The tahneek is another noble practice from Islam with which thenewborn is greeted upon entering into the first moments of this life,before any other type of food enters his stomach

(A) Its Description and What is Used

The tahneek here means softening a date and then rubbing the palate ofthe new-born with it just after the birth or soon after that. This isdone by putting a piece of the date upon a finger and then enteringthe finger into the baby's mouth and rubbing it right and left.

This is how it is done, with regard to what is used - then it is donewith a (dried) date. Ibn Hajr said: "If one is not able to find a(dried) date, then a fresh date should be used, and if that is notavailable, then anything sweet." 1

It is not essential to chew the date before the tahneek, rather it maybe softened in any way - since chewing the date before rubbing it inthe baby's mouth as occurs in the ahaadeeth was something particularto the Messenger (peace be upon him) i.e. due to the blessing placedin his (peace be upon him) saliva. Therefore, it is sufficient tosoften the date without chewing it, and then to rub it upon thechild's palate.

This action is to be done by the child's father or mother, or one ofthe people of knowledge and excellence2 whose supplication, it ishoped would be accepted. So he should perform tahneek and supplicatefor blessings for the child - as was the practice of the Companionsalong with the Messenger (peace be upon him) all of this is allowed." 3

(B) Its Wisdom and its being a Prescribed Practice

The tahneek is a recommended Sunnah, an-Nawawee said:

"Scholars are agreed upon the recommendation of performing tahneekupon the baby after its birth". 4 The Messenger performed tahneek upona number of the children of his Companions, as is reported by'Aa-ishah who said: "New-born children used to be brought to Allah'sMessenger and he would supplicate for blessings for them, and rub achewed date upon their palate" .5

And al-Bukhaaree and Muslim report from Aboo Moosaa who said: "A boywas born to me and so I came to the Prophet. (peace be upon him) . Hecalled him Ibraaheem and rubbed his palate with a chewed date andsupplicated for blessing for him and handed him to me".6

And al-Bukaaree and Muslim report a hadeeth of Anas concerning hismaternal brother - in which Aboo Talhah said to him: "Carry him to theProphet" and he sent some dates along with him. So the Prophet (peacebe upon him) took him and said: "Is there anything with him". He said:"Yes, some dates." So Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) took andchewed them, then took them from his mouth and then placed them in thebaby's mouth, rubbing his palate with them and he named him'Abdullaah. "7 And in another narration: "So the baby began to lick it,so the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The Ansaar have a love ofdates"8

(C) The Wisdom of Tahneek and its Benefits

There are many benefits of the tahneek, both medical and non-medical.Some of these were perceived by the scholars and many were not andthere follows some of these points of wisdom:

(1) In performing the tahneek, one is following the Sunnah of thebeloved Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) , and a revival of hisSunnah which he used to perform with his Companions - and this is morethan sufficient wisdom in itself.

(2) It is, furthermore, a Prophetic miracle and protects the childfrom a danger which has only recently become apparent to the medicalprofession. This is that new-born babies may die if their blood-sugarlevel is too low, and after the birth the baby's nutrition from itsmother is cut off, so his body turns to whatever he has stored upwhilst he was in his mother's womb - until his mother is able tobreast-feed him. It is at this time that the child's organs are mostactive, so whatever stores it has may quickly be exhausted causing theblood-sugar level to drop and resulting in danger. We, therefore, findthat rubbing the child's palate with a crushed date - which contains alarge percentage of sugar - provides him with sugar which can passinto his system quickly and will be a protection for him from thatdeficiency should it occur. So how far above and free from anydeficiency is Allah, the Most Wise!9

(3) The tahneek also exercises the muscles of the mouth and helps withthe circulation of blood in the mouth - which is brought about byrubbing the date upon the palate, and by the movement of the jaws whenhe chews and licks - this also helps the baby to be able to suck andtake the mother's milk."10

(4) Furthermore, as is well-known, the date has a number of differentbenefits for health - so performing tahneek as done by theMessenger-will produce a number of such benefits helping the body andhealth of the child.

Footnote

1. 'Fathul- Baaree' (9/588)

2. [E.T. i.e. Scholars of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah asunderstood and practiced by the Companions and those who followedtheir way after them - not those claimants to (hidden) knowledge todaywho are ignorant of this, whose only currency is fables andsuperstition. ]

3. [ refer to point No. 5 of the section 'Mistakes made in welcomingthe new-born child'.]

4. an-Nawawee 39;s Sharh of Saheeh Muslim, 4/122.

5. Reported by Muslim and Aboo Daawood as has preceded

6. al-Bukhaaree [E.T. 7/272/376] and Muslim [E.T. 3/1173/5343]

7. Reported by al-Bukhaaree [E.T. 7/273/No.379] and Muslim [E.T. 3/1172/N0.5341]

8. Reported by Muslim [E.T. 3/1172/No. 5340] and Aboo Daawood [E.T.3/1377/No.4933]

9. From the words of Dr. Faarooq Musaahil (adapted slightly) in'al-Ummah 39; magazine (No. 50, p. 55)

10. Refer to 'Tarbiyyatul- Awlaad fil-lslaam 39; of 'Abdullaah Naasih'Alwaan (Vol. i, P. 71)

Information From Manners of Welcoming the New Born Child in Islam

By Yoosuf ibn ‘Abdullaah Al-‘Areefee

Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood ibn Ronald Burbank