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Shaving the Head
167. When Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.) was asked about the reason for shaving the head of a baby, he answered: “To clean the head from the hair [of the period] of the womb.”1
168. al-Kāfi, narrating from ‘Ali ibn Ja‘far asking Imām al-Kāzim: “I asked him about a newborn child and whether his head is to be shaved after the seventh day?” He (a.s.) said: “If seven days have passed shaving his head is not necessary.”2
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Giving an Offering for a Child
169. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Every boy (his well-being) is dependent on his offering (‘aqiqah) which should be sacrificed for him on the seventh day [after his birth].”3
170. Imām al-Bāqir (a.s.) said: “On the seventh day of the birth of a child, a boy or a girl, one should sacrifice a sheep, a male sheep for the boy and an ewe for the girl. Sacrifice [an offering] and give a part of the offering to the midwife, and name him on the seventh day.”4
171. Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.) said: “When the child is born, an offering is to be sacrificed for him, his head is to be shaved and some silver equal to the weight of his hair should be given as alms. The foot and the leg [of the offering] should be gifted to the midwife and some Muslims should be invited to eat [from it] and pray for the child, then he should be named on the seventh day [after his birth].”5
1.. Kitāb Man lā Yahdarhu al-Faqih, vol. ۳, p. ۴۸۹, h. ۴۷۲۸. ‘Ilal al-Sharā'i‘, p. ۵۰۵, h. ۱. Makārim al-Akhlāq, vol. ۱, p. ۴۸۸, h. ۱۶۹۳.
2.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۶, p. ۳۸, h. ۱. Kitāb Man lā Yahdarhu al-Faqih, vol. ۳, p. ۴۸۹, h. ۴۷۲۹.
3.. Sunan al-Dārami, vol. ۱, p. ۵۱۱, h. ۱۹۰۳. al-Sunan al-Kubrā, vol. ۹, p. ۵۱۰, h. ۱۹۲۹۰. Both narrating from Samarah.
4.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۶, p. ۲۷, h. ۴. Tahdhib al-Ahkām, vol. ۷, p. ۴۴۲, h. ۱۷۶۹. Wasā'il al-Shi‘ah, vol. ۱۵, p. ۱۵۲, h. ۱۱.
5.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۶, p. ۲۸, h. ۵. Tahdhib al-Ahkām, vol. ۷, p. ۴۴۲, h. ۱۷۷۰. Both narrating from Hafs al-Kanā'isi.
