THE ADHAN AND IQAMAH FOR A NEWBORN CHILD
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
الحمد لله رب العالمين، والصلاة والسلام على سيدنا محمد، وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين.
Among the practices discussed by the scholars concerning the welcoming of a newborn is the calling of the Adhan in the child's ear. The matter has been discussed by the scholars of Hadith and Fiqh for many centuries, and there is a recognized difference of opinion concerning the strength of the relevant narrations.
It is therefore important to present the evidence fairly and to distinguish between what is established by a specific narration, what has been accepted by some scholars, and what has been considered weak by others.
THE HADITH OF ABU RAFI‘ رضي الله عنه
The principal narration concerning the Adhan for a newborn is the Hadith of Abu Rafi‘ رضي الله عنه:
عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أَذَّنَ فِي أُذُنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ حِينَ وَلَدَتْهُ فَاطِمَةُ بِالصَّلَاةِ.
“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ call the Adhan in the ear of al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali when Fatimah رضي الله عنها gave birth to him, with the Adhan of the prayer.”
References: Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1514, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter: باب الأذان في أذن المولود; Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 5105; Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 27186. Imam al-Tirmidhi رحمه الله stated: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ — “This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.”
This narration is the principal evidence used by those scholars who regard the Adhan for the newborn as recommended.
It is significant that Imam al-Tirmidhi رحمه الله himself included the narration under a specific chapter entitled:
بَابُ الأَذَانِ فِي أُذُنِ الْمَوْلُودِ
“Chapter: The Adhan in the ear of the newborn.”
Reference: Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1514.
Thus, the statement that there is “no Hadith at all” concerning Adhan for a newborn is not accurate. There is indeed a narration, and it has been transmitted in several important Hadith collections.
THE HADITH IS NOT UNDISPUTED IN AUTHENTICITY
At the same time, academic honesty requires that we mention the criticism of the chain.
The narration contains ‘Asim ibn ‘Ubaydillah. A number of Hadith specialists regarded him as weak. Consequently, some later scholars graded the narration as weak.
Shaykh Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut رحمه الله, for example, graded the chain of the narration as weak:
إِسْنَادُهُ ضَعِيفٌ
“Its chain of transmission is weak.”
Reference: Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut, Takhrij Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 5105; the narration is also recorded by al-Tirmidhi (1514) and Ahmad (27186).
Shaykh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani رحمه الله likewise ultimately regarded the narration as weak.
However, this does not erase the fact that Imam al-Tirmidhi رحمه الله graded the same narration Hasan Sahih.
Therefore, the correct scholarly presentation is that the Hadith is disputed in grading, rather than claiming that there is no evidence whatsoever.
THE POSITION OF SHAYKH AL-ALBANI رحمه الله
It is important to clarify the position of Shaykh al-Albani رحمه الله because it is sometimes quoted incompletely.
Shaykh al-Albani explained that he had previously accepted the practice because he considered another narration to be a supporting witness for the Hadith of Abu Rafi‘ رضي الله عنه.
He later examined that supporting narration and found its chain to be extremely weak. He therefore withdrew his earlier strengthening of the Hadith of Abu Rafi‘.
He stated:
فَرَجَعْنَا عَنِ الْقَوْلِ السَّابِقِ بِسُنِّيَّةِ أَوْ شَرْعِيَّةِ الأَذَانِ فِي أُذُنِ الْمَوْلُودِ.
“We therefore returned from our previous position concerning the Sunnah or legislated nature of calling the Adhan in the ear of the newborn.”
Reference: Shaykh al-Albani's recorded clarification concerning the Hadith of Abu Rafi‘ and his later retraction of his earlier strengthening of it.
Therefore, those who state that Shaykh al-Albani رحمه الله considered the Hadith weak are correct.
But it is equally important to recognize that this was not the position of all Hadith scholars, since Imam al-Tirmidhi رحمه الله explicitly graded the narration Hasan Sahih.
THE POSITION OF IBN QUDAMAH رحمه الله
The practice was not something introduced by contemporary Muslims.
Imam Ibn Qudamah رحمه الله mentioned it in al-Mughni:
قَالَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ: يُسْتَحَبُّ لِلْوَالِدِ أَنْ يُؤَذِّنَ فِي أُذُنِ ابْنِهِ حِينَ يُولَدُ، لِمَا رَوَى عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ رَافِعٍ عَنْ أُمِّهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَذَّنَ فِي أُذُنِ الْحَسَنِ حِينَ وَلَدَتْهُ فَاطِمَةُ.
“Some of the people of knowledge said that it is recommended for the father to call the Adhan in his child's ear when he is born, based upon the narration that the Prophet ﷺ called the Adhan in the ear of al-Hasan when Fatimah gave birth to him.”
Reference: Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni, 9/464 according to the cited edition; the same discussion is reproduced by scholars in their treatment of the Sunnahs of the newborn.
This is important because it demonstrates that the practice has a basis in the writings of the classical jurists.
THE PRACTICE OF ‘UMAR IBN ‘ABD AL-‘AZIZ رحمه الله
Another important point is that the practice was also attributed to the righteous Khalifah ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz رحمه الله.
It is reported:
وَعَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ أَنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا وُلِدَ لَهُ مَوْلُودٌ أَخَذَهُ فِي خِرْقَةٍ، فَأَذَّنَ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْيُمْنَى، وَأَقَامَ فِي الْيُسْرَى، وَسَمَّاهُ.
“It is reported from ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz that when a child was born to him, he would take the child in a cloth, call the Adhan in the right ear, call the Iqamah in the left ear, and name the child.”
Reference: Mentioned by Ibn Qudamah in al-Mughni in his discussion of the newborn; also cited by later scholars discussing this practice.
This report is particularly relevant to the discussion of the Iqamah in the left ear, because the evidence for the Iqamah is not as strong as the principal Hadith concerning the Adhan.
THE EVIDENCE CONCERNING IQAMAH IN THE LEFT EAR
There are additional narrations concerning calling the Iqamah in the left ear.
Among them is the report attributed to al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali رضي الله عنهما:
مَنْ وُلِدَ لَهُ مَوْلُودٌ فَأَذَّنَ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْيُمْنَى، وَأَقَامَ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْيُسْرَى، لَمْ تَضُرَّهُ أُمُّ الصِّبْيَانِ.
“Whoever has a child born to him and calls the Adhan in his right ear and the Iqamah in his left ear, Umm al-Sibyan will not harm him.”
Reference: Reported through the narrations cited by al-Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab al-Iman and discussed by Ibn al-Qayyim in Tuhfat al-Mawdud. The chain of this report has been criticized and should not be presented as an authentic Prophetic Hadith.
For this reason, the evidence for the Iqamah is weaker than the evidence for the Adhan.
Nevertheless, a number of jurists considered it recommended or permissible based upon the totality of the reports and the practice attributed to some of the Salaf.
IBN AL-QAYYIM رحمه الله ON THE MATTER
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله devoted a specific section of Tuhfat al-Mawdud fi Ahkam al-Mawlud to this subject. The chapter is entitled:
البَابُ الرَّابِعُ فِي اسْتِحْبَابِ التَّأْذِينِ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَالإِقَامَةِ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْيُسْرَى
“The fourth chapter concerning the recommendation of calling the Adhan in the right ear and the Iqamah in the left ear.”
Reference: Ibn al-Qayyim, Tuhfat al-Mawdud fi Ahkam al-Mawlud, chapter concerning Adhan and Iqamah for the newborn.
This demonstrates that the issue was discussed as a matter of Fiqh by major classical scholars and was not regarded universally as an invented practice.
THE WISDOM BEHIND THE ADHAN
Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله also mentioned a wisdom behind the Adhan being the first words heard by the newborn.
He wrote:
وَسِرُّ التَّأْذِينِ ـ وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ ـ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَا يَقْرَعُ سَمْعَ الإِنْسَانِ كَلِمَاتُهُ الْمُتَضَمِّنَةُ لِكِبْرِيَاءِ الرَّبِّ وَعَظَمَتِهِ، وَالشَّهَادَةُ الَّتِي أَوَّلُ مَا يَدْخُلُ بِهَا فِي الإِسْلَامِ.
“The wisdom behind the Adhan — and Allah knows best — is that the first words to reach the person's hearing should be words containing the greatness and majesty of his Lord and the testimony by which a person enters Islam.”
Reference: Ibn al-Qayyim, Tuhfat al-Mawdud fi Ahkam al-Mawlud, discussion on the Adhan for the newborn.
This is a scholarly explanation of the wisdom of the practice and should not be confused with a separate Prophetic Hadith.
THE HANAFI, SHAFI‘I AND HANBALI SCHOLARS
The recommendation of Adhan for the newborn was not restricted to one particular contemporary group or region.
It has been mentioned as a recommended practice by scholars associated with several schools of Islamic jurisprudence.
A scholarly summary records that the Adhan in the right ear was considered recommended by the Hanafis, Shafi‘is and Hanbalis, while some scholars from the Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools additionally recommended the Iqamah in the left ear.
Within the Hanafi tradition, later scholars such as Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari رحمه الله, Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri رحمه الله, and Dr. Wahbah al-Zuhayli رحمه الله discussed the practice favorably.
Shaykh Khalil Ahmad رحمه الله stated concerning the practice:
يُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يُؤَذِّنَ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَيُقِيمَ فِي الْيُسْرَى.
“It is recommended that the Adhan be called in his right ear and the Iqamah in his left.”
Reference: Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, Bazl al-Majhud, vol. 13, p. 501, as cited in the Darul Uloom Trinidad & Tobago fatwa.
Dr. Wahbah al-Zuhayli رحمه الله likewise included this practice among the recommended matters associated with the newborn:
وَمِنَ الأَذَانِ الَّذِي يُؤَدَّى لِغَيْرِ الصَّلَاةِ: الأَذَانُ فِي أُذُنِ الْمَوْلُودِ الْيُمْنَى، كَمَا يُسْتَحَبُّ الإِقَامَةُ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْيُسْرَى.
“Among the forms of Adhan performed for other than the prayer is the Adhan in the right ear of the newborn, just as it is recommended to call the Iqamah in his left ear.”
Reference: Wahbah al-Zuhayli, al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu, vol. 1, p. 720.
A BALANCED VIEW OF THE HADITH EVIDENCE
The evidence can therefore be summarized as follows:
1. There IS a Hadith concerning Adhan for the newborn.
The Hadith of Abu Rafi‘ رضي الله عنه is found in:
- Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, 1514
- Sunan Abi Dawud, 5105
- Musnad Ahmad, 27186
- and it has also been transmitted through other collections.
2. Imam al-Tirmidhi رحمه الله graded it Hasan Sahih.
His exact statement is:
هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ
“This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.”
Reference: Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, 1514.
3. Other Hadith specialists regarded its chain as weak.
The reason centers principally around the narrator ‘Asim ibn ‘Ubaydillah. Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut and Shaykh al-Albani are among those who regarded the chain as weak.
4. Shaykh al-Albani رحمه الله changed his earlier position.
He had previously strengthened the narration through a supporting report but later withdrew that strengthening after examining the chain of the supporting report.
5. The Iqamah has weaker evidence.
The specific Prophetic narrations concerning Iqamah in the left ear have been criticized. However, the practice was also attributed to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz رحمه الله and was accepted by a number of jurists.
SHOULD THIS PRACTICE BE CALLED BID‘AH?
In light of the above evidence, it would be inappropriate to make a blanket declaration that everyone who calls the Adhan for a newborn is committing Bid‘ah.
There is a real scholarly disagreement concerning the grading of the Hadith.
A person who follows Imam al-Tirmidhi رحمه الله and the jurists who accepted the narration has a basis for practicing it.
A person who follows Shaykh al-Albani رحمه الله and other Hadith specialists who consider the narration weak also has a recognized scholarly basis for leaving it.
This is particularly important because the term Bid‘ah should not be used carelessly against Muslims in matters where recognized scholars have differed.
The more accurate statement is:
The Adhan for the newborn is an established subject of Hadith and Fiqh, although the authenticity of its principal narration is disputed among the scholars. The Iqamah in the left ear has weaker evidence and is also a matter of scholarly disagreement.
THE OTHER ESTABLISHED SUNNAHS OF THE NEWBORN
Parents should also give attention to those Sunnahs concerning the newborn whose evidence is much stronger and less disputed.
Among them is Tahnik.
Anas رضي الله عنه narrated:
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أُتِيَ بِابْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ وَهُوَ يَحْتَنِكُهُ، وَمَضَغَ لَهُ تَمْرَةً، ثُمَّ مَجَّهَا فِي فِيهِ.
“A son of Abu Talhah was brought to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he performed Tahnik for him. He chewed a date and then put it into the child's mouth.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of ‘Aqiqah; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2144/2145 depending on edition.
Likewise, the practice of ‘Aqiqah is established through authentic narrations.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَعَ الْغُلَامِ عَقِيقَةٌ، فَأَهْرِيقُوا عَنْهُ دَمًا، وَأَمِيطُوا عَنْهُ الأَذَى.
“For the boy there is an ‘Aqiqah, so shed blood on his behalf and remove the harm from him.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5472; Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 2839.
The newborn should also be given a good name, and the Sunnah of shaving the child's hair and giving charity according to its weight has also been transmitted.
FINAL CONCLUSION
The issue should be understood with fairness, knowledge and respect for the scholars.
The Adhan in the ear of the newborn is not a practice for which there is absolutely no evidence. There is a clear narration of Abu Rafi‘ رضي الله عنه in which he witnessed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ calling the Adhan in the ear of al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali رضي الله عنهما. The narration is recorded by al-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ahmad.
Imam al-Tirmidhi رحمه الله graded the narration Hasan Sahih, while other Hadith specialists later considered its chain weak because of ‘Asim ibn ‘Ubaydillah.
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