The ritual of ‘Aqiqah

Virtues and customs of the 'Aqiqah

The ritual of ‘Aqiqah (العقيقة) is widely recommended in Islam and is considered Sunnah Mu’aqqadah (سنة مؤكدة) by most scholars. It involves the sacrificial offering of an animal for the newborn to be performed on the seventh day after birth, as a sign of devotion and gratitude to Allāh for granting a descendant. The entire ceremony expresses gratitude to Allāh for blessing the family with the gift of a newborn.
Allāh says in the Quran: To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills. He gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives to whom He wills males.

لَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ يَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ إِنَٰثًا وَيَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ٱلذُّكُورَ

[Ash-Shūra: 49]

Meaning and purpose of ʾAqiqah

Before the birth of a child or before marriage, it is customary for Muslims to intensify their ibādah [عبادة], that is, worship, and increase their supplications so that Allah ﷻ makes the child a devout son. This is a behavior inspired by the example of our master Ibrahim [Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him], who prayed for his unborn progeny with these words: Rabbi ij-alni muqiimas sa Ṣalāht wa min zhuriyyati, rabbana wa taqabbal duʿāʾi. 'Oh Lord, make me one who establishes prayer, and also my descendants. Oh Lord, accept my supplication'.

رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْنِى مُقِيمَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَآءِ

[Ibrahim:40]

Aqiqah Ritual and its Practices

When the child is born, ʾAqīqah, [sacrifice] is due to the father, the family breadwinner, or to the person who is in the upbringing for the child. A ram or a sheep or a goat is slaughtered for a female baby, and two are slaughtered for a male child.

Narrated Amr bin Shuaib: Whoever among you would like to perform [Nusk - نسك] rites on behalf of his son, let him do; two equivalent sheep for the boy, and one sheep for the girl.

عن عمرو بن شعيب قال، قال رسول الله ﷺ: من أحب منكم أن ينسك عن ولده فليفعل عن الغلام شاتان مكافئتان وعن الجارية شاة

It was narrated that ʿĀʾisha [may Allāh be pleased with her said: “The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ commanded us to sacrifice two sheep for a boy’s ‘Aqiqah and one sheep for a girl.”

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ نَعُقَّ عَنِ الْغُلاَمِ شَاتَيْنِ وَعَنِ الْجَارِيَةِ شَاةً ‏

[Sunan Ibn Mājah]

In another Hadith, it is narrated by Ibn Abbas and Anas that the Prophet sacrificed a ram for Hasan and one for Husayn.

According to this second Hadith, the Maliki school believes that the number of animals to be sacrificed for male and female children is the same.

When is the Aqiqah ritual?

The best time to offer the ʾAqiqah is seven days after birth. Alternatively, the animal should be slaughtered preferably on the fourteenth or twenty-first day after the child's birth. But if there is a delay, it can be done at any time, and there is no sin in delaying it, although it is preferable to do it as soon as possible.

Narrated Samurah: That the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: "The boy is mortgaged by his ‘Aqiqah [pawned against his ʾAqīqah]; slaughtering should be done for him on the seventh day, he should be given a name, and his head should be shaved."

عَنْ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ “‏ الْغُلاَمُ مُرْتَهَنٌ بِعَقِيقَتِهِ يُذْبَحُ عَنْهُ يَوْمَ السَّابِعِ وَيُسَمَّى وَيُحْلَقُ رَأْسُهُ” ‏

[Jami` Al-Tirmidhī]

The newborn would not be free; it would not be beneficial to its parents, and it would not intercede for them unless its ʾAqīqah is sacrificed. Therefore, the ʾAqiqah is an offering for the child in the hope that Allah makes him healthy, intelligent, righteous, etc., which is one of the meanings of Murtahanun bil ʾAqīqah.

Shaving and donation

During the celebration of ʾAqiqah, it is recommended to shave the baby's head, and the shaved hair is then weighed to donate ṣadaqāt equivalent to its weight in silver. In other words, the equivalent value of the baby's hair weight in silver is distributed to the needy as ṣadaqāt.

Fátima [may Allah be pleased with her] donated, in silver equivalent, the shaved-hair weight of her children Hassan, Husayn, Umm Kulthūm and Zaynab.

Alī ibn ʾAbī Ṭālib said: "The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ had the 'Aqiqah for Al-Hasan with one sheep, and said: 'O Fátima! Shave his head and give the weight of his hair in silver as charity.'" He said: "So I weighed it, and it was the weight of a Dirham or a bit of a Dirham."

عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ عَقَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بِشَاةٍ وَقَالَ ‏ يَا فَاطِمَةُ احْلِقِي رَأْسَهُ وَتَصَدَّقِي بِزِنَةِ شَعْرِهِ فِضَّة

[Jami` at-Tirmidhī]

Distribution of the meat of the sacrificed animal

The meat of the sacrificed animal should be shared with family, friends, and needy members of the community. Some scholars argue that the meat of the ʾAqīqah should be distributed in the same way we handle the ʾudhia [أضحية], meaning it should be divided into three parts or portions: one third for ourselves, one third for our parents, and one third for the needy or the poor. However, according to the most authentic opinion, there is no specific classification for the distribution of the meat. What matters is the sacrifice, for the sake of Allāh. This is what reaches Allāh. In the Quran it is written: "Their meat and blood do not reach Allāh, but what reaches Him is your righteousness, the taqwā [التقوى]."

لَنْ يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِنْ يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنْكُمْ

[Al-Hajj: 37]

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