Thursday 6 Jumada al-ula 1446 - 7 November 2024
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The time for naming the child and slaughtering the ‘aqeeqah, and eating therefrom

Question

Can the parents of a child eat from the sacrifical meat of their child's Aqiqa,and is it necessary to sacrifice and shave the child's head on the same day?.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly: 

It is permissible for the parents to eat from the ‘aqeeqah, because ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said concerning the ‘aqeeqah: “It should be divided into portions (judool), some of which should be eaten and some given to others.” Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf, 5. 

The author of al-Qaamoos said: “Jadl (pl. judool) means every bone that is separated at the joints and not broken, and not mixed with anything else.” Al-Qaamoos al-Muheet, p. 975, al-Risaalah edition. 

Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Judoolan means complete bones, so the bones should not be broken, rather they should be separated at the joints.” See al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 7/545. 

See also question no. 8388 

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (11/443): “The person who has an ‘aqeeqah may distribute it raw or cooked to the poor, neighbours, relatives and friends, and he and his family may eat some of it. He may invite rich and poor people and feed them in his house, and so on. The matter is broad in scope.” 

Secondly: 

The Sunnah is to shave the child’s head on the seventh day, and to slaughter the ‘aqeeqah on the same day, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every child is in pledge for his ‘aqeeqah, which should be slaughtered on his behalf on the seventh day, when he should be named and his head shaved.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1522; Abu Dawood, 3838; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 1165. 

If the child is named or the ‘aqeeqah slaughtered on a day other than the seventh, there is nothing wrong with that, or with slaughtering the ‘aqeeqah on one day and shaving the child’s head on a different day. 

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: “With regard to shaving the child’s head at the time of the ‘aqeeqah, the scholars regarded that as mustahabb.”  

From Tuhfat al-Mawdood by Ibn al-Qayyim, 67. 

See also question no. 7889.

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Source: Islam Q&A