Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Question: Assalamu alaykum
My daughter was born in India. I forgot to bury my new born baby’s hair in the ground. However, I reside in Saudi Arabia with family now and I still have her hair safe with me. Please let me know what is the solution to complete this duty?
Is there any kaffarah? Is there any punishment?
Answer: Wa ‘alaykym as-salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh
I pray you are well.
There is no expiation (kaffara) or punishment for not having buried the baby’s hair. You can simply bury it wherever you now reside.
Shaving the head of a newborn girl is merely permissible (mubāḥ) in the Hanafi school, and recommended in some of the other three schools. This recommendation comes with the encouragement to give charity which is the equivalent of the shaved hair’s weight in silver (al-Mawsu’a al-Kuwaitiyya).
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat