Fatwa ID: 05182

Answered by: Imam Abdul-Malik Sheikh

Question

If a baby is born and there’s no male in the hospital. Can one do Adhān over the phone or should you wait till it comes home?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

To give Adhān in baby’s right ear and Iqamah in the left ear is recommended (Mustahabb) and not an obligation.

The Sahabi Abu Rafi` said: “I saw the Messenger of Allāh (May the peace and blessings of Allāh h be upon him) give adhan in the ear of al-Hasan, the son of `Ali when Fatimah gave birth to him.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No.1514)

Imam Mulla Ali al-Qāri says: “The wisdom of giving Adhān in the ear is that it strikes the hearing in the first instance with the remembrance of Allāh, the Almighty, by way of invitation to faith and prayer which is the mother of all pillars”

This Adhān can be delayed until the father or a male relative is present to give the Adhān. With regards to giving Adhān in the ear via the phone, if no males are available or are unable to come due to the long-distance or lockdown restriction etc… then it can be done via a phone. However, as I mentioned above, it is mustahabb and not mandatory. You don’t need to overburden yourself. 

Reference:

Radd al-Muhtār of Imām Ibn Ābidīn Vol.1, p.385, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut

Mirqāt al-Mafātih Shar Mishkat al-Masabih of Mulla Ali al-Qāri Vol.7 p.2691, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut

Only Allah knows best

Written by Imam Abdul-Malik Sheikh

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham