Aqiqah (Birth Celebration Sacrifice)
Suggest editDefinition and Religious Basis
Aqiqah (عقيقة) is the Islamic practice of sacrificing one or two animals in gratitude to Allah on the occasion of a child's birth. It is performed on the seventh day after birth and is customarily accompanied by naming the child and shaving the newborn's head. The word aqiqah derives from the Arabic root meaning to cut — referring either to the cutting of the animal's throat in sacrifice or to the shaving of the baby's hair. Aqiqah is a Prophetically established practice that celebrates new life, expresses gratitude to Allah for the gift of a child, and integrates the newborn into the Muslim community through a shared communal meal.
Ruling: Sunnah Mu'akkadah
The overwhelming majority of scholars — including the Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools — hold that aqiqah is a sunnah mu'akkadah (confirmed, strongly recommended sunnah). The Hanafi school considers it recommended (mustahabb) but not quite at the level of sunnah mu'akkadah, and their mainstream opinion does not hold it to be obligatory. The Dhahiri school and some in the Hanbali school consider it obligatory. The evidence comes from explicit prophetic statements and consistent practice. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Every child is mortgaged (murtahan) by their aqiqah, which should be slaughtered on the seventh day, the child shaved, and named' (Sunan Abu Dawud 2838, Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1522). Scholars of hadith including al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hajar have authenticated this narration.
Specifications: Animal, Number, and Timing
For a male child, the Sunnah is to sacrifice two sheep or goats. For a female child, one sheep or goat is sufficient. The animals must meet the same general requirements as qurbani (Eid al-Adha sacrifice): they must be healthy, free from significant defects, and of sufficient age (one year for sheep and goats). The meat is distributed in the same manner as other sacrificial meat: some is eaten by the family, some is given to relatives and neighbors, and some is given to the poor.
The preferred time is the seventh day after birth, as this is specified in the hadith. If missed, it can be performed on the 14th or 21st day (multiples of seven, according to some scholars), or at any point thereafter. Some scholars hold it remains valid and recommended throughout the child's life if it was not done at birth. If a person reaches adulthood without having had an aqiqah performed for them, some scholars recommend they perform it for themselves.
Accompanying Practices
Naming the child: Islam recommends naming the child on the seventh day, though naming on the day of birth is also established in hadith practice. The Prophet ﷺ said the most beloved names to Allah are 'Abdullah' and 'Abdurrahman' (Sahih Muslim 2132). Prophetic names and names of righteous people are recommended; names with negative meanings are prohibited.
Shaving the head: The newborn's head is shaved, and the weight of the hair in silver is given as charity. This practice is documented from the Prophet ﷺ when Hasan and Husayn were born. Aisha reported that the Prophet ﷺ performed aqiqah for Hasan with a sheep and said: 'Shave his head and give its weight in silver as charity' (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1519).
Tahnik: It is also Sunnah to perform tahnik — placing a small amount of softened date or date paste on the newborn's palate — ideally done by a righteous scholar or elder. Multiple Companions brought their newborn children to the Prophet ﷺ for tahnik (Sahih al-Bukhari 5467).
Wisdom and Purpose
Aqiqah reflects several Islamic principles simultaneously: gratitude to Allah for the blessing of new life, the ransoming of the child (fidya) through sacrifice, the communal celebration that bonds the new Muslim into the wider community, and the explicit statement — through naming, shaving, and sacrifice — that this child belongs to the Muslim ummah and will be raised in the way of Allah.