An unauthentic du’a to be recited at the time of being shown a new born baby

Question

Is the following du’a appropriate to be read for a baby at the time of birth, and is it authentic?

اللهم اجعله بارا تقيا رشيدا و أنبته في الإسلام نباتا حسنا

Allahummaj’alhu Barran Taqiyyan Rashida, Wa Ambithu Fil Islami Nabatan Hasana

 

Answer

Imams Abu Nu’aym and others (rahimahumullah) have recorded a narration containing this du’a on the authority of Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radiyallahu ‘anha).

(Tarikhu Asbahan, vol. 2 pg. 121; Also see: the footnotes of Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah – hafizahullah – on Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, After Hadith: 30454)

 

The context of this narration, however, indicates that this du’a is to be recited when one is shown the new born baby of another.

Nonetheless, this narration consists of a narrator which Imam Bukhari and others (rahimahumullah) have declared a liar. Although one may still recite this du’a, caution should be exercised in attributing it to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam).

(Refer: Al-Kashful Hathith ‘Am-man Rumiya Bi Wad‘il Hadith; Tanzihush Shari’ah, vol. 1 pg. 50, Al-Jami’ul Kabir, vol. 23 pg. 364, and the footnotes of Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah – hafizahullah – on Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, After Hadith: 30454)

 

Translation

Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radiyallahu ‘anha) is reported to have narrated that whenever Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was brought a newborn child that had been born in Islam he used to say: ‘O Allah, make him a dutiful, righteous and rightly guided individual and grant him a wonderful upbringing in [the din of] Islam.’

 

And Allah Ta’ala knows best.

 

Answered by: Moulana Farhan Shariff

 

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar