Chapter One
The Rights of a Newborn
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Honoring the Birth
“And peace be on him the day he was born, and the day he dies, and the day he shall be raised alive!”1
“And peace be on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive.”2
119. Imām al-Bāqir (a.s.) said: “O child of three [great] days pointing to three stages of man’s life): The day you were born, the day you will enter your grave and the day you will come out towards your Lord. What great days they will be.”3
120. Imām al-Bāqir (a.s.) said, while congratulating a man for his newborn child: “I ask Allah to make him a [worthy] successor in your life and a successor after you, for indeed a man succeeds his father in his life and after his death.”4
121. Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.) said: “The greatest day of a person is the day he is born, and his smallest day is the day he dies.”5
122. Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.) said: “A man said when congratulating someone who was blessed with a son: “Congratulations for your newborn horseman.”
Imām Hasan (a.s.) said to him: “How do you know he will be a rider or a walker?”
The man said: “May I be sacrificed for you! Then what should I say?”
He (a.s.) said: “Say: you have thanked the Giver [of this bounty], and may the given be a blessing for you. May he reach his perfection and may He make you enjoy his kindness.”6
1.. Qurān, ۱۹:۱۵.
2.. Qurān, ۱۹:۳۳.
3.. Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, p. ۲۹۲. Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۷۸, p. ۱۷۱, h. ۴.
4.. Nathr al-Durr, vol. ۱, p. ۳۴۵. Nazhah al-Nāzir, p. ۱۰۰, h. ۱۹. Kashf al-Ghummah, vol. ۲, p. ۳۶۲.
5.. Kitāb Man lā Yahdarhu al-Faqih, vol. ۱, p. ۱۹۴, h. ۵۹۵.
6.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۶, p. ۱۷, h. ۳. Kitāb Man lā Yahdarhu al-Faqih, vol. ۳, p. ۴۸۰, h. ۴۶۸۷.