Why do Muslims shave the hair off their children within seven days of birth?

Question

Apart from promoting thicker hair growth, is their any other reason or wisdom behind it?

Answer 1

ancient pagan custom probably like all religious practices

Answer 2

I guess it allows then to check the scalp for any abnormalities. Maybe it also helps clean the head of the baby.

Also shaving does not promote hair growth any more than throwing salt over your shoulder actually blinds Satan. If it did then balding men would shave their hair back into full growth.

Answer 3

muslims do trhat because it is islamic law. Thay shave the hair off the baby and however much it ways they give that amount to charity. they also sacrifice an animal like a sheep and give the meat to friends, family and the poor as a celebration of the birth of the baby.

Answer 4

Its called "Aqiqah" There isnt any mention as to why, but here is some info on what actually happens, because its a little more detailed than that.
Aqiqah is a great sunnah. It is part of the legacy inherited from Prophet Ibrahim, peace be on him, and a great sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him. The Prophet, peace be on him, said, " Every child is mortgaged to his aqiqah."

Aqiqah involves sacrificing a goat or lamb on behalf of the child. It is giving thanks to Allah for the gift of a child. The meat is distributed to the poor, or it can be used to arrange a feast to which the poor as well as relatives and friends are invited.

It is reported that the Prophet, peace be on him, sacrificed a goat each for his grandsons Hasan and Husain. It is recommended that, on the day of aqiqah, the child is given a good name, his head is shaved, and his/her hair weighed as gold and its equivalent in money is given in charity. If, for any reason, aqiqah cannot be done on the seventh day, it can be done on the fourteenth, twenty-first or whenever possible. However, it should not be unnecessarily delayed.

Furthermore, according to the vast majority of scholars in Islam, aqiqah is a highly recommended practice (Sunnah). There is, however, a small minority of scholars, who consider it obligatory. This is the position of Imam Hasan al-Basari.

Lastly, the significance of aqiqah is that it is part of the Abrahamic legacy. Prophet Ibrahim, peace be on him, was a man of tawhid, and his entire life typified that of a perfect muwahhid or monotheist. He abolished sacrifices or rituals to deities other than Allah, and allowed sacrifices and prayers to be directed solely to Allah. The rituals associated with aqiqah, therefore, can be considered as a child's initiation into the lessons of tawhid.

In short, aqiqah is a great Sunnah, which all Muslims should practice, especially if they have the means to do so.

This is for "guitarvirgin" looking at your previous Q&A's logic isnt your forte.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AocQWxmkDQ2NjxWc_0mg3wzsy6IX?qid=20070106171709AAx7Y2Q
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmuqLhL12HkPSfdEECCAIg3sy6IX?qid=20061208151729AAGRZpX
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Agsz0EXyUI0rELvpLC1hprnsy6IX?qid=20061005164815AAj9h4f

Answer 5

Up dated : Kindly see at the end:
Muslims Follow Sunnah(traditions) of Prophets.
Every Suunah caries some kind of benefit.

Up Date: Sister Aysha if you do not follow Sunnah, you are definitely missing some benefits you do not realize.
Second advantage to avoid hygienic potential threat, as Circumcise for Boys serve and now Science proved it Beneficial for avoiding so many deceases, one of them is Aids.

Answer 6

It is a myth that shaving promotes thicker hair. if it worked, I can think of SEVERAL grandmas that would be sporting a "Britney" right now.

Answer 7

Hair is something that you can cut off. We know babies carry many unclean and unhygienic substances while coming out from mothers womb. That is why first hair is cut and the body is given wash.

Answer 8

it is sunnah but i didn't shave my sons hair he is now seven , the first time i cut it he was 13 months old , and the first time he had it shaved he was 3 but only coz we lived in a hot climate , saying that my mother in law says its to help get rid of cradle cap . each to their own i say lol
thanks for points salam

Answer 9

I think because it was Sunnah

The Prophet [PBUH] sacrificed a sheep on the seventh day for al-Hasan and said “Shave his head and give the weight of his hair in silver as sadaqah.” (Mishkat)

http://www.islamqa.com/special/index.php?ref=14248&ln=eng&subsite=16

Answer 10

Because this hair is seen as unclean, my brother-in-laws cousin is married to a muslim and she had this done.

Answer 11

Hmm, are you applying that all Muslims do this? Perhaps it's cultural. I'm a Muslim and I wouldn't do that to my children (when I have them). Have a nice day.