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Aqiqah is the sacrifice offered for a newborn child. It is a confirmed sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah) — not obligatory — according to the majority of scholars, and it is the father's responsibility. For a boy, two sheep; for a girl, one. The best time is the seventh day after birth, and if that is missed, the fourteenth, then the twenty-first, and after that any time.
What aqiqah is
The word aqiqah comes from al-'aqq, which in Arabic means to cut or sever — the animal's throat is cut at slaughter. The same word is also used for the hair on a newborn's head, because it is shaved at the time of the sacrifice. Some people call it tamimah, and the scholars also call it nasikah (a rite of sacrifice).
It is a sacrifice of thanksgiving for the gift of a child, offered by the child's father.
Who offers it
The aqiqah is the father's duty and his alone. He pays for it from his own wealth, not from the child's property. Ibn Uthaymeen رحمه الله explained that it belongs to the father's responsibilities, and the mother is not addressed by this ruling at all — if the father is well-off, he slaughters; if he is poor, "Allah does not burden a soul beyond what He has given it," and nothing is required of him.
The Hanbalis stated plainly that no one but the father offers the aqiqah, unless he is unable — through death or refusal — in which case another may do it without it being disliked. The Malikis likewise named the father as the one asked for it. The Shafi'is held that whoever is obliged to support the child may offer it, and that another may do so only with that person's permission.
If a person reaches adulthood and no aqiqah was offered for him, the Hanbali position is that it is not required of him — Ahmad said it remains on the father. Ata' and al-Hasan held that he may offer it for himself.
How many animals
| Child | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boy | Two sheep | They should be close to each other in age and quality |
| Girl | One sheep |
The Prophet ﷺ commanded two sheep for a boy and one for a girl. If a person can only find one sheep for a boy, Ibn Uthaymeen noted that it suffices and achieves the purpose — but two is better when one is able.
When it is offered
The seventh day is the established time. The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Every boy is held in pledge for his aqiqah; it is slaughtered for him on his seventh day, his head is shaved, and he is named."— Sunan Abi Dawud 2838, from Samurah ibn Jundub
If the seventh day passes, then the fourteenth; if that passes, then the twenty-first. This sequence is reported from Aisha رضي الله عنها, and Ibn Qudamah noted there is no known disagreement among the scholars who accept its legislation that the seventh day is the preferred time.
After the twenty-first, there is no fixed limit. Ibn Baz رحمه الله said it may be offered after a week, two weeks, a month, two months, or more — the sunnah is simply that it be done, even if delayed. IslamWeb stated the same: if none of those days is possible, then any day afterwards.
If a person cannot afford it at the proper time, he may wait until his circumstances ease, with no set time limit — though hastening when able is better.
What animal is valid
Only what is valid for udhiyah (the sacrificial offering of Eid al-Adha) is valid for aqiqah. The animal must be free of the defects that disqualify a sacrifice:
- Not blind or one-eyed in a way that removes sight
- Not visibly lame
- Not diseased with a skin condition
- Not broken in limb
- Not emaciated
Its wool is not shorn, its skin is not sold, and no part of its meat is sold.
The minimum age for each type:
| Animal | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Camel | Five years |
| Cow | Two years |
| Goat | One year |
| Sheep | Six months |
How the meat is distributed
The distribution is wide and flexible. Ibn Baz رحمه الله said there is no clear text fixing it: the father may eat from it, give to relatives, neighbours and the poor, distribute all of it, or hold a gathering and invite people to it — all of that is good.
Some scholars treated it like the udhiyah — a third to eat, a third to give away, a third as a gift — but Ibn Baz noted this has no evidence, and the matter remains open.
The majority of jurists recommended that the whole aqiqah be cooked, including the portion given in charity; distributing it uncooked is also permitted.
What accompanies it
On the seventh day, the child's head is shaved and the child is named. For a boy, the hair is shaved; for a girl, it is not. It is recommended to give charity equal to the weight of the hair in silver, or its equivalent value.
It is not a condition that the father see the blood of the sacrifice — there is no evidence for that.
Breaking the animal's bones is not prohibited. The report suggesting bones should not be broken (for optimism about the child's safety) has no basis in the Qur'an or an authentic sunnah; al-Nawawi رحمه الله called that narration strange, and al-Albani identified it as interrupted and containing an insertion from the words of Ata'.
Key takeaways
- Aqiqah is a confirmed sunnah, not obligatory, and it is the father's responsibility — two sheep for a boy, one for a girl.
- The seventh day is best, then the fourteenth, then the twenty-first; after that there is no fixed limit and it may be offered whenever it becomes possible.
- The animal must meet the same conditions as an udhiyah — no blindness, lameness, disease, broken limb or emaciation, and the minimum ages are five years for a camel, two for a cow, one for a goat, six months for a sheep.
- Distribution is flexible: eat, give to family, neighbours and the poor, or distribute it all — the matter is wide.
- The head is shaved and the child named on the seventh day, with charity given equal to the weight of the hair in silver.
And Allah knows best.
Sources4
This is a guide to what the scholars have said, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar who can hear the details.