Aqiqah – celebrate the birth of your child
What is Aqiqah?
‘Aqiq consists of giving a name to the baby, shaving its hair and offering a sacrifice. It is recommended that the newborn baby should be given either a compound name containing one of the most beautiful names of God (e.g. ‘Abd al-Hamid), or the name of holy figures. Aqiqah, an Islamic terminology, is defined as the animal that is slaughtered on the occasion of childbirth. For the child there should be aqiqah, so on behalf of the child make sacrifice and remove the hair.
When should Aqiqah be performed?
The preferable method for Aqiqah is that it should be performed on the seventh day if not then the 14th or 21st and so on. Some scholars have said that this can be carried on till the child has become mature and say Aqiqah can be performed then. However, after this period performing Aqiqah is irrelevant. Some scholars have given a Fatwa that Aqiqah is valid till the day of one’s death. If someone after becoming an adult performs his own Aqiqah, according to some scholars it is not valid but according to some scholars it is permissible.
What is the purpose of Aqiqah?
The performance of Aqiqah is highly encouraged. It is to be performed by the parents or the guardians of the child. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companions used to perform Aqiqah when they were bestowed with a newborn. There are many benefits in the performance of Aqiqah. One is announcing the birth of the baby. Being bestowed with a child is a great blessing from the Creator. Another purpose is inviting family members, neighbors, and friends to celebrate the blessed occasion. The poor should be included in the celebration by offering them food and meat served on this occasion.
Narrated Salman bin «Amri Ad-Dabbi (may God be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Aqiqa is to be offered for a (newly born) boy.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
Types of animals to be slaughtered
The following is a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) where he advised Aqiqah of a goat or sheep.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Two sheep which resemble each other are to be sacrificed for a boy and one for a girl.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood)
The condition of the animal for Aqiqah
The condition of the animals in Aqiqah is the same as the conditions for the animals in Qurbani. The animals to be slaughtered must be a goats, cows or camels. For camels, they must be older than 6 years, for cows the age must be older than 3 years and for goats, they must be older than 2 years. They must be free from any form of handicap such as being blind, sick, weak and undernourished. The animals must be slaughtered in appropriate humane ways.
Dua
“In the Name of God and through God, this is the ‘aqīqa of …. (name of the boy), son of …. (name of the father): its flesh [i.e., the flesh of the sacrifice of the ‘aqiqa] for his flesh blood, its bone for his bone, its hair for his hair, its skin for his skin. O God, let it be a protection of the family of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family”.
The hair of the baby is shaved. It is recommended to weigh the cut hair in silver and give its value to the poor or to orphans as alms. A goat, a sheep or other such animal should be sacrificed either after shaving the hair or at the same time, but not before. It is recommended to read the following prayer at the time when the animal is about to be slaughtered:
“O gathering, I am free from what you associate; I turn my face to Him who split the heavens and the earth, a true believer and a Muslim, and not one of the polytheists. My prayer, my piety, my living, and my dying are for God, the Lord of the Words. O God, from You and to You, in the Name of God; God is greater. O God, bless Muhammad, and accept [this] from … (name of the child)”.
After the sacrifice, the greater part of the meat should be distributed among the poor and needy. It may also be served to the guests.
If, due to any reason, ‘aqiq is not performed on the seventh day after the birth of the child, it may be offered later on, at any time, even by the child itself after attaining puberty.
This rite is not obligatory but recommended, and there are many traditions which emphasise it.
