tahnik

{{Short description|Islamic ceremony of rubbing the palate of a newborn baby with honey, sweet juice or pressed dates}}

Taḥnīk (تَحْنِيكِ) is an Islamic ceremony of rubbing the palate of a newborn baby with honey, sweet juice or pressed dates.World faiths, Teach yourself - Islam. By Ruqaiyyah Maqsood. {{ISBN|0-340-60901-X}}. Page 173.[http://www.aqiqahkorban.com/aqiqah.html AQIQAH - Islamic Services] Originally the date was softened by mastication by the pious person and rubbed on the infant's palate.[https://archive.org/stream/SahihBukhariSahihMuslimAbuDawud/MuslimEnglish#page/n1359 Sahih Muslim, Bk25; number 5339: Kitab al-Adab] The Arabic word ḥanak (حنك), pl. aḥnāk (احناك), means 'palate', from which the word taḥnīk (تَحْنِيكِ) is derived.[https://giftsofknowledge.net/2016/01/01/searcheable-pdf-of-the-hans-wehr-dictionary Hans Wehr Dictionary]

During the lifetime of Muhammad, Muslims would bring their newborns for him to perform taḥnīk upon them.[http://oneummah.net/qalam/children.html Duties toward your children][http://www.darulghufran.org/services/tahnik/ Darul Ghufran Mosque » Tahnik]

In the collected Ḥadīth books, Sahih Muslim, by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, Kitab al-Adab (كتاب الآداب) "Book of Etiquette", contains the account of the origin of the ceremonial ritual performed by the newborn's mother or father:[http://www.islamswomen.com/marriage/manners_of_welcoming_the_new_born_child_in_islam.php Islams Women - Manners of Welcoming the New Born Child in Islam]

:"It is recommended to perform taḥnīk on the day of birth; to take the newborn to a righteous person or for parents to perform taḥnīk on them. It is permissible to name the newborn on the day of birth, and it is recommended to use the names 'Abdullah, Ibrahim, and the names of all other prophets, (Peace Be Upon Them)."

Anas bin Malik reports this account:

:"I took 'Abdullah b. Abi Talha Ansari to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) at the time of his birth. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was at that time wearing a woollen cloak and besmearing the camels with tar. He said: Have you got with you the dates? I said: Yes. He took hold of the dates and put them in his mouth and softened them, then opened the mouth of the infant and put that in it and the child began to lick it. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: The Ansar have a liking for the dates, and he (the Holy Prophet) gave him the name of 'Abdullah."[https://sunnah.com/muslim/38/27 Kitab al-Adab (Book of Etiquette) Ḥadīth 5340 (Book 39; Ḥadīth 5736)]

The taḥnīk also exercises the muscles of the mouth and helps with the circulation of blood in the mouth - this may help the baby to be able to suck and take mother's milk. It is also credited to prevent neonatal hypoglycemia in newborn babies.{{Cite web|url=https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03726697|title=Effect of Tahneek on Hypoglycemia in Newborn Infants - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov|website=clinicaltrials.gov|language=en|access-date=2020-04-07}}