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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Children in the Qur’an and Sunnah Introduction Through studying the teachings of the holy infallibles (a.s.) regarding the rights of a newborn, one can conclude that a child in this stage has eight rights upon his family. These rights are as follows: 1- Honouring the Birth The day that Allah Almighty bestows a blessing upon a person is a day of festivity,[^1] being auspicious and blessed.

📌A newborn is a great bounty for a family, and in reality a birthday party is a form of expressing gratitude for this great divine blessing. To congratulate and giving a banquet in honour of the newborn is also something highly recommended to do. Remembering birthdays is to honour the divine blessing of the human being coming into existence. The newborn is brought into this world by Allah as a glorious blessing upon its family.

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) once asked Imam ‘Ali (a.s.): “What is the first blessing that Allah gave you?” Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) answered: “That He, may His tribute be glorified, created me and I was absolutely nothing.” Therefore, occasions such as birthdays or celebrating reaching the age of maturity ( taklif ) with the purpose of giving thanks for Allah’s blessings are good and commendable customs to observe, even though there is no particular evidence to indicate it is religiously recommended ( mustahab ).

2- Bathing the Newborn 2- Bathing the Newborn [^2] There are a few notable points in regards to washing a newborn child: A) What is meant here in bathing is not simply washing, but a ritual religious bathing. Accordingly, the person who bathes the baby must observe the rulings of ritual bathing, as in the intention and the order of washing the parts.

B) This bathing is recommended, provided it does not harm the newborn in any way.[^3] C) The act of bathing the newborn is recommended to be done at the time of birth, and it is permissible to delay it for up to three days.[^4] D) Some of the early jurists viewed that the ritual bathing of a newborn is obligatory.[^5] 3- Reciting Adhan and Iqamah in the Newborn’s ears Here are some following points important in this regard**:** A) The Adhan must be recited in the right ear of the newborn, and the Iqamah in the left ear.

B) It is stated in some narrations that the time of reciting the Adhan and Iqamah in the ears of the newborn is after hearing it cry, and, in some other narrations it says that it is recommended to be done before the umbilical cord is cut.

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