He did not offer ‘aqeeqah for his children until they grew up

Question 105431

If a man is blessed with children and did not offer ‘aqeeqah for them until they were more than four years old, is it permissible for him to offer ‘aqeeqah for them after this age? If that is the case, then is it permissible for him to slaughter the ‘aqeeqah for them outside of the city where they were born? Because in the city where he lives there are no poor people who need meat, but there is a village far away from the place where they were born in which there are people who are deserving of charity. Is it permissible for the ‘aqeeqah to slaughtered there and the meat given in charity to those people? Or is it not stipulated that the meat of the ‘aqeeqah should be eaten by the poor?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

There is nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with slaughtering the ‘aqeeqah on their behalf, even if they have passed the age of four years, although it would have been better to hasten to do it. But if it has been delayed, then there is nothing wrong with doing this; he may slaughter it whenever he can afford to do that.

With regard to where the ‘aqeeqah is slaughtered, there is no specific place for that; rather it is permissible to slaughter it in the city where they were born, or elsewhere, because it is an act of worship for which no place is specified.

With regard to eating the meat, the ‘aqeeqah comes under the same ruling as the udhiyah (sacrifice); it is mustahabb for the one who offers it to eat from it himself, to give some in charity, and to give some as gifts to his neighbours and friends.

End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa ash-Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (2/572)

And Allah knows best.

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He did not offer ‘aqeeqah for his children until they grew up

Question 105431

Answer