Nurturing Islam From the Womb

Dearest Muslim Mothers,

The spiritual education process must start from the moment a child is conceived in your womb. This is a useful guide as to how you can do this from conception to birth:

• In Islam, pregnant mothers are encouraged to recite the Quran more often than normal, especially of the Surah Yusuf, Maryam, Luqman and At-Taubah.
  
• An expectant mother must always perform the doa to Allah to ask for a child that is soleh/ solehah, who will be knowledgeable, who has iman (faith in Allah), taqwa and an honorable character.
  
• It is very important for parents to buy any food and nourishment for the family with money that is halal i.e. money earned from sources that are halal as the seed which will grow inside the mother must be from halal flesh and blood.
  
• A pregnant mother must eat nutritious food and take care of her health. Cleanliness must be maintained in preparing food to ensure health of the babyin the womb. The health of a pregnant mother is so important in Islam that a pregnant mother may break her fast if she was fasting on that day, if in any way the fast is detrimental to herself or her child.
  
• After the birth, the father must immediately recite the adzhan in the baby's right ear and the iqamah in the left ear in accordance with the Prophet's practice when Fatimah gave birth to his grandchild, Hasan. (Hadith by Abu Daud and at-Tarmizi)

• Next, according to sunnah, a small bit of tamar (squashed) or some honey is put in the baby's mouth first before any milk from the mother's breast. (Hadith by Bukhari and Muslim)
  
• On the baby's 7th day, it is sunnah for the parents of the baby to give charity by performing the aqiqah for the child; 1 goat for a boy or 2 for a girl. It is also sunnah for his/her hair to be shaved clean so that the the baby has a clean head, with an intelligent mind and his/her new hair will grow well.
  
• A breast-feeding mother must eat good food which is halal, clean and nutritious. While breast feeding, she must consistently pray in her heart (recite the doa) for her child's well being and success in life and the hereafter. While putting him to sleep with a lullaby, the mother should choose to sing a lullaby that praises Allah and his Messenger.
  
• And finally, when the child starts talking, his/her parents should always use good and kind words to him and practice the zikr and salawat with/ in front of the child.