Muslims traditionally whisper the adhan (call to prayer) into a newborn baby's right ear.
The adhan is a call to prayer and contains the following phrases:
- Allahu Akbar (الله أكبر): God is the greatest. (repeated four times)
- Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah (أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله): I bear witness that there is no god except God. (repeated twice)
- Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah (أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله): I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God. (repeated twice)
- Hayya 'ala-s-Salah (حي على الصلاة): Hurry to the prayer (or Rise up for prayer). (repeated twice)
- Hayya 'ala-l-Falah (حي على الفلاح): Hurry to success (or Rise up for salvation). (repeated twice)
- As-salatu Khayrun Minan-nawm (الصلاة خير من النوم): Prayer is better than sleep. (This line is only recited in the Fajr adhan, the call to the morning prayer.) (repeated twice)
- Allahu Akbar (الله أكبر): God is the greatest. (repeated twice)
- La ilaha illa-Allah (لا إله إلا الله): There is no god except God. (repeated once)
This practice is a way of introducing the newborn to the core tenets of Islam from their first moments. The iqama, a slightly different and quicker version of the adhan, may also be whispered into the baby's left ear.
