don’t curse her and don’t beat her.”

4- The Nickname

It’s a famous manners and Sunnas to denominate the child with a loveable nickname and this was the case of The Most Honorable Messenger and His Household (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Them). Imam Al-Rida (p.b.u.h) said: “Give him the best of names and denominate him with the best nicknames”.

5- Shaving the Boy’s Hair

It’s likeable to shave the boy’s hair on his seventh day and it’s a Sunna (heritage) of The Most Honorable Messenger (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household).

In a version for Imam Al-Sadek (p.b.u.h) from a Hadith (speech) for Oum Ayman (Mother of Ayman) said: “Fatima (p.b.u.h) gave birth to Al-Hussein (p.b.u.h) and on His seventh day, The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household) ordered to shave his head and He gave the weight of his hair in silver as charity and made a sacrifice on behalf of him. Then Oum Ayman prepared him and covered him with the blanket of The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household).”

6- Circumcision

One of the assured Sunnas that Islam insisted on is circumcision. Imam Ali (p.b.u.h) said:

“Don’t be late to circumcise your children as it’s cleaner for them.”