Aqiqah - What to do When a Child is Born?

What is the process of Aqiqah when a child is born?

The Aqiqah is to slaughter an animal; one goat for a baby girl and two goats for a baby boy and it has to be slaughtered in the seventh day if not possible, then in the fourteenth, if not, in the twenty fourth, if not, then at anytime.

We have to count the days according to the lunar calendar, not the solar. The day according to the lunar calendar starts by the sunset. For example if today is Monday according to the lunar calendar, and the child was born today after sunset, I will count Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. So the Aqiqah will be on Sunday, on the seventh day.

The conditions that should be applied to the Udhiyah of the Aqiqah, if it is a sheep, it has to be six months and above, if it is a goat, it should be one year and above and it should be clear from any defect; the horns are not broken, the ears is not cut… etc, and then we slaughter the animal and we divide it into three lots, one third for you, one for your relatives and one third for the poor. Or you can make Walimah, banquet and you can invite the people and they can come and have a meal. You have two options to do.

We also shave the hair of the child boy or girl and then we apply saffron; Za'faran, then we weigh the hair and give the equal amount of it in gold or silver as Sadaqah to the poor people.

The Aqiqah is a must. If you don't do this for your child, your child will not intercede for his parents on the day of resurrection.

Now the question- what if my parents did not do it for me and now I’m old. Can I make Aqiqah for myself? The answer is yes you can make the Aqiqah for yourself.

Sheikh Salem Al-Amry