BIRTH OF A CHILD

It is generally found that people celebrate on the birth of a boy and show dissatisfaction when a girl is born. Islam disapproves of this kind of behavior. Children are great gift from Almighty Allah and we should be thankful and rejoice irrespective of the gender of the new-born child. The birth of a daughter is a blessing and the Prophet of Islam (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said that they would be a shield for the parents from Hell. 

It is stated in the Quran Shareef, Surah an-Nahl, Verse 58: "… when news is brought to one of them of the birth of a female child his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief". This was the belief of the Kufaar prior to Islam. 

The woman that gives birth to a girl as her first child is indeed fortunate as the first born of the Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) was a girl. 

On the birth of a child, gifts or alms should be distributed among the poor. Nafils should be read instead of having parties, playing music and distributing sweetmeats, which is totally unnecessary. 

When a child is born, he or she should be given Ghusal as soon as possible and the Azaan must be read in the right ear and the Takbeer recited in the left ear. The after-birth (placenta, etc.) of the child should be buried. 

It is also Sunnat that some pious person chews something sweet like dates (Khajoor) and place in the baby’s palate (Thaneek). It is established from the Ahadith that the Sahabas took new-borns to the Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) for Thaneek . 

It is preferable to have a Meelad Shareef or Fateha on the birth of a baby. All other unnecessary customs, which has no basis in Islam, should be completely stopped.