Short answer
It depends on whether the baby showed any sign of life at birth. In the Hanafi school, a baby who breathed, cried or moved after birth is washed, shrouded, named and prayed over. A stillborn baby with formed limbs is washed, wrapped, named and buried without the janazah prayer.
If the baby showed a sign of life after birth, the full rites apply: washing, kafan, a name, janazah and burial, and the baby inherits. If born without life, the fatwa is that the baby is washed, wrapped in a cloth, named and buried, with no janazah prayer. An early miscarriage with no formed limbs is wrapped and buried without washing.
Other madhhabs
- Hanbali
- A miscarried or stillborn baby of four months or more is washed and prayed over, even without signs of life.
Explanation
Losing a baby, whether in pregnancy or at birth, is a deep grief. Islam treats that small life with honour, and the parents are promised great reward for their patience. The rulings below are about the body; the love and the reward are not less in any case.
If the baby showed any sign of life after birth (a cry, a breath, a movement), even for a moment, the baby is treated as any Muslim who has died: washed, shrouded, given a name, prayed over and buried. The baby also has the rulings of inheritance.
If the baby was stillborn and the body was formed, the Hanafi fatwa is to wash the baby gently, wrap them in a clean cloth, give a name and bury them in the Muslim cemetery. The janazah prayer is not prayed. The Maliki and Shafi'i schools agree in general. The Hanbali school prays over a baby of four months or more.
An early miscarriage where no human features had formed is wrapped in a cloth and buried. It does not need washing or a name. Many hospitals will release the remains for burial if you ask; your mosque can help arrange it.
- The mother's bleeding after a miscarriage with formed limbs counts as nifas (postnatal bleeding); see the women's section for the details.
- Parents who lose young children and are patient are promised Paradise by Allah's mercy.
- Make dua for yourselves; the child does not need forgiveness, and is in Allah's care.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:155
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient,
Parents who are patient over the loss of a child are promised good news.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1032
Graded sahih... الطفل لا يصلى عليه ولا يرث ولا يورث حتى يستهل ...
"The baby is not prayed over, does not inherit and is not inherited from, until it shows a sign of life."
This is the basis of the Hanafi rule.
Sunan Abi Dawud 3180
Graded sahih... والسقط يصلى عليه ويدعى لوالديه بالمغفرة والرحمة ...
"The miscarried baby is prayed over, and dua is made for its parents for forgiveness and mercy."
The Hanbali school relies on this narration.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1248
Sahih... ما من الناس من مسلم يتوفى له ثلاث لم يبلغوا الحنث إلا أدخله الله الجنة ...
"No Muslim loses three children who had not reached puberty except that Allah admits him to Paradise."
Losing young children carries great reward for the parents.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Salah, Bab al-Jana'iz. The baby who shows signs of life is named, washed and prayed over; one who does not is wrapped and not prayed over.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Salah, Bab Salat al-Janazah. Washing the stillborn as the fatwa, and the ruling on early miscarriage.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Jana'iz. The Hanbali prayer over a miscarried baby of four months.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.