Another hadith mentions that one should choose a name based...

Another hadith mentions that one should choose a name based on the ninety-nine beautiful names of God (the Most Merciful) , such as by adding the term abd (servant) , or choose a name of the Prophets or Imams (peace be upon them all) , and if that is exhausted, one should choose from the titles or nicknames of the Prophets or Imams (peace be upon them all). Accordingly, based on these ahadith (traditions) and others, families are encouraged to choose good and positive names.

Sometimes popular names become so common, families start using combined first names, such as Muhammad Ali, to distinguish children from each other. As an interesting side note regarding names, at the time of (peace be upon him and his family), using someone’s kunyah (title based on child’s name) was a show of respect. For example, it was the sunnah (act) of (peace be upon him and his family) to call people by their titles, such as Abu Ali (father of Ali).

This concept of kunyah also applied to women ( e.g. , a woman may be referred to as, for example, Umm Abbas, meaning mother of Abbas). At that time and in that environment, if one did not call someone that is older by his kunyah , it would be considered disrespectful. Getting back to naming children, we see through social evidence as well as the ahadith that giving a child a good name is a matter of great importance.

Other important early steps include reciting adhan (call for prayer) in the right ear and iqamah (second call for prayer) in the left ear of a child when she is born as well as performing aqiqah (slaughtering an animal for a newborn child) and shaving the hair of the child on the seventh day after birth. Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (peace be upon him and his family) said that everyone should have aqiqah done . The meat of the slaughtered animal ( e.g.

, a sheep or ram) should be distributed as food, except to the parents. The hair cut from the child’s head should be weighed, and the weight in silver (or gold) should be given to the poor. Also, circumcision for a boy should be performed on the seventh day after birth. These are the first steps in raising a child, and all these elements contribute to the honor, chastity, spiritual life, and physical life of the child. (See Jalali, page 430).

A next important step is teaching a child salah (ritual prayer). A hadith mentions that one should tell a child to start performing salat at the age of seven and beat the child if he does not pray.