Shaving the Hair of the Baby on the Seventh Day of Birth and Giving the Weight of his Hair in Silver to the Needy

Shaving the Hair of the Baby on the Seventh Day of Birth and Giving the Weight of his Hair in Silver to the Needy

»It was narrated from Qatadah, from al-Hasan, from Samurh ibn Jundab that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every boy is in pledge for his Aqeeqah, so slaughter (the animal) for him on the seventh day, shave his head, and name him."« ([1])

»When Fatima gave birth to al-Hasan, she asked (the Prophet –pbuh-): "Should I sacrifice blood (an animal) for my son?" He (Peace and blessings be upon Him) said: "No! Rather shave his hair and give the weight of his hair in silver to the needy and awfadh." Awfadh were some of the poor Companions of the Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon Him).

They were staying in the masjid or in as-Sufa (the place allotted to them, hence they were called Ahl as-Sufa). Abu al-Nadhr said: "Silver dirhams for the Awfadh, He (PBUH) meant the people of as-Sufah or the needy. She did so and when she gave birth to al-Hssein, she did the same." «([2])

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([1]) Sunan al-Nissa'i – Kitab al-Aqeeqah (0224), Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Kitab al-Adhahi (2251), Sunan Abi Dawud – Kitab al-Dhahaya (7382).

([2]) Sunan Imam Ahmed (24662).

The hadith does not forbid giving an Aqeeqah for the newborn. The scholars gave explanations about disallowing Fatimah to give Aqeeqah such as what al-Bayhaqi said: »As if He (the Prophet -PBUH) wanted to give Aqeeqah on their behalf as we narrated, so He ordered her to do other charity work by giving the weight of his hair in silver«. Al-Sunan Al-Kubra (9/403). Al-Hafiz ibn Hajar gave other explanations in al-Fatih (al-Fatih /9/015).