The first of the practices which the newborn is greeted with in the shade of Islam, is that he is made to hear the Islamic call to Prayer (Athan), and it is one of the signs of Islam and a Prophetic Sunnah laid down by Allah’s Messenger Muhammad (SAW). The reader should be aware that the Hadith upon which this whole section is based on is da’eef (weak) - as will be mentioned soon Inshallah. It cannot therefore be used to establish this practice as being from the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) or to be something good. Rather the reader should restrict himself to the authentic Sunnah - beginning with the Tahneek’ - rubbing a softened date upon the child’s palate .
So the newborn in the first moments of its life and the first hours hears the Kalimah of Tawheed (the declaration that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah) and the everlasting testification, and this is before his ears hear any other words in this world.
The Athan is to be given straight after the birth, or very soon afterwards, as he did with his grandson al-Husayn ibn ‘Abee (RA) since it is narrated from Aboo Raafi’ that he said:
"I saw the Prophet give Adhan for the Prayer in the ear of al-Husayn ibn ‘Alee when his mother Fatimah (RA) gave birth to him." (Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhee who declared it ‘hasan’ and by Shaikh al-Albanee in ‘al-Irwaa’).
Shaikh al-Albanee (ra) as he explained in ‘ad-Da’eefah’ formerly declared the narration of Aboo Raafi’ to be weak in isnaad, but possibly supported to the level of ‘hasan’ depending upon the reliability of a narration of al-Baihaqee in Shu’abul-Eeman.’ When, however, it later became clear to Shaikh al-Abanee that this narration was reported by two liars, he clearly stated that the Hadith is weak (da’eef). The first narration that of Aboo Raafi’ - is weak due to its narrator ‘Aasim ibn ‘Ubaydillaah ibn Aasim al’Umaree who is weak by agreement of the scholars. The second narration, of al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee concerning giving Adhan in the baby’s right ear and iqaamah in its left is fabricated (mawdoo’) two of its narrators: being accused of fabrication. Yahyaa itnul-‘Alaa who was accused by Imam Ahmad, Wakee’ and others of being a liar and a fabricator of Hadith, and Marwaan ibn Saalim: who was declared ‘matrook (abandoned) and accused by as-Saajee and others of fabrication. The third and final narration, the report of al-Baihaqee in ‘Shu’abul-Eeman’ from Ibn ‘Abbas (RA) stating that the Prophet (SAW) gave Adhan in the right ear of al’Hasan and iqaamah in his left ear - then it is similar in standard to the second due to two of its narrators: Muhammad ibn Yoonus al-Kudaymee: who was accused by Abu Dawud of being a liar, by Ibn ‘Adiyy an others of fabrication, an Ibn Hibbaan said of him: "Perhaps he fabricated more than a thousand Hadith," and al-Hasan ibn ‘Amr ibn Sayf al-‘Abdee: Declared by ar-Raazee to be abandoned (matrook) and by al-Bukhari and Ibnul-Madeenee to be liar. As is well known from the science of Hadith, the narration of a liar or fabricator cannot be used to support other narrations.
The Athan is to be given, within its hearing, with its usual wording which is used to call to the Prayer: "Allaahu Akbar … La ilaha illal Lah." And it should be done in a good voice, but no so loudly as to cause harm to the baby’s ear or to alarm him or her.
Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest)
Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest)
Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest)
Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest)
Ash hadu an la ilaha illal lah (I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah)
Ash hadu an la ilaha illal lah (I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah)
Ash hadu an-na Muhammadar rasulul lah (I bear witness that Muhammad (SAW) is the messenger of Allah)
Ash hadu an-na Muhammadar rasulul lah (I bear witness that Muhammad (SAW) is the messenger of Allah)
Hayya ‘alas salah (Come to prayer)
Hayya ‘alas salah (Come to prayer)
Hayya ‘alal falah’ (Come to your Success)
Hayya ‘alal falah’ (Come to your Success)
Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest)
Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest)
La ilaha illal Lah (There is no deity but Allah)
After giving Adhan in the baby’s ear, is it from the Sunnah to give iqamah in the other ear?
Perhaps the correct practice - and Allah (SWT) knows best - is to give Athan only, since the AUTHENTIC Hadith only refers to the Athan. As for the iqamah being given in the other ear, then al-Baihaqee reports two Hadith about that - but they are BOTH WEAK as Ibnul-Qayyim says, and as such cannot be used as proof. That is also reported from the practice of the Khaleefah ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul - ‘Azeez - as being his action only. Therefore, it is more correct and closer to the Sunnah to give the Adhan alone.
The Sunnah has not specified which ear the Athan is to be given into, however the Messenger (SAW) used to love giving precedence to the right side in all his affairs, therefore it would be more appropriate to give Adhan into the right ear.
Islam has not prescribed anything that there is wisdom and benefit in it - those who are aware of it are aware of it, and those who are ignorant of it are ignorant of it. In what follows we will try to show some of the point of wisdom in this practice which are apparent to us.
The sense of hearing begins and is operative when the child is still within its mother’s womb, and it has recently been discovered that it is able to remember things heard whilst still in the womb.
Then after birth, it is ready to take in and store in its memory things which it hears. Therefore, Islam prescribed that the first message to reach the newborn child’s hearing should be the words of the Adhan. Then the effects of this message (the Athan) will reach the newborn even if he does not comprehend it. Ibnul-Qayyim said, "One should not deny the effect of the Athan upon the hearts and intellect of the newborn - even if one does not perceive it."
So from this introductory point, we may be able to better understand some of the secrets and hidden wisdom behind this rite:
1. Through giving the Athan, the first sounds to reach the baby’s ears will be the words of the Athan which comprise a declaration of Allah’s (SWT) greatness and the testification which enters a person in to His Deen. So these words should have a profound impact upon him, so that he lives by them, calls to them, acts upon them until he meets Allah (SWT) in such condition that He is pleased with him - therefore these words which are the symbol of Islam are quoted to him when he comes into this life, just as the shahadah is, at the point of his leaving his life.
2. Since the newborn is able to retain things it hears in the memory - then causing him to hear the Athan is a means of training the child, and preparing him so that he will answer this call which will have settled in his soul if he hears it often.
3. By putting this Sunnah into practice, one will be calling this child to Allah (SWT), before it hears the call of Shaitan. Just as the true nature (Fitrah) which Allah (SWT) created the people upon comes prior to the attempts of Shaitan to change that and to take them away from it.
4. The words of the Athan cause Shaitan to flee, as occurs in the Hadith:
"When the call to prayer is given Shaitan runs away, passing wind noisily until he cannot hear the Athan" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
And as it well-known, Shaitan attempts to harm each person right from the beginning. So with the Athan, Shaitan will hear that which angers and weakens him right from the first moment of the child’s life.
5. Likewise, the prescription of giving the Athan in the ear of the child is an indication to the parents that his upbringing and education must be based upon the word of the Tawheed and the guidance of Islam and the Quran, and any other form of upbringing and education is false and unsound.
Information From Manners of Welcoming the New Born Child in Islam
By Yoosuf ibn ‘Abdullaah Al-‘Areefee
Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood ibn Ronald Burbank