Though details may vary from one ethnic community to another, a series of rituals and practices in their general form mark the development of the Muslim child, some of which have been adapted for life in the United States. At birth, the father or other male relative whispers a verse of the Qurʾān in the baby's ear; if the newborn is in an incubator, the father may reach the infant's ear by rolling a paper cone. Circumcision for boys may be done immediately at birth in the hospital, without any …