Part 46

“Every (newborn) boy is pawned by the ‘aqiqah offered for him.””

Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, in explaining this hadith, said, “Pawned here means that (if he dies as a baby) he can intercede with Allah in favor of his parents

who offered ‘agiqah on the occasion of his birth.” Imam Ibnul-Qayyim said, ‘A child grows up good-natured and well-mannered if ‘aqiqah is offered on the occasion of his/her birth.”

According to the most valid opinion in this connection, ‘aqiqah is a confirmed act of the Sunnah. Moreover, sacrificing an animal as ‘agigah is much better than giving its value in charity.

“Aqigah is a sign of the parents’ gratitude to Allah for blessing them with a newborn baby. It is also a means of drawing oneself near to Almighty Allah, being charitable to the poor, and spiritually ransoming the newborn child.

Two equal ewes, with nearly the same age and shape, are to be sacrificed as ‘agiqah for a newborn boy, whereas one ewe is to be sacrificed for a newborn girl. Umm Korz Al-Ka' biyyah narrated that she had heard the Prophet (PBUH) saying:

“Two equal ewes are to be sacrificed for the (newborn) boy and one ewe is to be sacrificed for a (newborn) girl.”

(Related by Imam Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhi who deemed it sahih (authentic) according to a hadith narrated by * Aishah)

The difference in the number of the sacrificial animals offered as ‘ aqiqah for males and females is due to the fact that a male's portion of inheritance in Islam is equal to that of two females. Moreover, the happiness of a father whom Allah grants a boy is usually much greater than the case of being granted a girl; this is why ‘agiqah, which is offered as a sign of gratitude to Allah, is double in case of a newborn boy.

Regarding the time of offering ‘aqiqah, it is preferable to be on the seventh day after the child’s birth. However, it is permissible to offer it before or after that day. It is also more preferable to name the child on that day, as it is stated in the Sunan and other books of Hadith that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Sacrifice is made for him (the newborn baby) on the seventh day and he is to be named as well (on that day).””

It is permissible, however, to name the child on the day of his/her birth, for some scholars maintain that this is more preponderant than naming the child on the seventh day of his/her birth,

On the other hand, it is an act of the Sunnah to give the child a good name, for the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“(On the Day of Resurrection,) you will be called by your names and by your father’s names, so give yourselves good names.”

The Prophet (PBUH) liked good names, * and forbade giving children names suggesting worshipping other than Allah,’ such as calling a child “* AbdulKa‘ bah” (servant of the Kabah), “’ Abdun-Nabi” (servant of the Prophet), ““ Abdul-Masih” (servant of Jesus), “‘ Abdu ‘ Ali” (servant of ‘ Ali), or “‘ AbdulHusayn” (servant of Al-Husayn). In this regard, Imam Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“Muslim scholars agree on the prohibition of giving children names indicating servitude to other than Allah, such as ‘Abd ‘Umar, ‘AbdulKa‘bah, and the like. However, there is no unanimous agreement on the prohibition of referring to or mentioning the people who already have these names, such as, “Abdul-Muttalib; ‘Bani ‘Abdud-Dér’ and “ Abdu-Shams, but not to name after them?"

Moreover, it is detestable to give a child an inappropriate name that suggests a bad quality, such as “Al-’ Asi” (the disobedient), “Kulayb” (doggy), “Hanzalah” (colocynth), “Murrah” (bitter), and “Hazan” (sadness or difficulty). The Prophet (PBUH) hated bad names of persons or places,” and he (PBUH) also pointed out:

“The dearest of your names to Allah are ‘Abdullah’ (servant o of Allah) and “ Abdur-Rahmén’ (servant of the Entirely Merciful).”’

Thus, parents should choose good names for their children and avoid giving them prohibited or odious names; this is one of parents’ duties towards their children.

Back to the issue of ‘agiqah, the sacrificial animal offered is just like that offered as udhiyah with regard to age and characteristics; the animal chosen to be sacrificed as ‘aqiqah should be at the prescribed age for being slaughtered, be free from any physical defects or sickness, and be of proper health and fleshiness. It is also desirable for one to eat from the meat of the sacrificial animal one offers as ‘aqiqah; its meat is to be divided into three parts: one third for the owner, one third to be given as gifts and one third to be given in

charity, just like udhiyah. Unlike udhiyah, it is insufficient for people to share in buying an animal and sacrifice it as ‘agiqah. They cannot, for example, share in one camel or one cow and sacrifice it like the case with udhiyah. This is because ‘aqiqah is sacrificed for a soul, so it cannot be shared. Moreover, neither the Prophet (PBUH) nor his Companions were reported to have shared in the sacrificial animals offered as ‘agiqah.

It is the duty of parents to bring up their children on moral values and noble manners so as to grow up as virtuous men and women; an Arab poet said:

The infant seems to grow up In the way he was brought up.

When the children grow up, it is so difficult to change their characters or natures. Many individuals are corrupt because of the way they were brought up and the lack of moral guidance in their childhood. Therefore, children should be kept away from bad gatherings and corrupt associates. Home should be a righteous, religious atmosphere for a child, for it is the first school in a child’s life. Thus, parents should spare their homes all means of corruption and viciousness, especially today, when the means of corruption are prevalent everywhere and fill up homes, except for those safeguarded by Allah’s mercy. So, parents should beware of such corruptive means, and bring up their children on worshipping and obeying Allah, honoring their religion, appreciating the Qur'an and loving it; these are the true means of achieving felicity in both this world and the Hereafter.

In short, parents or guardians should represent good ideals for their children through their good manners, morals, habits, and ethics. May Allah guide us all to what He likes and pleases.

1 Aba Dawa (2841) [3/177], An-Nasa’i (4230) [4/186], and Al-Tirmidhi (1523) [4/99].

2 Aba Dawid (2837) [3/175], Al-Tirmidhi (1526) [4/101], An-Nasa’i (4231) [4/186], and Tbn Majah (3165) [3/55].

3 Ahmad (23910) [6/31], Aba Dawad (2835) [3/174], Al-Tirmidhi (1517) [4/96], AnNas@'i (4227) [4/185], and Ibn Majah (3162) [3/549].

5 Ahmad (21589) [5/139], Aba’ Dawad (4948) [5/149], and Ibn Hibban (no. 1944),

7 Note that the prefix “Abd” in Arabic means “servant of.” For example, the name “* Abdullah” means “servant of Allah,” and so on,

10 Muslim (5552) [5/132], Abt Dawid (4949) (5/149), Al-Tirmidhi (2838) [5/132], and Ibn Majah (3728) [4/216].

Allah has ordained jihad (fighting in the Cause of Allah) in order to render His Word the highest, His Religion the victorious, His enemies the defeated, and to test the faith of His true servants. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“+ That [is the command]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others, And those who are killed in the Cause of Allah - never will He waste their deeds. He will guide them and amend their condition - and admit them to Paradise, which He has made known to them.”

In Islam, jihad enjoys a great importance, as it is the highest level in religion and one of the best acts of worship to the extent that some scholars consider

jihad the sixth pillar of Islam. Jihad is ordained according to the Qur'an, the Sunnah (Prophetic Tradition) and consensus (of Muslim scholars). Allah, Exalted be He, says:

The Prophet (PBUH) also fought in the Cause of Allah and used to enjoin jihad’; he (PBUH) said:

“Whoever dies without fighting in the Cause of Allah, nor does he express any desire (or determination) for it, would die with a characteristic of hypocrisy.”

Linguistically, jihad means fighting the enemy vigorously and jurisprudentially. It involves fighting the disbelievers and it also includes much more activities showing striving in the Cause of Allah, not only mere fighting. Tbnul-Qayyim said:

“Jihad is a task which is to be fulfilled by means of heart, tongue, money, or hand. Every Muslim must strive in the Cause of Allah through any of these means.”

Jihad, in addition, includes striving for the purification of the soul through self-control, striving against Satan and against dissolute, disobedient, and straying people. So, self-restraint is a sort of jihad that a Muslim can achieve through seeking religious knowledge, acting in accordance with the knowledge he learns, and then teaching such knowledge to others. One can strive against Satan, as another type of jihad, through keeping away from the doubtful matters portrayed by Satan and resisting satanic wicked desires. As for striving against the disbelievers, it can be by means of hand (fighting), money, tongue, and heart. A Muslim must also strive against the defiantly disobedient, dissolute, and straying people, as much as he can, forbidding their wrongdoing either by his hand first, then his tongue if he cannot, and finally with his heart if the other means are impossible; it depends.

Jihad, in fact, is a collective duty which if sufficiently fulfilled by some Muslims, the rest will not be accountable for it as an obligation, and it becomes an act of the Sunnah for them. Jihdd is the best voluntary act of worship which has great virtues and rewards. There are so many verses in the Noble Qur'an, as well as many hadiths, enjoining jihdd and urging all Muslims to undertake it. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise.

They fight in the Cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed, [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur‘n. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted, And it is that which is the great attainment.”

For a Muslim, there are certain cases in which jihad is an individual duty:

1) When a Muslim is present at the battlefield, it is obligatory for him to fight and he is prohibited to leave the battle and flee.

In the aforesaid two cases, a Muslim fights back his enemies as a means of self-defense only, not a conquest. If Muslims abstain from fighting in these two cases, the disbelievers will take their land defiling their sanctities.

3) When a Muslim is needed to help his fellow Muslims fight their enemies.

4) When a Muslim is called by the ruler (or the one in authority) to fight in the Cause of Allah, for the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Whenever you are called for fighting in the Cause of Allah, you should go immediately.”*

“.. When you encounter a company [from the enemy forces], stand firm...” (Qur'an: Al-Anfal: 45)

“.» What is [the matter] with you that when you are told to go forth in the Cause of Allah, you adhere heavily to the earth? ...”

“Jihad can be either by the hand or the heart, or by calling Muslims to jihad through sound argument, eloquence, demonstration, or by helping to prepare others for fighting; it is obligatory for a Muslim to strive in the Cause of Allah as much as he can. On the other hand,

if a Muslim is unable to join his fellows in the battlefield for a legal excuse, he has then, being at home, to support and take care of the families and properties of the Muslim fighters.””

It is obligatory for the Muslim ruler (or the one in authority) to check the army before setting out for fighting to exclude whatever does not fit the battlefield, be it related to men or equipment. For example, the ruler (or the one in authority) has to exclude whoever discourages Muslims to fight, disheartening and dispiriting them. He should also exclude those fearful and fainthearted men who might dissuade the other fighters, and those who report the news of the Muslim army to the enemies, or cause dissention among the Muslim fighters. The Muslim ruler should also appoint a commander who can lead the army in accordance with the Islamic principles and policies. It is obligatory for the Muslim army to obey their commander in what is right, to give him sincere advice, and to be patient with him, for Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you...” (Qur'an: An-Nis@: 59)

+ To rid people of the worship of faghiits (false objects of worship) and idols, and to lead them to worship Allah, Alone, associating no partner with Him, for He is the One Who has created them, and gives them provisions. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“And fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion [i.e. worship], all of it, is for Allah...” (Quran: Al-Anfal: 39)

+ To eliminate injustice and give rights to their rightful owners, for Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory. [They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right - only because they say, ‘Our Lord is Allah...’ ” (Qur'an: Al-Hajj: 39-40)

« To humiliate the disbelievers, take revenge on them, and weaken their power, for Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“Fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts [i.e. desires] of a believing people. And remove the fury

in their [i.e. the believers’] hearts. And Allah turns in forgiveness to whom He wills; and Allah is Knowing and Wise.”

Fighting the enemies must be preceded by calling them to Islam. The Prophet (PBUH) used to call the enemies to Islam, if they did not know about it, before fighting them”. He (PBUH) also sent messages to kings calling them to Islam’ and used to advise the commanders of the Muslim army to call the disbelievers to Islam before fighting them, and not to fight whomever would accept Islam. This is because the main objective of fighting in Islam is to eliminate disbelief and polytheism, and to help people enter the Religion of Allah (Islam). Thus, if this noble objective is fulfilled without fighting, Muslims are not allowed to fight others;* and Allah knows best.

Jihad has so many rulings mentioned in detail in volumes on Shari'ah (Islamic Law) among which are the following:

+ Ifa Muslim's parents (or one of them) are free Muslims, a Muslim is not permitted to volunteer to fight in the Cause of Allah unless they permit him to. To illustrate, when a man, whose parents were alive, wanted to join the Muslim army in jihad, the Prophet (PBUH) said to him:

“.. Then go and exert yourself in their service (i.e, his parents).””

This is because filial piety is an individual duty in Islam whereas jihad is a collective duty, and an individual duty is considered worthier of fulfillment than a collective one.

+ The ruler (or the one in authority) must appoint the commanders of the army and he is permitted to give anyone he selects from the spoils if this serves the cause of jifttid. Then, he is to divide the rest of the booty among all the soldiers.

« It is impermissible to kill a child, a woman, a monk, an old man, a man infected with a chronic disease, or a blind man, as long as they do not fight against Muslims nor incite others to do so. When captured, those people become slaves to Muslims; the Prophet (PBUH) used to have such people as slaves when he captured them ™.

« Muslims are permitted to take the spoils of battles including all the money and property taken forcefully through fighting the nonMuslim enemies, as well as any ransom (taken from them). Spoils are to be divided among whoever witnessed the battle, whether they have

fought or not, for they are considered supporters of all the Muslim fighters as they have been ready to fight at anytime. Such people are legally considered like fighters, as ‘Umar Ibnul-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: