Guide · newborn
Aqiqah, the seventh-day sunnah
The aqiqah is the sacrifice offered in thanks for a newborn child. Here is what the sunnah says, step by step, with the hadith for each part and the main differences between the schools.
On the seventh day after birth, sacrifice two sheep or goats for a boy and one for a girl, shave the baby's head and give its weight in silver to the poor, and name the child. “Every child is in pledge for his aqiqah, which is slaughtered for him on his seventh day; his head is shaved and he is named” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2838; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1522; Sunan an-Nasa'i 4220).
How to do the aqiqah, step by step
Choose a good name
Name the baby on the day of birth or on the seventh day. The Prophet ﷺ named his son Ibrahim the night he was born (Sahih Muslim 2315). Pick a name with a good meaning; see the baby names directory.
Tahnik with a date
Soften a date and rub a little on the baby's palate, and make dua for the child. Abu Musa brought his newborn to the Prophet ﷺ, who named him Ibrahim, did tahnik with a date and prayed for blessing for him (Sahih al-Bukhari 5467).
Slaughter on the seventh day
Two sheep or goats for a boy and one for a girl: “For a boy two equal sheep, and for a girl one” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2834; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1513). Say Bismillah, Allahu akbar and intend it as the aqiqah for your child. The animal meets the same conditions as the Eid sacrifice: the right age and free of clear defects.
Shave the head and give silver in charity
Shave the baby's hair and give its weight in silver to the poor. Fatimah weighed the hair of al-Hasan and gave its weight in silver, on the Prophet's ﷺ instruction (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1519).
Share the meat
Eat from it, give some as gifts and give some to the poor, as with the Eid sacrifice. Many people cook it and invite family and neighbours.
Silver charity calculator
Weigh the shaved hair (a kitchen scale in grams is enough) and enter today's local price of silver per gram. The result is the amount to give in charity. A baby's hair usually weighs only a few grams, so many families round the amount up.
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The hadith on aqiqah
- “With the boy there is an aqiqah, so shed blood for him and remove harm from him” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5472).
- “For a boy two equal sheep, and for a girl one” (Umm Kurz, Sunan Abi Dawud 2834; ‘A'ishah, Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1513).
- “Every child is in pledge for his aqiqah, which is slaughtered on his seventh day; his head is shaved and he is named” (Samurah, Sunan Abi Dawud 2838; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1522).
- “Whoever has a child and wishes to offer a sacrifice for it, let him do so: two equal sheep for a boy and one for a girl” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2842).
- The Prophet ﷺ sacrificed a ram each for al-Hasan and al-Husayn (Sunan Abi Dawud 2841).
Ruling: Shafi'is and Hanbalis hold the aqiqah is a strong sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah). Malikis hold it is recommended. Hanafis regard it as permitted or recommended, not a strong sunnah.
Number of animals: Shafi'is and Hanbalis prefer two for a boy and one for a girl. Malikis hold one animal per child, boy or girl, following Sunan Abi Dawud 2841.
Counting the seventh day: most scholars count the day of birth as day one, so a baby born on a Friday has the aqiqah on Thursday. Malikis do not count the day of birth if the baby was born after dawn.
Some families also say the adhan in the newborn's ear. The hadith for this (Sunan Abi Dawud 5105, Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1514) is graded differently by hadith scholars; many still act on it.
Frequently asked questions
Is aqiqah obligatory?
Most scholars say it is a sunnah, not an obligation. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever has a child and wishes to offer a sacrifice for it, let him do so” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2842). Shafi'is and Hanbalis call it a strong sunnah; Hanafis regard it as permitted or recommended.
What if we could not do it on the seventh day?
Many scholars say it can be done on the 14th or 21st day, based on a report from ‘A'ishah whose authenticity is disputed, or at any later time. Shafi'is say the father can still do it until the child reaches puberty.
Can we do one sheep for a boy?
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ sacrificed a ram each for al-Hasan and al-Husayn (Sunan Abi Dawud 2841), so one sheep for a boy is valid. Two is better where it is affordable, in the Shafi'i and Hanbali view; Malikis hold one per child is the sunnah.
Can the aqiqah be done through a charity abroad?
Yes. Many scholars allow appointing someone else, such as a charity, to slaughter on your behalf and give the meat to the poor. Make sure the charity follows the conditions and names your child's aqiqah.
Can a share of a cow or camel count as an aqiqah?
The schools differ. Shafi'is accept one seventh of a cow or camel as one aqiqah. Malikis and Hanbalis require a whole animal per child. A whole sheep or goat is accepted by everyone.
Can an adult do aqiqah for himself?
Some scholars allow it. The report that the Prophet ﷺ did his own aqiqah after prophethood is graded weak by most hadith scholars, so others hold the sunnah was for the parent to do.
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