Muslim Festivals and Ceremonies — Page 46
46 iii) Shaving the head:. According to the Islamic traditions, seven days after the birth, the head of the baby is clean shaved and those who can afford give gold or silver equal to the weight of the hair removed as alms to the poor and needy. Generally, after the shave, olive oil mixed with saffron is rubbed gently on the head of the new born. If the shaving is not done on the seventh day after birth, it can be performed on the 14th or 21st day. iv) Naming the child:. If the child is not given a name at birth, it is decided upon the seventh day after birth. It is customary to request a holy person to name the child, but parents or other relatives can also choose a name for the baby. It is a common practice to name the children after the names of the Holy Prophet himself, his companions, famous leaders or other important personalities of Islam.