Is it mandatory to shave newborn girl hair in Islam?

11 August 2024 | By Sheeza

In Islam, shaving a newborn girl's hair is not mandatory but is a recommended practice, similar to that of a newborn boy. The tradition stems from the Aqiqah ceremony, where the hair is shaved on the seventh day after birth as a gesture of purification and as an act of Sunnah (the practices of Prophet Muhammad). While it is encouraged, parents are not obligated to perform this ritual, and the decision ultimately rests with them. The focus of the Aqiqah remains on expressing gratitude, charity, and the well-being of the child rather than strictly adhering to the shaving of the hair.