Giving Sweet Chew (Taḥnīk) to a Newborn is a Sunnah Practice
Written by: ʿImrān Ayyūb Lāhorī
Linguistic meaning:
Taḥnīk refers to “softening something by chewing it.”
[Miṣbāḥ al-Lughāt, p.180]
Terminological meaning:
Imām al-Shawkānī رحمه الله writes:
“Taḥnīk is that a person chews a date or something similar until it becomes soft enough to swallow. Then, the mouth of the newborn is opened, and that softened substance is placed inside so that a small portion enters the child’s stomach.”
[Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/506]
Taḥnīk is a Sunnah and recommended (mustaḥabb) practice, as confirmed by several authentic narrations.
“A son was born to me, and I took him to the Prophet ﷺ. He named him Ibrāhīm, performed taḥnīk with a date, supplicated for blessings for him, and then returned him to me. He was the eldest son of Abū Mūsā.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5467 – Kitāb al-ʿAqīqah]
“I was expecting ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Zubayr when I migrated to Madinah. I arrived at Qubāʾ and gave birth there. Then I took him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and placed him in his lap. The Prophet ﷺ asked for a date, chewed it, put his blessed saliva into the baby’s mouth, performed taḥnīk, and made duʿāʾ for blessings upon him. The first thing that entered his stomach was the blessed saliva of the Prophet ﷺ.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5469 – Kitāb al-ʿAqīqah]
Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله writes:
“The scholars have unanimously agreed that performing taḥnīk with dates at the time of a child’s birth is mustaḥabb. If no date is available, then anything sweet or similar in texture can be used.”
[al-Majmūʿ: 8/242]
✔ Taḥnīk is a recommended Sunnah act to be performed soon after a child’s birth.
✔ It reflects the spiritual care and initiation of the newborn into a blessed and pure path.
✔ If dates are unavailable, any sweet substance may be used.
✔ This practice is rooted in the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and is a means of seeking blessing and well-being for the child.
Written by: ʿImrān Ayyūb Lāhorī❖ Definition of Taḥnīk (تحنيك)
Linguistic meaning:
Taḥnīk refers to “softening something by chewing it.”
[Miṣbāḥ al-Lughāt, p.180]Terminological meaning:
Imām al-Shawkānī رحمه الله writes:
“Taḥnīk is that a person chews a date or something similar until it becomes soft enough to swallow. Then, the mouth of the newborn is opened, and that softened substance is placed inside so that a small portion enters the child’s stomach.”
[Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/506]❖ Ruling on Taḥnīk:
Taḥnīk is a Sunnah and recommended (mustaḥabb) practice, as confirmed by several authentic narrations.➊ Ḥadīth of Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī رضي الله عنه:
“A son was born to me, and I took him to the Prophet ﷺ. He named him Ibrāhīm, performed taḥnīk with a date, supplicated for blessings for him, and then returned him to me. He was the eldest son of Abū Mūsā.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5467 – Kitāb al-ʿAqīqah]➋ Ḥadīth of Asmāʾ bint Abī Bakr رضي الله عنها:
“I was expecting ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Zubayr when I migrated to Madinah. I arrived at Qubāʾ and gave birth there. Then I took him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and placed him in his lap. The Prophet ﷺ asked for a date, chewed it, put his blessed saliva into the baby’s mouth, performed taḥnīk, and made duʿāʾ for blessings upon him. The first thing that entered his stomach was the blessed saliva of the Prophet ﷺ.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5469 – Kitāb al-ʿAqīqah]❖ Scholarly Consensus:
Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله writes:
“The scholars have unanimously agreed that performing taḥnīk with dates at the time of a child’s birth is mustaḥabb. If no date is available, then anything sweet or similar in texture can be used.”
[al-Majmūʿ: 8/242] Conclusion:
✔ Taḥnīk is a recommended Sunnah act to be performed soon after a child’s birth.
✔ It reflects the spiritual care and initiation of the newborn into a blessed and pure path.
✔ If dates are unavailable, any sweet substance may be used.
✔ This practice is rooted in the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and is a means of seeking blessing and well-being for the child.
