Question
Is this an authentic narration?
It is narrated that the crying of a baby at birth until two months is as if the child is testifying to the Kalimah Tayyibah and then durud upon Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
Answer
Hafiz Khatib Baghdadi (rahimahullah) has recorded the following narration:
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) reported he heard Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) say: “Do not hit your children due to them crying, for the crying of a child [from birth] until four months is testifying that there is no Deity but Allah, the next four months salutations upon Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and the next four months du’a for the parents.”
(Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 13 pg. 246)
However, Hafiz Khatib Baghdadi (rahimahullah) himself has declared the text unreliable (munkarun jiddan). Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al ‘Asqalani (rahimahullah) has declared the Hadith a fabrication.
(Lisanul Mizan, vol. 5 pg. 477-478, number: 5296, Tanzihush Shari’ah, vol. 1 pg. 171)
The narration is therefore not suitable to quote.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar